Flashes

by Leigh Byrne

Got a few minutes? Enjoy some fiction in a flash. Entertainment express. Flashes is a collection of unique and satisfying quick reads you can easily squeeze into your busy schedule. In a matter of minutes, you can go underground into the Bear Creek Coal Mine and participate in the ritual of greasing a man, and meet a pig farmer who becomes his own bacon. Look inside the heart of an anorexic whose obsession with exercise causes her to lose the one thing that matters more to her than being thin. Meet a good father who has a lapse in judgment that tears his whole world apart. Get inside the head of a schizophrenic at the very instant the disorder takes hold of his life. Not in the mood for an emotional experience? Read about the hilarious antics of a second grader who might just be the luckiest budding pyromaniac you will ever meet. Then have lunch with Molly, and Kayla, and share their unique take on beauty, or visit the Magnolia trailer court and bear witness to the remarkable power of positive thinking. Go ahead, read, you have the time.

Nook

First published July 24, 2011

About the author

Leigh Byrne is an American author who lives in southern Indiana. She's a self-described loner and serious NBA fan. Her works include "Call Me Tuesday," a memoir revealing her experiences as a victim of extreme child abuse, and "Call Me Cockroach," in which she details the devastating and often bizarre ways her childhood trauma has influenced her adult life.

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.

Reviews

[PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is the second item I reviewed from this writer. While a few interspersed sentences are quite good, the writer appears to lack the knowledge of the mental illnesses about which she writes. She may have book knowledge on the topics, but that doesn't always translate well to understanding how disorders manifest themselves in people. I'm a clinical psychologist, so perhaps others might not care about accurate depictions as much as me. I wish I could recommend this.

[Lili · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some cute short stories I enjoyed reading. There are some very good observations of people.