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Flash 40: Life's Moments
(From the back cover)
MOMENTS…
Beginnings, Middles & Endings Make up Everyday Life.
What happens when those moments intersect with what is Beyond?
You’re invited to experience life’s moments. Share in flashes that propel lives forward through a variety of beginnings. Experience the in-between times where lessons are learned and life is sustained through the daily grind. Enjoy moments in the middle that are gifts of synchronicity, serendipity, and downright comedy. Find out how endings may be neither black or white nor happy or sad. Instead, some conclusions remain ambiguous, colored with shades of gray.
Beginnings, middles, and endings weave together to shape a life. But, is that really all there is to living? What happens when the beyond touches the now? Find out in Flash 40: Life’s Moments.
Experience moments from around the globe in 40 flash fiction stories.
• Establish a new life with Christine as she rediscovers her power in “Home”
• Race for the checkered flag with Beau in “Career Day”
• Discover the power of waffles in a “Birthday Wish”
• See how a “Rabbit” makes a state trooper blush
• Find out how life as she knows it ends for a “Sorority Girl” who does her sister a favor
• Learn about Chassidy’s belief that “The Ends Justify the Means”
• Meet Duck-Young, an “Ageless Character”, who acts as if chivalry isn’t dead
• “Be Careful What You Wish For” because you may just get it…like Neil
• Understand how “Reality Television Hell” may include you too
• And many more…
MOMENTS…
Beginnings, Middles & Endings Make up Everyday Life.
What happens when those moments intersect with what is Beyond?
You’re invited to experience life’s moments. Share in flashes that propel lives forward through a variety of beginnings. Experience the in-between times where lessons are learned and life is sustained through the daily grind. Enjoy moments in the middle that are gifts of synchronicity, serendipity, and downright comedy. Find out how endings may be neither black or white nor happy or sad. Instead, some conclusions remain ambiguous, colored with shades of gray.
Beginnings, middles, and endings weave together to shape a life. But, is that really all there is to living? What happens when the beyond touches the now? Find out in Flash 40: Life’s Moments.
Experience moments from around the globe in 40 flash fiction stories.
• Establish a new life with Christine as she rediscovers her power in “Home”
• Race for the checkered flag with Beau in “Career Day”
• Discover the power of waffles in a “Birthday Wish”
• See how a “Rabbit” makes a state trooper blush
• Find out how life as she knows it ends for a “Sorority Girl” who does her sister a favor
• Learn about Chassidy’s belief that “The Ends Justify the Means”
• Meet Duck-Young, an “Ageless Character”, who acts as if chivalry isn’t dead
• “Be Careful What You Wish For” because you may just get it…like Neil
• Understand how “Reality Television Hell” may include you too
• And many more…
195 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 22, 2014
1 person is currently reading
12 people want to read
About the author
Janelle Jalbert
6 books64 followersJanelle Jalbert is an author of tales that promote the “Magic of Everyday Life”. Her latest release, TRIANGULATING BLISS, is a tale of living life to the fullest as part of THE MYSTIQUE OF LIVING SERIES. Janelle's next release is WINGDOG: SOUL PUP, a 'magical mutt memoir' which is a project close to her heart. She also has ghostwritten more than a dozen books, on a range of topics, for clients around the world and has worked as a copywriter for major international corporations. During her ten year tenure as a teacher, Janelle also worked as a motorsports reporter along with other pursuits. She currently resides in Southern California but is prone to wanderlust when her pack of pups allows it.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 29, 2015
"Flash 40:Life's Moments" by Janelle Jalbert is a puzzling book.
I both loved it (at points) and found it to be incredibly frustrating (at other points). In the end I decided that perhaps I just did not understand what the author was trying to accomplish, and chalked it up to an interesting life experience. So...that said - my review.
Firstly - Ms. Jalbert is most definitely an accomplished writer, and possesses a fine command of the language and the craft of the art. Almost every piece in "Flash Forty" is an intriguing and well written fragment, with characters that can be related to, and situations drawn from life. This pleased me no end as I began to read, as lately some of the fiction I've perused has been of 'less than stellar' quality. Each of these works had almost immediate appeal, and in almost every case I found myself involved in what promised to be a story... The problem for me came when, almost without exception, each promising Beginning, or Middle or even End was cut short, sometimes in mid-thought or feeling, by its abrupt ending.
As a lover of the high-art which is the short story, I was incredibly frustrated, and I blame myself as perhaps this was the author's intent.
Of all of the works there were several which did stand out, and they were well done and complete. My favorite was perhaps 'Silent Night', though 'A Dollar Matters' was a very close second and both 'Love in the Time of Online Dating' and 'Roadside Assistance', for very different reasons, I very much enjoyed.
Given all of the above when it comes time to rate this work, I find myself a bit on the horns of a dilemma. I want to rate some of the works as five Stars - full stop. Others I found so frustrating that they would rate far lower, or perhaps an 'incomplete' if there were such a rating. I settled finally on a frustrating compromise of four stars and with a promise to myself to find a complete work by this obviously talented author through which I could come to appreciate a fully developed story by her hand.
I both loved it (at points) and found it to be incredibly frustrating (at other points). In the end I decided that perhaps I just did not understand what the author was trying to accomplish, and chalked it up to an interesting life experience. So...that said - my review.
Firstly - Ms. Jalbert is most definitely an accomplished writer, and possesses a fine command of the language and the craft of the art. Almost every piece in "Flash Forty" is an intriguing and well written fragment, with characters that can be related to, and situations drawn from life. This pleased me no end as I began to read, as lately some of the fiction I've perused has been of 'less than stellar' quality. Each of these works had almost immediate appeal, and in almost every case I found myself involved in what promised to be a story... The problem for me came when, almost without exception, each promising Beginning, or Middle or even End was cut short, sometimes in mid-thought or feeling, by its abrupt ending.
As a lover of the high-art which is the short story, I was incredibly frustrated, and I blame myself as perhaps this was the author's intent.
Of all of the works there were several which did stand out, and they were well done and complete. My favorite was perhaps 'Silent Night', though 'A Dollar Matters' was a very close second and both 'Love in the Time of Online Dating' and 'Roadside Assistance', for very different reasons, I very much enjoyed.
Given all of the above when it comes time to rate this work, I find myself a bit on the horns of a dilemma. I want to rate some of the works as five Stars - full stop. Others I found so frustrating that they would rate far lower, or perhaps an 'incomplete' if there were such a rating. I settled finally on a frustrating compromise of four stars and with a promise to myself to find a complete work by this obviously talented author through which I could come to appreciate a fully developed story by her hand.
January 3, 2015
I've been a short story fan since elementary school, so buying a coopy of 'Flash 40: Life’s Moments' was a natural decision. Janelle Jalbert's book revolves around the idea that life is comprised of beginnings, middles, and endings. If you separate these categories of events, you get snapshots of life -- little stories that provide for the most entertaining of reads. There are a multitude of short stories in this book, which keep the reader interested because each story is compressed.
The many stories vary greatly due to the different characters and plot lines found in each one. Some are about parents; others are about teenagers, kids, or adults living on their own. The stories are in third person with the narrator carefully recounting each unique story. Life, death, love, loss, are all themes that can be found in this book.
My two favorite stories in the book are “Gone” and “Lightning Fast”. “Gone” is about a woman losing her high school sweetheart and love of her life to cancer. It showcases an important side of life: death, and what it means to those who are left behind to continue living. “Lightning Fast” is about a talented basketball player with a bright future that is crushed once he becomes paralyzed during a fall. He reinvents himself with the help of a mentor and ends up turning his life around to fulfill goals he thought he could never achieve.
One of the highlights about these stories is that the author did not try to make every one end nicely. Some endings were abrupt, others were sad, and some just left you wondering what would happen next. In this way, a sense of realism was incorporated into the work. I believe the author did this to reflect how life truly is: unpredictable and flawed. This book is a must-read for anyone who likes to read realistic stories.
The many stories vary greatly due to the different characters and plot lines found in each one. Some are about parents; others are about teenagers, kids, or adults living on their own. The stories are in third person with the narrator carefully recounting each unique story. Life, death, love, loss, are all themes that can be found in this book.
My two favorite stories in the book are “Gone” and “Lightning Fast”. “Gone” is about a woman losing her high school sweetheart and love of her life to cancer. It showcases an important side of life: death, and what it means to those who are left behind to continue living. “Lightning Fast” is about a talented basketball player with a bright future that is crushed once he becomes paralyzed during a fall. He reinvents himself with the help of a mentor and ends up turning his life around to fulfill goals he thought he could never achieve.
One of the highlights about these stories is that the author did not try to make every one end nicely. Some endings were abrupt, others were sad, and some just left you wondering what would happen next. In this way, a sense of realism was incorporated into the work. I believe the author did this to reflect how life truly is: unpredictable and flawed. This book is a must-read for anyone who likes to read realistic stories.
December 9, 2015
There’s an old saying, proverb if you will which talks about walking in someone else’s shoes. Which in reality means you can't really understand someone else unless you live their life, walk in their shoes so to speak.
The reason I’m mentioning this is that I’ve written and self-publish a Flash Fiction book myself; in fact the one’s I’ve written are for the most part are only FIVE SENTENCES long. So I understand the skill and complexity it takes to write a story which can be considered to be Flash Fiction.
In her book, Janelle Jalbert has written 40 Flash Fictions each complete with a beginning, a middle, and an ending with a surprise at the end; reminiscent to the short stories by O’Henry. Each of her stories is full of emotions; making for an enjoyable quick read. The best thing about these stories is that each can be read completely while having a single cup of your favorite coffee; and they can be read in any order you desire.
While all this might be the case, the book could use a little editing to tighten everything up, which is why I’m giving this book 4 STARS.
The reason I’m mentioning this is that I’ve written and self-publish a Flash Fiction book myself; in fact the one’s I’ve written are for the most part are only FIVE SENTENCES long. So I understand the skill and complexity it takes to write a story which can be considered to be Flash Fiction.
In her book, Janelle Jalbert has written 40 Flash Fictions each complete with a beginning, a middle, and an ending with a surprise at the end; reminiscent to the short stories by O’Henry. Each of her stories is full of emotions; making for an enjoyable quick read. The best thing about these stories is that each can be read completely while having a single cup of your favorite coffee; and they can be read in any order you desire.
While all this might be the case, the book could use a little editing to tighten everything up, which is why I’m giving this book 4 STARS.
November 24, 2015
FLASH 40: LIFE'S MOMENTS is a treasure trove of forty short stories that will take you on a snapshot journey through life. Divided into fours sections to exemplify the phases of life—Beginnings, Middles, Endings and Beyond—the collection is as diverse as it is focused. There's a variety of styles and genres; from the subtle and mundane, joys and ecstasy, to the paranormal and fantasy.
Some of my favorite stories in this collection include; Bucket List, Can You Believe It?, Genie in a Bottle, Addiction, Love in the Time of Online Dating, Gorilla in Our Midst, and The Visitor. Often the anthology took me back into moments of my own life.
Flash fiction at its literary best can be found in FLASH 40: LIFE'S MOMENTS. As with all great literature, many of the stories left me feeling and thinking, or harkening back in time. A few of the stories I have already read twice. It’s the perfect kind of book to bring along on a trip—read a story or two at a time, give them time to settle in and digest, then start again.
Some of my favorite stories in this collection include; Bucket List, Can You Believe It?, Genie in a Bottle, Addiction, Love in the Time of Online Dating, Gorilla in Our Midst, and The Visitor. Often the anthology took me back into moments of my own life.
Flash fiction at its literary best can be found in FLASH 40: LIFE'S MOMENTS. As with all great literature, many of the stories left me feeling and thinking, or harkening back in time. A few of the stories I have already read twice. It’s the perfect kind of book to bring along on a trip—read a story or two at a time, give them time to settle in and digest, then start again.
June 22, 2016
"Flash 40: Life's Moments" by Janelle Jalbert is an enjoyable read that will have you reminiscing, contemplating, and musing over life’s moments. Every moment matters, the mundane to the exquisite; this is the tapestry of our lives. Some pieces resonated with me more than others; a few of my favourites are: Bucket List, Birthday Wish, The Visitor, and Love in the Time of Online Dating. As it is such an eclectic piece of work, there is something for every reader. Enjoy! I know I’ll definitely revisit these stories again.
July 3, 2016
A Flash of Life’s Moments
Janelle Jalbert’s book of Life’s Moments introduced me to my first look into flash fiction. I found the stories enjoyable and loved the way she broke it into life’s beginning, middles, and ends. Each story is unique with their own charm. I prefer my stories a bit longer and some had abrupt endings, but I liked them.
Janelle Jalbert’s book of Life’s Moments introduced me to my first look into flash fiction. I found the stories enjoyable and loved the way she broke it into life’s beginning, middles, and ends. Each story is unique with their own charm. I prefer my stories a bit longer and some had abrupt endings, but I liked them.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews