Odds and Endings: Fiction Short and Otherwise

by Joe DeRouen

Odds and Endings: Fictions Short and Otherwise is Joe DeRouen’s first short story collection, and contains thirteen (mostly) all-new tales of magic, murder, and mystery. The compilation includes one novella and eleven short stories, one of which takes place in the Small Things universe and involves some of your favorite characters.

In A Stranger with Your Hair, we’ll meet Parker McCain, a womanizer who’s always looking for the perfect partner. He’ll get all that and more when he makes a certain wish. Speaking of wishes, The Wish shows exactly why you should be very careful when you hold someone’s heart in your hands, while Mommy’s Favorite illustrates what can happen when a mother’s love goes too far. And in Merryland, we’ll spend time with Zara Boone, a woman who gets far more than she bargained for when she inherits her dead grandmother’s house. These are just a few of the tales that await you in Odds and Endings!

Genres: Horror, Anthologies

295 pages, ebook

Published November 24, 2015

About the author

Joe was born in Carthage, Illinois, and currently lives in Rogers, Arkansas with his wife Andee, their son Fletcher, and their cats Archer, Biscuit, Frosty, Weiss, Cheese, and Eclipse. In addition to being a best-selling author, Joe is a web designer and substitute teacher. When he’s not writing, you can usually find Joe playing City of Heroes: Homecoming on his PC, or Pokemon Go and Stardew Valley on his phone. He also collects Mego action figures and Bicycle playing cards. You can write to Joe at Joe@JoeDeRouen.com or visit his website at JoeDeRouen.com.

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I won this book in a goodreads drawing.

A collection of horror stories. The first two were actually too long.

It was okay, but I'm not going to lose any sleep.

[Sandra Lopez · Rating 5 out of 5]

A woman questions her sanity while trying to figure out whether the tall tales her grandmother told her were true in “Merryland.”


A man realizes his past lovers are being maimed in an effort to create his “perfect woman.”

A water bottle that grants wishes on the condition that “whatever you wish, your best friend will get halved and your worst enemy will get doubled.”

And an author learns the hard way about never replying to a bad review on Amazon.

A white owl is the common element threading these wonderful tales together.

Well-written stories full of dark irony! A wonderful blend of mystery, horror, and fantasy. DeRouen is a fantastic story teller!

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great collection of short stories. Now onto more of the authors books.

[Robin Raven · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another fantastic book from Joe DeRouen. Fans of his "Small Things" trilogy will find special treats within this book, but it's a fantastic, stand-alone book on its own merits. All thirteen stories are intriguing and well-written in Joe's one-of-a-kind voice and style.

Short stories such as "The Wish" and "Mommy's Favorite" will stay with you a long time after you've closed the book. I think my personal favorite is "Good Fortune" with its mix of horror and humor that is really fun to read. Overall, this is a wonderful collection of short stories that provides thrills and keeps you excitedly reading one after the other.

[Dallas · Rating 2 out of 5]

The stories had potential but weren't the best. Some of them were obviously born of the same idea and taken in different directions, which would be neat if that fact were acknowledged. The author seems hung up on the idea of having the same details - a white owl, "Small Things," and a town called Carthage - crop up in every story. Again, this could have been a neat idea if one detail had been chosen, rather than three. As it is, it felt embarrassing. The poetry was not good. The narrator was extremely hard to understand and may have affected my opinion of the stories since the narration style was so disjointed.

[Sue M. Van · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my 3rd read from this author and I will say that he never disappoints. In this collection of short stories the characters are well developed and the author knows how to keep the story at a pace that makes the reader turn the pages. Throughout this story I found myself being surprised with each new story. There is one thing that I would like to see and that's another visit to Merryland. Oh, and I loved the story involving my alter ego, Haven Malone, A Stranger with Your Hair. Thanks Joe for including me!

[Kryste Herring · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each story is robust and full of life, creating a net of wonder that will ensnare the reader and drag them into a world where anything can happen and it does. Joe continues to amaze in his latest and greatest!