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A Dash of Flash: A Collection of Very Short Stories
Eighty five ‘wee gems’ in a single book …
A Dash of Flash is an eclectic mix of stories with both contemporary and historical settings, plus a few fairy tales and ghost stories added for good measure.
Step inside and join the many and varied characters at their times of joy or sorrow, remorse or loss. Laugh at their foibles, commiserate with their grief and indulge with them as they reminisce. Or simply smile at the fantasy of the tale.
Glimpse them all for but a mere flash in time…
A Dash of Flash is an eclectic mix of stories with both contemporary and historical settings, plus a few fairy tales and ghost stories added for good measure.
Step inside and join the many and varied characters at their times of joy or sorrow, remorse or loss. Laugh at their foibles, commiserate with their grief and indulge with them as they reminisce. Or simply smile at the fantasy of the tale.
Glimpse them all for but a mere flash in time…
- GenresFiction
158 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 10, 2016
6 people are currently reading
14 people want to read
About the author
Millie Thom
13 books101 followersMillie Thom is a former geography and history teacher with a degree in geology and a particular passion for the Anglo Saxon and Viking era. She was born in Southport, Lancashire, in 1947, and happily admits to being a 'boomer'.
After completing a teacher training course in Liverpool in 1968, she moved to Yorkshire to take up her first teaching post. This was at a secondary school in a small mining village, where most of the children - and more than a few of the staff - spoke in a dialect riddled with 'thees', 'thous', 'hast thas' and wilt thas'. She also met her husband to be at this time, a teacher at a rival school - the rivalry always being in the not-so-gentle sport of rugby!
In 1970 Millie and her husband moved down to Wantage for six years. Wantage is known a King Alfred's town, since it is the place where he was born. In 1976 she moved up to Nottinghamshire, and still lives there with her husband, midway between Lincoln and Newark. Their six grown up children all live close by.
Since retiring from teaching, Millie has been writing the trilogy about King Alfred that has been screaming to be born for so many years. Book 1, 'Shadow of the Raven' is already published on Amazon, and Book 2, 'Pit of Vipers' is presently nearing completion.
After completing a teacher training course in Liverpool in 1968, she moved to Yorkshire to take up her first teaching post. This was at a secondary school in a small mining village, where most of the children - and more than a few of the staff - spoke in a dialect riddled with 'thees', 'thous', 'hast thas' and wilt thas'. She also met her husband to be at this time, a teacher at a rival school - the rivalry always being in the not-so-gentle sport of rugby!
In 1970 Millie and her husband moved down to Wantage for six years. Wantage is known a King Alfred's town, since it is the place where he was born. In 1976 she moved up to Nottinghamshire, and still lives there with her husband, midway between Lincoln and Newark. Their six grown up children all live close by.
Since retiring from teaching, Millie has been writing the trilogy about King Alfred that has been screaming to be born for so many years. Book 1, 'Shadow of the Raven' is already published on Amazon, and Book 2, 'Pit of Vipers' is presently nearing completion.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
July 22, 2018
Millie Thom IS a master storyteller. From contemporary to historical, from introspection to humorous or unexpectedly spooky, each one of her 87 stories featured in "A Dash of Flash" is polished to perfection and rich in detail.
Millie Thom is a gifted portraitist as well, each story offering a glimpse in the life of another character craftily sketched in the space of a few lines.
Dash of Flash is a teasing and addictive read, a fast paced journey. Just one more, you will find yourself thinking, it will only take me a couple of minutes - to live someone else’s life. Tiny gems of enchantment embellished with fitting images.
I LOVED it! Highly recommended.
Millie Thom is a gifted portraitist as well, each story offering a glimpse in the life of another character craftily sketched in the space of a few lines.
Dash of Flash is a teasing and addictive read, a fast paced journey. Just one more, you will find yourself thinking, it will only take me a couple of minutes - to live someone else’s life. Tiny gems of enchantment embellished with fitting images.
I LOVED it! Highly recommended.
November 30, 2020
Delightful collection of short stories
The book has very interesting short stories covering a wide variety of topics starting from supernatural to humour. The language of the author, the narration was all amazing and thoroughly enjoyable. Liked it.
The book has very interesting short stories covering a wide variety of topics starting from supernatural to humour. The language of the author, the narration was all amazing and thoroughly enjoyable. Liked it.
November 15, 2018
Great collection of stories
A must read for every reader. And if someone is not, after reading this they will become readers. A Dash of Flash by Millie Thom is a great collection of short stories and for readers like who crave short stories its a treasure. I love short stories over long winded plots. In fact its the mark of a great master of words , to say the complete story in a few words. But sadly there are not enough great short story collections. This book has greatly satisfied my craving and made me hungry for more.
The stories are a mix of horror/supernatural, fairytale, historical, romance, mystery, humour and all the flavours are nicely blended to give a perfect collection. A great collection from a master storyteller this book is a joy to read . I recommend it as a must read.
A must read for every reader. And if someone is not, after reading this they will become readers. A Dash of Flash by Millie Thom is a great collection of short stories and for readers like who crave short stories its a treasure. I love short stories over long winded plots. In fact its the mark of a great master of words , to say the complete story in a few words. But sadly there are not enough great short story collections. This book has greatly satisfied my craving and made me hungry for more.
The stories are a mix of horror/supernatural, fairytale, historical, romance, mystery, humour and all the flavours are nicely blended to give a perfect collection. A great collection from a master storyteller this book is a joy to read . I recommend it as a must read.
September 3, 2018
I really loved these short stories! They were extremely well written and very intriguing throughout. Would definitely recommend to anyone who doesn’t have a lot of time to read. These stories are perfect for a quick read while waiting for an appointment or a few minutes between projects.
July 22, 2018
A Dash of Flash: new nuances of writing in a new publishing market
The development of the publishing market has already highlighted the clear and progressive division between the contents and the support in reading practice, ending in important changes regarding the consideration of the product “book”. These changings have seen as first consequence the increase of its fields of application and its reasons of being.
This specific key factor of the actual publishing market is immediately explicit in A dash of Flash, due its embryonic stage, it has only seen a first phase of digital presence; and to its instantaneously recognizable aspect that combines images and words. A relevant double principle that determines the preference for the digital medium rather than the paper.
However, the crucial and directly clear aspect is another one, partly connected with the two discussed above. It seems to be the main representation of the intentions of the author and the central idea which leads the readers throughout all the anthology: shortness. This latter reflects especially the first shape of the tales, thought to be addressed to the web writing.
The most significant consequence can’t be other than the very intensive writing that shows its principal connotation in the overwhelming and fast flow of the events in most of the short stories.
The first technical narrative element that denounces the specific structure of each story is the beginning in media aimed to throw the reader right into the middle of the narration in the least time possible. From this rhetorical rush arises the need of expressive immediacy to catch the reader’s attention both in the very short stories and the longer tale.
Explanatory, in this sense, is the story The Twenty-First Birthday, wherein the reading is lead, or better pushed, to the end, with the persistent succession of events.
The structured is supported by the use of a centripetal procedure which advances the focus on a dominant topic. This latter is explicit in its shortest stories due to structural needs. Whereas in the longest ones, is hidden in the psychological depth of the characters. Even when it’s expected a longer development of the plot towards new narrative themes, the return to the center of the plot appears through a spiral narrative technique, which reestablishes the sense of search in the story, as in Tenous Threads.
Nevertheless, it is important to observe that not all the stories show winning narrative characteristics, adopting the shortness to their advantage. In some cases, I’m thinking about Sweet persuasion, emerges a lack of clear intentions. This lack doesn’t adopt the intent of the story, which perhaps aims to represent the daily struggles; while instead it appears as a structural inconsistancy.
Totally different, on the other side, Too close to the Edge. A story that reveals itself like what is close to a tale. The plot is built on different temporal levels: the time of the tale, the time of memory and the aleatory of the thoughts. To the different temporal events. The author adds the complex personality of the different characters and their intricate past.
To sum up, the attempt of Millie Thom to display interesting news and a relevant narrative as well as structural aspects, results in a product that is perfectly collocated in its literary genre. The changes in the publishing market are advancing these new shapes of writing, considering also the development of people’s attitude towards reading.
In retrospect of this analysis, I would suggest A dash of Flash to the reader who wants to try new readings and study nuances of writing way different from the traditional.
The development of the publishing market has already highlighted the clear and progressive division between the contents and the support in reading practice, ending in important changes regarding the consideration of the product “book”. These changings have seen as first consequence the increase of its fields of application and its reasons of being.
This specific key factor of the actual publishing market is immediately explicit in A dash of Flash, due its embryonic stage, it has only seen a first phase of digital presence; and to its instantaneously recognizable aspect that combines images and words. A relevant double principle that determines the preference for the digital medium rather than the paper.
However, the crucial and directly clear aspect is another one, partly connected with the two discussed above. It seems to be the main representation of the intentions of the author and the central idea which leads the readers throughout all the anthology: shortness. This latter reflects especially the first shape of the tales, thought to be addressed to the web writing.
The most significant consequence can’t be other than the very intensive writing that shows its principal connotation in the overwhelming and fast flow of the events in most of the short stories.
The first technical narrative element that denounces the specific structure of each story is the beginning in media aimed to throw the reader right into the middle of the narration in the least time possible. From this rhetorical rush arises the need of expressive immediacy to catch the reader’s attention both in the very short stories and the longer tale.
Explanatory, in this sense, is the story The Twenty-First Birthday, wherein the reading is lead, or better pushed, to the end, with the persistent succession of events.
The structured is supported by the use of a centripetal procedure which advances the focus on a dominant topic. This latter is explicit in its shortest stories due to structural needs. Whereas in the longest ones, is hidden in the psychological depth of the characters. Even when it’s expected a longer development of the plot towards new narrative themes, the return to the center of the plot appears through a spiral narrative technique, which reestablishes the sense of search in the story, as in Tenous Threads.
Nevertheless, it is important to observe that not all the stories show winning narrative characteristics, adopting the shortness to their advantage. In some cases, I’m thinking about Sweet persuasion, emerges a lack of clear intentions. This lack doesn’t adopt the intent of the story, which perhaps aims to represent the daily struggles; while instead it appears as a structural inconsistancy.
Totally different, on the other side, Too close to the Edge. A story that reveals itself like what is close to a tale. The plot is built on different temporal levels: the time of the tale, the time of memory and the aleatory of the thoughts. To the different temporal events. The author adds the complex personality of the different characters and their intricate past.
To sum up, the attempt of Millie Thom to display interesting news and a relevant narrative as well as structural aspects, results in a product that is perfectly collocated in its literary genre. The changes in the publishing market are advancing these new shapes of writing, considering also the development of people’s attitude towards reading.
In retrospect of this analysis, I would suggest A dash of Flash to the reader who wants to try new readings and study nuances of writing way different from the traditional.
July 16, 2018
“A Dash Of Flash: A Collection Of Very Short Stories”is an outstanding piece of work that takes you on an exotic journey, through time and space. It is an assortment of 85 stories all written in stand-alone chapters that weave through different themes and settings, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Some chapters linger in your mind more than others, but they all have a way of melting your heart as Thom has a very beautiful style of rendering the characters and their personalities.
It’s hard for me to pick a favorite, but one of them is The Twenty-First Birthday. It was a tragic story of twin boys Enrico and Miguel, a story of love, loss, grief and restoration.
The stories are of varying lengths, but all balanced in presentation which gives a rhythmic feel to the stories. They may not necessarily be arranged in a thematic order, but the book certainly creates a colorful tapestry of delightful encounters.
Thom has a way with language and she highlights the relationships between her characters, whether it is between siblings, a parent and a child, two generations in a family, or even friends, this in my opnion makes the characters very relatable and appealing.
Some chapters linger in your mind more than others, but they all have a way of melting your heart as Thom has a very beautiful style of rendering the characters and their personalities.
It’s hard for me to pick a favorite, but one of them is The Twenty-First Birthday. It was a tragic story of twin boys Enrico and Miguel, a story of love, loss, grief and restoration.
The stories are of varying lengths, but all balanced in presentation which gives a rhythmic feel to the stories. They may not necessarily be arranged in a thematic order, but the book certainly creates a colorful tapestry of delightful encounters.
Thom has a way with language and she highlights the relationships between her characters, whether it is between siblings, a parent and a child, two generations in a family, or even friends, this in my opnion makes the characters very relatable and appealing.
August 2, 2021
Amazing Amazing collection of short stories....you can read it wherever, whenever....its a Millie Thom's book after all.😍🥰😇
This is a MUST READ! very joyful and perfect collection for every reader. From horror to fairytale to historical, romance, suspense and mystery, its all in there. I love Millie with all my heart. Her books brings me so much joy and her style of writing is unique. I never had any doubt when she sent me ' A dash of flash' , I knew it was going to be great and she didn't disappoint, I enjoyed all 87 stories till the end.
The thing is Millie Thom is a brand, she writes to perfection; it doesn't matter what genre she writes, its guaranteed she always gets it right. She does it with absolute sincerity, dedication and warmth.
Love you Millie❤🤍💙...keep writing always ....
Hafsa...xoxo
This is a MUST READ! very joyful and perfect collection for every reader. From horror to fairytale to historical, romance, suspense and mystery, its all in there. I love Millie with all my heart. Her books brings me so much joy and her style of writing is unique. I never had any doubt when she sent me ' A dash of flash' , I knew it was going to be great and she didn't disappoint, I enjoyed all 87 stories till the end.
The thing is Millie Thom is a brand, she writes to perfection; it doesn't matter what genre she writes, its guaranteed she always gets it right. She does it with absolute sincerity, dedication and warmth.
Love you Millie❤🤍💙...keep writing always ....
Hafsa...xoxo
August 31, 2017
I love collections and I love short stories and this book had both... a collection of short stories. Yes, some were very short but some were long as well. The stories were incredible gems collected and written by the author. In spite of 85 stories, each story was unique, different and an enjoyable read.
June 20, 2018
Number of stars 5 out of 5
I really enjoy this book because of all the very short stories are in this book. I love the fact and urban legends and the ghosts stories. It's fast paced book and a lot of the short story are only one or two pages long so yes it's very short but very good.
You must pick up this book and you will see you will love it too.
I really enjoy this book because of all the very short stories are in this book. I love the fact and urban legends and the ghosts stories. It's fast paced book and a lot of the short story are only one or two pages long so yes it's very short but very good.
You must pick up this book and you will see you will love it too.
January 15, 2019
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. I hadn't read flash fiction before, and I thought this was a great introduction to this type of story. I was amazed at what author Millie Thom could provoke in a short space.
"A Dash of Flash" is especially perfect for those who live busy lives but still want to read. This collection of very short stories makes it easy to pick up even if you only have a few minutes at a time. Additionally, I enjoyed the variety of stories; there was a great mix invoking a variety of emotions. And if you don't enjoy a specific story, you can move on to the next one, however, I read each one and didn't come across one I didn't like.
I certainly want to read more flash fiction. I liked not knowing what story was going to be next.
"A Dash of Flash" is especially perfect for those who live busy lives but still want to read. This collection of very short stories makes it easy to pick up even if you only have a few minutes at a time. Additionally, I enjoyed the variety of stories; there was a great mix invoking a variety of emotions. And if you don't enjoy a specific story, you can move on to the next one, however, I read each one and didn't come across one I didn't like.
I certainly want to read more flash fiction. I liked not knowing what story was going to be next.
December 12, 2018
Short stories that stimulated my imagination. It was a great exercise imagining the “before” and the “after” to the piece written by Millie. I recommend to all who do not have much time to read long stories, but who love the feeling of living other lives.
December 18, 2018
This was my first time at reading flash fiction and although this format is not for me, the story telling is excellent and most left me wanting more. I was surprised how much detail can be included in such a short piece of writing but that shows the skill of the storyteller
January 15, 2019
Flash fiction with plenty of imagination
I read this book over Christmas, it was delightful and easy to pick up and put down. Wonderful funny tales mixed with more dark creepy stories. A terrific mix for all to enjoy.
I read this book over Christmas, it was delightful and easy to pick up and put down. Wonderful funny tales mixed with more dark creepy stories. A terrific mix for all to enjoy.
March 9, 2019
Cool concept and some really vivid stories!
October 11, 2022
Having read two novels by Millie Thom, both truly spectacular, I was so curious to read this book and treat myself to something very different by this author I so admire.
I had no idea what to expect … which made this read all the more delightful.
The best analogy I have to describe how much I enjoyed this collection of flash fiction, is to go back in my mind to memories of Christmas morning as a child … where I’d put my hand in a big red stocking and pull out one little treasure at a time … having no idea what was next.
Many of these stories were inspired by a photo or illustration which precede the story. After reading the first short piece, which had a truly shocking ending, I was excited to keep reading. The stories are about as many subjects as one can imagine: an island, a tale of war, an old wishing well, an ice sculpture of a swan, a violin, vegetarian pizza, shards of glass, scaffolding, and unusual inspiration from a bookstore façade. Just to name a few. Oh, and I don’t want to forget the story written without the letter “e.” Fantastic.
Ms. Thom’s tales reminded me how so many small slices of our lives can have a beginning, a middle, and an end – all in the blink of an eye. Three of my favorite stories were “The Twenty-First Birthday,” “It’s Written on the Rocks,” and “Virginia Creeper.” While these stories worked beautifully as short, flash fiction, I also could see how each one might have played out as a novel. Not surprising to find so many gems from this versatile and talented author.
I had no idea what to expect … which made this read all the more delightful.
The best analogy I have to describe how much I enjoyed this collection of flash fiction, is to go back in my mind to memories of Christmas morning as a child … where I’d put my hand in a big red stocking and pull out one little treasure at a time … having no idea what was next.
Many of these stories were inspired by a photo or illustration which precede the story. After reading the first short piece, which had a truly shocking ending, I was excited to keep reading. The stories are about as many subjects as one can imagine: an island, a tale of war, an old wishing well, an ice sculpture of a swan, a violin, vegetarian pizza, shards of glass, scaffolding, and unusual inspiration from a bookstore façade. Just to name a few. Oh, and I don’t want to forget the story written without the letter “e.” Fantastic.
Ms. Thom’s tales reminded me how so many small slices of our lives can have a beginning, a middle, and an end – all in the blink of an eye. Three of my favorite stories were “The Twenty-First Birthday,” “It’s Written on the Rocks,” and “Virginia Creeper.” While these stories worked beautifully as short, flash fiction, I also could see how each one might have played out as a novel. Not surprising to find so many gems from this versatile and talented author.
July 31, 2018
This was the first collection of flash fiction that I've read, and I was honestly very excited. If micro-fiction was a real genre, I could say I've read a lot of it on twitter and so I think I have a decent understanding of what to expect from flash fiction. This book however, was incredibly disappointing. For genres with such constrained lengths, I believe the plot twist is the most important part of the story. This is where I find this collection really lacks. Out of 85 short stories, I cannot claim that I liked anything more than 10 of them. The stories were not terrible, by any means, but they left me wanting for more.
On another note, these stories may have been way too intelligent for my humble mind to comprehend, that is a possibility. These stories may be very good, but for me they meant very little.
On another note, these stories may have been way too intelligent for my humble mind to comprehend, that is a possibility. These stories may be very good, but for me they meant very little.
February 1, 2019
A Dash of Flash by Millie Thom is a masterpiece and a masterclass in flash fiction.
Slowly savor every word like a generous scoop of your favourite ice cream. The stories have a subtle depth which lingers in your memory long after you're done. Some stories leave you wondering what you've just read, in a good way. There is almost always a swift twist at the end of the stories that will leave you gobsmacked and speechless. The stories quickly take a dark turn and leaves you holding your breath, leaning in and hanging onto every word like in 'Holed Up', 'Sticky Pink Peonies' etc. However, stories like 'One whole year' though beautifully written, seem hurried and thus unreal but such is life. The stories jump right at you when you least expect, even when you're expecting the unexpected.
The characters are very relatable. There's a fascinating wit and humour that's somewhat understated running through the pages.
The variety of flash fiction are not just entertaining but inspiring and instructive like the 100 words 'Don't Pluck my Heartstrings' or the piece without the use of "e"; 'How Simply Absurd' etc.
Sometimes it might be a sentence or phrase that'll just hold your attention or make you take a second or third glance, like 'Sand between the Toes' where the sentence; "But now she was realising that all work and no play did, indeed, make Jack a dull boy, Was that how her friends saw her, dull and boring?"
I will be remiss if I failed to mention the artistic genius displayed in the short story 'How Simply Absurd'. Not only does the writer succeed in writing a beautiful prose without the use of the letter e, it's so masterfully crafted that you barely notice its absence but are fully engulfed and totally enjoy the story.
I'll recommend the book to both book lovers and writers alike. It ticks all the boxes; entertaining, educative and edifying. It's even a beautiful read for those who don't have the time or patience to read a full length novel, read each story and enjoy them, I thoroughly did.
Slowly savor every word like a generous scoop of your favourite ice cream. The stories have a subtle depth which lingers in your memory long after you're done. Some stories leave you wondering what you've just read, in a good way. There is almost always a swift twist at the end of the stories that will leave you gobsmacked and speechless. The stories quickly take a dark turn and leaves you holding your breath, leaning in and hanging onto every word like in 'Holed Up', 'Sticky Pink Peonies' etc. However, stories like 'One whole year' though beautifully written, seem hurried and thus unreal but such is life. The stories jump right at you when you least expect, even when you're expecting the unexpected.
The characters are very relatable. There's a fascinating wit and humour that's somewhat understated running through the pages.
The variety of flash fiction are not just entertaining but inspiring and instructive like the 100 words 'Don't Pluck my Heartstrings' or the piece without the use of "e"; 'How Simply Absurd' etc.
Sometimes it might be a sentence or phrase that'll just hold your attention or make you take a second or third glance, like 'Sand between the Toes' where the sentence; "But now she was realising that all work and no play did, indeed, make Jack a dull boy, Was that how her friends saw her, dull and boring?"
I will be remiss if I failed to mention the artistic genius displayed in the short story 'How Simply Absurd'. Not only does the writer succeed in writing a beautiful prose without the use of the letter e, it's so masterfully crafted that you barely notice its absence but are fully engulfed and totally enjoy the story.
I'll recommend the book to both book lovers and writers alike. It ticks all the boxes; entertaining, educative and edifying. It's even a beautiful read for those who don't have the time or patience to read a full length novel, read each story and enjoy them, I thoroughly did.
May 28, 2018
This is a collection of flash fiction, admittedly something which I was interested in but hadn't explored before. And I'm really glad these were my introduction.
Thom is a very accomplished writer. Every word is used to full effect, and I never felt a story was too long or superfluous. The word choice is quite simple but cuts straight to the point and is unpretentious which I really liked.
Thom successfully creates flash fiction which tells a complete story in very little pages, which is no mean feat. Some plots are more light-hearted than others, but I liked the balance between comedy and tragedy. It mixed things up and kept me entertained, wanting to know what the next story will be. Obviously I can't go into too much detail for fear of spoilers, but I think my personal favourite was 'Homework' because it had quite an unexpected ending. There were several stories similar in this sense, with the reader believing they know how it will end but Thom adding a small twist. Again it kept things exciting and wanting you to keep turning the pages.
Overall I really enjoyed A Dash of Flash. A lot of the stories were really fun, entertaining reads that you could easily sail through. Thom is a truly great writer and showcases this here. I'm interested to see what she does next.
Thom is a very accomplished writer. Every word is used to full effect, and I never felt a story was too long or superfluous. The word choice is quite simple but cuts straight to the point and is unpretentious which I really liked.
Thom successfully creates flash fiction which tells a complete story in very little pages, which is no mean feat. Some plots are more light-hearted than others, but I liked the balance between comedy and tragedy. It mixed things up and kept me entertained, wanting to know what the next story will be. Obviously I can't go into too much detail for fear of spoilers, but I think my personal favourite was 'Homework' because it had quite an unexpected ending. There were several stories similar in this sense, with the reader believing they know how it will end but Thom adding a small twist. Again it kept things exciting and wanting you to keep turning the pages.
Overall I really enjoyed A Dash of Flash. A lot of the stories were really fun, entertaining reads that you could easily sail through. Thom is a truly great writer and showcases this here. I'm interested to see what she does next.
June 17, 2018
A Dash of Flash is a collection of very short stories written by Millie Thom. The collection varies from contemporary, ghost stories to fairy tales and historical fiction. I thought that most of the stories are amusing. Some plots are more light-hearted than the others, some are even grim. Some stories are really short and made you wish fore more details, the others are long enough to fulfill the reader’s curiosity. My favourite is The Twenty-first Birthday.
What bothered me a bit is that this was a compilation of completely different stories. They had no theme that would connect them. Even the time periods of the stories are all mixed up. I think that it would be better that the stories collected together would be connected with something, with the same time set up, for example.
All historical fiction together, all fairy tales and folk stories together, all contemporary together and so on. This way there would be at least one element tying them together in a whole.
I do recommend this fast read to everyone who wants to read but doesn’t have the time for longer books.
Original review was written on my blog: https://samyinbookworld.wordpress.com...
What bothered me a bit is that this was a compilation of completely different stories. They had no theme that would connect them. Even the time periods of the stories are all mixed up. I think that it would be better that the stories collected together would be connected with something, with the same time set up, for example.
All historical fiction together, all fairy tales and folk stories together, all contemporary together and so on. This way there would be at least one element tying them together in a whole.
I do recommend this fast read to everyone who wants to read but doesn’t have the time for longer books.
Original review was written on my blog: https://samyinbookworld.wordpress.com...
February 5, 2020
What a delight this book of 80 plus stories turned out to be. Yes that's right, more than eighty short and very short tales from Millie Thom. I have already read her series of historical novels, The Sons of Kings and wondered if her magic extended to short stories too. And it does. So many stories, I wondered how she does it. This is a stunningly diverse collection of yarns, a mix of pathos, sorrow, joy and retribution. I enjoyed every one but I marked out a few of particular interest. 'The Wishing Well' was a tender story about an elderly lady and her grandson talking about the memories surrounding a wishing well in the garden. 'Painted Red Lips' has Thelma questioning her 'applied' beauty when she is overlooked by a handsome man. 'One Last Run' tells the tale of a diamond smuggler whose luck just ran out and I particularly liked 'Sand between the Toes'. Laura finds love with a stranger she meet on a day trip to the coast, proving that she's not as dowdy as everyone thinks.
There is a story for every mood between these covers. A captivating way to spend a few hours. I can't recommend this book enough. Well done Ms Thom.
January 12, 2020
Sometimes it's nice to have a break from reading novels or memoirs and dip into short stories for those moments when you don't have as much time to read and this is a delightful collection. As with any collection of stories we will all have favourites and mine were, That'll Teach 'Em, Fisherman's Tales, Tenuous Threads and A Hundred Year Wait which I found incredibly moving. A very clever story appears towards the end, a story without using the letter E. This story illustrates the author's skill and was very well structured and carried out. All credit to her. I have read the historical novels by this author who I found on Twitter, and they are very well written and informative so I thought I'd give her flash fiction a try and I've enjoyed the stories equally as much as the novels. Ms Thom is a superb author and I will be catching up with her Sons of Kings series in due course, anyone who is interested in English and Viking history will love this series.
May 15, 2018
Millie Thom's A Dash of Flash is a collection of miniature stories, so cleverly compact that each has as much impact as a full-length short story. You can pick and choose from sports, adventure, fantasy, ghosts, recollections and more. Or, just read straight through. Each story is a flash fiction extravaganza that doesn't just "flash" but explores the subtle and sublime as in "Rainbow Colours of Light." In this tale, Richard visits waterfalls on his own, his wife having died three months before they were to celebrate their 40th anniversary on the trip to the waterfall. The story is a powerful testament to the fragility of life and plans that are never fully realized as we envision. This is a great collection for anyone who wants a great read but doesn’t have time for full-read engagement. You will not be disappointed!
June 7, 2018
Thom has an incredible ability to draw you into the well-crafted language of each of her stories. A Dash of Flash is a bundle of surprises much like opening birthday presents where every story has something different to offer. These tiny tales are dramatic, delightful, funny, scary and wonderful, and introduce one to different varieties of fiction in one package. Some stories are complete in themselves and some yearn for more details. I found it difficult to disconnect and move at the regular reading pace from one story to the other because the settings and the concept were contrasting. I wanted to dwell more on the story I had already read. These pieces of flash fiction are worth a read because the tales clearly come across as written by a seasoned writer who has immense knowledge and a distinct dexterity with thoughts and words.
January 26, 2025
A Dash of Flash: A Collection of Very Short Stories is a wonderful and unique collection of short stories by Millie Thom. Thom’s writing shines in the style of micro-short stories. The author’s ability to create whole and complete stories in such a brief narrative is noteworthy and rare. I was utterly surprised and absorbed by this extremely well-written unique collection.
These writings were inspired by different writing prompts in a writing group. This author conveys a lengthy story brilliantly into 1-2 pages. It’s rare that I have read short stories of this length that are so complete and with surprise at the end. None of the surprises in the last sentence or two of the stories are out of place. Rather the endings made me smile and go “oh!”
Highly recommended! I am looking forward to reading another short story collection by the author.
These writings were inspired by different writing prompts in a writing group. This author conveys a lengthy story brilliantly into 1-2 pages. It’s rare that I have read short stories of this length that are so complete and with surprise at the end. None of the surprises in the last sentence or two of the stories are out of place. Rather the endings made me smile and go “oh!”
Highly recommended! I am looking forward to reading another short story collection by the author.
December 7, 2018
I requested to read this book via BookTasters on twitter and the author was very courteous in sending me a copy to read.
If you are a fan of flash fiction then you might be taken in by this collection. What I love about any collection is that you have quite an array of stories to read and enjoy. You may like some or dislike some.
I had the feeling that "The Village Pond" could be the basis of an epic thriller movie and "The Twenty-First Birthday" took me down a guilt trip overcoming grief and a loss of a loved one. "Unjust Punishment" gave me a witty outlook at Robinhood and then "Don't pluck my heartstrings," was quite the take on love and heartbreak.
If you are a fan of flash fiction then you might be taken in by this collection. What I love about any collection is that you have quite an array of stories to read and enjoy. You may like some or dislike some.
I had the feeling that "The Village Pond" could be the basis of an epic thriller movie and "The Twenty-First Birthday" took me down a guilt trip overcoming grief and a loss of a loved one. "Unjust Punishment" gave me a witty outlook at Robinhood and then "Don't pluck my heartstrings," was quite the take on love and heartbreak.
August 9, 2018
Dash of Flash is an amazing read and almost introduces a new genre of *really* short stories.
The stories are so short and easy to read, that even non readers would love them.
The author very ably paints a character, and takes the story from start to finish in very few lines. I marveled at almost every single one.The stories range from humorous to satirical to spooky. It would be unfair if I picked up a single story as a favorite as i really enjoyed them all.
The stories are so short and easy to read, that even non readers would love them.
The author very ably paints a character, and takes the story from start to finish in very few lines. I marveled at almost every single one.The stories range from humorous to satirical to spooky. It would be unfair if I picked up a single story as a favorite as i really enjoyed them all.
May 31, 2024
‘A Dash of Flash’ comprises eighty-five micro-fiction tales employing various approaches and subject matter – although notable among the themes were love, conflict and loss (plus a hint of the supernatural, perhaps). This is a joyous book, and an excellent collection of short works. I particularly enjoyed the yarns that have a twist in the tail. Bravo! The perfect alternative to a long slog through a modern or classic fiction novel. Highly recommended.
May 10, 2024
What a collection! Must admit, there are still a few stories left to read, but they're perfect for that need-to-get-away moment--quick with a kick. Eighty-five flash fiction stories and all less than a thousand words.
This is my first exposure to this style of writing, but it won't be my last. This collection alone will keep me going for many weeks.
This is my first exposure to this style of writing, but it won't be my last. This collection alone will keep me going for many weeks.
August 21, 2024
“A Dash of Flash” by UK author Millie Thom, is an eclectic collection of imaginative flash fiction. Each one is presented with an evocative photo. Some are slice-of-life glimpses or character studies and others have twisty endings. This is an engaging group of diverse tales certain to please fans of short stories!
June 13, 2018
A collection of short stories unlike the usual. Though short these stories take you on an incredible ride. The twist at the end of Sticky Pink Peonies, the first story in this book shook me too my core. For an introduction to Millie Thom this book is perfect.
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