The Pencil Sharpener

by D.S. Lucas

Change is hard for Mitzi Miller, a spunky, elderly widow who misses her house and the way things used to be. After her husband dies, she regretfully sells the fixer-upper she owned for half-a-century. Mitzi is still homesick nearly five years later.

On her seventy-sixth birthday, she grants her own wish to return “home” with a bizarre request for an old pencil sharpener she left behind. There she embarks on a nostalgic journey led by her memories and the new owner's bouncy dog.

Can this visit bring Mitzi the closure she needs to help her move on?

36 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 26, 2017

Reviews

[Kirsty ❤️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

A whimsical short story of a woman reclaiming her independence and life after the death of her husband.  Returning 'home' to ask for the return of a pencil sharpener left behind when she moved she ends up volunteering as a baby sitter, dog sitter and finally embarking on her new life after breaking away from her son and his overbearing new wife.

The book packs a lot in within it's few short pages including many memories of the good times the family shared in the old house. It's very saccharine but ultimately a pleasant short read
Free arc from netgalley

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet story about a widow reclaiming her life. On the pretense of getting a pencil sharpener she left behind when she sold the house, Mitzi returns to ask the new owner if she could possibly have it for her daughter, to whom the pencil sharpener would mean a lot, since it was her dearly loved father’s. While John, the new owner, goes to retrieve the pencil sharpener, Mitzi remains on the sun porch with the dog, and wanders around the nearby rooms a bit, reminiscing about her life, especially in the house. When she finally sold the house, Mitzi had reached the point where she was letting her children make decisions for her. Her daughters had moved away, and she remained with her son in his house with him and his family. Mitzi actually wishes she had retained more control in her life, and visiting the house brought all this back to her. By the end of the short story, she is determined to go forward in her way, making her own decisions.

This is a short but interesting story. The characters are well done, though many only appear in Mitzi’s memories for short periods of time. The way the author managed to pull the memories of her lifetime out was interesting to witness. I found the story fascinating, but, as is always the case in instances such as this one, too short. I think this story will appeal to anyone who enjoys nostalgia and trip down memory lane as well as reading about how others live and manage each day.

[Ann · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful very short story of a widow taking back her life. Mitzi lost her husband almost 2 years ago and has been content to let her children make decisions for her. They convinced her to sell the family home and move in with her son. Now that son has remarried and she is thinking of moving into a elder community. One day she stops by her old home and asks the new owner for an old pencil sharpener that was nailed to the staircase in the basement. That spark of courage has her taking control of her life. Only 30+ pages but a very fulfilling story with lots of emotion and a very strong lady.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short whimsical story told in first person. It took me a while to figure out the point of the story, but it was sweet in the end with some funnies throughout. The pets were hilarious.

[D.S. Lucas · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm excited to announce my debut ebook, The Pencil Sharpener. Please give it a read and let me know what you think. Thank you and happy reading!