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Eastern Shore Shorts: Stories set in Berlin, Cambridge, Chestertown, Chincoteague, Easton, Rock Hall, Salisbury, St. Michaels, and Tilghman Island
Whether you’re in the heart of the Eastern Shore or the Eastern Shore is in your heart... Characters visit familiar local restaurants, inns, shops, parks, and museums as they cross paths through the charming towns and waterways of the Eastern Shore. From the female barber who runs into an old flame to a man who¿s held out for love too long, and from a cranky dog trainer to a meddling mother-of-the-bride, these folks will make you laugh, cry, and cheer as they follow their hearts and dreams.
- GenresShort Stories
208 pages, Paperback
Published March 30, 2018
About the author
Gail Priest
10 books112 followersGail Priest's new novel, Soul Dancing, is women's fiction with a paranormal twist. It takes place in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware and the Philadelphia area. It was released by Red Adept Publishing on May 7, 2024.
Gail has a passion for women’s fiction. Her degrees and work in theatre and counseling psychology inspire her stories of healing from trauma and secrets within families. A dash of romance and her love of second chances are always in the mix. The settings of her novels are influenced by her time spent on the coast of New Jersey and the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Gail lives in New Jersey with her husband and their Havanese dog, Annie. When she's not writing, Gail can be found reading or looking for birds and sea glass along the beaches and bays of the East Coast.
Gail's other books include the Annie Crow Knoll Trilogy and Eastern Shore Shorts. She’s a member of The Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Eastern Shore Writers Association, Novelitics Writers Collective, and the South Jersey Writers Group, where she was named Writer of the Year.
Gail has a passion for women’s fiction. Her degrees and work in theatre and counseling psychology inspire her stories of healing from trauma and secrets within families. A dash of romance and her love of second chances are always in the mix. The settings of her novels are influenced by her time spent on the coast of New Jersey and the Eastern Shore of Maryland.
Gail lives in New Jersey with her husband and their Havanese dog, Annie. When she's not writing, Gail can be found reading or looking for birds and sea glass along the beaches and bays of the East Coast.
Gail's other books include the Annie Crow Knoll Trilogy and Eastern Shore Shorts. She’s a member of The Women’s Fiction Writers Association, Eastern Shore Writers Association, Novelitics Writers Collective, and the South Jersey Writers Group, where she was named Writer of the Year.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
June 3, 2021
While the storylines were predictable, I did enjoy the local references and flavor as well as how the characters became woven between the short stories. A pleasant quick read!
March 12, 2021
My friend recommended this book to me and even lent me her copy. If you know anything about the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia you will find this book to be worth reading. It was fun, a distraction from the pandemic and the way Priest brought her characters full circle was interesting.
July 4, 2018
Reading Gail Priest's "Eastern Shore Shorts" is like keeping up with the neighbors and their families. There was a homey feel to the stories. The relationship connections from one story to the next was a welcomed treat. This book is a definite page turner with humor throughout the book. I enjoyed and definitely recommend. Read on the beach or poolside.
October 9, 2020
I don't usually read short stories, but since this was by one of my favorite authors, I thought I should. Even if you don't hang out on the Eastern Shore of Md/Va, this is a delightful collection of short stories about family relationships, love, raising children interwoven with descriptions of the area. A feel good read - which we all could use right now!
June 10, 2018
light read for the beach. Revisit all locations on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. I do like the way she wove a series of short stories into a novel.
April 23, 2021
This is a great read for those who have lived or are very familiar with the Eastern Shore of Maryland. It names towns, stores and restaurants that are current. It’s nice to reminisce.
It’s a very quick read and of course a bit predictable but it’s a fun local escape. All the ‘shorts’ are intertwined in a familial way. The last short is probably the weakest sadly but it was a fun way of tying it all together in the end.
Recommended for light reading and not to change your literary world - but there is not a thing wrong with all sorts of literary treasures from the lightest to the more intense.
It’s a very quick read and of course a bit predictable but it’s a fun local escape. All the ‘shorts’ are intertwined in a familial way. The last short is probably the weakest sadly but it was a fun way of tying it all together in the end.
Recommended for light reading and not to change your literary world - but there is not a thing wrong with all sorts of literary treasures from the lightest to the more intense.
February 12, 2025
I read this collection of short stories in part to get a better feel for the local culture for my project that is also set on the Eastern Shore. These short stories have a cozy feel, and I'm looking forward to trying a couple of the recipes.
June 11, 2020
My husband and I love the Eastern Shore of Maryland, especially St. Michaels. After a crab fest for two, we take a different route home each trip, to take advantage of the wonderful collection of wineries that have popped up heading north. These trips have taken us to Tilghman Island, Easton, Cambridge, and Chestertown.
The community truly is represented beautifully in this book of short stories. I simply adore how Gail Priest weaves a character connection into each chapter, and I couldn't wait to see how and who she would connect me with in each part! Watching the characters develop in a few wonderfully written pages was superb.
The pace of the Eastern shore can be summed up in conversation Evan has stating, "You know it takes twice as long to get anything done because it's either crabbing or hunting season" (p 13). And, that is the "God's honest truth," for all the right reasons. People truly do stop - for a meal, a beer, a wine (or some Moonshine at Lyon's Distillery). They take time to shat with you, tell you honestly where the best eats are, the best views, the best of everything! That said, they value time and how they choose to spend it (page 17).
I loved each of the character in these shorts, feeling like I knew them-their connection to the group! Like maybe I shared a craft beer with them at Eastern Shore Brewery or did a wine tasting next door on Talbot Street, at the winery!
I could have read this book forever!!!
Thank you Gail Priest!!!
with
The community truly is represented beautifully in this book of short stories. I simply adore how Gail Priest weaves a character connection into each chapter, and I couldn't wait to see how and who she would connect me with in each part! Watching the characters develop in a few wonderfully written pages was superb.
The pace of the Eastern shore can be summed up in conversation Evan has stating, "You know it takes twice as long to get anything done because it's either crabbing or hunting season" (p 13). And, that is the "God's honest truth," for all the right reasons. People truly do stop - for a meal, a beer, a wine (or some Moonshine at Lyon's Distillery). They take time to shat with you, tell you honestly where the best eats are, the best views, the best of everything! That said, they value time and how they choose to spend it (page 17).
I loved each of the character in these shorts, feeling like I knew them-their connection to the group! Like maybe I shared a craft beer with them at Eastern Shore Brewery or did a wine tasting next door on Talbot Street, at the winery!
I could have read this book forever!!!
Thank you Gail Priest!!!
with
July 28, 2019
Entertaining and intriguing
Gail Priest has woven a wonderful web of short stories, that snare you and immerse in you in the Eastern Shore culture. It combines, romance, culture, pathos, empathy and joy in a scintillating mixture of interesting characters. This is a must read!
Gail Priest has woven a wonderful web of short stories, that snare you and immerse in you in the Eastern Shore culture. It combines, romance, culture, pathos, empathy and joy in a scintillating mixture of interesting characters. This is a must read!
August 10, 2018
I'm giving this one a 3.5. A sweet collection of short stories published by a local, small book publisher! I picked this up out of nostalgia--I'm a Washington College alumna--and because I've set my novella in a fictional town on the Eastern Shore.
So in terms of personal research, this book worked decently. :P Particularly in reminding myself that living off of the water is a big thing in these parts. As a collection, I also appreciated how the stories were interconnected. Was kind of a treat to get that reveal each time of how the new characters were related to the old. Also, we had a little bit of an overall narrative drive, where the stories all led up to a wedding that comprised the action of the final one.
But in terms of craftsmanship, the writing was pretty workmanlike. Most of the stories were told in first person and I found the voices to be pretty interchangeable. Despite external factors like differing ages and genders, there wasn't a lot to distinguish them from each other.
Romance is the general conceit, and that's fine, though Priest led with the weakest one. I mean, there's characters involved in romance, and then there's characters who only act the way they do because of genre demands. "The Cottage" really strained that breaking point for me, particularly because it involved millennials whose experiences seemed to come out of the 1950s. It's an offensive comparison, but I'm reminded of a section of FIFTY SHADES OF GREY where Anastasia Steele must be coached through using a computer. But if someone had coached these kids to use social media like everyone else, well, then we wouldn't have the long-lost lovers conciet of the story.
Otherwise, Priest engaged in a lot of "tell, not show" and quick-moving, pat resolutions to the conflicts she set up. There was one story, "Homeward Migration," that started with a shudder-inducing paragraph about a man drowning his daughter's kitten. It particularly felt R-rated after all of the nice characters who preceded him! I liked the middle of that story, though the ending tied up a little too neatly. So, too, with the finale, "Tidewater Wedding," where I liked how the meddling mother-in-law caused tension, but the resolution was rushed so that Priest could end the story by having the protagonist and her mom basically provide romantic resolution for all the stories that came before. Part of me liked the reminder about how all the characters were connected, but I don't think we really needed it.
My favorite story was "Pacemaker Puppy," where a Manhattan widower moves his kids near Salisbury University (my sister's alma mater!) to be near his folks. The story touches upon the son acting up out of grief, a crotchety old neighbor and some flirtation with another one. It even brought up some racial issues to add some color (no pun intended) to the characters. I still think the crotchety neighbor resolution was a little pat, but the rest worked nicely. I also have a soft spot for the Chestertown story, "Drama Queen," where the main relationship is platonic and a recent divorcee re-vamps her life by playing Mrs. Lovett at the Garfield Center. Of course my memories mostly revolve around WAC, but I'm feeling the nostalgia anyway. I should try to make it back there...feeling feklempt! :P
So in terms of personal research, this book worked decently. :P Particularly in reminding myself that living off of the water is a big thing in these parts. As a collection, I also appreciated how the stories were interconnected. Was kind of a treat to get that reveal each time of how the new characters were related to the old. Also, we had a little bit of an overall narrative drive, where the stories all led up to a wedding that comprised the action of the final one.
But in terms of craftsmanship, the writing was pretty workmanlike. Most of the stories were told in first person and I found the voices to be pretty interchangeable. Despite external factors like differing ages and genders, there wasn't a lot to distinguish them from each other.
Romance is the general conceit, and that's fine, though Priest led with the weakest one. I mean, there's characters involved in romance, and then there's characters who only act the way they do because of genre demands. "The Cottage" really strained that breaking point for me, particularly because it involved millennials whose experiences seemed to come out of the 1950s. It's an offensive comparison, but I'm reminded of a section of FIFTY SHADES OF GREY where Anastasia Steele must be coached through using a computer. But if someone had coached these kids to use social media like everyone else, well, then we wouldn't have the long-lost lovers conciet of the story.
Otherwise, Priest engaged in a lot of "tell, not show" and quick-moving, pat resolutions to the conflicts she set up. There was one story, "Homeward Migration," that started with a shudder-inducing paragraph about a man drowning his daughter's kitten. It particularly felt R-rated after all of the nice characters who preceded him! I liked the middle of that story, though the ending tied up a little too neatly. So, too, with the finale, "Tidewater Wedding," where I liked how the meddling mother-in-law caused tension, but the resolution was rushed so that Priest could end the story by having the protagonist and her mom basically provide romantic resolution for all the stories that came before. Part of me liked the reminder about how all the characters were connected, but I don't think we really needed it.
My favorite story was "Pacemaker Puppy," where a Manhattan widower moves his kids near Salisbury University (my sister's alma mater!) to be near his folks. The story touches upon the son acting up out of grief, a crotchety old neighbor and some flirtation with another one. It even brought up some racial issues to add some color (no pun intended) to the characters. I still think the crotchety neighbor resolution was a little pat, but the rest worked nicely. I also have a soft spot for the Chestertown story, "Drama Queen," where the main relationship is platonic and a recent divorcee re-vamps her life by playing Mrs. Lovett at the Garfield Center. Of course my memories mostly revolve around WAC, but I'm feeling the nostalgia anyway. I should try to make it back there...feeling feklempt! :P
April 25, 2019
Really enjoyed these stories, a quick, pleasant read not only for those who love the Chesapeake Bay, but anyone who loves light, entertaining stories. Interesting characters contend with family issues and life's problems in a unique setting.
For those who typically avoid short stories, do not be put off, as these stories are all interwoven and converge at the end.
The only danger is wanting to travel immediately to the tidewater to experience the locales in the book.
For those who typically avoid short stories, do not be put off, as these stories are all interwoven and converge at the end.
The only danger is wanting to travel immediately to the tidewater to experience the locales in the book.
June 24, 2025
I picked this book in Ocean City, almost randomly and it was a good choice. Easy read, but complicated life of the characters. I thought they were a series of short stories, and they are but they are all connected by some of the characters. It makes you think about life decisions, love and what is important: friends, career, relationships....
June 30, 2019
This is a quick, easy novel divided up into stories that each take place in a different location on the Eastern Shore. It’s a good beach read with recipes.
November 1, 2019
What a delightful read Gail Priest's Eastern Shore Shorts book is. What I love about Priest’s writing is her ability to create well-developed characters with backstories who appear alive on the page. Eastern Shore Shorts is a compilation of nine individual stories about a wide variety of relationships, professions, families, and problems. However, Priest is able to connect the short stories and tie up relationships by the end of the book.
Like real life, problems abound in the lives of Priest’s characters who all live in the small towns around the Delmarva Peninsula. But what good is a story without tension? This keeps the reader turning the page. Yet I need to read stories with happy endings because life itself doesn’t always work that way. Gail Priest's Eastern Shore Shorts delivers this. I’d like to read more about these characters!
Like real life, problems abound in the lives of Priest’s characters who all live in the small towns around the Delmarva Peninsula. But what good is a story without tension? This keeps the reader turning the page. Yet I need to read stories with happy endings because life itself doesn’t always work that way. Gail Priest's Eastern Shore Shorts delivers this. I’d like to read more about these characters!
July 16, 2020
Great and easy read! Simple short stories that are connected to one another. Love it when I recognize the places they mention in the book. Definitely look forward to reading more by this author.
December 8, 2020
Sweet and interesting. I loved it!
January 30, 2020
Cute short stories that ties together. Nice beach scenery. I give it 3.5.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews