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Surrendered Stories, with photographs
A piece of writing is never finished. You just surrender. -Carter Monroe
These four surrendered stories of literary fiction are accompanied by twenty-four b&w photographs. In "Cocteau’s Ransom," two dognappers believe they’ve found the solution to their financial troubles until unexpected complications arise. A lonely young woman with employment issues finds her escapism in vintage films at "The Vestige." When the Roussels "Return to Camp Bon Temps," their annual summer fishing camp, it’s not all good times as their daughter cannot forget the previous summer. In "Margaux’s Understudy," an inexperienced home healthcare worker uses the past in creative ways to engage her wards.
These four surrendered stories of literary fiction are accompanied by twenty-four b&w photographs. In "Cocteau’s Ransom," two dognappers believe they’ve found the solution to their financial troubles until unexpected complications arise. A lonely young woman with employment issues finds her escapism in vintage films at "The Vestige." When the Roussels "Return to Camp Bon Temps," their annual summer fishing camp, it’s not all good times as their daughter cannot forget the previous summer. In "Margaux’s Understudy," an inexperienced home healthcare worker uses the past in creative ways to engage her wards.
117 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 10, 2019
2 people are currently reading
3 people want to read
About the author
Kristin Fouquet
15 books58 followersKristin Fouquet is a writer and photographer in the lovely city of New Orleans. Her short fiction and fine art and street photography have been published widely online and in print. She is the author of Twenty Stories (Rank Stranger Press 2009), a collection of short literary fiction; Rampart and Toulouse (Rank Stranger Press, 2011), a novella and other stories; The Olive Stain and other stories (Hammer & Anvil Books, 2013), an e-chapbook, and the print version, The Olive Stain and other stories (Le Salon Press, 2013); Surreptitiously Yours (Le Salon Press, 2016) a novella; Surrendered Stories (Le Salon Press, 2019), a collection of short stories with companion photographs; The Repertoire (Le Salon Press, 2022), a novella; and Fleur Royale (Le Salon Press, 2023), a novelette.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 26, 2019
Whimsical, touching and atmospheric stories and photographs I received a paperback review copy of this book from the publisher. That has not influenced my feedback.
I was intrigued by the description of this book, by the author’s previous work, and by the fact that this volume of four of her stories includes twenty-four of her own black and white photographs, which illustrate and create an aesthetic dialogue with the content and the feel of the stories. I was also intrigued by the title and my curiosity was answered as soon as I read the opening quote in this slim but handsome volume: A piece of writing is never finished. You just surrender. (Carter Monroe). I love this quote because, as I write as well, I am familiar with the feeling that a story is never quite as good as it could be, and it is never totally finished. In my opinion, though, these stories are perfect as they are.
The four stories are very different, but the images and the writing style turn this book into a unique experience.
I’ll share a few comments about each individual story, but I’ll try to avoid spoilers.
“Cocteau’s Ransom”, written in the third person, is a story of a couple who believe they’ve found a way to make some money by kidnapping a dog, but they have made a mistake (an understandable one, for sure, but still…) A fun and humorous story (although it might upset animal lovers).
“The Vestige” has a touch of nostalgia (in fact, at first I thought it was a historical piece but I soon realised I was wrong), plenty of atmosphere, lovely characters, and it is also a sweet and gentle love (?) story that will enchant fans of the cinema experience and enthusiasts of old movies.
In “Return to Camp Bon Temps” we meet Martine, a girl who’s deeply traumatised due to something that happened last summer. The story, which is also narrated in the third person (all three first stories are), takes place in the summer camp where the members of her extended family meet every year, and each person has its own role to play. Martin, her father, is a larger than life character who seems to always get his own way, but things are not as they seem to be, and I loved the father-daughter relationship and their moment of truth.
“Margaux’s understudy”, narrated in the first person by a young woman who lands a somewhat odd first-job, has touches of the fairy and/or gothic tale (it made me think of Bluebeard), of old movies and movie stars of the golden era (Sunset Boulevard, for example); it includes fragments of diaries and quotes from plays; it is very atmospheric (and the photographs are gorgeous), and is a fairly whimsical but also touching love story and the story of an obsession. Oh, and one of its characters is a fabulous parrot called Ayo.
As I wrote this review I realised that if I had to come up with a possible theme that links all the stories, it would have to be “appearances can be deceptive”. In these stories, both characters and readers misjudge people and situations, and the twists and surprises come when we learn the truth.
These stories, mostly set in New Orleans, are perfect for reading during short breaks; they create an immersive atmosphere without going into excessive detail, and are ideal for people looking for an engaging interlude between long and demanding reads. I look forward to following this author’s career, and I’ll be sure to visit her website and learn more about her work as a photographer. A great collection.
I was intrigued by the description of this book, by the author’s previous work, and by the fact that this volume of four of her stories includes twenty-four of her own black and white photographs, which illustrate and create an aesthetic dialogue with the content and the feel of the stories. I was also intrigued by the title and my curiosity was answered as soon as I read the opening quote in this slim but handsome volume: A piece of writing is never finished. You just surrender. (Carter Monroe). I love this quote because, as I write as well, I am familiar with the feeling that a story is never quite as good as it could be, and it is never totally finished. In my opinion, though, these stories are perfect as they are.
The four stories are very different, but the images and the writing style turn this book into a unique experience.
I’ll share a few comments about each individual story, but I’ll try to avoid spoilers.
“Cocteau’s Ransom”, written in the third person, is a story of a couple who believe they’ve found a way to make some money by kidnapping a dog, but they have made a mistake (an understandable one, for sure, but still…) A fun and humorous story (although it might upset animal lovers).
“The Vestige” has a touch of nostalgia (in fact, at first I thought it was a historical piece but I soon realised I was wrong), plenty of atmosphere, lovely characters, and it is also a sweet and gentle love (?) story that will enchant fans of the cinema experience and enthusiasts of old movies.
In “Return to Camp Bon Temps” we meet Martine, a girl who’s deeply traumatised due to something that happened last summer. The story, which is also narrated in the third person (all three first stories are), takes place in the summer camp where the members of her extended family meet every year, and each person has its own role to play. Martin, her father, is a larger than life character who seems to always get his own way, but things are not as they seem to be, and I loved the father-daughter relationship and their moment of truth.
“Margaux’s understudy”, narrated in the first person by a young woman who lands a somewhat odd first-job, has touches of the fairy and/or gothic tale (it made me think of Bluebeard), of old movies and movie stars of the golden era (Sunset Boulevard, for example); it includes fragments of diaries and quotes from plays; it is very atmospheric (and the photographs are gorgeous), and is a fairly whimsical but also touching love story and the story of an obsession. Oh, and one of its characters is a fabulous parrot called Ayo.
As I wrote this review I realised that if I had to come up with a possible theme that links all the stories, it would have to be “appearances can be deceptive”. In these stories, both characters and readers misjudge people and situations, and the twists and surprises come when we learn the truth.
These stories, mostly set in New Orleans, are perfect for reading during short breaks; they create an immersive atmosphere without going into excessive detail, and are ideal for people looking for an engaging interlude between long and demanding reads. I look forward to following this author’s career, and I’ll be sure to visit her website and learn more about her work as a photographer. A great collection.
June 24, 2019
I’m a sucker for black and white photographs so when I got this book from the author and I saw that the photographs were of that nature, I was thrilled. As I read a few of these stories, I thought that they would make great movie shorts, for after I read them, I had that happy, jaunty feeling in me. There was something about the language and the author’s style of writing that gave me that impression. There was though, this one story, that I wished the author had broken her pencil or ran out of paper before she got to writing the last page. For in that story, the ending, just didn’t seem to work for me, nor did I feel it fit in with the rest of this book.
This is a small book made up of four short stories and over twenty photographs.
One story is about an individual who listens to a radio station. Feeling that they’re the only person listening to this station at this hour, when the DJ declares a contest, they’re in no hurry to place the call, for they know they ‘re the winner, they always are. Yet, what happens when someone else starts calling in and winning the contests? Things get out of sync and all of life’s questions come floating out: who, where, why, what? I liked the emotions in this little mystery,
The issue of privacy was addressed in one story. I feel like this is a growing problem. While some individuals want their private matters to be handled discreetly and don’t want them to be addressed by everyone, others don’t care. As the family in this novel handles the influx of family and friends to their summer camp, their daughter’s private life becomes a topic of conversation. It’s summer and why she is under everyone’s radar becomes alarming to me. She’s not a child that needs to be told what to do. All I could see as I read, was all these faces coming at her, their remarks and their expressions, like a Twilight Zone opening scene.
I had to laugh at the end of another story because the ending was perfect. A short and sweet ending, a pie-in-the-face ending. Anna was told to “stick to the list” when she started her new job taking care of the old man. Anna was given specific directions but the temptation was real. Walking around the mansion, it was hard not looking in the other rooms, it was hard not to talk to the old man, and the parrot, oh it was an impossible list to follow. Oh Anna, do you think things would have turned out differently had you followed the list?
The first story in the novel is about a couple who kidnap a dog for ransom. They thought they had a done deal and had thought of everything, as the ransom note is delivered. When the owner doesn’t respond, as quickly as they would like, they have to come up with another plan. Great story but I would have loved it without the last page. Sorry, but that’s just my opinion. It would have still fell within the realms of the books theme and it would have felt better.
Interesting set of stories that have to do with surrendering. The photographs were a fun addition to the stories. I received a copy of this novel from Kristin Fouguet in exchange for an honest review. 4.25 stars
This is a small book made up of four short stories and over twenty photographs.
One story is about an individual who listens to a radio station. Feeling that they’re the only person listening to this station at this hour, when the DJ declares a contest, they’re in no hurry to place the call, for they know they ‘re the winner, they always are. Yet, what happens when someone else starts calling in and winning the contests? Things get out of sync and all of life’s questions come floating out: who, where, why, what? I liked the emotions in this little mystery,
The issue of privacy was addressed in one story. I feel like this is a growing problem. While some individuals want their private matters to be handled discreetly and don’t want them to be addressed by everyone, others don’t care. As the family in this novel handles the influx of family and friends to their summer camp, their daughter’s private life becomes a topic of conversation. It’s summer and why she is under everyone’s radar becomes alarming to me. She’s not a child that needs to be told what to do. All I could see as I read, was all these faces coming at her, their remarks and their expressions, like a Twilight Zone opening scene.
I had to laugh at the end of another story because the ending was perfect. A short and sweet ending, a pie-in-the-face ending. Anna was told to “stick to the list” when she started her new job taking care of the old man. Anna was given specific directions but the temptation was real. Walking around the mansion, it was hard not looking in the other rooms, it was hard not to talk to the old man, and the parrot, oh it was an impossible list to follow. Oh Anna, do you think things would have turned out differently had you followed the list?
The first story in the novel is about a couple who kidnap a dog for ransom. They thought they had a done deal and had thought of everything, as the ransom note is delivered. When the owner doesn’t respond, as quickly as they would like, they have to come up with another plan. Great story but I would have loved it without the last page. Sorry, but that’s just my opinion. It would have still fell within the realms of the books theme and it would have felt better.
Interesting set of stories that have to do with surrendering. The photographs were a fun addition to the stories. I received a copy of this novel from Kristin Fouguet in exchange for an honest review. 4.25 stars
August 8, 2019
Fouquet Delivers Again
As long as she keeps doing what she does, I’ll keep reading every book Kristin Fouquet puts out. What Fouquet does is write really concise stories with particularly New Orleans characters, settings, and moods that get into your bones quickly and stay a long time. Some recurring elements are anachronistic protagonists, interesting (and sometimes new) jobs, and really unforgettable spaces (whether in old houses or out in the open air among the supports and balconies of the city’s classic neighborhoods). The wild part is, all the common elements notwithstanding, her stories hold the capacity to surprise, and, on top of that, Fouquet packages them in a way that seems to give each of her books a clear and different personality. This time out, the personality is adventurous, and SURRENDERED STORIES pulls you along on several very enjoyable escapades.
The stories in this collection get better as they go. The first one, about a dog held for ransom, was closer to slapstick comedy than anything I’ve seen from the author, and a nice introduction to the breezier tone of this collection; the third was remarkable in bringing us on a seaside vacation, seemingly far from Fouquet’s muse city (but likely still in New Orleans, on some outer eastern bank); and the last story (my favorite) was full of the kind of suspense that comes when a protagonist takes an unsustainable path. No spoilers, I’ll leave it at that. All four stories give us plenty of the Fouquet we already love, along with new Fouquet dimensions we haven’t seen before. As on all great adventures, you see some things you want to see and other things you don’t, and in the end you come out grateful for your experience. Five stars.
As long as she keeps doing what she does, I’ll keep reading every book Kristin Fouquet puts out. What Fouquet does is write really concise stories with particularly New Orleans characters, settings, and moods that get into your bones quickly and stay a long time. Some recurring elements are anachronistic protagonists, interesting (and sometimes new) jobs, and really unforgettable spaces (whether in old houses or out in the open air among the supports and balconies of the city’s classic neighborhoods). The wild part is, all the common elements notwithstanding, her stories hold the capacity to surprise, and, on top of that, Fouquet packages them in a way that seems to give each of her books a clear and different personality. This time out, the personality is adventurous, and SURRENDERED STORIES pulls you along on several very enjoyable escapades.
The stories in this collection get better as they go. The first one, about a dog held for ransom, was closer to slapstick comedy than anything I’ve seen from the author, and a nice introduction to the breezier tone of this collection; the third was remarkable in bringing us on a seaside vacation, seemingly far from Fouquet’s muse city (but likely still in New Orleans, on some outer eastern bank); and the last story (my favorite) was full of the kind of suspense that comes when a protagonist takes an unsustainable path. No spoilers, I’ll leave it at that. All four stories give us plenty of the Fouquet we already love, along with new Fouquet dimensions we haven’t seen before. As on all great adventures, you see some things you want to see and other things you don’t, and in the end you come out grateful for your experience. Five stars.
June 11, 2019
It is not often that I deem a book worthy of five stars. This afternoon I received my pre-ordered copy of Surrendered Stories, along with a sweet note from Ms Fouquet. It was a cool day today, a perfect WI day to sit with a book in the afternoon. From the very first page I loved Surrendered Stories. I love it for the marvelous, sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant and always mesmerizing words and accompanying photos (lovely, enticing and so Nola). Because I live half the year in New Orleans, I enjoyed the local references. I am now homesick for sure. Thank you, Kristin, for this lovely book.
July 19, 2019
I often appreciate short story collections and was drawn to the title Surrendered Stories.
Kristin Fouquet is not new to writing or photography this being her fifth book, a collection of short stories with 24 b & w companion photographs - the street photography being my favorite.
Yes, I have a love and black and white photography and found Fouquet's writing to be stimulating!
Each story is surrendered and each is precise, evokes imagery and appeals to emotion as Fouquet depicts the dynamics of changing social interactions and misfortunes through skillfully written prose.
I received this copy of Surrendered Stories through the generosity of Le Salon for an honest review.
Kristin Fouquet is not new to writing or photography this being her fifth book, a collection of short stories with 24 b & w companion photographs - the street photography being my favorite.
Yes, I have a love and black and white photography and found Fouquet's writing to be stimulating!
Each story is surrendered and each is precise, evokes imagery and appeals to emotion as Fouquet depicts the dynamics of changing social interactions and misfortunes through skillfully written prose.
I received this copy of Surrendered Stories through the generosity of Le Salon for an honest review.
June 2, 2019
A Rare Treat
As a general rule, I seldom choose short stories to satisfy my literary appetite because unless it is done well, the reader is still hungry after what should have been a satisfying repast. Short story telling is a high art form and “Surrendered Stories” is classic high art. Author Kristin Fouquet is a master storyteller who makes storytelling look easy, even though it is the opposite. Her writing is erudite, occasionally witty, even charming, and full of irony, but it is never stuffy. In this collection of stories with accompanying photographs, Fouquet upholds her professional reputation as both wordsmith and photographer. Her writing and photos are crisp, spare, and eloquent. If I had to choose a favorite from this collection it would be “Margaux’s Understudy”. A most satisfying and rare treat indeed. Oui, cher.
As a general rule, I seldom choose short stories to satisfy my literary appetite because unless it is done well, the reader is still hungry after what should have been a satisfying repast. Short story telling is a high art form and “Surrendered Stories” is classic high art. Author Kristin Fouquet is a master storyteller who makes storytelling look easy, even though it is the opposite. Her writing is erudite, occasionally witty, even charming, and full of irony, but it is never stuffy. In this collection of stories with accompanying photographs, Fouquet upholds her professional reputation as both wordsmith and photographer. Her writing and photos are crisp, spare, and eloquent. If I had to choose a favorite from this collection it would be “Margaux’s Understudy”. A most satisfying and rare treat indeed. Oui, cher.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews