WHEN PIGS FLY: A short about a family

by Tim Storrs

Frank Murphy is an overweight, alcoholic, chain smoking commander in the police force, with aspirations in politics. He is corrupt racist and a serial adulterer. However he is also a hard working ambitious man and great provider for his family. The story opens amid a recent scandal that caused public embarrassment for Murphy family. In this short story we explore the consequences this scandal has on his son his wife and Frank himself. Written in first person we see the perspectives of all the characters from their own point of view Connor - (Franks son),Linda - (Franks wife), Samantha - (Franks drug addicted prostitute mistress) & Frank Murphy himself. This short story is a social commentary, as well as an exciting page turning modern pulp story. Reminiscent of pulp paperbacks in the 1940-1960's, yet with a contemporary spin. Tim Storrs displays his mastery of the short story with his ability to tell a complete, satisfying and multidimensional story in very few words. Because of the authors conservative and precise use of words and story telling. Storrs paints a very clear picture which immerses the reader into the lives of each characters lives and psyche. At the end of the book you are yearning for more, but the ends of the story meet in such a complete circle. The questions while reading are answered so definitive. There is a satisfaction in the ending.

46 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 26, 2020

About the author

Tim Storrs writes cinematic espionage and noir fiction concerned with power, intimacy, and moral pressure. His stories explore trust, proximity, and consequence under extreme conditions.

He is the founder of Creative 1 Publishing, an independent imprint for long-form fiction developed outside traditional gatekeeping systems.

Reviews

[Carlos Malbrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

Real and Raw

What an author! Tim crafts a vicious raw spellbinding page turner that compels the reader to delve deeper into Commander Frank’s deep dark graphic flaws and the consequences/effects that come to grip his family. This work is so authentic and uncompromising, the author doesnt flinch as he allows these flawed characters to narrate their own destinies from a dark uncensored inner monologue perspective. Each character speaks with nothing to hide revealing their exact thoughts regardless of how dark and ugly it appears. The story is spellbinding in its detail and mixture of the overt with the subtle. Is protagonist Frank even the protagonist? Even the term anti-hero would be ill suited to categorize him. And does his son deserve our empathy or should we simply be repulsed and thats that. Author Tim Storrs takes us directly into the mind-states of human beings whom we like to hope don’t exist and yet whom we have countless evidence that proves they do. I guess Monsters are people too. This story is not for the faint of heart, yet for those who walk the journey of reading it, they will be left pondering the real life monsters that currently inhabit our world as well as their humanity or lack therein. Some say that life isnt a tragedy, its a comedy... I believe this work adds to the dialogue for until we come to grips with the fact that our monsters are also people and that people are also monsters... we will be fated to hear shocking news story after shocking news story continually asking the question “Why?” Yet coming to closer to a definitive answer. I appreciated the authenticity and craftsmen ship of this work. Ill be reading more from this author in the future!

[Terrance · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not much of a reader but I love this authors style. He has mastered telling the short story without any fillers. It is such a page turning dynamically written short story. I couldn't put it down. This author uses a first person psychological way of telling this story from all angles. You feel like you experience the story from every angle and you still have no clue what is going to happen. This author does illustrated books so I assumed this one was as well, but it was not which I liked because it showcases is unique style of writing. I didn't expect this type of a story I didn't think it would be so dark, I felt the ending was satisfying as well I didn't expect that ending but after I read I realized the subtitle was correct as harsh as this book is it really is a family story. I hope he continues this style of stories I've read some of his magazines and poetry and I enjoyed this story the most.