Quick Change: Tiny Tales of Transformation

by Debbie Young

Flash fiction, sudden fiction, micro-fiction, ultra short fiction - call them what you will, these twenty wry and witty short stories examine change at every stage of life, in a natural progression from birth to death. Mostly lighthearted, but often moving too, this collection is written with an admirable economy of style.

Ranging from a spartan 100 words to the relative luxury of 1,000, they combine sharp observation of contemporary English life with gentle humor, profound affection for the social quirks of the author's native country, and the odd dark rumbling undertone. Plenty of surprises emerge along the way, from twists of magical realism to whimsical wish-fulfillment.

BONUS MATERIAL: The paperback edition contains two new stories that were not in the original e-book edition, but were originally published in national flash fiction anthologies.

"Very subtle, very English, very clever." - Marius Gabriel, author

"A book of tiny gems. Debbie Young's attention to detail brings the extraordinary out of the everyday." - Calum Kerr, author & founder of National Flash Fiction Day

"Sly, witty, surprising. These stories make domesticity look edgy, sometimes dangerous, but they are also life-affirming," - Lucienne Boyce, author of fiction and non-fiction

Genres: Short Stories

Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

Hello dear readers!

I hope you will enjoy my warm, witty, feel-good contemporary fiction, full of English humour and heart, inspired by life in the Cotswold village which has been my home for over 30 years. I have three series of cozy mystery novels plus various short fiction, and I've written a couple of non-fiction books too.

NOVELS

My latest book is "Death at the Village Christmas Fair", the third in my Cotswold Curiosity Shop Mystery series. The series begins with "Death at the Old Curiosity Shop", followed by "Death at the Village Chess Club". In this series, moving from the city to the lively Cotswold village of Little Pride, Alice Carroll (50) discovers that nothing is quite what it seems in her new business enterprise. Each novel in this series has at its heart an intriguing item to be found in her bric-a-brac shop, and features eccentric characters, plenty of red herrings and lots of English humour.

My Sophie Sayers Village Mystery series begins with "Best Murder in Show". Originally envisaged as a seven-book series to run the course of a calendar year in the life of the idyllic English Cotswold village of Wendlebury Barrow, it continues to grow, with the most recent addition being Sophie Sayers' ninth outing, "Driven to Murder",

My Gemma Lamb Cozy Mystery series is a mashup of romantic comedy, gentle mystery and nostalgia for classic children's school stories but aimed at adults. It focuses on the intrigues among the teachers and visitors to the school, rather than the children. "Dastardly Deeds at St Bride's" (previously published as "Secrets at St Bride's"), and is followed by "Sinister Secrets at St Bride's" (formerly "Secrets at St Bride's"), Wicked Whispers at St Bride's", and "Artful Antics at St Bride's". Two further books will follow to complete the series of six, running the course of the academic year at St Bride's Boarding School for Girls.

All of my novels are now available in ebook, paperback, hardback, and audio in English. There are also German language editions of Sophie Sayers' adventures and Italian translations of Gemma Lamb's.

SHORT FICTION

My series of comedy mystery novelettes, Tales from Wendlebury Barrow, is set in the same world as the Sophie Sayers Cozy Mysteries. The first, "The Pride of Peacocks", is available exclusively to members of my Readers' Club (visit my author website to claim your copy). "The Natter of Knitters" and "The Clutch of Eggs" are available in ebook and paperback. A Christmas special, "Christmas with Sophie Sayers", featuring festive short stories set in the same world, was published for Christmas 2023. Three more Sophie Sayers short stories appear in the charity anthologies, "Fate", "Everyday Kindness" and "The Little Shop of Murders". Look out for another one in the "Courage" anthology, coming in 2026!

My standalone novella, "Mrs Morris Changes Lanes", is a second-chance mid-life romantic comedy with a touch of magical realism, set in the Cotswolds in spring,

Earlier in my career, I published three themed collections of short stories, "Stocking Fillers", "Marry in Haste", and "Quick Change".

PLAYS

I've also now started writing scripts for murder mystery events, My debut play, "The Importance of Being Murdered", was premiered by Hawkesbury Drama Group in April 2025. The original playscript will be published later this year for use by amateur drama groups all over the world, and I'm also working on a novelisation.

AWARDS

The first St Bride's novel was shortlisted for the 2020 Selfies Award given for the best independently-published fiction in the UK. The sixth Sophie Sayers novel was shortlisted for the same award in 2021. My short story "The Alchemy of Chocolate", from "Quick Change", was a winning entrant to the April 2015 Stroud Short Stories competition, and as a result I was later invited to read it at the Cheltenham Literature Festival.

FREE EBOOK

Rec

Reviews

[Helen Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flash fiction is every bit as satisfying as a longer story, but ideal for our busy modern lives where, for some, a 'good read' is snatched in five minutes between a dozen other things on the to-do list.

The joy of flash fiction is reflected in the title of this collection: Quick Change. These are fast stories where a clever writer has packed a lot into a small space. Author Debbie Young examines a range of human relationships: marriage, friendship, parenthood, neighbourliness. There are suprising twists and little surprises (Perfect Harmony, for example) where you wonder where the author is taking you, but you trust her and she rewards you with charm and a wry grin at the pay-off.

I enjoyed the fascinating insights into the lives of different women. There's a nice juxtaposition between the obsessive cleaner and one who'd rather not, in two stories positioned together (Clean Linen and Domestic Blisters). The author also has a nice ability to quickly engage the sympathy of the reader - Peep Behind the Curtain has you rooting for Imogen to be brave and follow her own path.

This flash fiction collection is incredible value. There are so many stories... it's easy to dip into... there's something for everyone.

[Frances Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does exactly what it says on its eye-catching cover... tells short and sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet tales of change.

Much of the collection tells stories of family and relationships and as a collection they offer a great introduction to flash fiction. While some are simple tales of lessons learned, people lost, others loved, many stories stand out thanks to Young's use of magical realism (more, please!) and more than a few sting-in-the-tale style twists, which for me is the real secret weapon in this genre. I should also mention how funny many of the stories were; I found myself smiling to myself much of the way through.

My favourites were The Alchemy of Chocolate, Clean Linen and Time Out.

I hope this is the first of many collections!

[Santino · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great collection of flash fictions. I particularly enjoyed 'Clean Linen', 'The Metamorphosis', 'The Comfort of Neighbours' and 'Special Offer'. All these flashes relate to change, be it a physical, mental, emotional or metaphorical transformation, often in an unexpected way. A brilliant read - stop reading reviews and start reading this collection!

[Rohan Quine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection’s combination of calculated economy and seeming leisure falls somewhere between the deceptively simple glare of Roald Dahl’s adult short stories and the pared-down sharpness of Ivy Compton-Burnett. Young isn’t as wicked as either of those; but like them, “Quick Change” paints miniatures whose small surface area is revealed, upon inspection, to contain entrances to potholes that go down deeper than expected into the bedrock, where the air is cooler, the potholers’ life-challenges darker, and their motivations sometimes meaner, than those miniatures’ twinkly surfaces led one to expect. Behind the surfaces of civilised society, there are intimate metings-out of justice, gleeful exactions of injustice, quiet individual sufferings and breakthroughs, fresh sparkles of mirth, and the occasional incurrence of something subtly surreal.

These lanes of childhood and adulthood emanate from an elusive village somewhere in a literary shire of English life. But this specific origin, like the stories’ understated “action” (refreshingly little happens on the surface of many of them, and in some cases quite heroically little!), is not a restriction—just an aspect of Young’s sharp focus on what she’s showing us. For through this tiny telescope, it’s as if we’re seeing a faraway close-up of the lemon-juice being added to the sugar on a well-made pancake; the haystack being plumped up in anticipation of frolics to come, with a pin or two dropped into it lest those frolickers become complacent; and the wry mix of fascination and resignation, compassion and oneupmanship with which life compels its co-travelling butterflies to treat one another on their journey through it together.

[Rosalind Minett · Rating 4 out of 5]

These short stories, mainly flash fiction, range from benign to slightly wicked. They begin with a sweetness and charm that will warm the heart of mothers and grandmothers. They represent a reflection of everyday family life from the tedium of long car journeys for children to the tensions and reappraisals of emotional ties at the end of life. Author Debbie Young captures those moments that often go unrecorded, but may spring up as fragmentary memories in later life. Some readers will seek out this author again, for prompting their own memories that had previously been overlaid by heavier issues. Women’s magazines prioritise uplifting endings to their stories perhaps for this reason. There would be a smile and grimace from such readers in the story where a cosmetic surgeon raises his pencil and undoes the self-inflicted damage of the teenage girl. Additional sympathy would go to wives of recycling addicts.

However, some of the stories are cheekier suggesting something risqué is about to come on the next page before pulling the rug under the feet of a reader with that thought. I particularly liked the story where the piano was about to be tuned. Other stories take a rebellious note around the ends of marriage and life, no tragedy here and no acceptance by women’s magazines either!

This is an enjoyable collection with several clever flicks of the writing wrist.

[Janys · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Quick Change' was my first encounter with Debbie Young and her short stories. Yet again, as seems to be happening quite often in the recent past -- my decision to read this particular book was based on two factors: her name had cropped up on Social Media circles; I like short stories.

I was not disappointed -- a mixed bunch of brief insights into the human condition, in particular the British human condition, told between moments of sensitivity, irreverence and a pinch of wicked humour -- she held my attention from beginning to end -- an end which came around far too quickly I'm sad to say.

My only complaint, if one has to be found -- is that I would have liked each of the tales to last a little longer.

[Ellie Holmes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick Change: Tiny Tales of Transformation by Debbie Young is an engaging and fun read. Great for dipping into when time is limited or for enjoying in one delicious chunk. Individual vignettes but as the title suggests linked by a theme. There is wry humour at the heart of many of the stories and a touching poignancy to others. I particularly liked 'Penny For Them' 'Peep Behind the Curtain' and 'Married Bliss'.

Some of the tales could easily have sustained a longer story but as a collection of Flash Fiction it is great fun. I was lucky enough to be offered a free copy of this book to review and thoroughly enjoyed it.

[Carol Cooper · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this little collection of flash fiction. Very clever, very witty, and above all entertaining.