Excerpt – Kiss Kiss by Paul Beckman @pincusb #FlashFiction @samijolien
Synopsis
78 flash fictions from a master of the form
In Kiss Kiss, we’re introduced to a variety of stories, all told through a masterful blend of calamity and empathy.
Whether an aging man going through a mid-life crisis, or a grandmother getting fleeced by her own family, Beckman’s characters are written with a lively voice that is deft and saturated with heart.
Flash fiction, at its core, is a voyeuristic glimpse into a character’s internal struggle as the world around either helps or hinders the outcome. Hemmingway, Dybek, Ehrhardt, a few authors do it well. Paul Beckman is one of them.
Praise
“There are many surprises here and like other writers, I found myself thinking time and again, ‘I wish I’d written this.” — Niles Reddick, MBR: Reviewer’s Bookwatch
“…irreverent and sometimes heartbreaking, Kiss Kiss is an enthralling and entertaining read from start to finish.” — Alison McBain, Bewildering Stories
“Reading Kiss Kiss is like delving a box of chocolates without a cover as your guide. You’ll discover stories with soft, sweet centers. But some are just as jagged as biting into an almond—hidden inside white nougat—drizzled with red icing.” — Story and Grit
Excerpt
Creeps
Apparently, there are creeps everywhere. I hear my female co-workers talking about them over their cubicle walls. I sit on my bar stool, nursing my gin and tonic, staring straight ahead or doodling on a bar nap and listen to women at happy hour complaining about the creeps in their life. I don’t know what makes a guy a creep. One of the four women next to me at the bar looked up and our eyes met in the back bar mirror. She motioned for her girlfriends to follow her and pointed to a table. “Creep,” she said, passing behind me.
About the Author
Paul Beckman’s newest flash collection, his 4th, is Kiss Kiss, (Truth Serum Press). Paul had a micro story selected for the 2018 Norton Anthology New Micro Exceptionally Short Fiction. He was one of the winners in the 2016 The Best Small Fictions and his story “Mom’s Goodbye” was chosen as the winner of the 2016 Fiction Southeast Editor’s Prize. He’s widely published in the following magazines among others: Raleigh Review, Litro, Playboy, Pank, Blue Fifth Review, Matter Press, Pure Slush, Thrice Fiction, and Literary Orphans. Paul had a story nominated for the 2019 Best Small Fictions and he hosts the monthly FBomb flash fiction series in NY at KGB’s Red Room. He’s judged writing contests for Cahoodaloodaling and Brilliant Flash Fiction.
