Ballistics by Alex Keegan

Ballistics by Alex Keegan

This collection of prize-winning stories represent major high-points from Alex Keegan’s early years as a short-story writer. These stories will stay with you, make you return and look behind the words, for what is quietly waiting. A father knowing he has little time left, takes his children to Disney; a writer sits and drinks tea with a bastard relation; a family tries to recover from a daughter’s mutilation; a proud Welshman faces death to watch three grandsons at the game; a terrorist and his victim are trapped underground, talking in the dark; a too-beautiful young man tries to understand his life; an ageing teacher meets his protégé and aches for what was missed; a band of limbless soldiers run a marathon for charity; a hopelessly unlucky cuckold has one more try; a barwoman is romanced over ten years; all these stories and more, some uplifting, some painful, all delivered with often brilliant touches of language, will enchant and educate. A superb resource for teaching creative writing, this collection illustrates exactly what is required to win writing competitions in the UK and overseas.

(on `The Last Love Letter of Berwyn Price) A story of a life contained in just two and a quarter thousand beautifully-chosen words, a perfectly balanced vignette which should not only grace the programme for every forthcoming Welsh international but should earn its place in any proper anthology of short stories

-- Charlotte Bingham * Bridport Prize *

`The Smell of Almond Polish’ is a story which is incredibly understated, yet which carries with it a vast understory. The writing is clear and uncluttered, starting with a journey, and following the fortunes of Bridie Collins who simply gets jobs, does rather well, then returns home again. The author never tells us why she leaves her family, or what is actually going on in her life, yet the story is tender and painful.

I know there will be sighs of frustration that Alex Keegan is on the list again and has taken first prize again but judge on the quality of writing and the underlying power.

-- Zoe King * Buzzwords Prize *

Keegan writes with wit and energy

* London Evening Standard *

Lots of energy… deserving of applause

* Literary Review *

Alex Keegan began writing seriously in 1992, publishing 5 mystery novels before switching to serious short fiction. He has been published widely in print and on the web and been awarded more than a dozen first prizes for his fiction as well as three Bridport Prizes. Born in Wales with an Irish mother, he now lives and writes in Newbury, England where he lives with his second wife and two teenage children. He runs a tough internet writing school, "Boot Camp Keegan".

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781844714773
ISBN 10	1844714772
Title	Ballistics
Author	Alex Keegan
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Paperback
Publisher	Salt Publishing
Year published	2008-12-15
Number of pages	160
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable