Nigel Bird: Dark and darker.
If you're a fan of the short crime fiction found all over the Web these days, I shouldn't have to present Nigel Bird's credentials to you. But if you're new to this enclave, let me just fill you in: He won the 2010 Watery Grave Invitational for his short story, Beat on the Brat, on his first attempt. That story, indicative of the intimately candid voice Bird lends his characters, was later published in Needle: A Magazine of Noir, and was nominated for a Spinetingler Award. Bird also won the Crime Fiction Fairy Tale contest sponsored by Things I'd Rather Be Doing, with his take on four-and-twenty blackbirds in Sing a Song of Sixpence. More notably, one of Nigel's stories is sitting cheek by jowl with stories from the likes of Ian Rankin, Liza Cody, Stuart McBride, and many others in The Mammoth Book of Best British Crime (Vol. 8). You'll also find Nigel's work published at reputable zines and blogs such as:
Good enough for you? I thought so. Then it's time to check out Nigel's newest collection, Beat on the Brat. For $0.99 USD, you can't top this group of stories. From the award-winning title tale, a cautionary story for those who would abuse children, right through to the end, these are dark stories. Oh, sure, a toss-off line here, a bit of dialogue there, he can make you smile. But he can make you flinch, too, and do it without ever lifting the veil on the blood and gore. No, that's not his style, all blood and guts. Bird's style is to slide the knife in gently, so the reader doesn't even feel it at first, then to carefully twist and carve until you're standing there watching him hold your still-beating heart in his hands.
In Mind Your Step, the author takes the reader inside an experiment similar to the controversial work of Dr. Stanley Milgram, but with an added twist.
Back to Black, (formerly titled Too Much Too Young) which placed 5th in this year's WGI, has been labeled by one publisher as "too controversial." That means, of course, that the reader is required to think, perhaps to do some re-evaluating even.
Snow-Angel is a revenge tale, one which those of us who've been pelted by a too-hard snowball will readily understand; while Sugar and Spice is about what can go wrong when the bad guys aren't quite as bad as personal safety requires.
Hoodwinked is another revenge tale, and this one goes where even Charles Bronson wouldn't dare. Nigel Bird can make his characters do the most horrific deeds and still hold onto the reader's sympathy. Well, a small shred of sympathy, maybe. And then he turns on the irony, bidding fair to rival Ken Bruen at times.
Dance With Me is story about a bounty hunter and his prisoner, a story to win over the fans of Charles Willeford's Hoke Mosely tales. It's a story entirely realistic and yet full of grotesquerie.
Add to these remarkable stories a bleak poem (Regret) and three haiku, all marking the first verse I've seen from this author. As a follow-up to Bird's previous release, Dirty Old Town, it's easy to see fans of that ebook are going to love this latest collection. And to help you toward that end, the first five readers who jump over to Nigel's blog, Sea Minor, and ask for Beat on the Brat, will win a free copy of the ebook directly from the author. That's FIVE only, so be quick and nimble, Jack!
For those who don't care to risk their fate, or who are too late to win a freebie, you can find this ebook at:
Smashwords for only $0.99 USD
Amazon (Kindle) for $2.99 USD
4 comments:
A great collection for sure. Just finished a couple of nights ago myself. People should definitely take advantage of this great giveaway.
I'm delighted you enjoyed it Elizabeth. That means a lot.
And, of course, a huge thank you to Naomi who must be my guardian angel.
From across the pond! Am I too late for a copy of Beat on the Brat?:) I loved Dirty old Town!
yours is on its way to your facebook inbox Arnie. hope you enjoy it.
nigel
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