It's Gone Dark Over Bill's Mother's - Softcover

Blower, Lisa

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1912408163 ISBN 13: 9781912408160

Publisher: Myriad Editions, 2019

Synopsis

The matriarch dominates these award-winning stories in Lisa Blower's debut collection. From the wise, witty and outspoken Nan of 'Broken Crockery', who has lived and worked in Stoke on Trent for all of her 92 years, never owning a passport, to happy hooker Ruthie in 'The Land of Make Believe’; to sleep deprived Laura in ‘The Trees in the Wood’; to young mum Roxanne in ‘The Cherry Tree’; she appears in many shapes and forms, and always with a stoicism that is hard to break down.

With a sharp eye and tough warmth, Lisa Blower brings to life the silent histories and harsh realities of those living on the margins. ‘Love, Alvin & Ramona’ is an alternative look at the effects of the smoking ban on a life once defined by the celebratory pint and fag at the end of the working week. We see Di’s nifty fists in ‘Chuck and Di’; Alma Bunny’s deep rooted fear of retirement and change in ‘Dirty Laundry’; Arnold Bunter’s repressed sexuality in ‘Smear Campaign’; Lo and her family’s emotional inadequacies in ‘Hoops’; and the thwarted hero worship of ‘Johnny Dangerously’.

‘It’s gone dark over Bill’s mother’s’ is a Shropshire saying that means it’s looking a bit bleak, a little like rain. With origins as a footless and random as the barflies trying to find their meanings in ‘Happenstance’, it is an expression that sums up this fabulous collection.

About this title

About the Author

Lisa Blower won The Guardian’s National Short Story competition in 2009, was shortlisted for the BBC National Short Story Award in 2013, has been Highly Commended and longlisted for the Bridport Prize for three consecutive years, and was one of just four UK authors longlisted for The Sunday Times Short Story Award 2018. Her debut novel Sitting Ducks (Fair Acre Press) was shortlisted for the inaugural Arnold Bennett Prize 2017 and longlisted for the Guardian Not the Booker 2016. Blower is a creative writing lecturer at Bangor University, Wales where she studied for her PhD.

Review

'She delves into the innermost thoughts and feelings and heartaches and eccentricities of all of those diverse and beautiful and terrible human beings whose stories we hardly ever hear.’
Hollie McNish (Hollie McNish)

'Close up and personal yet universal stories of childhood yearning, misunderstandings, loss and triumph. Beautifully written from inside, real people, ordinary homes. Set pieces, hilarious and tragic, the caravan site, the spring cleaning, the drinking game, crafted to perfection, short stories, to die for.’
Kit de Waal, author of My Name is Leon (Ket de Waal)

About this edition

• Publisher: Myriad Editions
• Publication date: 2019
• ISBN 10: 1912408163
• ISBN 13: 9781912408160
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 224