Compelling collection of short stories from Mari Collier, author of Earthbound.The third definition of skewed is to look obliquely. That somehow describes my mind as I may see things a bit differently than the rest of the population. To me there is always something more, perhaps something hidden or shaded by another dimension.You’ll meet a boy who doesn’t grow old, a witch that wants to be … witch that wants to be normal, an Iowa farm woman battling frogs, a vampire that chooses to live in a sunny desert, ghosts, and vampires.
more
Author Mari Collier has a penchant for the unworldly, and has achieved notable position in the Western/Science Fiction genres with her Chronicles of the Maca and Chronicles of Tonath series of books. And while these are quite unique and surprising in content on their own, she also has a Twisted and Skewed Mind with a series of books filled with short stories and wild scenarios that leave one happily awed, confused and a bit frightened.
Seeing Collier’s photo, one of a demure lady raised on an Iowa farm, who has had such “normal” occupations as a collector, bookkeeper, receptionist, and board member of a Historical Society, one would never guess she has a literary penchant for witches, vampires and assorted other unusual and creepy characters. In “Twisted Tales from a Skewed Mind” (one of several Twisted anthologies) Collier takes us through a variety of intriguing sagas that begin rather tepidly – or should I say calmly, as before the tornado of a plot. Her adept use of language to create colorful images around the narrative is masterful. She draws you into each scenario, envelops you with descriptions that breathe life into each character and setting – and then the TWIST. Whoa What’s this? And why is it over already? I want more.
From the boy who wouldn’t grow old, to a young witch who wants to be normal (what does that mean?), to the housewife who wishes for a double to do her chores while she plays (be careful what you wish for), to the teen who wants a pair of pink Cowgirl boots that turn out to be mind-bending, and 11 other tableaus, we encounter characters who lives are never the same and neither are we after reading about their weird and captivating dilemmas.
Writing short stories is an art form requiring a writer to paint a landscape of scintillating word pictures in a thumbnail of space. Part fantasy, part horror, and part humor, Collier’s renderings are perfect for readers who wants jam-packed wildly creative adventures in a brief space of time.
Twisted Tales from a Skewed Mind is a collection of ~10 short stories written by Mari Collier. While it’s part of a series, you don’t need to read them in order. I’ve read a few other books by the author, but I am jumping around to check out a variety of her work. I think this was my favorite thus far, as it brought together so many themes with the perfect… well… twist!
The way we view things isn’t always the same, and Collier shows us how different characters think across these tales, some who reappear across multiple stories. Each connection is curious and fun, prompting readers to attempt to grasp the larger world in which they all belong. Each has a bit of a fantastical or science-fiction element — nothing too big — but enough to make you really think critically about everything that exists around us.
Among the frogs, witches, ageless wonders, and the vampires, I found myself giggling and recognizing so many truths (and remembering what Rhode Island was about 300+ years ago). The vampire story was the one I enjoyed the most, especially as a character reappeared later again. At first, you think all is normal, but then the teeth come out. The best part of these tales is the way in which Collier’s characters leap off the page and make themselves stand out.
If you’re looking for a way to get to know an author’s work, or a cool history/geography lesson (almost all the states in the entire country are covered, I think!), Twisted Tales from a Skewed Mind will not only change your perception of a few things, it will offer you a few hours to get to know a wonderful author and her clever stylings.
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed these short stories & their unexpected twists, each very different to the next but all equally engaging. Collier has a truly marvellous imagination & her storytelling is superb. My only gripe is the editing, words such as ‘drug’ where ‘dragged’ should have been used needed to be corrected during the proofreading stage.
This author never ceases to amaze me. In fact, if you’ve read books by Mari Collier, don’t assume these stories will be anything like the others. These are from a ‘skewed’ perspective so they won’t fit into a round hole or even a square one. The format reminded me of the old show called the Twilight Zone, where a well-developed plot began and ended in thirty minutes.
There are neighboring vampires, a zombie named Wendy, slugs, frogs, even a friendly vending machine. The writing is excellent, such as this sentence from the American Dream, “The stars hung in the sky, glowing with a fullness she had not thought possible.” The satirical humor in Retail Wedding made me laugh, and the unexpected twist in The In Between House is a shocker. Filled with mystery, horror and suspense, these entertaining stories will leave you wanting to read more from this talented author. As luck would have it, she’s quite prolific and there are several other books to choose from.
Very, Very Interesting!
This is a collection of fourteen, rather unusual, short stories. The title of the book is a good description of the contents. If you like surprises, you opened the right book. The author has a fantastic imagination, a very impressive, fantastic imagination.