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Short Stack
A strangely admirable killer leaves a courteous note. A welcoming bachelor wonders, "Do ants like Harry Belafonte?" A lonely passenger on a dangerous flight ponders his rebellion via the airsick bag. And a hopeful young man trades his afternoon for the promise of sex he knows he won't end up having anyway. Welcome to the deceptively simple worlds that can only come from the mind of Scott Morgan. Funny, sweet, sad, and bitter, this collection of eight poems and ten short stories offers a snapshot of humanity that is as off-center as it is familiar.
Kindle Edition
First published October 8, 2011
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
February 29, 2012
Scott Morgan is a writer’s writer, but more importantly, he’s a reader’s writer.
Someone who obviously has talent and has honed his skills.
Short Stack is a collection of poems, vignettes and short stories by turns funny, touching and always thought-provoking. “One True Cat” kept both me and my wife laughing for far too short a time—because we got to the end of the poem. Morgan obviously has had t least one cat in his life, and he sure knows what they’re about.
“Food and Hats,” the longest piece in the collection, had my laughing, nodding, saying “yeah!” and generally reacting far too strongly for my fellow bus-riders. Not many books evoke those kinds of reactions.
Throughout, Morgan displays a power with language and a writing style that I can only sum up as smooth.
Flawless. There are no errors. Never once did I halt over a grammatical or punctuation or usage error, not once did I cringe at a cliché or even an awkward phrase, never did I think “that was a useless and embarrassing metaphor.” And when I read independent writers, I do that a lot.
But Morgan’s talent goes far beyond following the rules of English grammar. Reading a Scott Morgan story is effortless, sometimes as enjoyable as floating on a raft down a lazy river, sometimes as exhilarating as a roller coaster.
Most important, in fact essential with short fiction, is that all the stories are true — not factual, but each one reveals one undeniable truth. When you read it, you have to acknowledge, yeah, you knew that, about people, your town, yourself, even though you probably never wanted to admit it.
The only criticism I have, or can imagine about Scott Morgan’s writing is that there’s not enough of it available. Besides this slim collection of short pieces, Morgan has one other book, a guide to writing called Character Development from the Inside Out, plus of course his outstanding blog, WriteHook: Write for the Jugular.
Come on, Scott. I am getting impatient for a novel with your name on it.
Someone who obviously has talent and has honed his skills.
Short Stack is a collection of poems, vignettes and short stories by turns funny, touching and always thought-provoking. “One True Cat” kept both me and my wife laughing for far too short a time—because we got to the end of the poem. Morgan obviously has had t least one cat in his life, and he sure knows what they’re about.
“Food and Hats,” the longest piece in the collection, had my laughing, nodding, saying “yeah!” and generally reacting far too strongly for my fellow bus-riders. Not many books evoke those kinds of reactions.
Throughout, Morgan displays a power with language and a writing style that I can only sum up as smooth.
Flawless. There are no errors. Never once did I halt over a grammatical or punctuation or usage error, not once did I cringe at a cliché or even an awkward phrase, never did I think “that was a useless and embarrassing metaphor.” And when I read independent writers, I do that a lot.
But Morgan’s talent goes far beyond following the rules of English grammar. Reading a Scott Morgan story is effortless, sometimes as enjoyable as floating on a raft down a lazy river, sometimes as exhilarating as a roller coaster.
Most important, in fact essential with short fiction, is that all the stories are true — not factual, but each one reveals one undeniable truth. When you read it, you have to acknowledge, yeah, you knew that, about people, your town, yourself, even though you probably never wanted to admit it.
The only criticism I have, or can imagine about Scott Morgan’s writing is that there’s not enough of it available. Besides this slim collection of short pieces, Morgan has one other book, a guide to writing called Character Development from the Inside Out, plus of course his outstanding blog, WriteHook: Write for the Jugular.
Come on, Scott. I am getting impatient for a novel with your name on it.
January 14, 2012
One of the best collections I’ve read in some time, “Short Stack” is a book that is filled with gems that stand alone quite nicely but which coalesce into a nice anthology with ease. Written by the talented Scott Morgan, one of the most promising writers I’ve discovered this past year, the writing style he utilizes is enviable indeed.
The poetry includes such delicious nuggets as “Bells,” “A Cat’s Life,” “Muscle,” and “Give Me Credit.” Each one is written with a deft hand and a knowledge of literature that impart their gifts to the text in a seemingly effortless manner. The short fiction pieces are just as engaging and entertaining. “Jasmine,” “Perfect Rock,” “Brown Paper Bags,” and “Bruce Goodlooks To The Rescue” are only the finest examples of Mr. Morgan’s talents at writing short stories which are every bit as memorable as any novel you’ve ever read.
After reading this collection, I came across Scott on Twitter and developed a nice rapport with him. His website is chock full of niceties but it is his eagerness to help other writers attain the best of their talents that I find the most admirable of his qualities.
Scott Morgan is definitely a writer the world is going to be hearing a lot about in the coming years. A talent like his is too much to keep secret and fortunately he isn't inclined to try. "Short Stack" is a sampling of his ability to write text that is both crisp and fresh while utterly enthralling, and his poetry is nothing less than excursions into the mind of the one who wrote them; instances of emotion transformed into words with honesty and clarity akimbo. Well done indeed.
The poetry includes such delicious nuggets as “Bells,” “A Cat’s Life,” “Muscle,” and “Give Me Credit.” Each one is written with a deft hand and a knowledge of literature that impart their gifts to the text in a seemingly effortless manner. The short fiction pieces are just as engaging and entertaining. “Jasmine,” “Perfect Rock,” “Brown Paper Bags,” and “Bruce Goodlooks To The Rescue” are only the finest examples of Mr. Morgan’s talents at writing short stories which are every bit as memorable as any novel you’ve ever read.
After reading this collection, I came across Scott on Twitter and developed a nice rapport with him. His website is chock full of niceties but it is his eagerness to help other writers attain the best of their talents that I find the most admirable of his qualities.
Scott Morgan is definitely a writer the world is going to be hearing a lot about in the coming years. A talent like his is too much to keep secret and fortunately he isn't inclined to try. "Short Stack" is a sampling of his ability to write text that is both crisp and fresh while utterly enthralling, and his poetry is nothing less than excursions into the mind of the one who wrote them; instances of emotion transformed into words with honesty and clarity akimbo. Well done indeed.
April 11, 2012
Short Stack is a fantastic collection of poetry and short stories that will probably stick in your mind for some time after reading the last word. Be warned, though: pay close attention lest you miss the ‘lesson’ or point in each story, as I’m pleased to say that Morgan never assumes his readers are idiots, and as such is fond of subtleties.
The author displays an incredible clarity of thought and insight into human nature and life in general, often showcasing the darker side while still managing to bring a smile to your face with apparent ease. I enjoyed everything in this anthology, but The Price of Angie’s Ice Cream and Bruce Goodlooks to the Rescue win hands down as my favourites. Every man on the planet who has had a girlfriend will relate to the protagonist in the first, and everyone who’s ever tried to help someone and failed miserably to the second.
Short Stack is a quick, easy read that I completed in less than two hours, both because I couldn’t put it down and because the writing flowed so smoothly that it didn’t feel anywhere close to 124 pages. I highly recommend this story to pretty much anyone who enjoys a good poem or story.
The author displays an incredible clarity of thought and insight into human nature and life in general, often showcasing the darker side while still managing to bring a smile to your face with apparent ease. I enjoyed everything in this anthology, but The Price of Angie’s Ice Cream and Bruce Goodlooks to the Rescue win hands down as my favourites. Every man on the planet who has had a girlfriend will relate to the protagonist in the first, and everyone who’s ever tried to help someone and failed miserably to the second.
Short Stack is a quick, easy read that I completed in less than two hours, both because I couldn’t put it down and because the writing flowed so smoothly that it didn’t feel anywhere close to 124 pages. I highly recommend this story to pretty much anyone who enjoys a good poem or story.
June 12, 2012
I usually don't read poetry but the collection Scott Morgan wrote, I really enjoyed and would read again! The short stories he put together were written clean and crisp. He packed a lot of story in just a few pages. I was going to list the stories I particularly liked but when I went back to browse the Table of Contents to get the titles, I found there were too many to mention. This is well worth the read :)
November 27, 2011
Scott Morgan has a distinct voice that is deftly displayed in this collection ranging from poetic pieces to longer stories. Highly recommended for those that enjoy being swept away in writing of the 'shorter' nature.
June 17, 2012
Awesome!!!! Just finished reading the poems... They are candid, which makes them so authentic!! Everyone can relate to one or all of them! LOVED what I've read so far!!!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews