Whatever Happens

by Tim Conley

Whatever Happens is a collection of stories for people who feel that reality is not the best deal going. Tim Conley explores the fragility of our perceptions as well as the illusions that we so badly need. Sometimes spare, these nineteen stories move between the obsessive and the disinterested, the extraordinary and the humdrum.

Genres: Short Stories

Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Tim Conley is a fiction writer, poet and Joyce scholar living in St. Catherines, Ontario.

Reviews

[Joe Speed · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some fun & clever stories, some less so.

[Tami · Rating 4 out of 5]

The back cover states that "Whatever Happens is a collection of stories for people who feel that reality is not the best deal going" so I expected a whimsical perhaps even somewhat clever series of stories. I really wasn't ready for such intelligent, ironic work that was so absolutely hilarious.

I knew I was in for a treat when the first story, Means to an End" began with a man planning his suicide when something rather strange happens. A knock at the door brings a rather insistent neighbor wishing to borrow the rope that another neighbor saw him bring home just this morning. She simply won't take no for an answer.

The second story, Constellation, starts with a meteorite a hall, the location of a conference of over 200 astrologers. Yes, I agree they should have seen that coming. The rest of the story visits the lives of various people in a sort of tag-your-it kind of way.

Absolutely riveting. This was one of rare books that I couldn't help but share bits and pieces of the various stories with my friends, family, and anyone else how'd listen.