Jack Is Writing

by Shaun Adams

Published on June 2, 2012.

This book is no longer available in print or electronic format.

It was superseded by 'Jack & Evil'

34 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 2, 2012

About the author

My name is Shaun Adams. I'm an author of sorts, although you may dispute that description. Perhaps,scribbler? scrib•bler /ˈskrib(ə)lər/ Noun A person who writes for a living or as a hobby. Yes, that will do.

I’ve loved to read since I was a snot nosed little kid. Now I’m a snot nosed forty something and still a child at heart I’ve finally decided to write as well. Fantasy, horror, science fiction, westerns, they all influence the stories I write.

So far, I’ve written a short story collection called 'Jack & Evil' and I’m currently working on a series of books called Cannibal House.

Reviews

[Bandit · Rating 2 out of 5]

This one has been sitting on my Kindle for ages and I've just noticed that Edward Lorn (an author you really ought to be reading if you like horror) gave it a very positive review, so I thought I'd check it out. Very quick read, a bunch of short stories, some of which are flash fiction. I'd have to disagree about Adams' writing, though. It wasn't terrible and it times it did indeed show promise, but in general it was somewhat jejune and very amateurish. It also read very young and I was surprised to learn the author's age to be in the late 40s. Sure, everyone wants to look younger, but writing should probably ideally strive for some sort of maturity and sophistication.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shaun Adams presents a quick and punchy collection of short stories that range from the darkly humourous to tales that will almost literally have you squirming in your seat.

Jack is Writing, a title which evokes the repeated "I am Jack's..." from Fight Club, brings together science fiction and horror. In between the longer stories, you'll find hundred-word "palate cleansers' of drabble fiction that are there to prompt a single, visceral response from the reader. One interesting inclusion into this lot is "Red Wigglers", which served as the author's inspiration for a longer version of the tale which also appears in the book.

Ultimately, this is a quick, fun collection that serves as sample of Mr. Adams' capabilities, and whets the appetite for future books to come.

[Jackie G. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the stories in this book, I really enjoyed. Some were different. However, the book is very well written. As with all short story compilations, every story will not be to every readers taste. But overall, it's a good enjoyable read.

[Tony · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a strange anthology in many ways. Firstly it mixes genres, then we have short stories rubbing shoulders with 100 word drabbles. That's fine though, I like a bit of variety, especially when mixing sci-fi dystopia with horror. The other element of strangeness is the themes. There seems to be a tug of war between apocalypse and asylum. The best stories by far are the end-of-the-world scenarios and the unhinged protagonist.

Apocalypse being relevant too. Much like Coppola's Apocalyse Now which opened with the Doors brooding track 'The End', Shaun opens this anthology with the end; the end of the world that is. The opening tale, Blind Star, was my favourite and by far the strongest both in style and story. Shaun should really consider expanding this into a novel or at least a novella.

But this anthology isn't just some sort of prayer to J.G Ballard, it's also a reflection of great horror writers such as King, Matheson and early Clive Barker. I don't think the drabbles worked as well as the longer pieces, and I'll be honest my star rating is based only on the longer stories. I'm not saying the 100 word tales are no good as most are. They just didn't seem to belong here amongst stories built on well established characters and solid themes.

One thing I noticed is that Shaun stayed away from conventional horror tropes, whether intentionally or not it proved to be a breath of fresh air. There is a lot of discussion about this choice at the moment, and while I see good and bad in both sides of the argument, it was great to delve into a world vacant of vampires and werewolves for a while.

I look forward to seeing a longer piece of work from Shaun Adams. If it involves madness, space, horror and dark imagined creatures I know it'll be a smash. Because those are Shaun's strengths and he could do worse than exploring those elements of his writing.

[Rich Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given a copy of this book to read and review. I have to say that it was a pleasant surprise, as often short story collections can be a bit dull, with perhaps one good tale that rises above the filler. Jim is Writing has nothing but excellent stories, most of which remind me a lot of the quirky tales of the halcyon days of sci-fi and horror (the thirties to the sixties). All are well-written, characterized, and quite a few of the stories have twists that aren't as obvious as they might seem. I will definitely be looking for more of Shaun Adams' work.

[David Stegora · Rating 4 out of 5]

You will not find a better collection of short horror fiction for the price.