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A Sprinkling of Lesbian Short Stories
Three of Q. Kelly's previously published short stories come together in this collection. A fourth story is "Welcome to Paradise," which has never officially been published and which serves as the basis of Q. Kelly's novel "Third." THE OLD Jessica is a pretty good best friend, but she goes too far when she dares Rachel to ask an old woman on a date. Rachel has no choice; otherwise Jessica will do the asking, and Rachel has no intention of humiliating the old woman. Turns out maybe Jessica’s idea was not so bad after all. There is a lot more to Ada than her age. CUPID PULLS A Cupid pulls a prank to end all pranks. For the first time in American history, both the Republicans and the Democrats have female candidates running for president. The Republican is Alice Cowell, and the Democrat is Gillian Marshall. Cupid strikes them during a live, nationwide televised debate, and Alice’s and Gillian’s reactions shock even Cupid. THE NIGHT THEY DRANK Mallory and Vanessa are sisters-in-law and good friends. One night, they get together to gossip and drink wine. One thing leads to another, and the next morning finds them naked and in bed together. Will they ignore what happened or try to make some sense of it? WELCOME TO Helen Franklin is horrified when her dying father leaves her a most unusual a woman. The woman, Anne, is a time traveler with a tragic past. Helen tells herself that Anne is not her problem, but the hopeful gaze in Anne’s eyes haunts Helen. Do they have a future together? (This story serves as the basis of Q. Kelly's novel “Third.” “Welcome to Paradise” stands completely on its own, though.)
84 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 3, 2013
66 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
About the author
Q. Kelly
47 books74 followersI live in Virginia, where I am a writer and an editor. I also have a master's degree in deaf education. In my free time, I hike and savor frappuccinos.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
January 25, 2018
Tomorrow is moving day! I can't believe how time flies when packing boxes! But here we are! So knowing that I chose to read an anthology of short stories. I knew my concentration was even more limited than usual, shiny things abound when you have an move staring at you. I have enjoyed other collections by Q. Kelly. I knew she wouldn't let me down.
If you follow my reviews, you know that I usually don't like short stories. I want more depth. Give me a novel or a series to sink my teeth into. But Kelly can bring the depth to her short stories. My favorites? The Old Woman and Welcome to Paradise. Either of those would make longer books, or even a series but for my distracted brain they worked for now.
I had read The Old Woman before in another collection of Kelly's. It is a story we all should read about expanding our social comfort zone. If we stick to our peers we lose and so do those we leave out. I believe that is something our school system has developed in all of us. An example is when my number two son learned all he could about sharks and was the house, maybe even the town expert in all things shark at the age of seven. His grandmother didn't respect that. Kids that age shouldn't be able to correct their elders. By the way, she knew nothing about sharks. In other words, respect the knowledge of others despite the age. That can be said of experiences, too. I think this story could make a book. But it's still a favorite.
A new one to me is Welcome to Paradise. It is a time-travel sci-fi. It was a fun adventure. Again I would love it to be longer and more involved, but Kelly gives you enough depth of plot and characters that you feel you have read a book.
I have to admit that I may have been too distracted to take in the middle stories as they felt like fluff to me. I will have to go back and read them again when my life settles down. Meanwhile, this book filled the bill of nighttime/downtime read.
The thing I like about Q. Kelly's writing is though there is the lesbian theme, that isn't the full plot of the story. The romance is coincidental for the most part. Though there might be an occasional erotic nod, it doesn't take away from the main story. There is enough, do I dare use the word meat? Depth to keep my interest, even when moving. Thanks for the stories, Kelly!
By the way, this book is free as it was when I got it. Enjoy!
If you follow my reviews, you know that I usually don't like short stories. I want more depth. Give me a novel or a series to sink my teeth into. But Kelly can bring the depth to her short stories. My favorites? The Old Woman and Welcome to Paradise. Either of those would make longer books, or even a series but for my distracted brain they worked for now.
I had read The Old Woman before in another collection of Kelly's. It is a story we all should read about expanding our social comfort zone. If we stick to our peers we lose and so do those we leave out. I believe that is something our school system has developed in all of us. An example is when my number two son learned all he could about sharks and was the house, maybe even the town expert in all things shark at the age of seven. His grandmother didn't respect that. Kids that age shouldn't be able to correct their elders. By the way, she knew nothing about sharks. In other words, respect the knowledge of others despite the age. That can be said of experiences, too. I think this story could make a book. But it's still a favorite.
A new one to me is Welcome to Paradise. It is a time-travel sci-fi. It was a fun adventure. Again I would love it to be longer and more involved, but Kelly gives you enough depth of plot and characters that you feel you have read a book.
I have to admit that I may have been too distracted to take in the middle stories as they felt like fluff to me. I will have to go back and read them again when my life settles down. Meanwhile, this book filled the bill of nighttime/downtime read.
The thing I like about Q. Kelly's writing is though there is the lesbian theme, that isn't the full plot of the story. The romance is coincidental for the most part. Though there might be an occasional erotic nod, it doesn't take away from the main story. There is enough, do I dare use the word meat? Depth to keep my interest, even when moving. Thanks for the stories, Kelly!
By the way, this book is free as it was when I got it. Enjoy!
July 25, 2018
Interesting stories
4 very interesting stories. Well written & edited! I would highly recommend reading this book of short stories. I enjoyed them, so will you!
4 very interesting stories. Well written & edited! I would highly recommend reading this book of short stories. I enjoyed them, so will you!
January 11, 2018
Nice
These stories give us a little food for thought. It is nice to read such relatable stories full of passion
These stories give us a little food for thought. It is nice to read such relatable stories full of passion
July 14, 2015
A Sprinkling of Lesbian Short Stories has four stories featuring women of all different ages, but focuses mostly on older women. All of them were good, but "Welcome to Paradise" is my favorite. The description says that it's the basis for one of the author's other books ("Third") and I am definitely interested in reading that now.
"The Old Woman" was ok, but the idea of a 25 year old and a 75 year old dating was a little weird to me. The characters seemed happy though.
"Cupid Pulls a Prank" was funny with a happy ending. In this one Cupid gets bored so she decides to check the headlines on Yahoo! to see if there's anyone she can mess with. She decides that the presidential debate between two women (a Democrat and Republican) will do so she makes them like each other. Once she realized they already have feelings for each other, she takes it back. I like that part of the story is told through the headlines.
"The Night They Drank Wine" is about two women who are sister-in-laws that wake up naked in bed together after drinking the night before Neither of them mentions it again, but they develop feelings for each other and wonder what life would be like without their husbands. It was alright.
"Welcome to Paradise" is about a woman named Helen Franklin who is going home to see her dying father. While she's there she meets Ben, who she mistakes for a security guard, and is horrified when she realizes that they're keeping a woman named Anne prisoner. Things get crazier when she finds out that the woman is her inheritance from her father, who was a successful time traveler. As an expert on all thinks Tudor, she is surprised to find out who Anne really is. Ben is a bit of a creeper near the end, but all of the characters are well written and the plot is believable.
"The Old Woman" was ok, but the idea of a 25 year old and a 75 year old dating was a little weird to me. The characters seemed happy though.
"Cupid Pulls a Prank" was funny with a happy ending. In this one Cupid gets bored so she decides to check the headlines on Yahoo! to see if there's anyone she can mess with. She decides that the presidential debate between two women (a Democrat and Republican) will do so she makes them like each other. Once she realized they already have feelings for each other, she takes it back. I like that part of the story is told through the headlines.
"The Night They Drank Wine" is about two women who are sister-in-laws that wake up naked in bed together after drinking the night before Neither of them mentions it again, but they develop feelings for each other and wonder what life would be like without their husbands. It was alright.
"Welcome to Paradise" is about a woman named Helen Franklin who is going home to see her dying father. While she's there she meets Ben, who she mistakes for a security guard, and is horrified when she realizes that they're keeping a woman named Anne prisoner. Things get crazier when she finds out that the woman is her inheritance from her father, who was a successful time traveler. As an expert on all thinks Tudor, she is surprised to find out who Anne really is. Ben is a bit of a creeper near the end, but all of the characters are well written and the plot is believable.
August 10, 2014
Boring
Boring
This is more of the white picket fence, if the world were just and perfect type of romance. These stories are so short that there is no build up and one of the stories just seemed to be a list of facts that just happens. It was not good at all, nothing of substance, but the beginnings or idle musings for a story in the making.
Boring
This is more of the white picket fence, if the world were just and perfect type of romance. These stories are so short that there is no build up and one of the stories just seemed to be a list of facts that just happens. It was not good at all, nothing of substance, but the beginnings or idle musings for a story in the making.
July 6, 2015
A decent collection; not the best, but there was some cute stuff in there. I appreciated that almost all of the women in the stories were middle-aged or older, especially since a lot of fiction tends to forget that lesbians over 30 even exist. The Anne Boleyn story was surprisingly fun and creative; I wouldn't mind reading the full novella.
December 4, 2015
Not erotica. Female-female stories. Couldn't get interested in several.
October 24, 2016
They were ok, a little unusual. Found them interesting. I liked "cupids prank" the most because it was an amusing and light hearted story.
August 1, 2019
I’ve enjoyed this short read. Interesting short stories.
May 31, 2018
Great short read!
All three stories are well written and engaging from the start. Although lesbianism is a theme it is not the plot of these stories. Bravo!
All three stories are well written and engaging from the start. Although lesbianism is a theme it is not the plot of these stories. Bravo!
February 10, 2019
4 interesting stories of friendship and love. Very Enjoyable
March 4, 2018
A very different form of love stories, interesting tales that bring together the idea's of lesbianism in a very different way. The stories are interesting, snappy and with bright vibrant characters. Clean romance stories which make a difference. Lovely to have someone write clean short stories that are well constructed.
July 20, 2015
I liked the last story, surprisingly. That one almost pulled this up to three stars. However the others... a few quotes:
The woman was a tiny mouse of a person. She was a light-skinned black, she was old, and by old I meant old as in she had a slightly stooped walk, wrinkles, a flowered dress, the whole enchilada. At least she did not have a cane. I had dated black women, and her race was not a problem. But her age. Gawd, her age!
Do many younger white people really still think like this about dating people of other races in the 21st century? And if they do, can we not put it in books so that it's further reinforced as normal?
She had blue eyes, beautiful, deep blue eyes so out of sync with the color of her skin.
Many people with brown skin have eyes that are not brown. Like my mom and all my aunts and uncles on her side.
There were more things like this. And the stories seemed unfinished/unpolished somehow. However, I enjoyed the last one any may even read the novel about the same premise.
The woman was a tiny mouse of a person. She was a light-skinned black, she was old, and by old I meant old as in she had a slightly stooped walk, wrinkles, a flowered dress, the whole enchilada. At least she did not have a cane. I had dated black women, and her race was not a problem. But her age. Gawd, her age!
Do many younger white people really still think like this about dating people of other races in the 21st century? And if they do, can we not put it in books so that it's further reinforced as normal?
She had blue eyes, beautiful, deep blue eyes so out of sync with the color of her skin.
Many people with brown skin have eyes that are not brown. Like my mom and all my aunts and uncles on her side.
There were more things like this. And the stories seemed unfinished/unpolished somehow. However, I enjoyed the last one any may even read the novel about the same premise.
January 17, 2016
First two were fantastic.
Time travel one.... Not so much.
Time travel one.... Not so much.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews