STORY CHAT VOL II: INTERNATIONAL SHORT STORIES GENERATING CONVERSATIONS

by Marsha Ingrao

Story Chat started as a unique online blogging program for authors and readers. This second book includes a diverse set of original short stories by authors from almost every continent in the world. While most of the stories would fall into the category of drama at all ages from children to older adults, this collection includes sci-fi, comedy, and two non-fiction articles about the writing process. All of the selections are family-friendly, even though the topics are aimed at adult readers.



In this book, you will enjoy realistic fiction, surprise, and open endings. Halloween vampire horror stories might make you laugh and wonder how you could. Traveling to an alternate universe – that happens to be familiar to some of you will keep you entertained. You might find yourself stepping into another universe or two that are so bizarre you don’t know what to do with them.



Characters will bring you to tears as they bravely reach for love or face tragedy you hope no one will have to face. You will laugh at the older couple discussing booking the adventure of a nudist cruise. You will cheer for a mother and her autistic child as they surmount obstacles. One story will remind you of Toy Story or the Velveteen Rabbit. Another is an epic children’s poem with illustrations made of fondant by the talented author and her son.



This book is so much fun. Yet, it can be educational, especially for writers who constantly work to improve their craft. Each story has discussion questions that you can use if you belong to a book club or writing group.



All of us, known as Story Chatters, hope this book will make an impact in your lives.

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 18, 2024

Reviews

[Marsha Ingrao · Rating 5 out of 5]

Congratulations to all the authors who contributed to this wonderful anthology. It was a privilege to read and publish your stories. I fell in love with many of the characters. Check out Roger and Rose's conversation about taking a cruise. Too funny! Watch out for the watcher, and hope this never happens to you! Gather your kids or grandkids and help Sir Stealthy and Mike the Strongman solve a dastardly crime. A super thanks to Colleen Chesebro, who guided me through the publishing process, including marketing. I hope you love this collection of short stories! I did.

[Darlene Foster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Many brilliant writers in this volume provide great examples of various writing skills and styles. This is the second volume of Story Chat, and I love this idea. Not only does the reader get introduced to several authors, but following most of the short stories are critique notes that make you think about the story more. For example, the brilliant author, Diana Peach, writes The Grand Adventure, an engaging tale about best friends with a fabulous twist at the end. This is what critiquer Balroop says: "Diana is a master crafter; whatever she writes, she never disappoints. I love her style of saying a lot, without going into any unnecessary details, and that shows how much she respects the intellect of her readers."

The stories include humour, juvenile, coming-of-age, family drama and sci-fi. The book is bookended with writing tips on How to Write Fantastic Stories that Will Impact Readers by Hugh Roberts, and comprehensive Tips on Point of View by Diana Peach. Not only is this an entertaining read, it's a writer's manual as well. Well done, Marsha, for putting this informative and entertaining volume together.

[D.L. Finn · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Story Chat Vol. II” is a collection of short stories in all genres, including nonfiction. There are six sections, and the last one includes Horror and Science fiction, which is always a go-to for me, but I had many favorites outside that category. With the unique differences it was hard to pick a favorite but here are some that I’m still thinking about: “A Cautionary Tale on the Dangers of Allowing Your Characters to Take Over Your Story” by Geoff Le Pard, “The Grand Adventure” by Diana Peach, and “Anxious About Sea Horses,” by Gary A. Wilson. However, the exceptional nature of this collection did not stem solely from the great stories. It was the Questions for YOUR Story Chat Group that followed, and the best part was the Discussion Excerpts that many had. The other authors gave valuable story advice. Tips on improving writing were also included in the nonfiction. This had it all, and I found some favorite authors, along with new ones that I will be reading. This group appears both supportive and talented. I can easily recommend this collection.

[D. Peach · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection of short stories is a little different than most. There’s a sense of intimacy in it, as if the reader is a fly on the wall of an author’s critique group: reading each other’s stories, addressing questions posed by the author, offering personal reflections and constructive feedback. It’s a process with a lot of vulnerability, and this is feedback at its best.

Not to mention the plain old wonderful experience of reading a wide variety of short stories. The 26 tales are bookended by several pieces of writing advice, which reinforced the “critique group” feel of the read to me. Aside from being a fun indulgence in stories, the book doubles as a teaching tool.

The tales are broken into six sections: Laughing Stock, Young Drama, Coming of Age, Search for Identity and Meaning, Family Drama, and Science Fiction and Out of this World. Clearly, there’s a wide range in genres – even a short story for children with illustrations by Robbie and Michael Cheadle.

I enjoyed all the stories, but a few stood out for me:

“Anxious about Sea Horses” by Gary Wilson is an utterly exquisite tale about an autistic child encountering sea horses. It’s breathtaking in its beauty and heart—my favorite of the bunch.

“Bird Brain” by Cathy Cade is hilarious and has a fun twist. It’s very relatable to anyone who’s cared for someone else’s pet while that someone is on vacation.

“A Cautionary Tale on the Dangers of Allowing Your Characters to Take Over Your Story” by Geoff LePard is a total hoot. Having read LePard’s work before, I was expecting a great story and wasn’t disappointed.

Two spooky tales I enjoyed: “Fly By Night” by Janis Heppell and “The Watcher” by Hugh Roberts. Both had unexpected endings, which is always a treat.

Highly recommended to fans who enjoy variety in their short-story reading, and to anyone interested in learning a bit about writing and the value of feedback.

[Colleen Chesebro · Rating 5 out of 5]

Marsha Ingrao’s Story Chat is an online reading discussion group. It’s like having a group of BETA readers who share their thoughts on what they enjoyed in your story or poem. Everyone is supportive. The comments are designed to help the writer make their story the best it can be.

This book is an anthology of short stories that cover various genres: humor, science fiction, drama, and poetry. Etc. There’s literally something here for everyone.

I enjoyed the chapter on Point of View by Diana Peach. I learned some helpful tips, and that makes the book not only fun to read but also a valuable learning tool.

At the end of each chapter is a section of questions for your Story Chat group, which is followed by comments from the readers of the Story Chat blog.

[Ineke]

It's a bundle of interesting short stories. The best is the questions at the end of the stories, which can be used to discuss the stories in a group. There are also comments on some of the stories written by various storytellers.