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Star Lady Tales #2
Twisted Tales From The Universe
This is an alternate cover edition for B00TRKFYOQ.
Tales with a twisted view from other planets and from Earth. You'll find time travel, the Tooth Fairy, witchcraft, a dragon, and ordinary people in an extraordinary situation.
Tales with a twisted view from other planets and from Earth. You'll find time travel, the Tooth Fairy, witchcraft, a dragon, and ordinary people in an extraordinary situation.
- GenresHorror
114 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 17, 2015
16 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Mari Collier
42 books71 followersI was born on a farm in the state of Iowa, Audubon County, Lincoln Township. To say that my upbringing was bucolic would be an understatement. My first writing was for the Audubon Advocate as the Douglas Township correspondent. I was 13 and received the magnificent sum of $.03 per line. If the item were published in the society section, the pay increased to $.04. The monthly check was always under $5.00.
My mother took me to Phoenix, AZ when it became impossible for me to eat, sleep, or breathe in Iowa. The climate restored my health and I attended school there, graduated, and married my high school sweetheart. Together we raised two wonderful children. During this time I started writing stories and sold one story to Jack and Jill. In 1976 he moved us to Western Washington to escape the desert sun. Washington is a land where it can and did rain 133 1/3 inches of water a year. He was a finish carpenter contractor; I did the books, and worked for Nintendo of America. Upon retirement, we returned to the desert and this wonderful, quirky town of Twenynine Palms. We had just celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary when he passed away.
I serve on the Twentynine Palms Historical Society as a docent, and write a column for the Old Schoolhouse Journal.
My mother took me to Phoenix, AZ when it became impossible for me to eat, sleep, or breathe in Iowa. The climate restored my health and I attended school there, graduated, and married my high school sweetheart. Together we raised two wonderful children. During this time I started writing stories and sold one story to Jack and Jill. In 1976 he moved us to Western Washington to escape the desert sun. Washington is a land where it can and did rain 133 1/3 inches of water a year. He was a finish carpenter contractor; I did the books, and worked for Nintendo of America. Upon retirement, we returned to the desert and this wonderful, quirky town of Twenynine Palms. We had just celebrated our 45th wedding anniversary when he passed away.
I serve on the Twentynine Palms Historical Society as a docent, and write a column for the Old Schoolhouse Journal.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
April 10, 2021
By the time I was old enough to watch television, the Twilight Zone shows were in reruns. Rod Serling wrote and produced most of the episodes which he introduced himself. After the famous music and his introduction, I was mesmerized. The shows were either science fiction, horror or a blend of comedy and superstition. I also watched the Outer Limits, but nothing compared to the Twilight Zone. Flash forward fifty years and there’s this incredible writer called Mari Collier. I’ve read other story collections by Collier, but this book pulled my attention in a bit deeper than the others. Man, oh man, if you liked The Twilight Zone, you’ll be hooked!
There’s a fascinating story about a shift in time that rearranges the mountains around Banning. In fact, Banning disappears completely. Truth be told, if you’ve ever been to Banning, you’d probably agree it wouldn’t be a big loss. Don’t worry, Collier laid out a hopeful solution, and kept me wondering whether things would go back to normal.
There’s a story titled One Flesh, about finding the perfect specimen of male, where the main character says, “I tingled in places I didn’t know I had.” A visit from an incompetent tooth fairy, a bizarre Halloween fight from 1952 that takes place in Iowa, a thirsty man trying some moral fruit, a story about Will who accidentally makes a mess of things during the depression, and more. Will Gavin meet his quota in spite of the Red Dragons? Will Amelia return from the past? Will Flame Mouth get his Revenge? How about sweet, unassuming Auntie May?
If you are looking for far out entertainment—you found it. Best of all, each short story only takes a few minutes to read, so why not order a copy today?
There’s a fascinating story about a shift in time that rearranges the mountains around Banning. In fact, Banning disappears completely. Truth be told, if you’ve ever been to Banning, you’d probably agree it wouldn’t be a big loss. Don’t worry, Collier laid out a hopeful solution, and kept me wondering whether things would go back to normal.
There’s a story titled One Flesh, about finding the perfect specimen of male, where the main character says, “I tingled in places I didn’t know I had.” A visit from an incompetent tooth fairy, a bizarre Halloween fight from 1952 that takes place in Iowa, a thirsty man trying some moral fruit, a story about Will who accidentally makes a mess of things during the depression, and more. Will Gavin meet his quota in spite of the Red Dragons? Will Amelia return from the past? Will Flame Mouth get his Revenge? How about sweet, unassuming Auntie May?
If you are looking for far out entertainment—you found it. Best of all, each short story only takes a few minutes to read, so why not order a copy today?
June 30, 2020
I've read every Twisted book of short stories from this author and as a writer myself, enjoyed the clever way the stories are put together to knock us off our seats with the surprise endings. You'll meet my favorite, a tree spirit who beguiles a young city girl to stay forever, and my other favorite, a really weird tooth fairy! Vampires, ghosts, husbands who cannot find their way home since the 1940s, a stone lizard (a story that will always stick with me), and so many more.
For those who want a short fun read especially on a rainy evening burrowed under your blankets with a glass of wine or a cup of coffee - what fun you'll have with these!
Get them all here - now - at a good price. I can assure you that you'll love them!
For those who want a short fun read especially on a rainy evening burrowed under your blankets with a glass of wine or a cup of coffee - what fun you'll have with these!
Get them all here - now - at a good price. I can assure you that you'll love them!
June 6, 2017
Ordinary and not so ordinary people in extraordinary situations as readers time travel, move to other worlds and delve into some great short stories.I found the tales in this book well written and with the twisted endings necessary for a great short story, something this author seems to do with ease. I am a fan of short stories that are written well and have that special twist that brings a smile. This collection does that and more.
April 15, 2021
Wild scenarios with deeper meanings
Having read Collier’s Book 1 (Twisted Tales From a Skewed Mind), a collection of short stories and wild scenarios that leaves one happily awed, confused and a bit frightened, I found Book 2 equally entertaining, cryptic, bizarre, ironic and tinged with dark humor.
In the twelve unique little tales, we find erotic and surreal imagery, sexual references, repressions, religious ponderings, ancient tribal rites, mythological and occult practices, perhaps a touch of insanity and delusion. It takes a well-honed imagination, and Collier has one, to conjure a morality tale about “morally made” fruit drink mixes, and to make palatable the need for procreation of the cross-species kind. We also “relate” to a hungry cave-dwelling dragon as he searches for a new home and a satisfying meal. Who hasn’t shuddered at the possibility of an immortal Robo-Nanny, contemplating aging in a world fraught with violence and suffering, who makes one last visit to a favorite child she raised, and doles out an appropriate punishment for his complicity.
There is a tenderness and sincerity to Collier’s style, a true grasp of the twisty material, as though she has lived through these vignettes, in real time or through paranormal out-of-body experiences. But there are deeper meanings in the stories - whether they are romantic dream sequences, recollections of a childhood Christmas, a bird couple contemplating a custom-designed home in a neighborhood overrun by monsters: deeper meanings of survival by brawn and wit, of the need for procreation , of a teenager struggling with out-of-date belief systems and finding her own truth, of trying to grasp that disruptions in the earth’s crust are actually caused by a disruption of cosmic musical harmonies.
You can look for these deeper meanings in the stories, or you can just read them for pure escapism.
I will now move on to Book 3, Twisted Tales from the Desert, (if I can get past the creepy cover); no doubt the stories will be as creepy and mind-altering.
Having read Collier’s Book 1 (Twisted Tales From a Skewed Mind), a collection of short stories and wild scenarios that leaves one happily awed, confused and a bit frightened, I found Book 2 equally entertaining, cryptic, bizarre, ironic and tinged with dark humor.
In the twelve unique little tales, we find erotic and surreal imagery, sexual references, repressions, religious ponderings, ancient tribal rites, mythological and occult practices, perhaps a touch of insanity and delusion. It takes a well-honed imagination, and Collier has one, to conjure a morality tale about “morally made” fruit drink mixes, and to make palatable the need for procreation of the cross-species kind. We also “relate” to a hungry cave-dwelling dragon as he searches for a new home and a satisfying meal. Who hasn’t shuddered at the possibility of an immortal Robo-Nanny, contemplating aging in a world fraught with violence and suffering, who makes one last visit to a favorite child she raised, and doles out an appropriate punishment for his complicity.
There is a tenderness and sincerity to Collier’s style, a true grasp of the twisty material, as though she has lived through these vignettes, in real time or through paranormal out-of-body experiences. But there are deeper meanings in the stories - whether they are romantic dream sequences, recollections of a childhood Christmas, a bird couple contemplating a custom-designed home in a neighborhood overrun by monsters: deeper meanings of survival by brawn and wit, of the need for procreation , of a teenager struggling with out-of-date belief systems and finding her own truth, of trying to grasp that disruptions in the earth’s crust are actually caused by a disruption of cosmic musical harmonies.
You can look for these deeper meanings in the stories, or you can just read them for pure escapism.
I will now move on to Book 3, Twisted Tales from the Desert, (if I can get past the creepy cover); no doubt the stories will be as creepy and mind-altering.
October 3, 2018
This is a collection of short stories. From the first to the last each is interesting, and has a twist of some kind to its content. I will not tell you about the stories except to say they are well written, professionally presented, as always with books by this author. The first will grab your attention and the last will leave you deep in thought. If every book were so focused on that end there could never be a rating of less than five stars. Fun!
July 17, 2020
Just so so
This is a collection of short stories, they go all over the place. Nothing special, didn't do much for me.
This is a collection of short stories, they go all over the place. Nothing special, didn't do much for me.
February 18, 2017
Short tales that pique your interest
Well written short stories the pique your desire to read the next.Each one better than the last!Can't wait to read more from this author.
Well written short stories the pique your desire to read the next.Each one better than the last!Can't wait to read more from this author.
May 18, 2021
After reading the first story and waiting to touch the rest, all I can say is: *Graham Chapman voice* Er-AH-genous Zo-OH-ohnes
(All joking aside, ymmv with this one)
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Update: Finished all of them and they are indeed strange as the title implies, but still fun to read, if weird stories are your inclination. I rather liked the more science fiction-leaning tales in particular.
(All joking aside, ymmv with this one)
--
Update: Finished all of them and they are indeed strange as the title implies, but still fun to read, if weird stories are your inclination. I rather liked the more science fiction-leaning tales in particular.
July 22, 2016
Witty tales to make you think.
This is a thinking book! This book is a group of stories about different types of things that will make question your world around and what could be.
This is a thinking book! This book is a group of stories about different types of things that will make question your world around and what could be.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews