Blood on the Ground: and other short stories

by Michael Wombat

Fourteen dollops of whimsy from Michael Wombat, shortlisted author for the HNS Short Story Award 2014. From cowboys to dragons, from hilarity to horror, this cornucopia of diverse adventure will absorb, amuse, thrill and terrify you. You know, I hate writing back cover blurbs. All that snappy 'Blurbspeak'. This one's rubbish, isn't it? "Dollops of whimsy" sounds like the sort of Edwardian novel where nothing happens, and keeps on happening. 'The Dollops of Whimsy End', a new novel from Mr. Michael Wombat (not really).Suffice to say, you will enjoy the varied stories in this book.

156 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2014

About the author

A Yorkshireman living in the rural green hills of Lancashire, Michael Wombat is a man of huge beard. He has a penchant for good single-malts, inept football teams, big daft dogs and the diary of Mr. Samuel Pepys. Abducted by pirates at the age of twelve he quickly rose to captain the feared privateer ‘The Mrs. Nesbitt’ and terrorised the Skull Coast throughout his early twenties. Narrowly escaping the Revenue men by dressing as a burlesque dancer, he went on to work successively and successfully as a burlesque dancer, a forester, a busker, and a magic carpet salesman. The fact that he was once one of that forgotten company, the bus conductors, will immediately tell you that he is as old as the hills in which he lives. Nowadays he spends his time writing and pretending to take good photographs. You can have a good laugh at his pathetic blog or his photographs, but most of all please go and mock him mercilessly on Twitter or Facebook. Michael Wombat has published over one book. Other authors are available.

Click here for the "Ask Michael Wombat" discussion group.

Reviews

[Miranda Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

The stunning title story opens this amalgam of short and long tales, drawing the reader in. Its Western style is realistic in a way I have never read before, and I was gripped throughout, my mind nagging me to pick the story up again whether I was forced to put it down to tend to mundane daily tasks. Other tales in this collection felt like openings to novels, whiled others were golly ditties which left a smile on my face.

Michael Wombat has a way with words which brings characters and stories to life, no matter how unlikely the setting or how unrealistic the story line. His descriptions of places and people are tangible, enabling the reader to engage easily and embrace the tale.

I would definitely recommend picking up one of his books.