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Simon Snootle and OTHER small stories
Seven strangely misguided stories by Lorin Morgan-Richards. Written in a style of literary nonsense and dark humor.
68 pages, Leather Bound
First published February 16, 2009
About the author
Lorin Morgan-Richards
39 books18 followersYA author, poet and illustrator, known for his humorous tales and Weird West series 'The Goodbye Family.'
"Lorin Morgan-Richards charts the paths of weird clouds that pass far overhead and then maps the changes that their rain makes on the lives of people living below."-Dark in the Dark Magazine
"Lorin Morgan-Richards has a unique tone and style all his own, and the stories are told in a fashion that pulls the casual reader in with wonderful fancy and the magical quality of good story telling. The high quality illustrations are rendered in sharp crisp lines and add to the wonderment instilled by these fanciful tales."-Macabre Cadavier
"Lorin Morgan-Richards art reminds me of a modern day Charles Addams or Edward Gorey. He dabbles in the unusual and strange, yet there's just enough of the familiar in his artwork to keep it grounded."-From My Bookshelf
"Lorin Morgan-Richards charts the paths of weird clouds that pass far overhead and then maps the changes that their rain makes on the lives of people living below."-Dark in the Dark Magazine
"Lorin Morgan-Richards has a unique tone and style all his own, and the stories are told in a fashion that pulls the casual reader in with wonderful fancy and the magical quality of good story telling. The high quality illustrations are rendered in sharp crisp lines and add to the wonderment instilled by these fanciful tales."-Macabre Cadavier
"Lorin Morgan-Richards art reminds me of a modern day Charles Addams or Edward Gorey. He dabbles in the unusual and strange, yet there's just enough of the familiar in his artwork to keep it grounded."-From My Bookshelf
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
August 14, 2010
Simon Snootle and Other Small Stories is a tiny book of seven short stories of “humorous woe” by several characters who “are simply looking to better themselves.” Together, they are about as long an average short story and can be read in one sitting.
The book begins with the story of Simon Snootle who falls down a cistern and remains there in the company of twelve neighborhood cats, content in remaining because he knows that eventually everything he needs will fall down the well to him. However, one day a hose is lowered to drain the well and Simon realizes that without water he and the cats will die. So, he climbs up and out, the cats on his back, and goes off to search for another cistern.
Simon’s story, and the others, are told in a ho-hum style, with many extraneous details, much in the mode of old-fashioned fairytales.
But while the stories are not so exciting, the author’s language is often clever and entertaining. In Peter Puddlestick and the Precious Plot, he writes, “Peter Puddlestick was a sensitive fellow, his hair was bristly thin, and complexion bleakly white. He casually dressed his words, in key poignant phrases, to the point where he could not finish them.”
In “The Earwig and Mrs. Snipit,” he writes, “The earwig waited, clinging to the wall in dire need of a morsel. She carried in her belly two shells of a stink beetle and flushed her mouth with heavy dew.”
These wonderful turns of phrase, when they occur, are a pleasant diversion.
The book itself is quite attractive. It’s printed on fine-linen paper and hand-bound in faux leather by the author. The clever, quality construction is visually appealing and would make a fine addition to any bookshelf. It’s a pleasure to hold and flip through. I give the construction of the book a 5 out of 5.
The book begins with the story of Simon Snootle who falls down a cistern and remains there in the company of twelve neighborhood cats, content in remaining because he knows that eventually everything he needs will fall down the well to him. However, one day a hose is lowered to drain the well and Simon realizes that without water he and the cats will die. So, he climbs up and out, the cats on his back, and goes off to search for another cistern.
Simon’s story, and the others, are told in a ho-hum style, with many extraneous details, much in the mode of old-fashioned fairytales.
But while the stories are not so exciting, the author’s language is often clever and entertaining. In Peter Puddlestick and the Precious Plot, he writes, “Peter Puddlestick was a sensitive fellow, his hair was bristly thin, and complexion bleakly white. He casually dressed his words, in key poignant phrases, to the point where he could not finish them.”
In “The Earwig and Mrs. Snipit,” he writes, “The earwig waited, clinging to the wall in dire need of a morsel. She carried in her belly two shells of a stink beetle and flushed her mouth with heavy dew.”
These wonderful turns of phrase, when they occur, are a pleasant diversion.
The book itself is quite attractive. It’s printed on fine-linen paper and hand-bound in faux leather by the author. The clever, quality construction is visually appealing and would make a fine addition to any bookshelf. It’s a pleasure to hold and flip through. I give the construction of the book a 5 out of 5.
October 10, 2009
Nearly done with this cute little book... I got it as a review copy, and the fascinating/unusual thing about it is that it was handmade by the author. A very small amount of them were made. Faux leather bound, pages cut and bound by him, illustrations hand drawn, printed by the author. That alone makes me smile. The stories make me feel a little drunk or stoned, falling through an Alice-esque hole, into a very oddball little universe of challenged, sad little people.
August 14, 2010
This handmade book is a morbid treasure!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews