Appetizers

by Geonn Cannon

A short story collection by Geonn Backroads & Boneyards - Kathleen's parents tried to calm their wild child with religion and a Bible college, but the end result is nothing like what they hoped for. Curvy Privateers & Scurvy Sea Dogs - Two employees at a theme park use their characters to overcome their nerves. Celestine & the A Radiation Canary prequel - 1979. Metairie, Louisiana. Debra Kent and Celeste Lafitte begin a friendship that will take them through their final year of school and into a life neither of them ever anticipated. Clothes Maketh the Man - Hannah is captivated by a beautiful man she meets at a coworker's party, but fails to get any contact information from him. When she finally does track him down, she discovers she's made one very big assumption about her crush, and following through on her attraction may require more than she's willing to give. Common Tongue - Two women in a foreign country form a powerful and special bond despite the lack of a common language. Even Money - Marlin Kensleigh is a bookie, and her outwardly geeky appearance tends to make people think they can push her around. But Marlin is no pushover, a fact tattooed mechanic Sidney Gracen is about to find out for herself Every Savage Can Dance - Inspired by Jane Austen, who never let her female characters have any fun together. A very proper young lady sees her friend in an unexpected light after a torrential downpour. (Requested and Graciously Shared by Michelle Rinehart) Open Sesame - A retelling of 'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves'. A poor urchin in a crime-ridden city takes an opportunity to rob from thieves so she and her lover can have a better life. Knockout Stage - Goalie Steph "Dagger" Thomas' soccer team made it to the Olympics, but their dreams of gold were shattered by a single goal. Back home, Steph sinks into a depression that threatens her love of the game until a chance encounter gives her something else to fight for. A Perfect Stranger - Sofia Kennedy's first time with a woman is a magical and anonymous encounter during college. (Sofia Kennedy also appears in my novel 'Breaking Anchor') Sexiled - A girl blocked from her dorm by an amorous roommate finds a kindred spirit to share the night. Storm Sirens - A girl seeking shelter from the storm witnesses an intimate moment and makes a drastic, criminal decision to create a happy ending. Those Who Consort with Beasts - A classical canidae story, set in the Underdogs universe. A wolf and her daughter living on the outskirts of Salem in the 1690s must decide what she's willing to risk when the woman she loves is arrested as a witch. Unscripted - Penelope and Caroline are a typical California couple who work in "the industry" as actresses. Their stage names are Wanda Lust and Evie Archer, and you won't find their movies on Netflix anytime soon... Without Him - A drunken escapade between friends leads one of them to unexpected revelations.

244 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2018

About the author

Geonn Cannon is a male author who grew up in Oklahoma, thousands of miles from the nearest coastline, who found his calling in stories about women who live on an island in the Pacific Northwest. In 2010, Geonn became the first male author to win the prestigious Golden Crown Literary Society Award for his novel "Gemini." In 2015, he won it again for "Dogs of War." He has written two official tie-in novels for Stargate SG-1, and his Riley Parra novels have been turned into an Emmy-nominated webseries by Tello Films. His first name is pronounced just like "John."

Reviews

[K. Aten · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is an easy 4+ stars. Not quite enough to bump it up to the next level but definitely a good read!

Appetizers by Geonn Cannon is an anthology of short stories, encompassing a broad variety of genres, time periods, and situations. The author does a great job with character building, and making those people come to life within my head. I've always found Cannon's works to be engaging and easy to read and this book is no different. While I'm not normally a fan of story collections, I enjoyed Appetizers because I was forced out of my comfort zone a bit to try some new genres. Long ago I made an assumption of quality where Cannon's works are concerned, so perhaps it made this book easier to get into than most other anthologies. I knew that it was going to be well-written no matter what theme each tale followed.

If you are a fan of his work, you'll be happy to know that a few stories have references to the band Radiation Canary or their music. Also, one of the short stories is a prequel tale told about Lana Kent's mother. (Lana is the lead singer of Radiation Canary) Being a huge fan of the series, I found those little bits to be a real treat.

So anthologies...they really aren't my thing overall. I much prefer a nice long read, a single story to carry me through the pages. However, I very much enjoyed this novel. I am a huge reader of fan fiction, and reading a collection of stories like this reminds me a bit of trolling the sites and devouring the short pieces I find online. I also liked being able to watch Cannon craft and build characters over and over. They are sweet, sometimes harsh, funny, and sensual. And many of the stories fall into the meet-cute type plot, tales I particularly enjoy. Those that know me best or follow my reviews know that the majority of novels I really enjoy all have a happy ending. Well done!

I received a free review copy of Appetizers by Geonn Cannon. No money was exchanged for this review.

[Lorena Pantano · Rating 4 out of 5]

I agree that there is a story for everybody. Although in my case, I liked more than one :) I really like they were short, reading one or two everyday. The first was very sweet, so it was a good introduction to the book. I agree with Jo Frankel, "Famous Old Painter" was very good. I wish there was a second part for "A perfect Strange". And if you have played sport in your live, probably you'll like 'Knockout Stage".

[Jo Frankel · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection contains everything from wistful romance to hot and heavy erotica. There’s a story for every taste and every desire. My personal favourite, Famous Old Painters, features a mystery across centuries, bringing women from very different places together in seeking answers. There’s an underfunded theme park that leads to some costume-inspired play, a lost child somehow retrieved, gender-bending, fairy tales, a super-sexy motorcycle. Basically, what more could you want?

Cannon blows through multiple genres and story-types with his regular sharp wit and openness. Not every story will suit every reader, but every reader should be able to find something to whet their appetite. A few familiar characters and worlds make brief appearances, but mainly this anthology covers new stories with new women destined to fulfill the reader’s desires.

I was given this ARC free by Supposed Crimes in exchange for an honest review.