Go Up, You Baldhead

I am self-publishing the fourth collection of my own short stories. Some of them are from old ideas, others are newer. However, all share a direct style, twists and turns from the dark side of life amidst some amusing elements.

The title story is called Go Up, You Baldhead, a phrase I took from a Bible passage. Furthermore, I have taken inspiration from other phrases and images from the Good Book.

Many people think, as I do, that a short story is in many ways like a mini novel. But it requires lots of the narrative disciplines and character credibility of the full work. A brief tale can also engage with some quite surreal and fascinating concepts. After three previous collections of the genre, this may be the last collection of stories I have in me, but I will write one more novel. That is, if I have enough time left!

These short stories are drawn for example, as in the previous anthologies, from my varied life. Theatre in education was my life for many years. My teaching career saw me teaching high school drama. Several years I spent as a political organiser. I served as Member of Parliament for a decade. Besides writing I now examine and assess performing arts. And concurrently I am a married father of four and grandfather of nine.

I have called my previous short tales anthologies WILD BEASTS AND PLAGUE (2018), SCOFFERS WILL COME (2019) and THE SCAPEGOAT KEEPER (2021). I gave my novels the titles OLD MEN’S DREAMS (2015), DETESTABLE THINGS (2020) and NO LACK OF MADMEN (2023).

Another key point is that I am publishing this collection of recent short stories under my imprint Walk in My Shoes Publications. This acknowledges Charcot Marie Tooth, a condition that has given me a lifetime of deformed feet to walk on.