Hello Everyone. I am posting a short story that was recently published in a magazine. I hope you enjoy it.

New Bifocals,

“Get out of my way, lady. I haven’t got all day,” says a stern voice. I bite my tongue, toss my carry-on into the window seat of the airplane and follow behind. I then kneel and push my piece of luggage under the seat in front. I squeeze my 5 feet 8 inch frame into the window seat with legroom of 20 inches and a seat width of 14 inch. And I apologize to my bottom.

“You’re in my seat,” another voice barks from the aisle.

I take a deep breath.

Once again, I squint at the boarding pass with my new bifocals.

Whoops. Not again. The wrong aisle.

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all well. I had the following story published on http://www.fridayflashfiction.com a few weeks ago.  It is the story about

a vampire looking for love.  See what you think.

Take care,

Talk soon.

Marjan

Ghosted
Are you tired of being…

-single-alone-lonely
Do you…want to meet your perfect match?
Look no further—
Who are we?

An international matchmaking site
Our mission:

-empower our clients so they can make a meaningful connection
And if you are a customer who has used our dating website in the past, we would love to hear about your experience
***

My name is Alessandro. I was lonely and wanted to meet someone with whom I was compatible and who enjoyed similar hobbies.

Last November, I came across your matchmaking site. A strong wind blew across my home in the mountain peaks of Eastern Europe. But I was lucky there was no interference with the transmission of signals to my computer.

I supplied a photo. It was a myth that vampires can’t be caught on film. Your site suggested I make a few changes to my physical appearance. I refused at first. You see, I was attached to my retractable fangs, black flowing hair and long nails. But I promised to give it some thought. So, I trimmed my hair.

The following March, I was stoked when you matched me with Esme. She lived in Western Europe.   She was interested in my level of maturity, my sense of humor and my confidence.

I was attracted to her sparkling eyes, beautiful smile and aesthetically pleasing neck. Her charming personality was a bonus.

My physical appearance wasn’t going to be an issue she said.

“After all, looks fade.” She wanted to be surprised.

So, we communicated online for the next month.

Since my eyes are sensitive to sunlight and I dislike wearing protective sunglasses, our first encounter would have to be later in the day. She didn’t see that would be a problem

When I told her not to worry, if my eyes were black when we met, it just meant I was thirsty and in dire need of liquid refreshment.

“No problem. Let us select a place that serves consumable liquids,” she said.

In April, we chose a location that was easily accessible to both of us. I sent her a photo so she could recognize me.

I just finished another wine tour in Tuscany. Esme has yet to show. I think I have been ghosted.

http://www.bookcommentary.com           Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all well.  I have a new review for my book, The Dog Stays and Other Stories.  I would love for you to read it.

Literary Fiction

The Dog Stays and Other Stories

    

Category:Literary Fiction

Author:Marjan Sierhuis

 Buy on Amazon Buy Locally 

• Publisher: Iguana Books
• Publication Date: February 21, 2023
• Number of Pages: 82
• ISBN-10: 1771806133
• ISBN-13: 9781771806138

Hi Everyone.

I hope you had a nice holiday.  One of my stories was published today http://www.101words.org  It is titled “The List.”

Please enjoy.

Cheers,

Marjan

Hello Everyone:

I hope this email finds you well.  I have received another review fromhttp://www.theprairiebookreview.com which I thought you might like to read.

Lighthearted yet profound; a beautiful collection.

Sierhuis’s debut, a collection of short stories, delves into happiness and pain, joy and grief, and life and death. There is a vast cast, including humans, animals, and otherworldly beings, united by longing and desire: they are grieving parents, couples drifting apart, husbands and wives struggling to come to terms with the loss of their other halves; they are children caring for their aging parents and medieval warriors ready for altercations. “Marigold” is a delightful tale of a charming goat who loves to communicate with children. “An Itchy Nose,” is a sarcastic take on pandemic quarantine. A couple tries to recreate a vacation atmosphere at home in “Home Sweet Home” after COVID lockdown upsets their vacation plans. “Santa’s Got Mail,” “ Rudolph,” and “Ho Ho Ho!” are strictly about Christmas whereas “Happy Halloween,” “A Head Start” bring to life the somber tone of Halloween. A debut author spends ten-years writing her book and realizes her difficulties have just begun in “The Writer.”. In “The Note,” a husband suddenly realizes the extent of distance between him and his wife. A grieving husband finds his dead wife’s last note and breaks down in “The Box.”. In “Just Like You,” a woman reminisces about her life-long crush. The collection ends with “The Dog Stays,” a delightful tale about a wife asking for divorce from her husband. While the stories are super short, mostly a paragraph-long, the plots are deviously simple and easy to grasp, making the book a fast-paced, lighthearted read. Sierhuis writes with a keen understanding and an eye for detail, deftly capturing both the mundane and the sublime. A definite winner.

I will let you know when my third book is released for publication.

Stay well.  Stay safe.

Marjan

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all keeping well.  I just received a review from http://www.featheredquill.com and I wanted to share it with you.

“A unique collection of short stories awaits the reader who opens the pages to author Marjan Sierhuis’ newest book, The Dog Stays: And Other Stories. The Dog Stays opens with “A Blue Baby Hat,” a sweet tale, that’s also a bit of a tear-jerker. We meet James, who is in a hospital room with his wife, whose cold hand he gently caresses. Well-chosen words quickly give the reader a sense of what is going on, and a description of the hospital room brings said reader into the room, as if to eavesdrop on James and his wife. But after this gentle encounter, you better hold on to your seat, because the rest of the book is going to bring you all sorts of fun, crazy, wacky, touching, and even sad tales, that will tug at all your emotions. The collection of tales within this book cover an amazing array of topics, from a dragon trying to break into show business to a child visiting his parent in a care facility where the parent suffers from dementia and doesn’t recognize their child. From funny to sad, to tales that make you go, “huh? I didn’t see that coming,” this book really does have it all. The above-mentioned dragon story, titled “Flame” is one of the longer tales and is definitely one of my favorites. We meet Flame, a dragon who is trying to prove that she can make it on her own, and has managed to get hired as a film extra on a fantasy movie. But then Cedric, the director, tells her that budget cuts are forcing him to fire her and use CGI instead of real dragons. What could go wrong with this scenario? Hint: it’s not what you think. From the silly to the sad, we meet Edward in “The Box,” who has recently lost his wife. Recalling her final words, “Look inside, after I die,” he follows her instructions and removes a small box from her side of the closet. A simple message awaits him, as does a tear for the reader. This story is followed by another teary-eyed tale, “The Summer of 2016,” where a mother in a nursing home asks her child, “Do I know you?” For anyone who has lost a loved one to dementia, this one will sting and yet, tell the reader that they are not alone in the suffering of watching a loved one fade away. The Dog Stays: And Other Stories is a collection of tales that can be read in one sitting, but don’t rush through this book as many of these stories really do ask you to think about what you just read. From silly animals talking to each other, to a mistress with a pistol, to running out of gas far out in the country while trying to buy some farm fresh eggs, you don’t know what to expect from one page to the next. Best described as flash fiction rather than short stories (flash fiction typically runs less than 1,500 words), many of these stories are half a page or less. Although there are no chapters denoting stories with similar themes, there is a bit of an organization to how the stories are placed, with animal stories appearing together, themes of aging grouped together, and so on. While it may seem that such short stories can be easily written, it takes a talented author to create very, very short stories that set the place, characters, and events so well. Author Marjan Sierhuis, who clearly has a love for the shortest of fiction, knows just how to place the words to bring these stories to life. Quill says: The Dog Stays: And Other Stories is a quick read but one that will pull at your emotions on every page. Get ready to laugh, cry, and pause to think about each and every tale the author has crafted.” –Feathered Quill Book Reviews

Keep well.  Talk soon.

Marjan

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all doing well.

Exciting news.  I received the Literary Titan Book Award for “The Dog Stays and Other Stories.”

My book is now entered into Literary Titan’s Book Award competition.

I continue to work on my third book.  I will keep you  informed.

Take care,

Marjan

Hello everyone,

I hope you’re keeping well.  I wanted to share the latest review for my book, “The Dog Stays and Other Stories.”  It can be found onhttp://www.literarytitan.com

I am thrilled to find it received a five star rating.

Have a wonderful day.

Marjan

Hi Everyone:

I hope you are keeping well.  I have some exciting news I would like to share with you.  Yesterday, my book was voted on by readers in the category of anthologies. It is now recommended reading in issue #221 of http://readersdiscovery

I will soon be receiving more reviews. I will keep you posted.

Stay safe.  Stay well.  And keep on writing!

Marjan

Hello Everyone,

I hope you are all doing well.  I wanted you to read a review of my latest book.  I was quite pleased.

I have been busy thinking about the material for my third book.  It remains a work in progress.

I will keep you posted.

All the best,

Marjan

Miss A. Bennett

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 May 2023