97 SMILES - paper book
A coffee-table book of 97 97-word stories, 97 SMILES is about life – your life, my life, our lives – and its tiny stories address the big questions of the human condition and tell of our simple greatness, our foibles and how to let go of the need to be something for somebody else. This book, then, has many uses:
For daily meditations,
For personal/spiritual development workshops,
For teaching children (of any age) life lessons,
As a coffee table book
A conversation starter, and
To remind you of who you are each day – simply great!
Readers' testimonies
Short and to the point yet insightful. The stories within can be read at face value but if contemplated at depth can provide insights to the spirit of who we are as humans. Like the signposts in life hopefully the stories contained in 53 words can help you move in a direction and place to finding joy.
Some are comical some are not but all provide the reader with a plethora of ideas to ponder. ~ Julian Harvey
A collection of 97 SMILES, just as the title promises. Some make you think, some have endings which surprise and others make you laugh out loud. In today's world of constant hustle and bustle, this is a short and thought-provoking read. The stories are written with care, creativity and utilising strong descriptors which immediately draw in the reader. An enjoyable collection of stories! ~ Tia Mitsis, author of A Greek Odyssey
The writer's comments
I’ve collected the images appealing to my twisted sense of humour, over many years, and the words came about a little weirdly too ... in 2015 I heard about a local (Brisbane) competition for flash fiction, something I’d never heard of before. It was for the best short story under 50 words. I didn’t win the competition and, knowing that nothing is wasted and everything counts, I asked my muses why I had done this. Three days later, the thought occurred that I could write a book of short stories. Since I was born in 1953, I - or was it my muses? - decided to write a book of 53 53-word stories ... and here they are for your enjoyment, matched with the image that best fits each story.
I completed 53 SMILES and the number 97 popped up as I woke, one morning ... so I write 97 97-word stories and here they are!
And SMILES? It stands for Small Moments In Life's Exquisite Simplicity. Enjoy!