About the BookDancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves is a collection of half a dozen short stories with Irish connections. Tales of outsiders who discover they belong, a humorous slice of life yarn, heartwarming love stories and a tale of taming fear. The shadows are on the wall, in the heart and clouding a woman’s memories while tangible foes tramp through the physical landscape. The stories were previously printed individually in a variety of publications, including Ireland’s Own magazine, Dead Ink Books’ website, and the anthologies, Fermanagh Miscellany and Tuesdays At Charlie’s.
My Review
This tiny anthology explores an all-emcompassing topic - fear. What holds us back. Why we cling to crazy notions. How we paralyze ourselves into apathy. Dianne Ascroft has a keen eye for observing the little things in life that many overlook. It's a writer's mentality for noticing the bigger picture among the miscellaneous details of everyday life. The daily monotony of going to work, doing the chores, taking care of children doesn't have to be humdrum, if we can develop an appreciation for the beauty hidden within the ordinary.
Ascroft ferrets that out in her stories, redirecting our gaze and encouraging us to look beyond what meets the eye for the deeper, underlying meaning. Nighttime sounds aren't so menacing when you have someone to share the loneliness with. Mucking out a stall isn't so bad when the man you're attracted to shows up to lend a hand. Living in another country isn't so hard when you have a piece of home to take with you. Listening to your nagging mother sometimes is the best course of action. And stalking a man on a church's webcam can lead to him asking you out.
When all of the strong, compassionate women in these stories face their fears, they're able to let go and experience life to the fullest. Sometimes, we're our own worst enemy. We don't take care of our health because we care more about our job. We don't take a minute to talk to a neighbor because we have things that have to get done. We don't stick around a social event because we feel awkward or out of place. But it's only when we put ourselves out there, that amazing things can happen. Things we never expected were even possible. And that's the kick in the pants, Dianne Ascroft brings to us. Don't ever shut life out. The journey's way too exciting to sit on the sidelines.
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Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves can be purchased at:
Amazon U.S., Amazon U.K.
Price/Format: $1.16 ebook
Pages: 39
Genre: Romance, Short Story Collection
Release: June 16, 2012
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About the AuthorDianne Ascroft is an urban Canadian who has settled in rural Northern Ireland with her husband and an assortment of strong willed animals. She writes contemporary and historical fiction with an Irish connection. She has released the short story collection, Dancing Shadows, Tramping Hooves and a novel, Hitler and Mars Bars. Her articles and stories have been printed in Irish and Canadian magazines and newspapers as well as in anthologies by Writers Abroad, Fermanagh Writers and Fermanagh Authors’ Association.
Links to connect with Dianne:
Web Site
Blog
Goodreads
Blog Tour Site
About the Giveaway
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Thanks for your very perceptive review, Carol. You got to the heart of what I try to do when writing a short story: show how important those little things can be.
ReplyDelete*high five*
DeleteCarol, I'm with you and Dianne. I like stories that bring attention to the little things in life :)
ReplyDeleteMe, three.
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