About the Book
Title: Seven Threads
Author: Jason Atkinson
Genre: Short Story Collection
Seven Threads is a book of 7 short stories full of twists and turns. A girl on the run, a man accused of murder, a homeless man who finds his way, and much more. While each story is unique, they all offer the same human compassion that is sometimes lacking in today’s world. The reader is sure to find each story a page turner full of emotions, and left wanting more!
Author Bio
Jason Atkinson is a 32 year old, married man with one adorable toddler. With Seven Threads being his third book, he certainly enjoys writing and also spending time getting to know new people.
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Book Excerpts
The Gentle Man
Part 1 – Forgiveness
With a somewhat stern and yet gentle approach in his voice, he suddenly speaks. “Forgiveness won’t change the past—but it will change the future. Your future.”
He looks around the room. “Okay,” he says with a broad grin. “Who wants to go first?”
He scans the room with expectant eyes.
A chair creaks as the man shifts in his seat uncomfortably, both from the metal chair being too harsh and because of the looming topic before him. Toward the back of the room, he hears a cough.
“No one wants to go first?”
The room, even though crowded with people, feels chilling and eerie, as if you are in fact alone with your thoughts. No one makes eye contact with him, since that might have been a sign of indulgence in this new topic.
It is getting late into the evening, and usually at this time the wrap-up begins, ending the night the same way it always ends.
Wandering eyes look toward the coffee pot. A few look toward the windows at the top of the walls. It is snowing outside, gentle but consistent. The lamppost illuminates the flakes as they glide slowly down past the window’s limited view. Even though the view may have looked quaint, it only resonates with the harsh reality of what winter often brings, and also what this group discussion can often bring.
As the second hand on the clock ticks away, the leader of the group rises to his feet. Everyone watches.
“I think that will be all for tonight,” he says with a meager smile.
Reluctantly, and of course thankfully, sighs of relief fill the room. Chairs scrape the floor without a care while people mingle amongst themselves and eventually disperse into the cool night air.
Left alone to clean up, the man who had brought them all together mutters to himself,
“Will my words ever get through?”
Walking away, he heads toward the door, turning around one last time to check that the room is clear.
There is no smile this time—only the face of a tired man who just wants to make one ounce of difference.
The lights go out, and he goes out the door, up the steps, and onto the street above. The door slowly closes, the last noise being the latch of the lock clicking into place. The room once again becomes dark, all except for that glimmer of light from the windows at the top of the wall.
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