I was a bit hesitant about this book because I don’t usually read war based anything, but it was flash fiction short stories and the media kit that Katey sent with her request for an honest review was incredibly professional. I knew I shouldn’t pass up the opportunity to see what this young writer was up to. I was not disappointed, in fact, this is one of the best books I have read! The many reviewers before me have talked about what the stories are about and how wonderful the writing is and I agree with all of them. My favorite points are how real the character’s perspectives were. The whole thing is crafted without the influence of author intrusion that would have made the stories biased in one way or another. Both traits of an exceptionally talented writer. I also noticed other reviewers talked about how on point everything she wrote was, from reviewers that read a lot of war based fiction and from reviewers with their own experiences where Ms. Schultz had none, but certainly did her due diligence to create this masterpiece. Overall, it’s the perfect balance between creativity and research.
I imagine that most human beings have some type of connection to war at some point in history or another and the lack of a connection is potentially more the exception than the rule, it’s sad to say. Flashes of War is a must read, regardless of genre preferences. Many only really know what the media shares about war, what history tells us, what family or friends talk about, and so on; these stories let the reader into the head of the point of view characters like no camp fire story or news story ever can. This is not a typical read about war, this is unique and brilliant!
My only complaint is that it was all too short, but that’s why I tend to avoid flash fiction in general, holding out for a longer read. I would have made a mistake and robbed myself of this wonderful read though. I have this author on my watch list now, while the stories drew me in but left me wanting, it was the author’s skill that I’m sure will be present in everything she writes, that actually made me feel as I read every word. As you decide if this purchase is right for you, definitely look up the author to see how she has immersed her entire lifestyle into her work and how she researches her writing projects to fully understand how much she invests in every word to ensure the reader’s enjoyment. Her website tagline, “writer @ large” is perfect and a testament of her dedication to the craft!
Stay tuned, I will be tracking this young lady down for an interview very soon!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~>Debra L Hartmann, Author, Host of the Talk Radio with NO Radio show, and Professional Editor at http://www.theprobookeditor.com
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