In the almost fairytale-like story Once Upon a Shop of a small fruit and veg shop Jeanette Winterson takes us back in time to the magically enchanting and nostalgically charming streets of Spitalfields, London. Her loathing and revulsion toward cooperate chain supermarkets, who she feels favor profit over more important matters like food quality and sustainable farming, cause her to open her own niche shop with a business partner. Together they let their happy and healthy approach to life shine trough the store showcasing their love and devotion to enriching peoples lives by selling quality food. Together they spread happiness all the way out on the street through the front door. [Læs mere…]

In Kathryn Simmonds short story Letter from the Understudy a slightly anonymous actor tries to make something of himself to the best of his abilities. He experiences himself “living in the shadows”, as he describes it, but resolutely tries to burst out from backstage and soak up the spotlight shining down on the platform. But not everything comes so easy. The main character Gavin struggles to cement himself as the starting actor for the role of Romeo until he, blinded by fever, jumps the gun and takes matters into his own hands which results in quite dramatic consequences.

The story is composed in the form of a letter written by the protagonist, Gavin, to his former theatrical director Malcolm. In the letter Gavin is explaining a certain event that shaped his career for a long time and still until the date the letter was written. [Læs mere…]

Dressing up for the Carnival is a short story, written by Carol Shield, starring various characters and describing their seemingly indifferent actions in a non-chronological and ran-dom order. The title “Dressing Up for the Carnival” was originally released as a collection of 22 short stories in book format containing 249 pages but for this essay an excerpt has been chosen.

This excerpt tells seven different stories through the lives of seven different characters. They`re named Tamara, who bears resemblance to the weather god, Roger, who has found happiness in a mango, the two Borden sisters, who have just come home from a ski trip, Wanda, who has been sent on the strangest of errands by her boss, the old Mr. Gilman, who desperately tries to convince himself that his life is as fulfilling as everyone else`s, the popu-lar high-school halfback Ralph Eliot, and the first-year arts student Susan Gourley. Already from this short description of each character it is becoming apparent that this is not a short story like any other as it`s plot is very surreal and in some ways even dreamy. [Læs mere…]