I must admit this is the first time I have bought a stand-alone short story. I guess it makes sense if you read a Kindle, I however am stuck in the dark ages and bought an actual book. Luckily for me all 51 pages were well worth it!
I feel like short stories have fallen out of favor these days and coming by an author that writes them well is a rarity. This book was one of those little gems. It was written precisely with no gristle or fluff, just pure character and story. As such I was hooked right away.
Without spoiling anything it’s about a recovering heroin addict DJ who has lost his girlfriend to an overdose when she suddenly reappears… as a ghost… who wants some company in the afterlife. This was a delightfully twisted way to write about a toxic relationship. It’s profoundly beautiful in how complex its simplicity is. I even loved the descriptions of DJing, combining old art to create new art, because it set my own creative mind ablaze.
Really there’s a lot to love here – very believable human characters, a gritty setting you can almost taste, and a story filled with just the right amount of drama. Is it a love story? Is it a ghost story? Is it something completely different? I guess only a reader can answer those questions! If that reader is you you can buy Some Distant Sunrise here. I highly recommend it!