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This new book is now available as an e-book for Kindle.
In 2011, when I was in my late thirties, I wrote a book of short stories called They All Die At The End.
And, in 2013, when I was in my early forties, I was more optimistic -- if just as prone to giving away endings -- when I wrote another volume of short stories, this time called Everything Turns Out Just Fine.
It seems that, in my early fifties, I prefer more uncertainty, since my new book, published a few days ago, is called It Could Go Either Way.
Paperbacks
Ideal Gift
It's my birthday this weekend. As a gift to me (and to yourself), why not take the opportunity to buy a book or three?
All the stories are self-contained. (Well, that's not entirely true. Most of them are self-contained.) But the trilogy works best as a set. Just thought I should mention that.
And, if you'll forgive me repeating my previous post:
Book 1 -- They All Die At The End
Way back, in 2011, I wrote a book of ten short stories called They All Die At The End.
Many short-stories are constructed as set-up and punchline. And there's nothing wrong with that.
But my idea was to turn that on its head. Give away the ending (in the title of the book) but still write a gripping and involving story with a thing or two up its sleeve.
From this review:
...the point of view and narrative voice shift around between stories, which provides a nice variety, keeps the ‘joke’ fresh and prevents any ‘samieness’ from setting in. I’m impressed that the author found ten very different ways (from the sublime to the ridiculous) to kill off his characters but I was also clearly aware that the stories are about much more than the endings and this is a valuable lesson to the reader (and aspiring writers). Don’t rush to the end point, savour the journey. I’m not going to go into detail about any specific story because I don’t want to spoil the experience for the reader. I can’t pick out a favourite. I can tell you there are no turkeys.. each story is self contained while connected to and serving the aims of the whole and I for one was sorry when the final death occurred...
Book 2 -- Everything Turns Out Just Fine
Then, in 2013, partly in response to being asked why all my stories had to be so dark, I wrote another anthology to turn the previous one on its head.
Everything Turns Out Just Fine was part-funded by a successful Kickstarter project. The perks available to people chipping in included allowing them to name characters, suggest themes (such as a wedding) or give me a "now get out of that" opening, such as an embarrassment in Nepal.
And so these stories don't end in death, except when they do, and are significantly lighter, except when they aren't.
But why take my word for it when you can read someone else's words about it? From this review:
...it’s also just as fiercely unique as the previous one. A real treat ten times over all over again. Again, I can’t pick a favourite, I enjoy them all so much. Again, I see so much depth beneath the absurdist humour that pervades. Again he ‘dovetails’ characters and the ‘author’ intrudes into the last story. If you were ‘ticking boxes’ for the elements of great storytelling, Peter Tarnofsky ticks them all. And then adds that little bit of magic. He paints himself out of a corner time and time again to get to that unpredictably predictable ending. The characters he introduces you to all come to life before your eyes, even (sometimes especially) when set in the most incongruous and impossible of settings. He melds domestic reality with complete way out impossibility artlessly. And throughout, he keeps you guessing. You can believe everything he says and not believe any of it at all, at the same time. It’s fun. It’s thought provoking...
So what's this new book? And why now, after all this time?
About a year ago (true story), the piston in my chair began to fail. Sitting at my desk, I would find myself gradually sinking lower and lower until I (literally, not metaphorically) hit rock bottom.
And so I did what any decent writer would do. I took that as a starting point for a short story, not altogether sure what would happen next, or what I was actually writing it for.
The overall theme had been rattling around in my head for a while. Probably since 2013. What if I threw away my own concept of giving away the ending, thereby turning the themes of both books on their heads at the same time? It sounds uncomfortable.
In other words, what about writing a book called It Could Go Either Way in which, er, it could go... well, you get the general idea.
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