Paul F. Gleeson was a successful Chicago lawyer who died in 2012, at the age of
70. He was also my father. Among his belongings we found a boxful of typed
manuscripts from the 1970s and 80s. It turned out they were short stories he had
written. These were great stories in the “pulp fiction” tradition, tales of
crime and punishment, and strange characters committing dark deeds.
Also
in the box were rejection letters from publishers. Dad was unable to get past
the literary gatekeepers of those days. Discouraged, he stuck to his day job,
and gave up his dream of entertaining the readers of America. The stories sat,
unread, for three decades in a dusty heap.
But my sister, my two
brothers, and I are making his dream come true now. We are finally sharing these
stories with the world, the way he always wanted. His anthology,
Screams from My Father: Stories by Paul F. Gleeson, includes these ten wickedly witty original
short stories.
TEN SHORT STORIES:
"One Bet Too Many": Howard Timmins is betting his
life that what happened in Vegas will stay in Vegas.
"All in the
Family": A little boy and his young mother enjoy playing in the park. But they
are being watched.
"Unhappy Hour": When you drink at the Literal Club,
you get exactly what you order.
"What a Difference a Day Makes": How did
April 10, 1861, manage to get erased from history?
"Scab": When Kellman
crosses the picket line, his friends have to show him some tough love.
"Don't Touch That Dial": Martha has a surprise waiting for Carl when he
gets home. Carl might have something for Martha too.
"Reunited We Fall":
Crashing college reunions is a good way to score a free meal. Or become one.
"Going the Distance": What happens when a man pushes himself to the
limit? And what happens when he pushes further than that?
"Lunch": What
started as a lunch hour quickly devolved into a blurry swirl of intrigue and
nefarious plots.
"Weight and See": Margaret has to lose weight, or die.
Roger can help.
AND MORE:
Also in the book are five humorous
columns by Paul Gleeson, a foreword by Kevin Gleeson, and terrific cover art by
Brendan Gleeson.
The seven tales presented are all good ones that push the boundaries in small and big ways. If you like considering the idea that there is far more going on than meets the eye this book is for you. A crime is present in many of the tales, but the tale itself might be fantasy, fiction or something else. The Lizard’s Ardent Uniform & Other Stories: Veridical Dreams Vol. 1. is one of those rare deals where each story is incredible good making the read simply fantastic from start to finish. --Kevin Tipple
