Wednesday, 2 May 2018

Review + Giveaway: The Lights Went Out and Other Stories by Fiona Cooke Hogan

The Lights Went Out and Other Stories by Fiona Cooke Hogan
Release Date: 8th October 2015
Genres:  Short Stories, Mixed Genres


The Lights Went out And Other Stories is a quirky collection of flash fiction, short and longer stories. With themes ranging from romantic to dark fairy tales, humour to horror there something for every reader. At times humorous, eerie and poignant; a mother burdened by financial troubles shares her problem with a stranger, a young couples' journey to the airport takes a strange turn, a wedding anniversary in Dingle goes from bad to worse, a small dog is forced to change his ways and a vampire hiding out in suburbia just wants to be left alone.
“Quite Beautiful, Almost Poetic in its forms” Amazon Reviewer.
“Brilliant, Hilarious and Scary” Amazon Reviewer.
Awarded Chill with a Book Reader’s Award, April 2017.

Excerpt from Darkling, The Lights Went Out and Other Stories.
“Unable to take her eyes off the stranger, Emmeline moved from tree to tree until he seemed close enough to touch until finally as if in a dream, she stepped out from behind the cover of the trees to face him, a bird released from a trap with no choice but to fly towards danger.
The walker between the trees turned on his heel sensing her, he moved towards the slight figure of the girl in the grey cloak whose wide eyes shone at his approach. The stitching on his waistcoat glinted in the moons light as he neared. Her eyes were drawn to a face of contradictions; ancient yet youthful.
His skin was white as the light that the moon poured down.
White as bone bleached in the sun.
Pale as the ice in the village pond in midwinter.
Pale and cold as death.”
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27202594-the-lights-went-out-and-other-stories


I love books of short stories as I'm always fascinated by the writing style within these types of stories. Since joining a writing group I've been producing some short stories of my own for about a year now and if I ever get them to the standard half as good as those stories that Fiona Cooke Hogan has produced for this book then I will die happy! For me and my super hectic lifestyle this book worked so well. I was able to dip in and out of it during tea breaks and lunch hours in work.  I became completely immersed in this wonderful book.

I really enjoyed the author's writing style and that all her stories were a little different and not restricted to one particular genre. Each story really captured my imagination and the characters in each were appealing, holding my attention throughout. Some were flawed and some so likeable. Evidence of a skilled storyteller shone through each character, creating some I liked and some I didn't which for me is entirely the point of a good book. 

Fiona Cooke Hogan has a beautiful fluid writing style that meant each story was perfectly paced and gave just enough to satisfy this reader's need for a bit of escapism. Each story perfectly captivates what for most are every day aspects of life or observations and weaves the into something beautiful, interesting and at times gripping. I have no hesitation in highly recommending such a lovely piece of writing.

https://amzn.to/2HpbyY5 https://amzn.to/2r7KJ3C



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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Fiona Cooke Hogan is a writer, blogger and editor living in beautiful rural Ireland. She has published four books on Amazon – The Lights Went Out and Other Stories, and What Happened in Dingle under the name Fiona Cooke Hogan and Death Comes Calling and The Nightmare under her horror name – F.B. Hogan. She is a Tolkien obsessive, zombie enthusiast and Diana Gabaldon addict. She refuses to be tied to any particular genre.
Her latest novel – Martha’s Cottage is currently with the publisher and she is writing its sequel, and half-way through another novel - a psychological thriller. She hopes to publish another collection of horror stories in time for Hallowe’en 2018.
 

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