Quick Change: Tiny Tales of Transformation — Debbie Young

Flash fiction, sudden fiction, microfiction, ultra short fiction - call them what you will, these twenty wry and witty short stories examine change at every stage of life, in a natural progression from birth to death.

Mostly lighthearted, but often moving too, this collection is written with an admirable economy of style.

Ranging from a spartan 100 words to the relative luxury of 1,000, they combine sharp observation of contemporary English life with gentle humour, profound affection for the social quirks of the author's native country, and the odd dark rumbling undertone. Plenty of surprises emerge along the way, from twists of magical realism to whimsical wish-fulfillment.

Here's what some pre-publication readers have had to say about Debbie Young's first collection of flash fiction:

"I loved these stories. Sly, witty, surprising, and the twists are genuine twists. The characterisation is lovely, very deft and economical. They make domesticity look edgy, sometimes dangerous, but they are also life-affirming." - Lucienne Boyce, historical novelist and historian

"Very subtle, very English, very clever. I also loved the overall idea, the way the stories went from infancy to old age, shedding a revealing light on each stage. Good luck with this splendid collection." - Marius Gabriel, author of historical novels and contemporary thrillers

"A joy to read, absolutely delightful!" - Georgia Rose, contemporary novelist

"The language reveals a sharp intellect and a broad knowledge." Mari Howard, contemporary novelist

"Flash fiction is so hard to do and it was a pleasure to read." - E J Eyles, mystery novelist

Other reactions from early readers: "a feather-light story", "fabulous story with sinister undertones", "brilliant!", "like Roald Dahl's short stories", "as sharp as a Kirsty McCall song", "like a prose poem", "a masterpiece", "perfect", "very powerful and mysterious", "what a lovely idea!", "laughed out loud at this one", "rather moving".

All of the stories are contemporary, i.e. set in the 21st century. Topics covered include birth, childhood, youth, coming of age, friendship, love, dating, marriage, parenting, family life, parent and child relationships, infidelity, divorce, getting on with neighbours, death, loss, grief, bereavement and coming to terms with life at every stage.

"Quick Change" is the first in a planned series of collections of Debbie Young's flash fiction stories. Several of the stories were originally published on her author website, www.authordebbieyoung.com, and "Clean Linen" was chosen for the 2013 edition of FlashFlood, the online journal of National Flash Fiction Day (NFFD). Debbie's work has also been included in "Eating My Words", NFFD's 2014 anthology of the best contemporary flash fiction authors.

Stories in this collection:

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Going to Grandma's

Penny for Them

The Metamorphosis

Peep Behind the Curtain

The Art of Medicine

The Alchemy of Chocolate

The Impressionists

Patient Virtue

The Mutton and the Lamb

Time Out

Clean Linen

Domestic Blisters

Married Bliss

Perfect Harmony

Special Offer

Autumn Leaves

A Singular Life

Funeral March

The Comfort of Neighbours

The new paperback edition also contains bonus material not included in the original ebook: two bonus stories previously published in national flash fiction anthologies - "Upwardly Mobile" and "Please Remain Silent for the Benefit of Other Library Users (In Hushed Tones)".