Book Brouhaha

“I’m afraid I’ll die before you kiss me.”             “That should be the opening of your new novel,” Sam says to me. “Antonio, six-foot-six and every inch a man, peered down at her four-foot-two frame, and said, ‘From up here I can barely see you.’”             “You’re cruel!” I say, slumping lower in my chair. “‘Antonio, you brute,’ she said. ‘I love you madly.’ Standing on her tippy-toes, stretching up her arms, straining through her fingertips, she reached for his nipples. They seemed as big as frying pans.”             “Frying pans?” Sam looks at me askance.             “Okay, pancakes.” I giggle. “With butter and maple syrup,” Sam says, and I nod. He continues, “Slowly, one millimeter at a time, she dragged herself along the ripples of his stomach, pulling herself ...

About Suzanne Tyrpak and why she enjoys short stories: I’ve written several novels, and have one published right now,  Vestal Virgin,  suspense in ancient Rome. But when I went through a divorce a few years ago, I didn’t have the time or energy to write novels—especially since most of my novels are historical and require a lot of research. But I did have time to write short stories. Writing them was my therapy. I like the form, because I can focus on one topic, one or two characters, and I can play around with language in ways I might not in a novel. I recommend reading short stories, because you can sit down and read one quickly—and be satisfied. Some of my favorite authors write short stories: Elizabeth Engstrom, Raymond Carver, Flanney O’Connor. There are all kinds of short stories around, from realistic to dark suspense, romance to fantasy. It’s a great way for writers to hone their craft, and I think they’re fun to read. Summary of this work: Dating My Vibrator  a...