Review by Laura Stamps
Laura Besley has compiled 100 of her best micro fiction stories, each only 100 words in length, into a stunning, superbly written collection. In many ways this book reminds me of the verbena in my garden. A small 8” cutting of verbena planted in the ground in the spring will quickly blossom into a big, sprawling bush covered in thousands of lavender flowers by the end of the summer. This little book blossoms in a similar fashion, just like a verbena: 100 small stories, 100 different plots, 100 different situations, 100 different themes, over 100 characters. Each story deceptively small, yet together they encompass as much emotion and meaning as 100 different novellas. What an endless source of entertainment! No wonder I look forward to reading a few stories from it every day. You will too.
Laura Stamps is the author of several chapbooks and books, including IN THE GARDEN, CAT DAZE, and TUNING OUT. Her book THE YEAR OF THE CAT won the Muses Prize. She is also the recipient of 7 Pushcart Prize nominations. Her poetry and flash fiction have appeared in The Penwood Review, Sledgehammer Lit, Boston Poetry Magazine, Amethyst Review, The Pittsburgh Quarterly, Crush Literary, and more. You can find her every day on Twitter at @LauraStamps16.
The Birdseed 