7 May, 2014
"Nancy Klann read an excerpt from The Silver Twinkie, and I had to read the whole bizarre story as soon as I got home; Airstream trailers will never be the same.” - Alice Lowe, Presidio Sentinel
K lann-Moren’s eclectic style and distinctive voice shine throughout this unforgettable short story collection. Whether in a seaside bar, a suburban garage, or a Chicago apartment, she explores the complexities of relationships, some real, some imagined.
Klann-Moren’s narratives capture the tender undersides of these individuals who struggle to make sense of the turns in their lives.
These fascinating character portraits are engaging and finely tuned. They stay with the reader because of their uniqueness, and also because one is almost certain they have met them before.
Praise for Like the Flies on the Patio
Baron R. Bircher
Award winning author of Reckoning
"Like The Flies On The Patio is a phenomenal read. Klann-Moren embodies her stories with a clear and distinct voice, each narrative rolling out with seeming ease; each set of characters fully formed and motivated, fallible and human. I used the term "seeming ease" because the art of the short story is a challenging one by definition, made all the more difficult because of space limitations that often result in the sacrifice of either character development or motivation. But in the hands of Nancy Klann-Moren, each story comes alive with a competence and singularity I've not encountered in a short story anthology in quite some time. My favorite story (though it is hard to choose among this collection) is "The Silver Twinkie" which, despite its deceptively breezy title, exudes a sense of ever-growing menace that put me in mind of Daphne Du Maurier. No kidding. A genuinely enjoyable read, and highly recommended."
Ann Moose
Author of When You Read This I'll Be Gone
“Like the Flies on the Patio” is a solid five-star pleasure from start to finish. Nancy Klann-Moren has such a masterful knack for character, description, and voice, that reading her carefully-crafted sentences, you can’t help but feel you’re witnessing greatness. Each of the stories in this gem of a book takes you inside the mind, and reality, of a different person. And the individuals tend towards the “colorful misfit” portion of the social spectrum, so the portraits the author paints are gritty, idiosyncratic, and just plain fun to read. Thank you, Nancy Klann-Moren, for yet another wonderful book. (I also love and highly recommend your equally impressive novel: “The Clock of Life.”) I hope mightily that another will be coming soon!
Lita Manson
Author of Mango Rain
"I love a good story teller. And I am a great fan of Edna O'Brien, Jeffery Archer and Somerset Maugham. But finding a short story writer who knows how to write one is near impossible these days. Impossible that is until I discovered Nancy Klann-Moran's 'Like The Flies On The Patio'. I am now hooked, line and sinker. This author knows her craft, understands people and kepted me spellbound until the very last page of the book."
Shaun Sanders
writer, editor, and educator
"Absolutely wonderful read. Characters live on the page and gently break your heart. Contrary to the current literary climate, where stories often reveal the inner struggle of the author, these tales reveal the experience of others, and they do so with a powerfully understated empathy that endears us to each character, opening up rich worlds that beg to become novels. Highly recommended."
John M. Daniel
Daniel & Daniel Publishers
"Klann-Moren's stories make us care for those in trouble. The protagonists and narrators of these stunning short stories are well-drawn, individual, and worth listening to for their wisdom and wit. They also tend to be lonely and heartbroken, lost and looking for self-esteem. What makes them survive and earn our compassion and love is their decency, and the ironic poetry of their thoughts and words. Nancy Klann-Moren is a bewitching writer with a style both funny and poignant at the same time."
