by Richard Godfray-Hoare (Author)

Richard returns with his second offering. A heterogeneous collection of short stories. Once more, drawing on the past, having rifled through old papers and manuscripts from his youth. Various scribblings of ideas, some fully formed short stories, a couple even previously entered into writing competitions.

However, this time, each idea has been revisited. Half-finished ones completed. Completed ones reviewed with older eyes. Some have been modernised, a couple left firmly set in the past. And the title story, If I had Died Last Summer, is an entirely new creation from his adult mind. As is the tale that completes the collection. Both are emotionally challenging creations.

So, what might you expect to follow on these pages?

It seems Richard had quite an active imagination in his youth. There are tales of time travel, horror, and adultery. A foray or two into the supernatural. A story of corporate jealousy and a somewhat embarrassing and misogynistic attempt at erotica. And halfway through, there is even an attempt to reimagine a literary classic!

All in all, a plethora of stories covering murder, mystery, sex, greed, tragedy, and downright betrayal, ranging in length from flash-fiction to the cusp of a novella.

In sympathy with the style found in Echoes of a Boy, Richard has capped each tale with a small footnote, explaining a little history of the piece. And, as a gay author, you can expect a thread of homosexuality throughout. But this is not gay fiction. This is just fiction with some gay characters. Just like everyday life.

Happy reading to all!