Yours Truly, Brian and Other Stories (ePub)

A couple struggling to come to terms with betrayal and a young's woman's isolation are just two of the situations brought to life in this collection of short stories. The element of performance fiction brings a sense of stark realism, with both humour and unflinching honesty. A must-read for any lover of drama, performance fiction or something a little different to challenge them to read between the lines. Serena Diss's experience in performance and drama shines though in this, her first collection of fiction. Serena deftly explores the human condition using different modes of voice - even that of the characters' subconscious. Within this collection are stories using dramatic monologue, some of which have been rehearsed as live performances. The reader feels the full force of the unreliable narrator at points, with that wonderful gradual, almost creeping realisation of the truth of the situation. With off-beat characters unflinching honesty and a strong bite of irony, this collection would appeal to lovers of drama, performance fiction, or a text that challenges them to read between the lines.The sixteen stories tell about the comic difficulties and serious afflictions of offbeat and quirky people. Of course, things are not what they seem, and as the characters grapple with existence they tell us something of ourselves. With the accent on dialogue, a number in monologue form reminiscent of Alan Bennett's Talking Heads, these stories admirably lend themselves to readers with an interest in performance fiction.