20 Stories High

A dead author dictates his novel to a friend. A loser in love tries plastic surgery. A boy comes home early to discover his father’s infidelity. A born-again Christian takes a lesson from Chairman Mao. A drug addict’s dead parents come to visit. A have-a-go hero becomes an internet villain. A murderer’s dad counts his blessings. And the dead find themselves on a very slow train journey. Amusing and ironic, scary and sad. Just half a dozen of a score of short stories in 20 Stories High by Michael Yates. "A rich and rewarding assortment of treats! These immensely satisfying stories are stylish, spirited, wise, playful and entirely compelling." – Jim Crace, prize-winning novelist "This is an imaginative, well-written and entertaining collection of tales of the unexpected. The style is consistently ironic and amusing and the author explores the modern world from a variety of oblique and unusual angles, impressing the reader with a strong sense of the quirkiness of human existence." – Philip Andrews, thriller writer and lecturer in journalism "Wry and terse, the taut stories of Michael Yates bristle with humour, mischief and an irreverent old school charm. At times profound, at others surreal, here is a writer at play with humanity and ideologies, and he dresses to the left. Suits me, Sir." – Mark Connors award-winning performance poet, and novelist "This varied and fascinating collection lifts the genre to a new level, all the way up to the penthouse, and the views are breath-taking." – Helen Shay, writer, dramatist, Society of Authors’ Poetry and Spoken Word Group Committee "The diversity is a delight. In ‘Terrordactyl’, a simple fantasy parody turns into a thought provoking allegory. ‘The Audit of Souls’ is a supernatural tale with a genuinely chilling element. ‘QWERTYUIOP’, my favourite amongst this collection, is entertaining, laugh-out-loud funny, and the ending almost made me drop the book." – Colin Hollis, crime and fantasy author.