The Explosiveness of Gary Bonn

Another name that pops up in writing groups on social media is that of Gary Bonn.

Many of us read quite a few short stories in the course of a month or so, and they are often exciting, well-crafted pieces with an emotional ‘punch’ at the end. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with these kind of tales, which make up the backbone of the short story world whether they are happy stories of romance, grim adventures with sad endings, or tragic episodes in the lives of interesting but dark characters. In truth, reading short stories means that you never know what you are going to vicariously experience next.

And then there are Gary’s stories.

I could liken the experience of reading Gary’s material to that of picking up a grenade from which, you notice, having already picked it up, the pin has already been removed. The resultant explosions can be tragic, joyous, disturbing, enlightening, comic, or a mixture of all of these and more - but they are never other than dynamic and exuberant. Gary seems to have hit upon some way of writing that bypasses convention and socks it to readers right between their metaphorical eyes.

Here’s what was written about his first short story collection back in March, followed by what others have said since then:

Through Another’s Eyes: A Short Story Collection by Gary Bonn

From the edges of reality comes this series of tales from a master storyteller, an author who plays tricks with your mind, enchanting and beguiling you, leading you through doorways you never knew were there to ways of looking at things you would never have dreamed of.

Inside this volume, you’ll read about a boy only you can see, how to feed angels, writing notes after you die, how children invent religion, how intelligence can be a handicap, and possibly the kinkiest 24 hours in human history, as well as much, much more. You’ll be moved before you know it, enthralled before you suspect it, spellbound before you can see the magic coming.

Rediscover the wonders and mysteries of life, all too easily forgotten. See the world through another’s eyes.

Gary Bonn has lived all his life as an artist, rebel and writer, on the margin of life, and is the author of over 100 short stories covering a variety of genres. He’s also written books, self-published and otherwise. His writing is a crusade, words are his lance. He lives in Scotland with his wife and family.

Last night I finished reading the last story in the Through Another's Eyes collection by Gary Bonn. Anyone who takes writing seriously needs to get this book NOW to see the artistry in the way Gary writes and the way he approaches the themes he undertakes. Each of the 26 stories is a study in our individual and collective humanity, or the humanity we should give more thought to or aspire to achieve. His stories entertain, but don't let you off the hook easily; they challenge you to think. His characters range from the very young to the very old and each are distinct and unique and come from diverse places, times and situations. There's something fresh and exciting about the way Gary writes; even the sentence structure sometimes feels as if no one else has written a sentence quite that way and made it work. This is the kind of writing and story telling that should be taught in schools and universities. Gary Bonn is an author to be remembered and revered.

-S. C.

Prepare to be subjected to a novel experience, literally, if you dare to pick up this book. These stories may be short but they’ve got the structure, depth, characters, tone and style of some of the best full length novels on the market. Open the book to any page and you will find yourself drawn into worlds and ideas you never dreamed of, stories that pit you against everything you’ve been taught that is supposed to be true, but might not be. These stories dangle you on the edge of ‘what if’ as the characters come alive on the page in a tug of war of give and take away as they drag you into the story with them, leaving the edge you were perched upon nowhere in sight. Get ready to free-fall into worlds you need to know about but never knew existed until you opened the cover of this book to reveal the mysterious worlds you’ll glimpse inside.

-J. E.

You can get your own copy of this vibrant collection in various formats including Kindle, by visiting here.

Enjoy, and may you never be the same again.