Review: Aspiring Young Writers & Artists hit the Mark,
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 8, 2012
Although I prefer novels, I will read a collection of short stories from time to time. I'm glad that I read this interesting collection. A Calm Whisper is a lovely collection of previously unpublished short stories, artwork and poetry by young, aspiring authors. Its beauty and strength lies in its collection of works from young people whose voices are unique, strong, and budding; the perspective of these young writers, poets and artists drew me in and didnt let me go until i finished the entire volume. Since many, but not all of the contributors are very young, it would have been fun to see all of them list their ages in the short biography/contact list.The collection of short stories is centered around the desolate theme of death, seen from several perspectives. In Stripes and Lollipops, a young, lonely adolescent acts out by tagging a building, seeking attention from his absentee parents. Sentenced to community service as a Candy Striper, his life is transformed by a relationship with a six year old cancer patient has been orphaned. Another story recounts the too short life and subsequent "bland death" of a terminally ill young man, while one story deal withs a 9/11 death in a unique and heart rending way. Ghostly visitations, suicide, and futuristic genocide round out the well told stories. The collection of art, created by both digital and traditional methods is fantastic but the poetry section contains poems that are adequate but not compelling. Much of the poetry is free form, which is my preference, but many people prefer standard forms of poetry.I absolutely would read the next collection even though the editor plans to broaden the age range of the contributors.