Review: HORRIFYING, SILLY, CREEPY AND EXTREMELY WELL WRITTEN.  I Wonder how well this author researched his work.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 27, 2011
What a strange, creepy, terrifying and believe it or not, funny short story this is.  I love the short story form; when it is well done, and I must tell you that Stuart Connelly has delivered on this one.  I was hooked on the first page of this short work and became more entangled with his line the further I read.  My goodness!A best selling author is in his home; an isolated place and he is alone.  He prides himself on thoroughly researching everything he writes about.  The story he is writing involves a man who has a pool ball stuffed into his mouth.  Can this be done?  Our fictional author must know so he tries it and then....well, and then the horror begins.This is a silly premise, I know, but that is one of the delights of this work...it is actually quite believable the way Connelly presents it.  As strange and creepy and horrifying as this story is, it is actually funny in places.  Like other reviewers, I actually found myself laughing from time to time.  It is difficult to describe.  I remember that a number of years ago a local man was at a gas station setting on the stool doing his business.  He was smoking at the time.  He flipped the lighted cigarette between his legs while setting there which set off a horrible explosion (gas had apparently gathered in the stool.)  The poor fellow was blown off the stool, crashed through the door of the restroom and was horribly injured; burns, concussion, broken bones....  As bad as this was, people (myself included) actually got the giggles when they read the account in the paper; sick, I know, but in a perverse way, funny.  This story was much like that.Technically this is a very well written piece.  The author is most certainly a good writer and a natural story teller.  I enjoyed every word of this horrifying little tale.I have to tell you though that since I read this work, I am wondering if Stuart Connelly actually is as meticulous in his research as his fictional author was!  If he, Connelly, is...how on earth did things work out for him?Do yourself a favor and down load this quirky little story...it is well worth the quick read.Don BlankenshipThe Ozarks