“Kiddieland and other misfortunes” takes readers on a wild ride through a series of unconventional and unforgettable tales. From a former hit man who must return to his violent ways to save his beloved, to an advertising executive who abandons her family to live as a forest nymph, to a young girl grappling with the gift of divine power, these stories explore themes of family, class, crime, and love.
The author of “A Trace of Gold” and “The Blue Silence” delivers a collection of engaging and thought-provoking stories that delve into the human psyche. At once familiar and bizarre, the characters in “Kiddieland and other misfortunes” will stay with readers long after they turn the final page. With its blend of humor, suspense, and emotion, this collection is a must-read for fans of literary fiction and short story collections alike.
2015 Lovey Award
“What We Do For Love,” one of the stories from Kiddieland and other misfortunes, won the 2015 Lovey award for Best Short Story.
Now available as an audio book! Listen to short stories while you drive, eat lunch, etc. The possibilities are endless. Well, maybe not endless, but there are several places where listening to Kiddieland and other misfortunes would be a pleasurable experience. Here’s a link.
Reviews from four fine authors-
“Fans of Tim Chapman’s Bright and Yellow, Hard and Cold will rejoice at the return of Sean McKinney. But there is more here. So much more. In this collection of literary gems, Chapman’s powerful writing shines. His deep and touching stories resonate with real emotion. The heartbreaking “What We Do For Love” and “A Flash of Lightning,” the timeless revenge of “Dirty Water,” the tenderness of “The Gentile Grift” — and of course, the gut-wrenching climax of the title story “Kiddieland” — add up to a volume of stories that are so good you’ll want to read them all in a single sitting. But don’t! Savor the complex nuances of each story individually. Then you will truly appreciate what an incredible treat Kiddieland and other misfortunes really is.”
—J. Michael Major, author of One Man’s Castle
“Tim Chapman is a writer’s writer. His prose, his plots, and characters are some of the best you’ll ever see. This guy can WRITE!”
—Libby Fischer Hellmann, author of Nobody’s Child and Set the Night on Fire
“Tim Chapman is equally adept writing in the spheres of sci-fi, horror, mystery, personal relationships, and childhood memories. A rich mixture of stories indeed!”
—Robert Goldsborough, author of Archie in the Crosshairs, a Nero Wolfe mystery
“A riveting collection of accidental heroes, the lonely and the lost, unexpected cruelties and unlooked-for redemptions…Tim Chapman’s tales in Kiddieland and other misfortunes draw you in from the first page and don’t let you go.”
—D. M. Pirrone, author of Shall We Not Revenge and No Less In Blood