Happy Dancing – With Our Bellies Full and the Fire Dying by Debra H. Goldstein

I’m happiest writing when I’m sitting in front of a toasty fire or positioned to stare at a body of water. Both are calming to me. The result is that the words tend to flow.

Sometimes, though, a roaring fire may simply be a means to create heat or a makeshift dinner. That is the fire’s purpose on the cover of my recently released short story collection, With Our Bellies Full and the Fire Dying. The story that the title and cover photo are from is called “So Beautiful or So What.” It originally appeared in Paranoia Blue: Crime Fiction Inspired by the Songs of Paul Simon. My story involves a tent city, homeless people, and undercover policemen. It is one of the two grittier stories in the book.

Most of the stories featured in With Our Bellies Full and the Fire Dying are lighter fare. For example, “Thanksgiving in Moderation” tells what happens at a Thanksgiving dinner when a member of a family’s fifth groom-to-be keels over during the meal. Rather than showing the underbelly of humanity, this story highlights humor.

I was excited when White City Press, a division of Misti Media LLC, opted to publish this collection of eighteen of my older stories that, for the most part, either won writing competition prizes or were finalists for the Agatha, Anthony, or Derringer awards. Many people know me for the seven novels published during the past decade but aren’t aware that more than fifty of my short stories have appeared in periodicals, anthologies, or online.

That’s why it is a joy to share this collection with readers who are familiar with my work and those who are new to it. Whether you ask your library to obtain a copy of the book for you or purchase one yourself, I hope you will enjoy reading these crime fiction tales.

Buy Links:
White City Press (publisher giving a print discount and free shipping): https://whitecitypress.com/product/fire/MM/8
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Our-Bellies-Full-Fire-Dying/dp/1963479688
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/with-our-bellies-full-and-the-fire-dying-debra-h-goldstein/1146836374?ean=9781963479683