Ten Stories That Worried My Mother

<p><strong><em>Ten Stories That Worried My Mother</em></strong> chronicles a 40-year literary journey that began with the publication of Winona Kent's first short tale <em>Tower of Power</em>-about one night in the life of a rock and roll radio newsman-which won first prize in <em>Flare Magazine's</em> fiction competition in 1982.</p><p><br></p><p>The journey finishes with two mysteries starring Winona's professional musician/amateur sleuth Jason Davey: <em>Salty Dog Blues</em> and <em>Blue Devil Blues</em> the former being shortlisted for the Crime Writers of Canada's Awards of Excellence for Best Crime Novella in 2021.</p><p><br></p><p>Between these two milestones are seven more pieces of short fiction featuring an unhinged Saskatchewan farmer; a bored secretary in England taking on an opinionated tea lady named Mrs. Thatcher; a shy high school kid with a crush on his soon-to-be-married social studies teacher; a creative writing instructor whose main claim to fame is one episode of the 1960s tv spy series <em>The Man from U.N.C.L.E.</em>; a subversive temp working at a Canadian government office responsible for administering grants for cows; and two adventures featuring Winona's time-travelling romantic heroes Charlie Duran and Shaun Deeley.</p><p><br></p><p>The collection includes four prize-winners three mysteries two previously unpublished works and one where the hero manages to spare-change John Lennon at the premiere of <em>A Hard Day's Night</em> in 1964.</p><p><br></p><p>The pause in the journey is only temporary; there are more tales to come. And yes these ten really did worry Winona's mother...</p><p><br></p>