by Celia A. Leaman
reviewed by Tannia E. Ortiz-Lopes
Island Stories is a collection of three previously published fiction stories. Some of the author’s stories and themes repeat from other publications, but the drama and the outcomes take on a different flavour and an interesting end in this humorous collection.
Ms. Leaman has the ability to convert common life situations into stories that will make you laugh and wonder at the same time wonder, “is this for real?” After reading her other book, Who is Margaret? What is She? I knew I was in for a plate of spaghetti with meatballs in a rich tomato sauce!
“The Adventures of Oliver Turtle, and Doll” is a hilarious story of a retired couple going through a life crisis. One day while reading the newspaper Oliver sees an ad for the fixer-upper “Strawberry Fields Farm“ on Gale Island and decides to make
an appointment to see the property. Doll, his wife, is not very thrilled about the idea of leaving the comfort of her conveniently located condo to move to a farm on some dubious island. However, at Oliver’s insistence, she agrees to go see the property.
The realtor, aware of all the downsides to the property, points out only the highlights of the house and purposely avoids walking on the rotten wooden floor. Oliver starts daydreaming about their strawberry fields and homemade jellies, convinced that this farm is the last link to their happiness, and decides to buy the property. Meanwhile, the people in town are making bets at the post office on how long this new owner will stay at the farm and on the island.
Oliver’s adventures on Gale Island begin while he is moving their belongings in a rental truck that gets stuck between the ferry and the dock. This creates a lot of very unhappy passengers and residents who are already giving Oliver the unwelcoming Gale look. Oliver reaches the property at night and starts having some doubts about this purchase when, no matter which direction he turns around the house, he is greeted by mice or some other unpleasant problem. After having a heck of a time getting things set up, he decides to go for a walk in the forest near the house. While enjoying the fresh air and his encounters with nature, he loses track of time and gets lost. However, this leads him to discover the cheap scam of his neighbor.
Meanwhile, Doll has her hands full at the condo trying to wrap things up. She decides to do some personal fixing-up of her own when suddenly a fire starts on one of the condos in the neighborhood. Decked out in a face mask and a shocking pink and scarlet corset when the firemen come knocking at her door, Doll finds herself in the adventure of her lifetime. Oliver sees Doll on TV and prays she gets her natural born red-hair temper under control. Doll’s encounter with the police and the TV reporters will make you laugh long and hard.
Do not think this is the end of Oliver and Doll’s adventures at their new home on Gale Island. On the contrary, this is just the beginning of a new life for Oliver and Doll and for those of you who would dare to tag along with them.
“She Drove a BMW” is about a woman named Nell, who is dating a younger man—young enough, in fact, to be her son. Jason wants Nell to meet his mother, but she feels insecure about it and decides to meet her future mother-in-law in a casual environment. She calls her friend Marcie and explains her dilemma. Marcie, who runs a daycare in her house, takes the kids on a field trip to the next town as she accompanys Nell in a scouting trip. They go to the cafe where Jason’s mom always goes after shopping, searching the place for a lonely old lady. Finding one, they seat themselves at her table, interrupting her meal with some nonsense conversation. While looking at the woman, Nell is thinking that she must be very rich and lets her imagination go wild about her future prospects. However, not everything goes as planned, and Nell and the rest of the scouting team must go home.
Nell is disappointed, but life’s twists and turns grant her wish and she gets to meet Jason’s mom in a very original way. As the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for!
“Being Like Annie Fairfax” is a story of courage, self-worth, and acceptance. Maxine and Michael have been married for a long time. Then one day he asks for a divorce because he has discovered his gay side and decides to pursue it. Maxine is devastated and leaves the comfort of the island to find new sources of income. She does all type of jobs, but none please her. One day she finds a painting set for sale in a yard sale and with the little money left in her purse, she buys it. She lets all her deep emotions out on the canvas. Deep purples and blacks shake out the depression, and after some healing come the colors of
happiness.
On one of her visits to her old friend, Annie Fairfax, Maxine talks about herself, her new life, job, and her paintings. Annie listens attentively and tells Maxine about an art show coming up the following week. Annie encourages her to bring some of her paintings. At first she hesitated, but then decides to participate. Maxine’s former husband turns out to be the first person to purchase a painting from her.
The end of the story teaches us all to believe in ourselves and not be afraid; to be more like Annie Fairfax, in fact, a woman who lives life at its fullest potential and brings out the best in those she meets along the way.
Island Stories is available in several e-book formats from Twilight Times Press.
Friends of Catholic Fiction and Idylls Press, please excuse our recent silence; we’ve been re-locating, both as a business and as a family. As is so often the case, I underestimated how challenging and time-consuming this process would be…will someone please remind me never to move again?
Catholicfiction.net reviewer and Idylls Press illustrator 