jaw-dropping

Rarely, I encounter a piece of fiction so well-written, so well-imagined, so well-constructed that it leaves me breathless and pining for more.

This is how I felt after reading Jeffrey Ford's Creation, a story about a boy, some wood and cigarette smoke trapped in a bottle.

Now I must find his collection, The Fantasy Writer's Assistant and Other Stories, and his novel, The Portrait of Mrs. Charbuque to see if his magic goes beyond a single story.

Another pair of short stories that moved me were Little Dead Girl Singing by Stephen Gallagher and Thailand by Hiroki Murakami.

Oh, to be able to write like these guys.