Pieces of a Rainbow

General Fiction

By Maria Savva

Publisher : Rose And Freedom Books

ABOUT Maria Savva

Maria Savva
I am a writer, based in London, UK.  Published novels: 'Second Chances' , 'A Time to Tell',  'Coincidences', 'The Dream', 'Haunted'. Short story collections: 'Pieces of a Rainbow', 'Love and Loyalty (and Other Tales)' , 'Fusion', 'Delusion and Dreams'.

Description

'Pieces of a Rainbow' is a collection of seven short stories, each one based on a different colour of the rainbow. You will find a full spectrum of emotions within the stories. Some are sad, some uplifting. There are not always happy endings, but the tales reflect the real world, and the forces of nature at work in our lives; sometimes beyond our control. The stories are diverse in style, and the characters, although fictional, are true-to-life. There is something for everyone in this inspired collection.

Excerpt from 'Forever Blue':

'...Some people are lucky; they just carry on going, keeping up
with the current, riding the waves. Others find a ship they can sail
in forever; but some are left to drift alone, battling against the
waves, and hoping they can get to the shore in one piece.'

My first collection of short stories

Two young girls poison their souls for life by keeping the secret of how they accidentally burned down a house, with its occupants (a mother and baby) disappearing in the fire. A single mom struggles to raise her two children, a boy and a girl, in a neighborhood rampant with gang violence. A romantic encounter at a beautiful seaside resort between two hurt and lonely people almost happens, but doesn’t. A woman tries to trick her girlfriend by bribing her fortuneteller, but is it she or the fortuneteller who has the “last laugh”? A mother who becomes a criminal due to her own husband’s influence, goes to jail while he squeaks by without breaking any laws. What happens when her time is up in a world where criminals run free while the results of their “lawful” activities get locked away? A girl’s jealousy for her best friend not only hurts their friendship, but ruins her own chance for happiness with the boy whom she loves. A mother loses the confidence of everyone, even her husband, when her baby is kidnapped while under her care. He divorces her, taking the children with him, only to run into his own problems. She eventually recovers all her children, and finds true happiness with another man, one who will stand by her through thick and thin.

This is a collection of truly fresh, remarkable and even haunting stories, any one of which would make an excellent TV drama (or movie). There is a memorable intensity to all of them, a few of which I can’t get out of my head. Each story is varied and unique, and I must say I admire Maria Savva’s writing ability as expressed in the diversity of her characters. For instance, the character, Savannah, in “Seeing Red” (the woman criminal) is incredibly realistic in both the limitations of her intellect (to fully understand what’s going on around her), and in the depth of her needs and her craving to be loved.

Reading this collection of short stories was a real treat!
Jerry Travis - author of 'The Safety Factor'

"Wonderful"

What a fabulous analogy for the range of emotions that drive us humans. Loved the easy to follow style and the relationships to which we can all relate, this in addition to the realistic characters, it can only be a success.

I loved the lines, '...a blank canvas on which to build her dreams...' and '...he was a tattoo on her heart that could not be removed...' from Seeing Red, the first story, and '...leaving a hole the size of a watermelon in Sally's soul...' from, Envy (story four), where irony is particularly relevant.

All the stories draw you in and I, for one, couldn't wait to see what happened. There were many twists and turns and certainly unexpected events where the themes of responsibility, the ups and downs of relationships, and parental dilemmas are unmistakeable.

I would have to say that Mystic Purple was my favourite story, where I thoroughly enjoyed the comedy of small talk between Jen and Amy - the whole story bringing a smile though leaving a question as to whether we make our own fate.

This is not the first book by Maria Savva, and Pieces of a Rainbow is not a disappointment...I really enjoyed it...and I can honestly recommend that all are worth a look.

Clever, interesting and extremely good...great writing.


Julie Elizabeth Powell, author of Gone, Slings & Arrows, Knowing Jack, The Star Realm and Invasion

In this collection of short stories, Savva has captured the essence of her characters in a well-paced, gripping mannerism. One of the most difficult tasks for an author when writing a short story is to be compelling enough to complete the story in novel magnitude, but with minimal words. There's no room for building up the background surrounding the characters and their stories. Savva has mastered the technique with ease.

The characters are realistic, the stories are attention grabbing and the detailed depth of the scenes are by far some of the best I've seen, and all done with a poetic justice of sorts. Each story is wrapped around a color found in rainbows, a most unusual and brilliant concept.

I'd highly recommend this read and give it 5 Stars!

Reviewed by Cindy Bauer
The Memory Box Trilogy (Chasing Memories, Shades of Blue and Crystal Clear)

It's hard to write a really good short story. An entire collection of them harder still. I'm certain you could rattle off the names of 5 great novelists without stopping to draw a breath -- but how about naming 5 masters of the short story . . .? I rest my case.

While sweating-out a novel is no stroll in the park, It does afford one the time and scope to lay the foundation of back story; develop character; create atmosphere. With the short story, it's strictly a case of hit the mark or miss the board completely; often with the literary equivalent of a single dart. Remind me never to play darts with Maria Savva.

In 'Pieces of a Rainbow', Savva's first collection of short stories, the British author has demonstrated that she's not only a first-rate novelist, but a master of the shorter form as well. My favorite "piece" is a story titled 'Forever Blue': A recently jilted man and woman, each vacationing with friends at the beach, form a strange connection -- though they never actually meet. I remember once being bowled over by a John Cheever story, when the author suddenly, and seamlessly, shifted the narrative to relate an event still to occur in a particular character's future; how masterfully juxtaposing present and future in a few brief sentences, almost magically transformed a short story into something approaching the depth of a novel. It's a rare narrative sleight-of-hand which Savva has worked well. But all the stories in this inspired collection hit the mark.

"One day I will find the right words," Wrote Jack Kerouac, "And they will be simple." Maria Savva has found the right words. And they are wonderful.
Reviewed by Quentin R. Bufogle, author of 'Horse Latitudes'