Selected Shorts

When my father started his writing career there was a great demand for short stories. Publications such as The Saturday Evening Post, Collier’s, Argosy, Esquire, even Cosmopolitan published short fiction in every edition. There were weekly and monthly publications that were always looking for good material. It was a great way for a writer to build his portfolio and make a name for himself. This is exactly what my father did. In fact, prior to the publication of Violent Saturday, he published dozens of short stories.

That opportunity didn’t really exist for me. When I started trying to get my stories published there were a few literary publications that bought short fiction, but the competition was fierce and after numerous rejections I quit writing short stories altogether. However, now the market for short fiction is expanding. The evolution of ebooks and ereaders has provided opportunities for inexpensive distribution, resulting in a resurgence in the popularity of short fiction.

This anthology includes twelve pieces by my father and me. When I looked through my library to decide which shorts to include, I selected stories that offered a broad range of subjects and styles. They vary in length from one-page vignettes to short stories that are anywhere from five to twenty-five pages in length. They also cover a broad span of time. Several are stories I wrote more than thirty years ago when I was in high school.

I’ve always enjoyed reading and writing short fiction and it’s my pleasure to present this anthology of twelve selected shorts. I hope you enjoy them.

The Inheritance

It is my pleasure to introduce you to a new novel by my cousin, Ellen Heath, entitled The Inheritance.

Born in Mississippi and raised by her late aunt in a Tucson trailer court, Martha Stahlings has created a very successful life from a humble and mysterious beginning. Now a death in her husband’s family is giving her the opportunity to return to her roots in the South to find out who she really is.

During a dramatic, one-week visit in a small Alabama town, Martha and her husband, Sam, must decide whether he will return to take over management of the William Bennett Stahlings Memorial Hospital. As the week with Sam’s unusual relatives progresses, Martha is torn between the promise of a wonderful new life and harrowing discoveries that could turn it into a nightmare.

A Hackamore Saga

Some of you will remember this book as The Good Old Boys, published in 1971. Dad never liked that title, so I’m happy to publish it with his title.

Many people approached Dad after reading this book with comments like, “I know who (so-and-so) is.” Or, “You know your story about (so-and-so) wasn’t exactly right.” Needless to say, his friends and acquaintances thought the story was about Scottsboro and its residents. Although Dad’s life there undoubtedly fueled his imagination, the story and characters are fictional.

A Hackamore Saga is a wonderful collection of funny, touching, and very entertaining stories. If you grew up in a small southern town, or even just spent time in one, this book will resonate with you.

Darby’s Folly

During Dad’s writing career he wrote a wide variety of books — suspense, southern literature, young adult, even one that could be classified as fantasy. Darby’s Folly is a children’s book about a groundhog, J.D. Dawkins, who faces an interesting dilemma.

When it becomes evident that new residents will be moving into the abandoned farmhouse near his den, J.D. knows he must move. But he loves his home and wants to relocate it rather than move to a new one. But how do you move a hole in the ground?

Darby’s Folly is an entertaining story with lessons for the children. But it’s also a cute parody of society. In short, it’s a story that can be enjoyed by children and their parents alike.

Runner

A new short story, Runner, is now available. This is based on a story I wrote many years ago about a woman who was attacked while jogging. I had planned to publish it as part of a short story anthology I’m working on, but when I read it I realized it needed a lot of work. So, I started over from scratch, using only the basic premise.

The story details what happens to a young woman when she is abducted by a serial killer. She isn’t his first victim, and certainly won’t be his last, unless she can somehow get free and run to safety.

But then, in an interesting twist of fate, she figures out how to turn the tables on her captor.

How fast can you run…how far can you go…if you’re running for your life?

Violent Saturday and Ill Wind

I’m pleased to announce that Violent Saturday and Ill Wind are now available as ebooks through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Violent Saturday
Originally published in 1955, Violent Saturday was voted “Suspense Novel of the Year” by Cosmopolitan and later that same year 20th Century Fox released a movie based on the novel with an all-star cast including Victor Mature, Richard Egan, Lee Marvin, and Ernest Borgnine.

The plot centers around a bank robbery in the town of Morgan, Alabama. But the novel is more about the townspeople than the bank robbery itself. The story focuses on a slice of life in a small town in the 50’s, full of interesting characters whose mundane everyday routines meet in an explosive event that leaves them re-evaluating their lives. You will remember the people of Morgan and its violent Saturday afternoon long after you’ve finished reading this book.

Praise for Violent Saturday:
“Violent Saturday is a helluva a novel and it will appeal to both the reader of thrillers as well as a more literary set. The best part is it does what literature should. It shines a light on the human condition while telling a terrifically entertaining and vibrant story. It is a violent novel that has all of the assets of a well-crafted thriller, but it adds the deliberate pace, the characters, and the illumination of a well-rendered piece of art.” – Ben Boulden, Gravetapping Book Reviews.

“It is quite an extraordinary effect Mr. Heath has managed in Violent Saturday – like the tick-tick-tick of a time bomb.” – Author and playwright Wilbur Daniel Steele

Ill Wind
Ill Wind is a more literary novel than Violent Saturday. It takes us back to Morgan, but looks a little deeper into the day-to-day lives of its inhabitants, providing a snapshot of life in the late 50’s with acute clarity – from the regret over past mistakes, to repressed feelings of love, to the gossip spread at the bridge clubs and the barbershop, to the struggle for political power and control of the community. It’s a taught, compelling novel that lays bare the emotions, ambitions, and struggles of the citizens of Morgan as they react to a tragic event that leaves in its wake more questions than answers.

Praise for Ill Wind:
“Ill Wind is a passionate and lyrical novel written by a man with an extraordinary ear and an eye for the right detail.” – Award winning author Edward Gorman

“Ill Wind is…about perfect. Succinctly written with excellent characterization and with good pace. A real fine job.” – Best-selling novelist and screenwriter W. R. Burnett

Novels by W. L. Heath

During his writing career, which spanned three decades, my father, William L. Heath, published eight novels and more than three dozen short stories. Two of his short stories were adapted for TV and one novel, Violent Saturday, was purchased by 20th Century Fox and made into a movie.

I’m often asked by people who knew him, or have read some of his work, how they can get copies of his books. Since all but one are out of print now, they’re hard to come by. Some are available on Amazon.com, for sale by individuals. But any of these that are in good condition are fairly expensive. So, I am undertaking the task of republishing my father’s books.

I’m in the process of getting the publication rights to his novels that are no longer in print. I’ll publish them as ebooks and, possibly, in print as paperbacks. I also have a couple of novels and several novellas he wrote that were never published. I’m currently getting them ready for publication, as well. Last Known Position, is now available as an ebook. It’s Always Five O’clock will be published in July. Over the course of the next year I hope to publish all of his books. As this happens I’ll provide updates to this site.

For more info on W. L. Heath and his novels, visit his author page on this site.