Ten Stories That Worried My Mother chronicles a 40-year literary journey that began with the publication of Winona Kent's first short tale, Tower of Power—about one night in the life of a rock and roll radio newsman—which won first prize in Flare Magazine’s fiction competition in 1982.
The journey finishes with two mysteries starring Winona's professional musician/amateur sleuth, Jason Davey: Salty Dog Blues and Blue Devil Blues, the former being shortlisted for the Crime Writers of Canada's Awards of Excellence for Best Crime Novella in 2021.
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, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 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.
The collection includes four prize-winners, three mysteries, two previously unpublished works and one where the hero manages to spare-change John Lennon at the premiere of A Hard Day's Night in 1964.
And yes, these stories really did worry Winona's mother…
Prize-winning list:
Tower of Power - Winner of the Flare Fiction Competition 1982, published in Flare in September 1982
Dietrich's Ash - Okanagan Short Fiction Award winner, 1985. Originally published in Canadian Author & Bookman. Winter 1985. Anthologized in Pure Fiction: The Okanagan Short Story Award Winners. (Fitzhenry & Whiteside) 1986.
Creatures from Greek Mythology - Second Prize Winner, WQ Editors Prize, 1984. Published in Cross-Canada Writers Quarterly. Vol 6, No. 1, 1984.
Salty Dog Blues - finalist in the Crime Writers of Canada's 2021 Awards of Excellence for Best Crime Novella
Genre: Mystery
The journey finishes with two mysteries starring Winona's professional musician/amateur sleuth, Jason Davey: Salty Dog Blues and Blue Devil Blues, the former being shortlisted for the Crime Writers of Canada's Awards of Excellence for Best Crime Novella in 2021.
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, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; 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.
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 A Hard Day's Night in 1964.
And yes, these stories really did worry Winona's mother…
Prize-winning list:
Tower of Power - Winner of the Flare Fiction Competition 1982, published in Flare in September 1982
Dietrich's Ash - Okanagan Short Fiction Award winner, 1985. Originally published in Canadian Author & Bookman. Winter 1985. Anthologized in Pure Fiction: The Okanagan Short Story Award Winners. (Fitzhenry & Whiteside) 1986.
Creatures from Greek Mythology - Second Prize Winner, WQ Editors Prize, 1984. Published in Cross-Canada Writers Quarterly. Vol 6, No. 1, 1984.
Salty Dog Blues - finalist in the Crime Writers of Canada's 2021 Awards of Excellence for Best Crime Novella
Genre: Mystery
Used availability for Winona Kent's Ten Stories That Worried My Mother