"Spicy Alphabet Soup" - Flash Fiction by Elizabeth Ticknor

I didn’t know what to expect when I opened Elizabeth Ticknor’s “Spicy Alphabet Soup, Flash Fiction.” What I got was 26 very short (flash) stories about relationships. And what relationships they are! This is a whirlwind ride with each vignette packing quite a punch and immersing you completely in the lives and loves of each character (including their pets, in most cases). Being able to capture the personalities, passions and foibles of each character and relationship in such few words is truly a feat of which many authors would not be capable.

As a neat little twist at the end, Elizabeth also treats us to the bittersweet and somewhat ambivalent “happy” ending of one of the characters from the start of the book, including some of the others that made appearances throughout. I thought that was a neat touch that kind of wrapped things up.

I’m not sure how many authors out there have embraced this format, but after reading “Spicy Alphabet Soup,” I would definitely be interested in trying more of this unique style. And I’m definitely going to check out more of Elizabeth Ticknor’s other fiction. She is a truly talented author that has mastered the art of conveying a myriad of multi-layered feelings with spare prose that is gripping and intense in its brevity. Quite a feat!