40 Slices of Pizza

By Jerry Guarino

Sometimes you just want a slice of pizza, not a big meal. That was the inspiration for the title "40 Slices of Pizza". The book includes 40 critically acclaimed stories that have been previously published in magazines in the U.S., Canada, Australia and Great Britain.My best stories are here, including:* The Tightrope (published in seven magazines in three countries)* The Devil's Orchestra (my signature story)* Practical Goldberg: A Love Story in 3 Parts* The Sonoma Murder Mystery (a traditional dinner murder mystery with elements of high technology)* The Waiting Room (with a riddle that few have ever solved)* The Bridge Game (a love affair gone awry)* The Grand Poobah (a classic O. Henry tale)a trilogy of love stories featuring roosters as characters* The Music Man* Coq a Doodle Do* Rooster Reduxand 30 more stories guaranteed to make you smile, laugh, cry and think.The book is also available on kindle. You can find more details on my website http://cafestories.netSo get that slice of pizza and a drink. Thanks for reading.Jerry GuarinoWhat do editors and publishers say about his writing?"A Modern Day O. Henry""40 Slices of Pizza is a short story reader's culinary delight. Jerry Guarino's 40 slice of life pieces are filled with delightful takes on people, places, and things that make America great. He infuses his stories with life's delights: good food, great music, fine drink, and the emotional roller coaster of interpersonal relationships.As a short story writer myself, I found his work honest and filled with delightful irony. He is a keen observer of the human condition, and a writer of obvious talent.I look forward to reading more of his work. He is a master at mirroring to his readers all their foibles, their fantasies, and their forever quest to understand why the wheel of life turns as it does. 40 Slices of Pizza is short storytelling at its best!"Wayne C. Long - Author of Eye Candy, Flash in the Hand and Stories from the Edges (http://longshortstories.com)"His style is simple and consistently powerful, his storytelling a triumph of art over artifice."Ben Price (Zouch Magazine and Miscellany)"Jerry's writing is consistently fresh and inventive. His stories grab from the beginning, then hurl the reader into surprising and powerful endings. Definitely a must-read."Earl Wynn (Thunderune Publishing)"Each story is well crafted with the natural elegance of a natural writer...a real treat for the reader."Scott Wilson (Editor of The Fringe Magazine)"Jerry Guarino sends his readers on a merry chase through a wild array of micro/flash fiction--humor, satire, and pathos. He artfully captures gentle souls and slick cons, the high brows and their unsuspecting victims in characters that step from the page to engage the reader. Guarino finds the tiniest trait that creates zany folks the reader wants to protect or strangle. Often at the same time. Prepare for the surprise twist at the end. He gets you every time."Myra McIlvain (Author of Legacy)"Jerry Guarino's writing is refreshing and authentic. His storytelling grasps the nuances of life, leading the reader into expertly crafted moments of intimacy, humor, thoughtfulness, and surprise. Read one story and you're hooked."Sheila Pierson (Author of Steak and Potatoes)"Jerry Guarino never confines his writing to a single style or a single idea. From science fiction to college tales of love, Guarino writes it all."Taylor Lampton (Editor of The Scarlet Sound)"Jerry Guarino's writing reminds me of the late, but great, Jose Saramago's. His structure is both unique and compelling, always leading the reader to places that they never see coming.Weeb Heinrich (Editor of Writing Raw)"Jerry Guarino's Cafe Stories takes the nuances of everyday, places it on its head, and then tilts it slightly to the left. His comical spin on life will make you wheeze with mirth and leave you wanting more."Daniel Poole (Editor of Larks Fiction Magazine)

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1475221711
• ISBN13: 9781475221718
• Release Date: April 2012
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
• Length: 214 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.5" x 6.0"