I was first introduced to Richie Billing through his nonfiction book, A Fantasy Writers’ Handbook https://whiskeywitbook-reviews.com/book-reviews/a-fantasy-writers-handbook-by-richie-billing/ I found Billing to be well-written, articulate, organized and focused while his study showed little resemblance to the dull, dusty handbooks of yore. When Billing reached out to me to review his collection of short stories, I was intrigued. In Billing’s AFWH intro he writes, “They say write the book you want to read.” I’m extraordinarily pleased he takes his own advice because Flying on the Ground is exceptional.
Billing’s shorts cover a wide range of genres including fantasy, historical fiction, horror, and crime. With this amount of genre-topia, one would think it difficult to find a commonality in the pieces, but there is an unexpected cohesiveness. Billing knows human nature, he understands our light and dark sides, relationships, love, loss, hatred and jealousy, comradeship, living in the moment, and when we reach for the stars or hide in the shadows. No matter the genre, it does all come down to the characters, and this author writes with heart, soul, and a splash of devil-may-care darkness that will rivet readers.
I am drawn to many genres – fantasy and historical fiction (or a combination of the two) rate high, and while I have favorites (The Monster of Grug) each short story is compelling. There is an otherworldly, almost ominous feel from the collection that feeds the reader just the right amount of mystery. The low-down skinny of this review – Billing is an imagination stoker, a writer cloaked in humanity’s secrets, with a coveted writing style that grips a readers own inner demons. He is an author to watch.
I’m so glad you stopped by! I hope you love this compilation of stories as much as I did. If you are interested in ordering A Fantasy Writers’ Handbook or in preordering Flying on the Ground (release date is December 2, 2019) the Amazon links are below. If you would like to receive an email when I post new reviews, Subscribe Now! A special thank you to the author for allowing me a prerelease copy! Billing’s website has an amazing array of tips and tools for aspiring writers and I highly recommend checking it out! https://richiebilling.com/
