Mika Song

John Flannery

The Runaway Belly Button

Young Ben wants to be just like his awesome dad—bearded. Ben wants a beard. All the most boss people in his town have them. The baker, the barbers, the butcher, they're all bewhiskered—even the old lady who waits at the bus stop has one. Most of all though, Ben wants a beard just like his dad. He tries his best to start on some scruff, but nothing works quite right. And when his dad explains he might have to wait 'til he's older for a beard of his own, he decides to take some more permanent action—with a marker that is. In the end, Ben and his dad find the perfect solution in this hilarious and heartwarming picture book celebrating the bond between father and son.

Beard Boy

The first story in this collection of short stories, The Ghostwriter, is about a very successful thriller writer who seems to be possessed by the spirit of Charles Dickens. This leads him to battle his inner demons and question his atheistic attitude. The second story is called Something To Do and features an ordinary man who decides to become a writer. His quotidian task is complicated by slightly obsessive thoughts relating to an old flame. The third story entitled Toby's Little Eden focuses on a strapping young man who is happily dormant and isolated in his beautiful garden in North London but the arrival of a new young housekeeper leads him to reluctantly come out of his shell. Found Wanting is about a man who seeks to gently nudge his wife back into prostitution but is he pushing at an open door? The final story, Carlington Park G.C. is really a series of comical sketches featuring the groundstaff of a new golf course in North Manchester.

John Flannery

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