Little Crackers: Tales from the Edge - Softcover

"These stories challenge the very idea that such a state as "normal" exists. In Beda Higgins' fictional world, conventional life and attitudes are suspect. To be human is to be damaged, and to be damaged is to be human." - James Robertson "A terrifically dark and frightening collection, Little Crackers jolts with electricity and malice. ...hits the bullseye on almost every shot...genuine compassion...intense storylines." - Mslexia "Full of surprising twists and unexpected outcomes - taking the reader on a journey through other people's unique stories." - Matthew Bradby, Queen's Nursing Institute

Longlisted for the Edge Hill and Frank O'Connor Short Story awards 2015. A mother struggles to bond with her newborn baby; a student obsesses about flies spreading their killer germs; a young boy dreads the bullies who torment him. People can look 'normal', but appearances often mask a darker inner reality. Inspired by the author's experiences as a nurse over the last thirty years, and written with compassion and a wild imagination, Little Crackers opens a world of strange characters - the paranoid, the isolated, the exploited and the wicked - and raises questions about how we care for the most vulnerable members of our society. Obsession, dementia, post-natal depression, psychosis and even murder all feature in this quirky, surprising Tales of the Unexpected for the 21st century.