On Traigh Lar Beach by Dianne Ebertt Beeaff

Release: October 13th 2020
Format: Paperback
Publisher: She Writes Press
Source: Suzyapproved Book Tours
Find it at: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, Kobo

Erica Winchat, a young writer overwhelmed by the stress of her first book contract, discovers thirteen curious items tangled in the flotsam on the Scottish beach of Tràigh Lar. Erica tells the intriguing story of the owner of each of these items, uncovering a series of dramatic events—from a Chicago widow’s inspiring visit to Quebec City to a shrimper’s daughter facing Tropical Storm Ruby in North Carolina.

The thirteenth item, a concert laminate badge, inspires Erica’s novella Fan Girls, in which the separate stories of four fans of the Scottish rock band Datha unfold in first person, culminating in their reunion at a concert in Chicago—a show where a shooting takes place.

About the Author:

DIANNE EBERTT BEEAFF is the award-winning author of five previous published books. Her poetry, watercolors, graphite drawings, and magazine articles have been featured throughout the United States and Canada. Also, Dianne and her husband, Dan, reside in Tucson, Arizona, USA, and are the parents of two children.

Website: www.debeeaff.wordpress.com

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On Traigh Lar Beach Review:

“On Traigh Lar Beach” is a remarkable collection of short stories that makes you ponder life.

To begin with, I loved how the author structured the book, where Erica and Greyson visit the beach, and they see random items and wonder how they got there. What follows is a sequence of short stories revolving around a different character, with a piece of thing, and each of them moves you somehow. I enjoyed many moments in the stories, like Melody Rose Beckman with her authoritative mother, Brook with her challenges of being a nurse, and even Mari’s story about how she feels self-conscious as she looks back in her life. Moreover, the author also changes the writing style in some tales, and I loved the epistolary touch in the story where emails get shared between Shanty and Tilda about Robin. On a side note, I also loved the floral illustrations we get at the beginning of each chapter, as that gave the book a vintage look.

The main story, of course, is the Fan Girls, which is an entertaining novella. We follow four women, Annie, Emily, Dana, and Chelsea, who are all fans of Datha. The author writes each tale uniquely, where you feel for Emily’s liberation and wonder how Michael and Dana’s relationship would work out. However, my favorite character was Annie, as she goes on her journey to see Raine. Quite a few thrilling moments surround this character, like when she confronts Giorgio, making the tale memorable.

Overall, “On Traigh Lar Beach” is a charming collection of stories that might seem random at times but will nevertheless make you think about our lives and the history of objects the next time you go to the beach.