Larne novelist Tom Jobling shares tales of cringe-worthy humour in new book

The much-anticipated publication is the fourth book from the pen of the author of Chasing Shadows, Arthur’s Dead, and A Letter to a Lucky Man.

Tom will be holding a book launch and signing event for his new book on Saturday, April 1 in Larne Museum and Arts Centre, Victoria Road from 12 noon to 3pm.

The Larne-born retired businessman published his debut novel, Chasing Shadows, in 2014. He was delighted when it achieved success within the international nautical world and hasn’t looked back since.

This time around though, he has moved a little way from his usual nautical fiction but still delivers a character-driven book of cringe-worthy humour balanced by tales perhaps too close to be comfortable.

Four Short Stories is available as both an e-book and paperback and described by the author as “a compact little number”. The 128-page publication has been sized as a unique jacket pocket travel read.

The book consists of four pieces.

The opening story – First Timer – is the tale of naive teenager Darren stumbling through the hurdles of his first office party. It’s New Year’s Eve and Darren is on a mission. It reminds readers of that first walk back across an empty dance floor having received the reply of, ‘No thanks pet’?

Incident at Twisted Elbow is the ‘anchor’ piece of this single author collection. Messers Abernathy and Shawcross together with Danielle Dewhurst, must demonstrate their ability to overcome adversity as a race to the finish builds in not only a rally hill-climb but in life and love.

With Leap of Faith, the author opens the floodgates on nostalgia and relives bygone days in his hometown of Larne. The harbour, the lough, the Islandmagee ferry ... and teenage romance.

The book finishes with a story set on foreign shores. A Not So Tender Trap is dark and as twisted as that earlier hill-climb course. Set on the Costa del Sol it is a semi-sarcastic tale of how a downtrodden wife finally deals with her philandering husband.

Four Short Stories is available for retail purchase at all online stores, including Amazon.