Scratching The Surface is a collection of short stories that displays the abundant talents of Canadian writer Michael Kelly.  Michael was, until recently, an editor at the online fiction website The Chiaroscuro – also known as Chizine.  It is obvious from reading this anthology that Michael has put his editorial experience to good use in his own writing.

Scratching The Surface is composed of well constructed stories that stand out in their professionalism.  Each story is expertly crafted.  Most importantly though are the moods and emotions that shines through in all the pieces.  In the best ones the emotions contained are palpable.  You can almost physically see them.  You certainly can feel them.  This is what Kelly is able to invoke in the reader.

The twenty six stories that comprise this collection do great service to show Kelly's ability to paint themes dark in nature yet carrying an underlying current of regret and empathy.  Fly To The Rainbow, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Wolves and Angels, Warm Wet Circles, The Simple Sound of Dead Trees Singing(with C.S. Fuqua) are but a handful of tales that, on the surface, are dark and sad tales of pain, suffering, and loss.  Yet underneath Kelly constructs a subtle layer of renewal, rebirth, regret, and sometimes redemption.

The stories are not in chronological order and yet in reading the anthology it is possible to see Kelly's growth in skill as a writer. His ability to forge a link between his characters and the reader is unmistakable.  He creates that link with the skill of jeweler creating fine and delicate detailing.  The prose is delicate, yet the net effect is so strong.

Any quibbles I have with the material pertain to Kelly revisiting the same themes.  It is fortunate he does so with great skill.  In choosing the title for the anthology Kelly was probably focused on this collection only.  I would like to think of the title as an unconscious challenge in regards to his writing and story telling abilities.  We can only hope that Kelly has only scratched the surface of his talents.  If Kelly has only dipped lightly into his talent pool, we readers will be in for big treats in the future.

Branching out to tackle different themes in a novel format perhaps seems the next logical step and challenge for Michael Kelly.   It is my understanding that such a step has been taken.  A collaborative novel with Carol S. Weekes (entitled Ouroboros) is due next year.  Until then, this is a great collection to pick up, enjoy, and treasure.

Scratching The Surface by Michael Kelly
CrowsWing Books
Published 2007
213 pages

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