Showing results by author "Robert E. Kearns" in All Categories

A humorous sketch from Robert E. Kearns (author of A Donnybrook Affair, Crabb, Hy Brasil, Freedom is For the Few, Carnivore, Ossuary and Embers) which explores our frustrations with customer service departments and their apparent understanding of those frustrations. Fun and imaginative, perfect for the staging of a short play or a quick read. For anyone who has ever gone around in circles with a representative, this is the piece for you.

Another beautiful collection of Poems & Short Stories from Award Winning Author Robert E. Kearns (1st Place 2019 Pencraft Awards for Hy Brasil: Island of Eternity) With Poems & Short Stories volume 2, Kearns gives us a further edition of his thought provoking poetry along with several of his highly entertaining short stories. If prose and poetry are your thing, this is the book for you.

Dive headfirst into the smoky, raucous pups of 1970s Dublin with The Feathers Flew, a wickedly sharp short story that’ll grab you by the collar and drag you into the predictable world of Paddy Keenan—a man whose heart belongs to a pint of stout and the hum of barroom banter. By day, he’s a working-class everyman; by night, he swaps his wife’s nagging and the chaos of his rowdy kids for the warm glow of the public house. But when a quacking, waddling oddity—a pet duck—crash-lands into the Keenan’s backyard, Paddy’s routine of a chat over a few scoops takes a wild turn. As ...

In late autumn of 1989, 18-year-old David Dowling steps into the world of Brown Box Freight Company, a place where ambition and loyalty are tested under the unyielding gaze of its founder, Mick Brown. Fresh from a training course, and armed with little more than a talent for learning fast, Dowling navigates the office politics by keeping his head down and getting on with it. Soon, he encounters Helena, Mick’s sidelined mistress, whose tangled bond with the Chief Executive reveals the steep price of chasing security over happiness. As the mantra to “bleed brown” echoes through all ...

In the bustling heart of 1920s Dublin, Rita Reilly is born into a life of modest privilege; her family’s thriving shop promising a bright future. Raised in comfort and educated for success, Rita’s world is upended at fourteen when a violent assault shatters her innocence, leaving her pregnant and forced to confront a society that shuns her. Sent to a remote convent in Offaly, she endures isolation and judgment, giving up her daughter to an uncertain fate. Returning home, Rita finds her once-vibrant family crumbling under the weight of shame, financial ruin, and her father’s descent ...

In the rural, mist-shrouded village of Dunhill, Co. Waterford, cousins Henry and Lucy embark on a chilling journey into the past. Drawn by a mysterious cottage on the eerily named Tourniquet Lane, what begins as a nostalgic exchange of letters between the relatives unravels into a haunting exploration of a family legacy steeped in tragedy. When a broken window at the long-abandoned cottage stirs memories of a dark history, Henry and Lucy delve into old records, uncovering a string of suicides tied to the cursed plot—each eerily similar, each tied to a gnarled tree in the backyard. As they...

In the stifling heat of rural Rush Springs, a charismatic new pastor in pristine black steps into the crumbling chapel on Main Street. His fire-and-brimstone sermons shake the souls of the faithful, and at six-foot-three he commands the pulpit with a magnetic force; his voice booming like judgment day itself. But behind his immaculate white collar and unshakable calm lies a slew of secrets that no one in this God-fearing town dares to question. When he whisks the women of the parish away to a remote New Mexico retreat, promising spiritual awakening, the air grows thick with sexual tension. ...

In the bustling frontier town of Calvin, Texas, where the railroad fuels dreams of prosperity, a charismatic stranger named Marty Kilbride arrives with a smile that captivates, and with a past that is shrouded in mystery. Tall, well dressed, and exuding an almost regal charm and confidence, Kilbride soon ascends to the very heart of the community, claiming the title of Mayor and along with it, the adoration of its citizens. With a gleaming saloon and a knack for winning hearts, he seems the embodiment of the American dream—until his personality reveals a chilling second side. Beneath ...

Badington Bay, a quaint seaside hamlet lies quiet in the off-season, its vibrant summer charm shuttered and still. Into this ghostly coastal town steps Mr. Chelmsford, a sharply dressed gentleman with a hidden agenda and a purse full of promises. Arriving under the guise of sophistication, he seeks a clandestine arrangement orchestrated by a crooked, cunning local and his enigmatic daughter. But as the chilly winds of November sweep through the harbor, Chelmsford’s carefully laid plans unravel in a chilling encounter that defies reality itself. In this gripping tale of deception and ...

In the frost-bitten heart of County Kildare, where lush pastures lie buried under winter's unyielding grip, bachelor farmer Jeremiah Kildare unearths more than just fuel for his hearth. While digging peat from the ancient bog—a sacred family plot hiding secrets such as illicit poteen—Jeremiah disturbs a relic from Ireland's primordial past: a colossal wolf, preserved in pristine terror by the tannin-rich earth, its massive size twice that of any beast in legend. As Jeremiah hauls his incredible discovery home, thawing it before a crackling turf fire, what begins as curiosity spirals ...

In the quiet chill of an Irish winter, Thomas McCabe, a retired everyman, wanders Dublin's streets, seeking purpose in the wake of an altered lifestyle. Each day, from the frost-kissed paths of St. Stephen’s Green to the bustling energy of O’Connell Street, McCabe observes the world with a keen eye, weaving stories for strangers and grappling with the weight of his own solitude. In this evocative novella, McCabe's daily walks become a canvas for reflection—on seasons that shift, a city that evolves, and a life that teeters between routine and revelation. As McCabe navigates Dublin’s...

In 1980s rural Texas, to prevent annexation by its larger neighbor, Brian Zimmerman, by straw poll is elected the Boy Mayor of Crabb. Years later he recounts his story for the narrator, where he reveals the astounding details he gleaned while at a Mayoral Conference in Paris, and how these shaped his teenage years and beyond. The former Mayor of tiny Crabb speaks of the incredible secrets, exceptional events and the people he met that know the truth. Conspiracy, Cover Up and a Shocking Conclusion, Crabb is nothing short of a spellbinding read. Inspired by true events, Robert E. Kearns ...

In a world that is doomed to cycles of war, three rulers (A Tribal Chief, A Modern Dictator, and a Post-Apocalyptic and Self-Appointed King) grapple with their inner demons, as the seasons shift and power corrupts them. Each faces the same quandary: can destruction give rise to salvation? From blood-soaked battles to nuclear annihilation, identical choices ripple through time, shaping empires and bringing about destruction. Seed is a haunting saga of ambition, betrayal, and the primal urge to conquer. And with each victory comes the burden of despair. Perfect for fans of dark, introspective...

From award winning author, Robert E. Kearns (Hy Brasil: Island of Eternity, Crabb, Carnivore, Freedom is For the Few, Ossuary, Embers and A Donnybrook Affair, comes an unforgettable collection of Humorous Poems, Entertaining Short Stories and Hilarious Sketches. In this wonderful edition, Kearns makes fun of both the clichéd and the mundane of everyday life through the medium of poems he refers to as gibberish. Then, using his sketches to great effect, he again delves into the regular occurrences of humanity with writing that will elicit more than the single laugh. To finish, Kearns ...

On the frost-kissed streets of Waterford in winter, Reggie Power, a reserved accountant plagued by arthritis and a history of romantic failures, finds his heart ensnared by the enchanting Delilah Phelan. Her radiant beauty and effortless charm awaken a longing he thought had long since departed. But the captivating Delilah is married, and Reggie’s growing obsession threatens to unravel his quiet existence. As their friendship blossoms over late-night chess matches at the Timber Ford Tavern, a single, stolen kiss ignites a dangerous spark. When Delilah confesses her crumbling marriage and ...

Beneath the dew-covered fields of Ireland’s sunniest county lies Cloisters, an ancient seminary built from the ruins of a cursed abbey. Here, eighteen-year-old Fergal Kane arrives to train as a priest. But the hallowed halls of this former monastery, scarred by the blood of slain monks and defiled by other nefarious activities, harbor secrets that whisper in the shadows. As autumn’s icy grip tightens, Fergal’s faith is shaken by a chilling presence in the seminary’s out-of-bounds annex. There, amidst echoes of debauchery and betrayal, he encounters Deirdre—a beguiling beauty with ...

In the heart of rural Ireland, where winter’s chill seeps into both the home and the soul, Patrick Purcell lives a solitary life in his antiquated nineteenth-century farmhouse. A man of routine, tethered to a meat processing plant and haunted by the specter of a lonely retirement, Purcell finds solace in the flicker of his television screen. But then a mysterious encounter shatters his isolated existence. One stormy night, a one-legged young woman, Deirdre, appears on the stone wall outside his home, her presence as enigmatic as the rain that soaks her. Drawn to her quiet beauty and ...

Step into Middle Third, a beguiling suburban enclave in Dublin where the air is sweeter, the sun shines brighter, and a majestic an unusual tree stands as the heart of an almost magical realm. In this little slice of paradise, where cottages bask in an eternal spring, young Concepta Arkin is born under extraordinary circumstances. Her life is intertwined with the mystique of her home, yet beneath the idyllic surface lies a shadow waiting to strike. When Concepta’s first day at school turns into a harrowing encounter with a sadistic nun, the sanctuary of Middle Third is shattered by an ...