The Story of "Ray"

My short story, Ray, first appeared in the short fiction collection: Down and Out in the Big Mango. Set in Manchester, England and Chiang Mai, Thailand, it's a story of abandonment, rejection and betrayal. But also a story of fulfillment, enduring love, an unquenchable friendship and a paradise found.

I received a great deal of feedback, many readers commenting that this story was by far their favorite. A common thread was that "they did not want it to end."

I submitted Ray to appear on the Thai website: Stickman Weekly (http://www.stickmanweekly.com) using my non-de-plume, Deepcaster; it caused a minor sensation and invoked an avalanche of emails in its praise. Stickman wrote me to say:

“…….let me say, a response like this where readers email me to tell me how much they like a story has not happened before....and we're at almost 9,000 submissions! Unprecedented - and just goes to show how much people liked it!” Cheers

Stick

Stickman then posted on to me some of the emails he'd received. I show some of them below.

Hi Stick,

I have just finished reading the sub today "Ray" by Deepcaster - and what a delight it was to read. More than a few times I shed a tear or two. I hardly know what to say other than I do not think I have enjoyed reading a sub as much as I did in reading this work of human understanding - absolutely fabulous. Please forward on to the writer my expressions of gratitude for the writing of this story.

Kind Regards always,

Ishiro Yamamoto

Hi Tony

I enjoyed Ray immensely - I actually wished it had not ended, I enjoyed it so much. Once in a while, a story comes onto the Stick subs column and it stands out above the rest. This story is one of those.

I will read it again and keep coming back to it.

Kind Regards always,

Ishiro Yamonoto

Hi Stick, Just read the submission "Ray". OMFG. What a piece! Where the HELL did that come from?? :) Fiction or non-fiction? - either way I am BLOWN away! Not sure what else to say - I'm lost for words - that sub was an AWESOME piece of writing. All the best, Tony Bedford

Hi Stick, Just wanted to say that the submission called Ray is the best story I have read in years on your site. Good stuff. Kind Regards, Chris Thuve

Stick,

That was one of the most touching stories of true friendship I've ever read, eit almost brought a tear to my eye. It was truly incredible.

I don't know who Deepcaster is, but he is a fine writer with amazing recall of events. It (Ray) reminds me of the historical fiction writer Barry Unsworth

Cheers

Jim Coady

It goes without saying that this pleased me no end. It also humbled me. I wrote to all the of the the people who wrote in and thanked them for reading Ray and taking the time to make such great praise.

And so I've published Ray on Amazon's Kindle. It will be available on 23rd February and should be free for five days after which it costs the princely sum of $0.99. Get yourself a copy. It's powerful stuff, packed with emotion. It moved me to write it. It will move you to read it. But you'll be better for that. Enjoy it.