The Red Hat Stories
An anthology, by Pauline O’Connor
Missed the successful Kickstarter? This is available now in ebook and paperback.
“My favourite read of the year.”
Book trailer for The Red Hat Stories (no sound). Cover and artwork by Katherine Powell.
“I loved the way you told the story of the woman in the Red Hat as a thread through all the short stories.”
The Red Hat Stories explore the connection between strangers, the assumptions we make, and how overlooked encounters have unforeseen effects.
London, a city of millions where even the solitary are never alone.
The bustling spaces host fleeting interactions between strangers, each with their own troubles. A homeless man wrestles with his demons, a woman braves the outside after illness, a witness is troubled by a predatory encounter, a businessman is forced to do community service, a woman grieves the love of her life; all are affected by the actions of a stranger in a red hat. Who is she, and what is her story
“It's just brilliant.”
This short story anthology is my first fiction book, and I was thrilled when the Kickstarter funded within five days! I began writing this small collection back in 2006. Having grown up in a rural area of New Zealand, the idea for these stories emerged after I immigrated to London. I was people-watching and entertained myself creating stories about the different characters around me. This led to the questions: Who are we to each other? What do interactions with strangers tell us about ourselves.
“My personal favourite was the redemptive path followed by the investment banker Charles.”