Sal Buttaci - Flash Fiction specialist

Author Salvatore Buttaci writes very short stories - usually under 1000 words.  This genre has come to be known as Flash Fiction or Sudden Fiction; and it's perfect for today's hectic, instant gratification, short attention span, multitasking world: stories you can read during a power lunch.  The more extreme examples of Flash Fiction can be truly brief.  Here's one of the classic examples, sometimes attributed to Ernest Hemingway.  This is the entire story:

For Sale:  Baby shoes, never worn.

This legendary example launched a craze that has swept the world:  Thousands of Six-Word Stories have resulted.

Buttachi is a master craftsman of Flash Fiction.  To date he has two volumes of Flash Fiction published by All Things That Matter Press:  'Flashing my Shorts' and '200 Shorts'.  Reviewers uniformly rave about both of these books, often recommending them as gifts, declaring they intend to read them again, etc.  Here are two examples:

A review of 'Flashing my Shorts' from Wanda Woody:

"Flash fiction has now been redefined, with the unveiling of "Flashing My Shorts" by Salvatore Buttaci. It is a collection of short stories that go above and beyond the definition of flash fiction. Each page, though short in words, is powerful in depth, meaning, perception and emotion. Each story rouses our intellect, tugs at our heart strings and revives our morals and ethics. I journeyed through a wealth of feelings and insights as I devoured each page. Stories packed with humor and wit, yet refreshingly sensitive to important issues such as patriotism, discipline, respect, honor and humility. I highly recommend this book, because I am certain that it will exceed all your expectations. This is a book you will read over and over; one you will talk about and one that you will treasure because you will find yourself in many of the stories. Your own memories will coincide with so many of Buttaci's descriptive illustrations. Now we have words for the thoughts that all of us have tucked away somewhere. Buy this book, and I guarantee you will enjoy it almost as much as me! I also recommend the author, who is an excellent writer, a wonderful human being who loves life, loves his country and loves people. Great Book! "

 And a review of '200 Shorts' from Jean Rodenbough

"Sal Buttaci is a master of flash fiction, those short prose pieces that tell a story in two sentences or two pages. This is his second publication of short fiction, and contains for the most part stories of an Italian boy growing up in New York or New Jersey with his immigrant parents and grandparents. I have suspicions that "Antonio Lanzetti" bears sharp resemblance to Sal. The stories abound with incidents in Catholic schoolrooms commandeered by stern Sisters, dangerous characters in the immigrant neighborhoods, pranks played by the narrator and his friends, who manage to stay out of serious trouble in spite of their activities. Other stories, events, and characters abound in this collection as well, however. Some deal with visitors from alien planets, or visions of strange communications. Some imply mystery, some are love stories, some are stories of overt violence, others of gentleness. Of these 200 stories the reader will discover the talent of the author to narrate a story, mostly in first person for immediacy, that keeps the reader with him all the way. This is a collection for those who enjoy brief stories well told, and who will finally come to the close of the book hoping for a third collection by Sal Buttaci."

Buttaci has many more writing credentials.  His poems, letters, and stories have been published in The New York Times, Newsday, U.S.A. Today, The Writer, Cats Magazine, and widely elsewhere in America and overseas. A retired teacher and professor, Buttaci lives with his wife Sharon in West Virginia.

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This is the twelfth of a short series of Author profiles that features fellow authors in the All Things That Matter Press family.