Thomas Self

Silence and Sirens: a Collection of Short, Short Stories, Vignettes, Poems, Novella Excerpts, and Journals Thomas Self

Silence and Sirens is a collection of short stories, vignettes, poems, and journal entries written by protagonist Anthony Miller as he travels from Louisville to Seattle and then begins to prepare for a new life in Europe. Miller, the middle child in a conservative Louisville family, finds refuge on the liberal side of his hometown until he finally moves to Seattle. As he tries to balance his love for stimulation and women and his need for solitude and spirituality, his passions bring him tumultuous yet significant relationships, while his conflicts bring insights and transcendence. Decadent, Miller is at times affably vulnerable and at other times brutally honest. For a few deceptive moments on a street in Seattle, he falls in love with a beautiful woman; and in a novella excerpt set in Louisville, he writes of his sudden repulsion after an illicit encounter. In the end, he is left with his thoughts, printed here for all to see. Miller's poetic lines and truth in his writing encourages all of us to take a step away from the ideal when it comes to finding love and happiness and instead embrace a walk down the path of reality-the rare and truly captivating moments that keep us in the present.