How Some People Like Their Eggs by Sean Lovelace makes young boys sing to me

True story. I was sitting on a train, coming home from work, and I was reading How Some People Like Their Eggs. It’s a cute chapbook to look at – a slim, yellow (yolky?) cover with beautiful black lettering.

I’d read it through and was flipping back and forth a little. Then some youngish male started singing to me “How do you like your eggs? I like mine fried and on top of toast.” His friend looked at him baffled and I did one of those tight half smiles trying to be friendly not stand-offish, but not wanting further interaction. Still his friend joined in and sung about scrambled eggs. And I wasn’t surprised, it seemed like just the sort of thing that would happen to someone reading a Sean Lovelace book.

Sean is a word magician. He has a way of putting words together and creating something fresh. He’s funny too. The flash fictions in this book made me smile (yeah, even the sad ones.)

I don’t want to spoil things as I think you should probably head over to Rose Metal Press and buy yourself a copy.

To persuade you I will say that “Charlie Brown’s diary: excerpts” managed to surprise me, amuse me, and leave me marvelling at Sean’s wit.

“crow hunting” begins ” Wednesdays seem a day to reflect. A day for gentler things. It’s their personality – the misshapen nature, the hump, the way a Wednesday morning feels like the last sip of home-brewed beer. Silty”
It’s that “Silty” that casts the spell I think.

I loved reading how Anne Sexton likes her eggs.

Sean Lovelace blogs here and I recommend his blog to anyone who gives a damn about fiction. He seems to be a thoroughly good egg. Har har.