Short of a Picnic

Praise for SHORT OF A PICNIC:"...In this well-crafted collection, [Shapiro] beautifully reminds us of those whom we cavalierly label as mentally ill..." -- Dan Stradford, President of AlternativeMentalHealth.com"At their best, these stories are deeply chilling..." -- Rick Kleffel, The Agony Column"Combines Raymond Carver's minimalist style with penetrating insights and a mordant wit." -- Bonnie Bucqueroux, The Healers.org"Frankly, this is the best work of fiction I've ever read about mental illness..." -- Jillian Leslie, Everyday Warriors"I highly recommend this book and give it a top rating of 10!" -- Dallas Franklin, SWO"Real-life situations that reveal what it's like to be different in a society that embraces mainstream thoughts and emotions." -- Linda Denicola, The News Transcript"Shocking and riveting... a kaleidoscope of delightfully off-beat personalities." -- Brian Benjamin Carter, The Pulse of Oriental Medicine"The tone [varies] from poignant to downright chilling...[Shapiro has] a flair for realistic dialogue and a good visual sense." -- Roberta Austin, The Compulsive Reader"This is one of the best books I've read dealing with mental illness." -- Broken Wings & Fallen Angels (Mental Health Newsletter)"[It's] a fascinating and sometimes scary collection of short stories that can only be applauded and marked a Must Read." -- Laurie Edwards, CultureDose