Won the 2009 Allbooks Review Editor’s Choice Award for short story collections. Lighting the Dark Side covers a wide range of fiction genres including, action, thriller, mystery/detective, suspense, and even romance. Join regular people who find themselves caught up in extraordinary situations. Some are simply down on their luck; while others struggle for survival. Each is locked into circumstances rendered more complex by their own weaknesses. Only when the shortcomings are recognized can they overcome these limitations and succeed. This collection of Six Modern Tales is designed to exercise your emotions, capture your imagination, and challenge you to think in new directions. AVAILABLE NOW On AMAZON.COM,BORDERS.com Barnes&Noble.com, and the AD Autographed Bookstore. THE STORIES- Bent, Not Broken. Dwayne Johnson knows he is different. He lives in a world that can always be depended on to remind him of his strangeness. Despite his social awkwardness, Dwayne meets a beautiful woman at a bus stop and soon his entire life transforms. Unfortunately his obsessions work against him, keeping the couple apart pushing Dwayne to the point of alcoholism and insanity. In the Gray. Michael Connor is estranged from his entire family and for good reason. His father is wife beating racist, his brother a corrupt politician, and his mother is all too willing look the other way. Unfortunately his loving Mum won’t stop calling…insisting that he become more like his sibling and settle down and take a wife. Blessing or Curse? When Brad Stewart won eleven million dollars in the lottery he would never have guessed a group of extortionists would kidnap his son for ransom. His decision to follow the kidnapper’s demands and not involve the police is a choice that will threaten his marriage and his life with the violence of vigilantism. May 18, 2010. Is May 18, 2010 the end of the world? Trevor Woodward isn't sure. He just wants to go home after a long day at work. He is tired of all the talk about the approaching "comet" that may or may not impact and destroy all life on the earth. However, he can’t shake the feeling that he has lived through the events of the historic day before. Or is it many times? Prominent Couple Slain. Detective Jack Staal of the Hanson Police, Major Crime Section has recently transferred from the Vancouver Police departments MCS. Burnt out, tired and weary of Homicide, he’s looking forward to the lower profile cases of a small town. That wish is dashed when a former Mayor candidate and his wife are found murdered. Surviving the Fall. Since childhood, James Goodal has had a soft spot for stray creatures offering as many as possible a good home. Now James is separated from his wife, lonely and alone. Then one afternoon, a few days before Christmas, he meets a young street girl named Ashley. Days after taking her in, his simple life is turned into a nightmare of violence and death as Ashley’s past catches up to her at Goodal’s home.   Reviewers said: I really think that any fan of short stories and novellas should visit this collection. There are number of wonderful stories that should not be missed. It has been a pleasure spending that last month with the thoughts and dreams of William R. Potter. By Aaron Wilson The Soulless Machine Reviews. All six stories Reviewed http://www.soullessmachine.com   Potter’s writing skills shine as a storyteller throughout his collection. His ability to intersperse back story and control the speed of the plot is especially important when it comes to character development. I highly recommend Lighting the Dark Side to all readers. His stories captivate the mind in all respects. I hope to see more works from William Potter soon!  Full review by Mona Lisa Safai TCM Reviews. http://tcm-ca.com   These novellas and short stories are definitely page-turners. I shouldn’t think it’d be long before a major publishing house snaps Mr. Potter up because he belongs on the bookshelves with the likes of Jeffery Deaver and Peter Abrahams. Highly recommended by reviewer: Jan Evan Whitford, Allbooks Reviews http://www.allbookreviews.com/Default.aspx?tabid=1047 Potter shines a little light on the darker side of humanity. Fans of modern fiction will enjoy Lighting The Dark Side." Debra Gaynor, http://ReviewYourBook.com    This book, Lighting the Dark Side, by William R. Potter, will definitely be enjoyed by all fans of fiction. I think that it would make an excellent selection for a reader´s group or for a college course. Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (7/08) http://www.readerviews.com/ReviewPotterLightingDarkSide.html     Lighting the Dark Side.com http://www.lightingthedarkside.com                                                                                                                                       Excerpt SURVIVING THE FALL (A 36,000 word Novella) Chapter I DECEMBER 26 James Goodal jarred the oversized revolver from a dying man’s hand and then tossed the weapon across his living room. Even in the after-midnight darkness, he could see blood, soaking red the beige carpet near his feet. The man no longer stirred so James averted his gaze to the top of the staircase and to his surprise, he couldn’t see or hear her. “Ashley,” he called. No answer. “ASHLEY!” he yelled as loud as his voice would allow. Still no answer. Fear held James in place; fear of what he would find if he ascended to the second floor of his home. He thought he heard a faint, weak whisper calling to him. A shiver went through him, and he knew he had to move. He stepped over the body and charged up the stairs for the second floor, and after an instant, he found her a few feet from her bedroom. “Oh god, Ashley, no!” The teenager had both of her hands clutching her left thigh a few inches below her crotch. Blood was seeping between her fingers. James knew that if the bullet had cut the main artery in the leg she could bleed out. His mind was adrift in panic, searching for what he should do. Then it slammed into his brain. “I’ll call an ambulance.” He jogged for the phone next to his bed and quickly dialled 911. “Ambulance!” he blurted when the operator asked for his emergency. “My roommate was shot in the leg. It’s bleeding badly!” While sprinting back to where Ashley lay, he pulled off his pajama top and placed it on Ashley’s leg. “Apply pressure!” the operator said. “I am!” He kneeled next to Ashley with one hand on his portable phone and the other holding the shirt to the wound. “Is she breathing?” “Yeah, she’s looking right at me.” The horror in Ashley’s eyes sunk into him and panged his heart. He had never in his life felt so worried for another human and so utterly useless to help. “The ambulance is just a few minutes away, sir,” the operator said. Then the operator began asking about how Ashley was shot, about the kind of firearm, and who fired it. “Is the shooter still in the house, Mr. Goodal?” “Yes, I think he’s dead.” “Dead, sir?” “Yes, I killed him.” James set the phone aside and took Ashley’s hand in his. “It’s okay, Ashley. They’re coming. Just hold on, sweetie. Hold on.” “I love—you—James,” Ashley said almost silently, and then her body wilted and her eyes rolled back and closed. “ASHLEY, No!”

Professional Reviews
Highly recommended
Title: LIGHTING THE DARK SIDE (Six Modern Tales)
Author: WILLIAM R. POTTER
The book jacket claims these tales will exercise our emotions, capture our imagination, and challenge us to think in new directions. Well, I’m here to tell you all that the author delivers on all thatplus much, much more! These novellas and short stories are definitely page-turners, but what impressed me the most was their character-driven force. Potter skillfully intertwined succinct narrative and some natural, fast-paced dialogue to present characters so real, they leapt right off the page and captivated me immediately.
Lighting the Dark Side is a collection of three novellas and three short stories, including plenty of action, thrills, suspense, mystery, and even romance. We start with an engaging story of an improbable romance between an obsessive-compulsive geek and a drop-dead gorgeous woman, seemed doomed from the start. Next, there’s an artist trying his best to thrive and find love in spite of overbearing, cruel parents. Following that, Potter changes directions and we’re treated to a well-done, hard-boiled police procedural with a nice twist. An end of the world by approaching comet thriller is on tap after that, with some great flash-forward writing as well as another ingenious plot twist. Now, these are all wonderful tales, but I believe Potter saved the best two for last. The title, Blessing or Curse is self-explanatory, referring to a big lottery win. A kidnapping for ransom follows and we’re treated to some of the author’s best dialogue. It’s hugely entertaining and there are virtually no wasted wordsElmore Leonard style. And finally, Potter ends (all too soon) with a heart-warming tale of a wayward teenage street whore and a gentleman with a rescuer complex. It’s a great, intertwined plot where all the characters come together, in the same spirit of the Academy Award winning movie, Crash. Once again, Potter showcases his writing skills, this time with skillful interspersing of critical backstory in such a way as to avoid slowing the plot.
Well, you’ve probably guessed that I am highly recommending Lighting the Dark Side. As I said, all the stories are captivating but more than that, I urge you to take note of the writer’s skill at character development and I’m sure you’ll be impressed. In fact, I shouldn’t think it’d be long before a major publishing house snaps Mr. Potter up because he belongs on the bookshelves with the likes of Jeffery Deaver and Peter Abrahams.
Highly recommended by reviewer: Jan Evan Whitford, Allbooks Reviews


Something Very Different
Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (7/08)

"Lighting the Dark Side" contains a collection of six refreshingly different short stories. Each one is very unique and cannot be compared to the others. I really enjoyed reading the stories. They are about human nature and how we deal with hardships. Sometimes we overcome them, sometimes we obliterate them and sometimes we just make adjustments in ourselves to live with them.

What I discovered really interesting is that in almost every story, I found aspects of myself in the characters. This allowed me to feel like I could relate to what they had going on inside themselves. Some of these aspects ranged from a desire for vigilantism in situations with no other way out; a desire to help others by going way beyond what is expected; and that need to ask myself why I allow things to happen when I know the outcome ahead of time. Kind of like, why did I do that again? The examples in the stories are so much more interesting than any story that I have possibly lived.

Each short story or novella is very complete within itself, however, I found myself wishing that the stories would go on longer. I wasn't ready to leave the lives of these interesting characters. This is what made the book even more fun because I found myself thinking about the stories later on, wondering what happened to people that never even existed. The characters are very well developed and intricately woven into their plots that they seem very real. Their humanity is expressed through their shortcomings, and their need to change their situations.

This book, "Lighting the Dark Side," by William R. Potter, will definitely be enjoyed by all fans of fiction. I think that it would make an excellent selection for a reader's group or for a college course. I would love to hear the interesting discussions that will be held about these stories.

Reader Reviews for "Lighting The Dark Side-Six Modern Tales"

Reviewed by Debra Purdy Kong	8/27/2008
I love the book's cover. It's incredibly striking. Congratulations!
Reviewed by William Potter	6/14/2008
(by Jan Evan Whitford,Allbooks Reviews) The book jacket claims these tales will exercise our emotions, capture our imagination, and challenge us to think in new directions. Well, I'm here to tell you all that the author delivers on all that, plus much, much more! These novellas and short stories are definitely page-turners, but what impressed me the most was their character-driven force. Potter skillfully intertwined succinct narrative and some natural, fast-paced dialogue to present characters so real, they leapt right off the page and captivated me immediately....I shouldn't think it'd be long before a major publishing house snaps Mr. Potter up because he belongs on the bookshelves with the likes of Jeffery Deaver and Peter Abrahams. Highly recommended by reviewer: Jan Evan Whitford,Allbooks Reviews
Reviewed by Danica Whyte (Reader)	12/18/2007
The cover looks great. It really catches the eye. I think this one is a keeper. I'll be waiting for my autographed copy in March. Cheers, Dani

Want to review or comment on this book?
Click here to login!

Need a FREE Reader Membership?
Click here for your Membership!