Mudslinging: And other short stories

Mudslinging and other short stories is an anthology of short stories. It is a work of fiction, based on everyday life experiences and observations. It depicts the various faces of our society very evident to everyone yet most conveniently ignored by all. It will not be incorrect to say that it is a depiction of our society with all its ills and imperfections. The protagonists or characters are common people caught in the whirlwind of circumstances some beyond and some in their control, testing them, trying them as they endeavor to change their luck or most often acquiesce to circumstances, considering it as their fate. Bound in the shackles of society with its peculiar ethos the stories try to lay bare the truth. There are stories based on the dual yet imperceptible nature of people incapable of changing their habits, displaying lack of ethics and morals, having a God complex about their abilities, yet with a definite air of self-righteousness. And in between these horrid depictions is the image of society displayed due to socio-economic imbalances and deprivation, following the rule of might is right. A few light humored stories depict the feelings of characters while they try to find love, togetherness or solace in their wanton behavior. These are everyday events which mean to send a strong message to the reader about our machinations while ignoring the principles set forth by the deity or deemed as being acceptable in a cultured society.

Nauman Afzal is a telecom engineer by profession, a bibliophile by choice and a traveler by compulsion. He has never restricted himself to a particular genre, the choice of books and his personal collection are very varied. He has been writing technical articles for a long time and has published articles, travelogues and essays in print media as well online. Besides this he runs his own blog, writing about the things that inspire him. Being a bibliophile he wanted to pursue fiction writing and one of his stories "Running water" was published by Oxford University Press (during the 2015 Karachi Literature Festival in a book titled "I'll find my way"). "Mudslinging and other short stories" is his first serious attempt at fiction writing.