A Collection of Short Stories not only incorporates storylines of love and modern problems evident in todays society but also personal experiences of a miners daughter. Author Gillian Fletcher-Edwards grew up in a mining family of the fifties and sixties, from which many of her stories and life philosophies grew. Marged Evans is the story of two people who drifted apart. Marged allowed the breakup to affect her life, but her receipt of a Christmas card from her long-lost lover changes everything. The Bully is apt for people of every age and culture and will encourage people to deal with bullies in a healthy manner. The Annual Outing is a reflection of the miners holidays when, regardless of the weather, people in droves escaped the bleakness of mining life. The Cottage on the Hill: A Monologue illustrates how people are often undervalued for their work and general loyalty, passed over for yes-men. The Raindrop shows how people can change from being friendly to hostile when necessities are scarce. Fletcher-Edwards hopes that through her stories, people will not forget the struggles that miners familieswherever in the world they liveoften experience.