Nay, Ivy, Nay / Wasps' Nest / Windfalls (Storycuts)

In 'Nay, Ivy, Nay', a mean old mycologist, who has fostered a beautiful white holly tree, denies his neighbour a sprig.

In 'Wasps' Nest', will the wasp nest survive the pest controller?

In 'Windfalls', picking up the windfall apples with his grandson and remembering his own son as a boy brings Martin true contentment.

Part of the Storycuts series, these three stories were previously published in the collectionThe Atmospheric Railway.

Shena Mackay was born in Edinburgh. She is the author of four previous collections of stories -Babies in Rhinestones,Dreams of Dead Women's Handbags,The Laughing AcademyandThe World's Smallest Unicorn. Her novels includeDunedin,The Orchard on Fire(which was shortlisted for the 1996 Booker Prize),The Artist's WidowandHeligoland(which was shortlisted for the 2003 Orange Prize).

Three short stories: a magical tale about Christmas; a man who loves wasp nests is forced to arrange an extermination; and a retired man finds real happiness with his grandchildren.