BURNT TOAST is a work of fiction that exposes the darkness within a person when seeking change from a complacent lifestyle. Ernie Doyle becomes obsessed with formulating a plan to achieve exactly that. The entanglement of the three dominant characters—Ernie, a diligent Forest Ranger; Flammable Fred, a troubled soul with his own deviant compulsions; and Beaver, an unobtrusive local resident whose simple existence renders friendship to all in the community—engages the reader to experience the essence of country living in the small village of Shantyville. A quick yet entertaining novelette with a touch of wit and an unforeseen outcome.