apostrophen's review
5.0
Edit: Price-drop, until September 17th, 2017, on the Bold Strokes Books web-store, in e- and paper- formats, 15% off.
Full disclosure: I have a short story in this collection, which is gathered from contest entrants and previous attendees to the S&S Festival.
"What Took You So Long?" by Vince Sgambati
This story opens the anthology (and was a contest runner up) with a wonderful sense of empathy. Nick is a man who has nothing really left who has been handed a home following the death of an aunt he didn't really know at all. Coming to the place opens him up to realizations of his own life - and how much of his life is now empty - and then he crosses paths with Merrill, a man who bemuses Nick and gives Nick something he truly needs: a fresh take.
Death may lead the story, but it's the sort of death that brings healing and rebirth, and while the tale has a kind of gentle cadence to it, there are some moments that made me flinch as well. Nick is easy to imagine and sympathize with - indeed, the pathos of Nick is so well written that I found myself wanting to reach inside and give him a helpful shove.
A lovely start to the anthology, and one that made me keep going.
"It Only Occurred to Me Later," by Anne Laughlin
The opening of "It Only Occurred to Me Later" is an enviable one. In the space of a few sentences, I had such a complete picture of the character, her relationship, and her own sense of denial about what might be wrong with said relationship. Characterization is king in short fiction - you have so little space to do so much - that when I bump into as deft a beginning as this one, I sit up and take notice.
And try not to be too jealous.
The story unfolding is this: Angie's relationship in a bit of a wan spot (to say the least), and she is sent to Wyoming for a four week period for work, and along the way starts to question not only the relationship she has, but what she really wants. The job is tedious, and the communication with her girlfriend starts to follow suit, and the reader is left with the impression that Angie knows full well that things aren't well - but there's something to be said for the devil you know.
When she is instead introduced to a group of women - and a particular woman - after an impromptu invitation to a gathering, possibilities widen for Angie. I liked this story so much more for the tight line Laughlin walked with Angie - she never became pathetic, and instead invoked empathy. We've all been there.
"Bruno's Last Supper," by Jeff Lindemann
I first bumped into Jeff Lindemann's work in the 2011 short fiction anthology, and he's back with another tale here in the Saints + Sinners: New Fiction from the Festival 2013 collection. His story, "Bruno's Last Supper," is one that begins in a dark place: a mother picking up her son from a "former-gay" institution, where he has been left to recover from his ill ways.
Spun with a lovely dark humour and a witty take on religion, the whole notion of "fixing" gay people, and the weight of the past balanced against the potential of the future, the characters in "Bruno's Last Supper" dance around each other, their poor choices, and a chance at something better. That the chance might come from a traveling sculpture of the last supper, done life-size, is just a small slice of the charm in the tale.
"The Favor of a Reply," by Joe Landrum
The next story in the Saints + Sinners: New Fiction from the Festival 2013 anthology is Joe Landrum's wonderful tale about a lovely young boy with a talent for etiquette and poetry and all sorts of other things that just don't suit the rest of the world around him.
Gentle and loving in the telling, there's a sadness to this story that I connected with. I remember being the boy who escaped through books, through strange bits of knowledge, any esoterica that wasn't the day to day drudgery of horrible people who didn't want to be okay with who I was. It's beautifully done.
"Thou Shalt Not Lie," by N.S. Beranek
Oh how I loved this story. A man investigating the death of a minister - who died doing something selfless, at least on the surface - draws a faithful man to talk to the man who the minister saved. The two men speak, and in learning about lies, there is a chance to learn some greater truths.
This tale is delicately spun, and the characters interact with a raw honesty - despite being knee deep in half-truths and untruths - that left me quite touched. I hadn't imagined where the story was going from the start, but I really enjoyed the journey.
"In a Chamber of My Heart," by Sandra Gail Lambert
Speaking of winning, this story took the first prize in Saints + Sinners: New Fiction From the Festival 2013 contest. And oh my lord is it wonderful.
The set-up is deceptively simple: a woman on her death bed in a hospital, speaking to a historian who wants to know about her past. The conversation she has with this woman - and the past she is describing - unfold together within and without the haze of pain that she is trying to withstand a little longer, to make it to the time in which she can leave on her own terms.
I was so moved by this story. It's no wonder it won. It's beautifully done.
"Mountainview," by James Russell
I loved the characters in this piece. A young man - Nick - is suffering through his school years. He's gay, the world seems to know it, and one tormentor in particular just won't leave him alone. It's another day of school agony, until something seems to be happening, and the teachers are keeping secrets and taking all the cell phones. Something is happening, and Nick dares to do something he hasn't done before: he tries not to blend, and strikes out to see what's happening.
The interaction between Nick and his tormentor rang so true to me, and this is a rare time I've seen this particular moment in history done so well. The event itself isn't the point, and it doesn't hit shock value. It's more that - like the rest of the USA - these kids have their worldview altered, and everything changes.
"Looking for Philip," by George E. Jordan
A single encounter sets a man off kilter from the constant that his life has been so far. A young man, Philip, encountered during a time of celebration, becomes a new focus for Steven, who is consumed with trying to find Philip again. Set in 1981, the short moments captured in this story feel like a massive turning point in the life of Stephen, at a time when things were darker.
The setting - a club where boys are bought for the evening - is colorfully drawn and evokes an age that was somehow both free and darkly repressed. The discussion between Stephen and another patron is well crafted, and the reader is left on a note that - for me, anyway - was satisfying in an unusual way.
"Bucky and the Woods Cop," by Jim Stewart
Speaking of teasing, there's a lot of teasing going on in this story, which is the next in the Saints + Sinners New Fiction from the Festival 2013 short fiction contest anthology. The young man who is trying to make ends meet, the woods cop who is trying to stop poachers, and the collision of their two desires simmers with a kind of give-and-take tease through the tale.
What I like about this story is the gentleness behind the rigidity of the laws and the slow compassion that builds. Sexy, yes - this story is quite erotic - but it's the compassion that grabbed me. And the cheeky little turnaround at the end.
"Silver Pumps and a Loose Nut," by J.R. Greenwell
I got to hear J.R. Greenwell perform this piece at the Saints and Sinners Literary Festival book launch party, for the short fiction contest anthology.
A brilliant - and brilliantly funny - tale about two drag queens that is stuffed with more than a little bit of true wit and charm (and some pathos), "Silver Pumps and a Loose Nut" is just a wonderful experience. The two drag queens have incredibly brilliant characterization. Just make sure when you're reading this one that you don't have food or drink handy, as you'll likely choke at some of the unexpected wit.
That Daphne wants to recreate and live the classic "striding from the ocean" scene from Dr. No is the motivating force for most of the tale, but it's the journey from mousey sidekick to empowerment that's the real payoff to the tale. I loved this one.
"Stained Glass," by Karis Walsh
Talking about endings that leave you with closure but also wanting to know what comes after, this story has that in spades. Without revealing overmuch, the pair of women in this tale are both trapped in two very different ways - one, an artist who creates a comic book series from the writings of the other is agoraphobic, and just making the daily choices and getting outside the house is a desperately difficult thing to do. The other is a woman trapped in a dangerous relationship, who has found small ways to escape - including sending her writing to the artist. They have never met. They are about to find that the opportunity to be brave and escape is upon at least one of them.
But will the other join in?
I loved this story. I loved the characters, who are so wonderfully damaged without feeling pathetic or worthy of only pity. I loved the situation, and how two people who have never formally met can provide strength to each other. That, I think, is the piece of this I loved the most. And as for endings? Well, like they said on the panel, it's a delicate balance. But Walsh does it well.
Speaking of endings, I'm at the last tale in the Saints + Sinners New Fiction from the Festival 2013 book. Well, technically, I'm at the second-last, but the actual last story in the collection is my own story "Sky Blue," and I've been skipping my own stories when I do these reviews.
I hope you've enjoyed the trip through this collection. Without any intended maligning of the other four anthologies born from the short fiction contest, I'll say this one is my favorite. The stories just seem to get better and better every year, and I'm really honored to be included.
Full disclosure: I have a short story in this collection, which is gathered from contest entrants and previous attendees to the S&S Festival.
"What Took You So Long?" by Vince Sgambati
This story opens the anthology (and was a contest runner up) with a wonderful sense of empathy. Nick is a man who has nothing really left who has been handed a home following the death of an aunt he didn't really know at all. Coming to the place opens him up to realizations of his own life - and how much of his life is now empty - and then he crosses paths with Merrill, a man who bemuses Nick and gives Nick something he truly needs: a fresh take.
Death may lead the story, but it's the sort of death that brings healing and rebirth, and while the tale has a kind of gentle cadence to it, there are some moments that made me flinch as well. Nick is easy to imagine and sympathize with - indeed, the pathos of Nick is so well written that I found myself wanting to reach inside and give him a helpful shove.
A lovely start to the anthology, and one that made me keep going.
"It Only Occurred to Me Later," by Anne Laughlin
The opening of "It Only Occurred to Me Later" is an enviable one. In the space of a few sentences, I had such a complete picture of the character, her relationship, and her own sense of denial about what might be wrong with said relationship. Characterization is king in short fiction - you have so little space to do so much - that when I bump into as deft a beginning as this one, I sit up and take notice.
And try not to be too jealous.
The story unfolding is this: Angie's relationship in a bit of a wan spot (to say the least), and she is sent to Wyoming for a four week period for work, and along the way starts to question not only the relationship she has, but what she really wants. The job is tedious, and the communication with her girlfriend starts to follow suit, and the reader is left with the impression that Angie knows full well that things aren't well - but there's something to be said for the devil you know.
When she is instead introduced to a group of women - and a particular woman - after an impromptu invitation to a gathering, possibilities widen for Angie. I liked this story so much more for the tight line Laughlin walked with Angie - she never became pathetic, and instead invoked empathy. We've all been there.
"Bruno's Last Supper," by Jeff Lindemann
I first bumped into Jeff Lindemann's work in the 2011 short fiction anthology, and he's back with another tale here in the Saints + Sinners: New Fiction from the Festival 2013 collection. His story, "Bruno's Last Supper," is one that begins in a dark place: a mother picking up her son from a "former-gay" institution, where he has been left to recover from his ill ways.
Spun with a lovely dark humour and a witty take on religion, the whole notion of "fixing" gay people, and the weight of the past balanced against the potential of the future, the characters in "Bruno's Last Supper" dance around each other, their poor choices, and a chance at something better. That the chance might come from a traveling sculpture of the last supper, done life-size, is just a small slice of the charm in the tale.
"The Favor of a Reply," by Joe Landrum
The next story in the Saints + Sinners: New Fiction from the Festival 2013 anthology is Joe Landrum's wonderful tale about a lovely young boy with a talent for etiquette and poetry and all sorts of other things that just don't suit the rest of the world around him.
Gentle and loving in the telling, there's a sadness to this story that I connected with. I remember being the boy who escaped through books, through strange bits of knowledge, any esoterica that wasn't the day to day drudgery of horrible people who didn't want to be okay with who I was. It's beautifully done.
"Thou Shalt Not Lie," by N.S. Beranek
Oh how I loved this story. A man investigating the death of a minister - who died doing something selfless, at least on the surface - draws a faithful man to talk to the man who the minister saved. The two men speak, and in learning about lies, there is a chance to learn some greater truths.
This tale is delicately spun, and the characters interact with a raw honesty - despite being knee deep in half-truths and untruths - that left me quite touched. I hadn't imagined where the story was going from the start, but I really enjoyed the journey.
"In a Chamber of My Heart," by Sandra Gail Lambert
Speaking of winning, this story took the first prize in Saints + Sinners: New Fiction From the Festival 2013 contest. And oh my lord is it wonderful.
The set-up is deceptively simple: a woman on her death bed in a hospital, speaking to a historian who wants to know about her past. The conversation she has with this woman - and the past she is describing - unfold together within and without the haze of pain that she is trying to withstand a little longer, to make it to the time in which she can leave on her own terms.
I was so moved by this story. It's no wonder it won. It's beautifully done.
"Mountainview," by James Russell
I loved the characters in this piece. A young man - Nick - is suffering through his school years. He's gay, the world seems to know it, and one tormentor in particular just won't leave him alone. It's another day of school agony, until something seems to be happening, and the teachers are keeping secrets and taking all the cell phones. Something is happening, and Nick dares to do something he hasn't done before: he tries not to blend, and strikes out to see what's happening.
The interaction between Nick and his tormentor rang so true to me, and this is a rare time I've seen this particular moment in history done so well. The event itself isn't the point, and it doesn't hit shock value. It's more that - like the rest of the USA - these kids have their worldview altered, and everything changes.
"Looking for Philip," by George E. Jordan
A single encounter sets a man off kilter from the constant that his life has been so far. A young man, Philip, encountered during a time of celebration, becomes a new focus for Steven, who is consumed with trying to find Philip again. Set in 1981, the short moments captured in this story feel like a massive turning point in the life of Stephen, at a time when things were darker.
The setting - a club where boys are bought for the evening - is colorfully drawn and evokes an age that was somehow both free and darkly repressed. The discussion between Stephen and another patron is well crafted, and the reader is left on a note that - for me, anyway - was satisfying in an unusual way.
"Bucky and the Woods Cop," by Jim Stewart
Speaking of teasing, there's a lot of teasing going on in this story, which is the next in the Saints + Sinners New Fiction from the Festival 2013 short fiction contest anthology. The young man who is trying to make ends meet, the woods cop who is trying to stop poachers, and the collision of their two desires simmers with a kind of give-and-take tease through the tale.
What I like about this story is the gentleness behind the rigidity of the laws and the slow compassion that builds. Sexy, yes - this story is quite erotic - but it's the compassion that grabbed me. And the cheeky little turnaround at the end.
"Silver Pumps and a Loose Nut," by J.R. Greenwell
I got to hear J.R. Greenwell perform this piece at the Saints and Sinners Literary Festival book launch party, for the short fiction contest anthology.
A brilliant - and brilliantly funny - tale about two drag queens that is stuffed with more than a little bit of true wit and charm (and some pathos), "Silver Pumps and a Loose Nut" is just a wonderful experience. The two drag queens have incredibly brilliant characterization. Just make sure when you're reading this one that you don't have food or drink handy, as you'll likely choke at some of the unexpected wit.
That Daphne wants to recreate and live the classic "striding from the ocean" scene from Dr. No is the motivating force for most of the tale, but it's the journey from mousey sidekick to empowerment that's the real payoff to the tale. I loved this one.
"Stained Glass," by Karis Walsh
Talking about endings that leave you with closure but also wanting to know what comes after, this story has that in spades. Without revealing overmuch, the pair of women in this tale are both trapped in two very different ways - one, an artist who creates a comic book series from the writings of the other is agoraphobic, and just making the daily choices and getting outside the house is a desperately difficult thing to do. The other is a woman trapped in a dangerous relationship, who has found small ways to escape - including sending her writing to the artist. They have never met. They are about to find that the opportunity to be brave and escape is upon at least one of them.
But will the other join in?
I loved this story. I loved the characters, who are so wonderfully damaged without feeling pathetic or worthy of only pity. I loved the situation, and how two people who have never formally met can provide strength to each other. That, I think, is the piece of this I loved the most. And as for endings? Well, like they said on the panel, it's a delicate balance. But Walsh does it well.
Speaking of endings, I'm at the last tale in the Saints + Sinners New Fiction from the Festival 2013 book. Well, technically, I'm at the second-last, but the actual last story in the collection is my own story "Sky Blue," and I've been skipping my own stories when I do these reviews.
I hope you've enjoyed the trip through this collection. Without any intended maligning of the other four anthologies born from the short fiction contest, I'll say this one is my favorite. The stories just seem to get better and better every year, and I'm really honored to be included.
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