Michael Graves

In Trebor Healey’s short story, “Ghost,” included in his newly released collection, Falling, the protagonist states, “Often, I think most of my closest friends are dead writers. I talk to them all the time and they talk to me-through their books mostly. But through my dreams as well. Sometimes.” Inspired by writer Roberto Bolaño, among others, Healey’s protagonist travels to Mexico, embarking “on a pilgrimage to meet the master.” He writes, “Darshan, the Hindus call it, when you spend time with one of your teachers.” With his sixth book of fiction, Healey is, thankfully, not a dead writer. He is, though, […]

C. Dale Young’s fictional debut is a novel in stories that explores seemingly ordinary lives as they intersect with the truly extraordinary. Our guide to these non-linear, interlinked stories, Diego, is a somewhat unreliable narrator who has collected an oral history of the characters that spans several generations. In “Inside the Old House,” we meet Old Cassie. Once a nun, she is now the subject of rumors: Some say she’s seen the face of the devil, while others believe she has the power to heal. Neighbors warn one another not to look up toward her estate high up in the […]

Some know how to whistle. Others merely blow air and spit. This skill cannot be learned from friends or You Tube videos. Either you’ve got it, or you don’t. And Gregg Shapiro…he’s got it. How to Whistle is Shapiro’s second collection of short fiction, among other chapbooks. Set in myriad East Coast cities, these tales shine with an expert, balanced blend of heart, sex and comedy. The flawless opener, “Autograph,” invites readers into 1980s Boston. While two friends embark on an evening fit for rock and roll gods, readers revel in Beantown’s classic landmarks like Paradise, Newbury Street and Metro. […]