Three otherwise unconnected people form a deep and unlikely bond across the miles via the nostalgic medium of the handwritten letter in the quietly spellbinding novella Three Guesses (Regal House 2025) by Chris McClain Johnson. It won the Fugere Book Prize. The opening chapters of this sparkling debut may cause the reader to wonder how […]
“Lullaby for the Grieving” by Ashley M. Jones
November 12, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Heralded as her most personal collection of poetry yet, Ashley M. Jones’s Lullaby for the Grieving (Hub City Press, 2025) dazzles with its power and beauty. With innovative forms, profound themes, and a fierceness tempered by sensitivity, Jones addresses many topics. Given the title, it is no surprise that poems about grief dominate the collection, […]
“Narrow the Road” by James Wade
November 10, 2025 by Leave a Comment
James Wade’s Depression-era road novel, Narrow the Road, features three adolescents: William, “a gawky, spindle-shanked creature,” his friend, Ollie, and Lena, a girl running from a con artist’s medicine show. These kids, fully characterized and full of life, will stick with readers the way they’re still living with me. Yes, it’s a coming-of-age story. And […]
Nobody writes quite like Sean Dietrich.
November 10, 2025 by Leave a Comment
He is the master of storytelling, no question, and he writes with rich, lyrical phrases, generous sprinkles of similes, and deep insight into the human psyche. Notably, he writes with empathy and compassion—even for the bad guys. Redemption as a theme is often hovering or in full force in his works. He has always brought […]
“A Legacy of Birds” by Sharon Perkins Ackerman
November 10, 2025 by 1 Comment
Sharon Perkins Ackerman’s most recent poetry collection— A Legacy of Birds (Kelsey Books 2025) — is comprehensive and lyrical, a wonderful representation of Appalachian childhood and growing pains. The poems each describe distinct memories, some hazy from humid days long gone, some sharp and clear as yesterday as Ackerman contemplates the past and the present. […]
“Orphans of the Living” by Kathy Watson
November 9, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Orphans of the Living (She Writes Press 2025) by Kathy Watson is a poignant, unflinching, and beautifully crafted novel rooted in the author’s family history. As Watson observes in her opening notes: “This book is a work of fiction. It’s also true.” Centered on the author’s maternal family, the Stovalls, the story, as Watson explains, […]