Description:

Marking the first original publication by Todd Grimson in almost 20 years, the 13 stories compiled in this volume showcase the author’s fascinating fictional canvases, peopled by authentic and sympathetic characters with settings ranging from the Amazon to the Sahara and stops in between to 1970s East Village and pre-Castro Cuba. Whether it’s a Hollywood starlet who goes AWOL from her movie set in the wake of her husband's suicide and in disguise embarks anonymously on a hedonistic bender or an African American man seeking the answer behind the mysterious disappearance of his friend in the heart of Muslim North Africa, each individual within these stories is striving to break free, to make new meaning of their world, to find recognition or self-definition in an otherwise bleak and unsympathetic world. Fresh and bold and original in his voice and depiction of character, places, and events, Grimson’s range is extraordinary, his imagination is unsurpassable, and his empathy for his characters—whether killers, transvestites, prostitutes—are all deeply heartfelt. ** ### Review "At his best, Todd Grimson channels the likes of Paul Bowles and Graham Greene. He works effortlessly, with fine result."  —Joel Rose, author, *The Blackest Bird *and *Kill, Kill, Faster, Faster* "Todd Grimson's stories are perhaps slightly less ruthless than his splendid meta-pulp novels, but they are ruthless enough. . . . A devastating compound of desire, hopelessness, and waste."  —Harry Mathews, author, *Cigarettes *and *The Journalist* "The stories in Todd Grimson's brilliant collection shine a blinding, sinister light onto the darker chambers of the human heart. In the tradition of Hubert Selby, Jr., Paul Bowles, and Robert Stone, Grimson remains a true original: a genuine 21st century American visionary."  —Elizabeth Hand, author, *Available Dark *and *Generation Loss* "Grimson's short fiction occupies that high, clear zone where Borges and Kafka dwell. The atmosphere is intoxicating and ominous. The view is limitless, seductive, always unexpected and distinctly dangerous. Delicious."  —Katherine Dunn, author, *Geek Love* ### About the Author **Todd Grimson** is the author of the novels *Brand New Cherry Flavor*, *Stainless*, and *Within Normal Limits*, which was the winner of the Oregon Book Award. He lives in Portland, Oregon.