by Kevin Wilson
First published 2018
In the title story, a self-absorbed rock musician retreats to his hometown when his career hits turbulence. He faces the gap between his inflated self-image and his diminished circumstances. Another tale follows a young boy trapped in a car with his priest on an increasingly uncomfortable journey that tests both faith and trust. "Wildfire Johnny" centers on a man who stumbles upon an enchanted razor blade that grants him the power to slip backward through time. In "Scroll Through the Weapons," a couple struggles to care for their partner's malnourished and nearly wild nieces and nephews, children who seem more like survivors than family. Wilson weaves these four stories together through unexpected connections. Each narrative explores people caught between what they want and what they can actually control. The characters fumble through situations that blend the magical with the mundane, finding moments of grace in their confusion.
Genres: fiction, short-stories, literary-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, found-family
Setting: Hometown
Period: Contemporary
271 pages · Hardcover · Ecco