Finalist for the prestigious Frank O'Connor International Short Story Collection Award "Exceptionally entertaining and thought-provoking!" --Raging Bibliomania "A polished gem from a gifted artist" --critic Grady Harp Months and Seasons is the follow-up story collection to Christopher Meeks's award-winning The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea. With a combination of main characters from young to old and with drama and humor, the tales pursue such people as a supermodel who awakens after open-heart surgery, a famous playwright who faces a firestorm consuming the landscape, a reluctant man who attends a Halloween party as Dracula, and a New Yorker who thinks she's a chicken. "Christopher Meeks's quirky stories are lyrical and wonderfully human. Enjoy," says Sandra Tsing Loh, author of The Madwoman in the Volvo.

Months and Seasons

Literature & Fiction

Meeks, Christopher

Literary

White Whisker Books

"A truly great novel in the tradition of Charles Dickens and John Irving." --Marc Schuster, Small Press Reviews In his fourth award-winning book, Christopher Meeks offers a comic and compassionate coming-of-age novel. A young Minnesotan, Edward, is blessed with an abundance of "experience"--first when his mother dies and next when his father, an encyclopedia salesman, shoehorns Edward into a private boys school where he's tortured and groomed. He needs a place in the universe, but he wants an understanding of women. Edward stumbles into romance in high school, careens through dorm life in college, whirls into a tornado of love problems as a mini-mart owner in a trailer park in Alabama, and aims for a film career in Los Angeles. In nine chapters, the reader experiences Edward's life from ages 14 to 45. This novel follows Meeks's highly acclaimed collections of short stories, The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea and Months and Seasons. Carmela Ciuraru wrote in the Los Angeles Times Book Review of Meeks's first book, "This idea resonates throughout the collection: Meeks's characters seek happiness in the small things because they have no choice ... [The stories] are poignant and wise, sympathetic to the everyday struggles these characters face." Author and humorist Sandra Tsing Loh has said, "Christopher Meeks's quirky stories are lyrical and wonderfully human. Enjoy."

The Brightest Moon of the Century

Humor & Satire

Here is a story collection about love, death, humor, and the glue called family. In one narrative, a man wakes up one morning to find the odor of dead fish won't go away, but no one else can smell it. In another, a couple's visit with friends to watch the Academy Awards has the protagonist envying his friends' lawn and lifestyle. In these and eleven other stories, Christopher Meeks balances tragedy and wit. As novelist David Scott Milton explains, "In this collection, Christopher Meeks examines the small heartbreaks of quiet despair that are so much a part of all our lives. He does it in language that is resonant, poetic, and precise.... If you like Raymond Carver, you'll love Meeks. He may be as good--or better."

The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea

Contemporary

Fifteen year-old Megan Barnett and her single mom, Suze, have a special relationship—they are friends, close friends, who do almost everything together. “But come on, guys, she’s my mother… Can I really tell her that while we’re snuggled up on the sofa watching Spider Man Three, I’m secretly undressing James Franco with my eyes? Of course not…” The special bond takes a turn for the worse when Suze decides to start dating again. She hasn’t had a man in her life since Megan’s father left ten years ago. Enter two mysterious young men, Megan’s new classmate, sinfully attractive bad boy, Guy Matson, and the dangerously handsome art dealer, Armando. Before long Megan and Suze both wind up in steamy relationships. But neither of the handsome pair is quite what he seems. In fact, one of them is Satan, with his sights set on a new bride. Megan has precious little time to figure out how to stop him. If she doesn’t, either Megan or Suze are quite literally going to HELL. "Boyfriend From Hell" is the first book in the Falling Angels Saga from the author of the gruesomely hilarious, "Never Slow Dance With A Zombie."

Boyfriend From Hell

Religion & Spirituality

Van Lowe, E.

New Age & Spirituality

Love At Absolute Zero is about a physicist who tries to apply the tools of science to finding a soul mate. Specifically, when Gunnar Gunderson, a 32-year-old physicist at the University of Wisconsin, can only think of finding a wife, his research falters. To meet his soul mate within three days--all time he can carve out--he and his team are using the scientific method, to riotous results. Can Gunnar survive his quest?"Watching Gunnar and his band of nerds apply the scientific method to romance will keep you laughing and deliciously engaged," says author Lynn Hightower (High Water, Fortunes of the Dead). "Gunnar negotiates the puzzling world of women who are just not that into him. Finally, the shoe is on the other foot. Refreshing, delightful, and unique."“It is impossible not to like Gunnar Gunderson,” says critic Sam Sattler of Book Chase. “As Gunnar progresses from one disaster or near miss to the next, one views him with a mixture of compassion and laughter, but he is such a good-hearted young man that it is impossible not to root for him.” “The magical thing,” says reviewer Grady Harp (Top Ten on Amazon) “is that Meeks makes us really care about this strange bright naïve nerd.”“As engaging as it is amusing, Love at Absolute Zero is, ultimately, a heartfelt study of the tension between the head and heart, science and emotion, calculation and chance.” - Marc Schuster, Small Press Reviews“The author hit a home run. It’s a very good story, very well told.” - Jim Chambers, Red Adept Reviews“As if Einstein didn’t struggle hard enough failing at a unified field theory,” says Philip Persinger, author of 'Do The Math', “Meeks ups the ante by tossing philosophy, anthropology, hashish, and love (with a capital L) into the mix. And while we’re so sorry, Uncle Albert, in Love At Absolute Zero, Meeks succeeds absolutely.”

Love At Absolute Zero

Frank Kalinyak, disgraced ex-cop, returns to Pittsburgh, Pa., “Iron City”, his hometown, from Tucson where he has been living a desperate existence since the death of his young daughter. He has been summoned home by Bobby Mack, an Assistant D.A., to find out who murdered an old high school friend. Kalinyak is swept into a whirlpool of bizarre killings, religious fanaticism, church duplicity, hustlers, cops, junkies, old friends gone bad. Amid the fractured landscape of Iron City, rusting mills, rotting industry, he struggles to find sense in his life. Ultimately he must ask: who is he and can he survive? “David Scott Milton can write like an angel… a writer hell bent on fulfilling the legacy of John Steinbeck, carrying on the tradition of James Jones and exploring his own heights.” -- Alabama Journal “It was my misfortune to have missed 'The Quarterback', and thus be unaware of this fine, unflinching writer. He does not prettify, embroider, ornament of otherwise offend against the utter dignity of his hard, enduring characters; out of their meanness, and misery, he has made a story which I envy, in prose as clean and businesslike as a switchblade. Make sure everybody hears about this book; it’s not about a gambler and a broad and a fighter at all—it’s about the human condition, and it’s beautiful.” -- George V. Higgins, author of The "Friends of Eddie Coyle"

Iron City

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Milton, David Scott

Mystery

Do Angels lie? Just because Megan Barnett recently defeated Satan, has a fantastic new best friend, and has won the love of deliciously handsome Guy Matson doesn't mean her troubles are over. Far from it. For Megan doesn't realize it, but in her possession is a powerful weapon, one sought after by both angels and demons and everything in between...  Then when the mysterious and beautiful Roxanne shows up at Guy Matson's side, Megan finds herself questioning the sincerity of his love. In the dramatic sequel to "Boyfriend From Hell," Megan becomes a pawn in the power struggle between Angels and Nephilim, and winds up in a gripping life-or-death battle to save herself, the angel she loves, and all of mankind from unspeakable evil.

Earth Angel

"The Fiction Writer’s Handbook" is the definitive volume to explain the words and phrases that writers and editors use when they talk about a work. In the highly competitive publishing world, today’s writers need to stay ahead of the competition and make every sentence count. This book will help new writers who need an understanding of the writing process, and for seasoned writers, it is a powerful tool.

The Fiction Writer's Handbook: The definitive guide to McGuffins, red herrings, shaggy dogs, and other literary revelations from a master

Reference

Lowenkopf, Shelly

Writing, Research & Publishing Guides

What Does It All Mean? Readers who devoured "Boyfriend From Hell" and "Earth Angel" will be captivated by the third book in the Falling Angels Saga. As summer break for Glendale Union high begins, heartsick Megan awaits Guy's return while struggling to control her emerging abilities. Love is in the air, but can the new loves in Megan, Maudrina, Suze and Aunt Jaz's lives be trusted? Nothing is what it seems. Meanwhile, the Satanists are set to hatch their most diabolical scheme ever, and if it comes to pass, Satan may finally win out. Megan has precious little time to unravel the cryptic message hidden in the riddle she received at the end of "Earth Angel." If she doesn't, the life of someone most dear to her will be lost forever, and Megan may yet find herself living in HELL. The third book in E. Van Lowe's Falling Angels Saga is his most thrilling yet. AND FROM THE CRITICS: "There are quite a few twists and turns that were definitely unexpected, but that's the beauty of a good book." -Lissette Manning "A very enjoyable read with great unpredictable twists and turns." -Seirra Poirier "I really recommend reading this series to anyone who like the paranormal romances out there with a thriller feel to them." -Michelle Lynn

Heaven Sent (Falling Angels Saga)

Teen & Young Adult

Everyone has a bad day. Graduate student Ian Nash has lost his girlfriend in addition to being dropped from a Ph.D. program in theatre at a Southern California university. When he stops at a local coffee shop in the lobby of a bank to apply for a job, the proverbial organic matter hits the fan. A gang of four robs the bank, and things get bloody. Ian is taken hostage by the robbers when the police show up. Now he has to save his life. FBI Special Agent Aleece Medina's analysis of the bloody bank heist drives her into the pursuit of a robbery gang headed by two women. She doesn't anticipate how this robbery will pit her against both the bandits and the male higher-ups in the FBI while the media heats up during a giant manhunt. The robbers are about to kill Ian, and all he has at hand is his knowledge of the stage. EARLY REVIEWERS SAY: "Ian Nash is not an easily defeated man. He is a winner in spite of himself, and we love him for that." - Sam Sattler, Book Chase "Author Christopher Meeks synthesizes all with elan in this most recent narrative triumph. He unfailingly entertains!" - Gerald Locklin, author of "The Vampires Saved Civilization" CRITICS ON CHRISTOPHER MEEKS'S PREVIOUS NOVELS SAY: "Charming and endlessly entertaining." - The Midwest Book Review "It is a given, now, that Christopher Meeks is a master craftsman as a writer... His stance in the echelon of new important American writers seems solidly secure."- Grady Harp, Amazon Top-Ten Reviewer "I have to say I've gone from being an admirer of his work to a full-blown fan bordering on groupie." - Marc Schuster, Small Press Reviews "Christopher Meeks captures life's unpredictability while retaining a message of the hope that inspires us all." -Meghan Burton, Medieval Bookworm

Blood Drama

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