In Orchid & the Wasp, Caoilinn Hughes has created a singular character in Gael Foess. From the opening pages, set in Ireland in 2002 when Gael is only 11, to the conclusion, when 20-year-old Gael is back in Dublin in…
Here’s a quick look at some of the great books out this week. Happy pub day to all! Keith Gessen, A Terrible Country Viking From Publishers Weekly: “In Gessen’s exceptional and trenchant novel, floundering 30-something professor Andrei Kaplan flees…
Since we launched in October, CRAFT has published 23 stories. Take a reading break this holiday week and enjoy some wonderful short fiction. Be sure to read the Author’s Note that accompanies each of the stories: each writer considers an…
Novels almost always include multiple storylines. But when it comes to short stories, whether it’s due to the brevity of space, or the intense focus on the primary storyline, we often see stories that only travel one path. This tendency…
Exploring the imagination of a character is a wonderful way to allow the reader insight into the way a character thinks and behaves. How characters behave with others—their actions and their words—can move a story forward and, of course, are…
Here’s a quick look at some of the great books out this week. Happy pub day to all! Nick Arvin, Mad Boy Europa Editions From Kirkus Reviews: “Across the battlefields of the War of 1812, a young boy races to…
A novel that follows a trio of childhood friends from Dublin to northern California, Dan Sheehan’s debut novel, Restless Souls, nicely investigates male friendship as well as the impact of trauma. Strong first-person voices provide a narrative that flows easily, with…
Here’s a quick look at some of the great books out this week. Happy pub day to all! Adrienne Celt, Invitation to a Bonfire Bloomsbury Publishing From Kirkus Reviews: “Trembling with atmosphere, Celt’s (The Daughters, 2015) second novel follows…
Every day this month on Twitter, in celebration of Short Story Month, we’ve recommended a great short story to read. (Almost) all the stories we’ve selected are available online. Enjoy! It’s Short Story Month! 🎉🎉 Every day this month, we’ll…
For Short Story Month, we asked: What, exactly, is a short story? How is different from the novel? How can a definition help you to construct a piece, help you to decide whether your fiction is short or long? We’ve…
