the late season - Stephen Hines

PhillyDave

PhillyDave

“The essential doesn't change.” Beckett
Damn. The Late Season. That story truly stays with me. I can't stop thinking about it. There's subtlety and it's brief and it speaks volumes. Also, it's just some sad guy hanging out, then it's so much more than that. I have a limited vocabulary and want to something profound but i can't. The story's really great. Thank you. That is all. At my next opportunity to read i'd like to finish the book in one fell swoop and start all over again.
 
PhillyDave

PhillyDave

“The essential doesn't change.” Beckett
I just want to relay this moment. I'm getting ready for work this morn and my 12 yr older's propped up on my side of the bed on his chromebook with his mother asleep beside him. Just as i'm about to put on my shoes & leave for the day i ask if he's seen my book. He hands me i don't know what from the piles. I clarify for him, "Oh, no. That one. The Late Season." He hands it over and i proceed to go on & on, as i do, about how it's a killer short story collection about humans & realistic life & stuff & it's authentic & so good & the stories are from Canada & grandpa's from Halifax in Nova Scotia." His response? "Dad, i'm glad you're reading again. You know 'cause you were stuck there for a little." "Yeah, i know dude. Thanks for noticing." And thank you again Mr. Hines. The last story left to read.
 
esart

esart

esart.com
Founding member
Yo Hines,

I'm sorry that I have not commented on this thread. I didn't even realize how old it was. At least I can bring it back to life. You are such an amazing writer. Because I haven't had time to read much of anything else while getting my book to market, I haven't read every story in the Late Season yet. When I finish it, I'll be writing a stellar review everywhere for you. The few I've read have knocked me off my feet.

But I wanted to ask you if you're working on a novel. ???
 
hoochmonkey9

hoochmonkey9

Art should be its own hammer.
Moderator
Founding member
Very, veeeery slowly.

Always writing short stories. I have a chapbook of 2 stories coming out with Tangerine Press in the summer.

I have pretty much stopped writing poetry. For now. That could always change.
 
hoochmonkey9

hoochmonkey9

Art should be its own hammer.
Moderator
Founding member
No bother at all. I need the motivation. In addition to being a slow writer, I'm also a lazy one.
 
hoochmonkey9

hoochmonkey9

Art should be its own hammer.
Moderator
Founding member
Thanks for the kind words everyone.

Now, if you know of a North American publisher that would like to pick up the rights, hook me up. Ha.

It was a pain trying to get the book in my local library because the distributor is in the UK. I had to donate a copy. My local indie bookstore turned its nose up at it. And I have spent a shit ton of money in there over the past 30+ years.

Ah well.
 
mjp

mjp

Founding member
Why the hell would a local independent book store turn its nose up at a book by a local author? That's kind of ridiculous.

Who gives a shit where it's published? What's wrong with people? (Rhetorical question.)

They obviously didn't read it, because no one who reads that book can deny how good it is.
 
Hosh

Hosh

hoshomccreesh.com
mjp said:
Why the hell would a local independent book store turn its nose up at a book by a local author?
Click to expand...

Is it that they think, because it doesn't come from some literary hotbed (if there is such a thing), that our books just can't have any value? I feel like shops are annoyed by asking, at least sometimes.

It's gotta be a tough racket...wanting to put interesting stuff on the limited shelf space available, only to have readers come in and ask for the NY Times bestseller. That said, I'm pretty sure that anyone who picked up the book would find a hell of a lot to like in it. As I get closer to the end, I'm reluctant to finish because I don't want it to be over.
 
Black Swan

Black Swan

Abord the Yorikke!
Leaving for Vancouver for 3 weeks on the 8th! Guess I am leaving with Stephen's the late season, second time around!

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PhillyDave

PhillyDave

“The essential doesn't change.” Beckett
Great idea. I'm leaving Sunday for Calabogie ONT. I'll bring The Late Season to re-read & leave it for other guests to read/take. I can think of two other books (Hosho & Carol come to mind) I could leave in my Canadian library too.
 
Aficionado37

Aficionado37

Hey hooch, I just wanted to take some time to tell you how much I enjoyed the book. It had been a while since I read something that truly grabbed me. Throughout the week in which I read it, I was kind of busy doing other things, but my mind kept going "Hey man, maybe you should read another story."

What confused me sometimes about the stories, but is what I ended up loving about them, is the fact that they drop you in the middle of something. They didn't feel like traditional stories. They felt like stories about those moments in life in which not much seems to be happening, but a lot is going on, specially through people's heads. Definitely worth the wait.

Keep on writing, man!
 
PhillyDave

PhillyDave

“The essential doesn't change.” Beckett
btw Hooch. My folks are cool & well read but they don't get around to small press stuff. My father is currently reading Late Season I gave him & digging it. Short stories are not usually his thing. He's often a little off put as to the seemingly abrupt endings. But hey, so far, so good. oh yeah, i never did leave my copy in Canada... well, it's my dad's now.
 
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