Charactered Pieces gets Ben Tanzered

I have long known that Ben Tanzer is a fan of my story “An Optimist is the Human Personification of Spring” from my Charactered Pieces chapbook. Ben has been kind enough to tell me that very fact, saying to me that it is one of the most affecting stories he has read recently (even telling the world on his podcast). Simply stated, he likes the story, and his enthusiasm and praise is exactly the reason I write.

So, when he posted some more praise at Matt Bell’s blog, I once again felt the rush of what it means to truly be a writer. I can’t think this man enough (and Matt Bell for hosting the post).

“As the story unfolded, I knew it would go wrong, had to go wrong, and when it did, it took everything I had not to cry in the middle of the Red line “L” during the rush hour traffic, sitting saying to myself, breathe, hold it together bro, almost home, almost.

Ross and Ruland grasp that, in these stories anyway, and they hit me, and I was unprepared for it, and it’s wonderful being punched that way. It’s a gift in the way short stories are gifts. Quick and intimate. Sometimes violent. And then gone.”