SYNOPSIS OF
TWENTY-SIX PACK

TWENTY-SIX PACK is a collection of stories that take place in various locations, but most of which are set in Massachusetts. The collection branches into subjects and topics we generally seek to avoid. The book opens with Hot as Hell Biscuits, an account of a man trying to run away from his suburban life, but with no where to run except Jill’s Place, a local bar. Housing Meeting is the ironic tale of Sonny, a former human service worker who is down on his luck and forced to utilize the services he used to provide. Acknowledgement is a Pat on the Back or a Kick in the Ass is one of my favorite stories. This one details two people who deserve to be together, and unlike that found in my other work, they end up together.

Three stories quite unlike any of the others I’ve written are Blurbs and Burbs, Sofa for Jesus and Mudville. Blurbs and Burbs recalls events from my youth in Long Island, New York, hinting at the building blocks of future fiction. Sofa for Jesus prophesizes at what would happen to Jesus if he were to come down to earth in modern times and speak to the masses. This story greatly amuses me, mostly because it has been so maligned by some regular readers of mine and unexpectedly praised by reviewers. Mudville is a baseball tale, with the spirit of long suffering Red Sox fans. I won’t tell you if they win it all or not.

Sunday Evening Coming Down, Going Through the Motions, Angel to the South, In Soul, Lynn, Office Product, Small Pie, Moon over Massachusetts, Coat Check Girl, Empty Nest, and Can’t Have, all deal with dyspeptic relationships. Some have hope and some do not. Most end tragically. The collection ends with Nuts to Soup, a humorous account of a writer who finds a nasty word in his alphabet soup. This story also portrays life in that different zone that writers and creative individuals often utilize. As life flies by for the regular working stiffs, the creative work at odd hours comes to us. And we’re forced to make odd personal compromises.

Coast to Coast allowed me to use the voice of my son, portrayed by the character, James Jr., in a small role. James Jr. was a very minor character, but in the reality of my life, a major one. Coast to Coast is a prime example of how most of the stories in TWENTY-SIX PACK, are simply an exaggeration of the facts and events of my life. I thank God for my loving wife and family who realize the difference between fact and the twists of the inventive mind. It was a great deal of fun creating TWENTY-SIX PACK, and it is my hope that you enjoy the collection and find humor through some of society’s darkness.