NEW
RELEASE
Hark - A Christmas Collection
by Justin
Bog
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Description
A beautifully written collection of short stories from critically
acclaimed Pacific Northwest writer Justin Bog, Hark explores the range of emotions surrounding the holidays. From melancholy
to madness, loss and despair to hope and forgiveness, these six tales shimmer
with feelings, some we’d rather stuff away, that Christmas can evoke.
Within Hark – A Christmas Collection, a retired police officer faces another
Christmas Eve while bitter recollections haunt his every turn, a lonely woman
plans to seduce Santa Claus one Christmas Eve, a widow grows anxious as she
searches for a present she misplaced and intended to send to her ungrateful
sister, a woman can’t keep the images of her past – these ghosts – from haunting
the life she chooses to live, a bookstore clerk and his partner join a
Christmas party in Sun Valley, Idaho and are taught a lesson most
un-holidaylike, and, finally, a couple portrays Mr. & Mrs. Claus in their
small island town holiday festivities and face a grim diagnosis together.
Set in colorful locations around the United States, from Anacortes,
Washington, to Ann Arbor, Michigan, and Sun Valley, Idaho, each tale focuses on
people who struggle to make good choices, learn lessons, and maybe even find
peace during the holiday season.
A bonus story, "Poseidon Eyes", from the upcoming Sandcastle and Other Stories – The Complete
Edition, is included.
Praise for the Book
"Hark - A Christmas Collection
by Justin Bog is a collection of short Christmas stories that make this
anything but your typical holiday romp. Like a box of chocolates, some are
better than others but each is honest, real and touched my heart. I laughed out
loud, got a little teary, a little melancholy... a mix of emotions were stirred
in this quick read. And that's author Justin Bog's gift! Well done." ~ Christina Boyd
"Hark brings us six
wonderful stories that occur at Christmastime. Unlike many books about this
time of year, Mr. Bog's collection pays tribute to the season without being
melodramatic or candy-cane sweet. [...] I compare the flow of these stories to
that of a jazz song. They are delivered in slow, crisp tones. The notes hit the
mark and draw in the reader. Like a 'seasoned' jazz singer though, Mr. Bog
knows that too many trills or too much scat singing can rob a song of its
essence, even if it may impress initially. As such, Hark is a true lesson in storytelling restraint. Each tale,
including the bonus "Poseidon Eyes" provides a window into the lives
of people we know. They are not Christmas caricatures; their lives are not
always extraordinary. They are pieces of you and me, and their stories will
touch you whether you celebrate Christmas or not." ~ Eden
"This is not your usual Christmas collection of stories. There are
no tales of magic and miracles to be found. In this book, the author has
collected together short stories that show another side of Christmas. An
equally important side. There are people who, for whatever reason, may not be
enjoying the Christmas season, and these stories looks at a few examples. [...]
I'd definitely recommend this book, especially as a Christmas read. The sights
and sounds of the season are intertwined with the deep and poignant characters'
stories." ~ Maria Savva
About the Author
Justin Bog lives in the Pacific Northwest on Fidalgo Island. Justin Bog
was Pop Culture Correspondent and Editor for In Classic Style. He is an
experimental cook, a lawn mower who colors outside the lines, and treat master
to two long coat German shepherds, Zippy and Kipling, and two barn cats, Ajax
The Gray and Eartha Kitt’n.
Links
