If The Fates Allow~ A Holiday Anthology
Authors: Killian B. Brewer ~ Pene Henson ~ Erin Finnegan
Lilah Suzanne ~ Lynn Charles
Publisher: Interlude Press
Publication Date: December 1, 2017
Length: 212 pages
Reviewed by Erin
Synopsis & Bios
Gracious Living Magazine Says It
Has to Be a Live Tree
by Killian B. Brewer: Determined to
make his first Christmas with his new boyfriend magazine-perfect, Marcus seeks
the advice of lovable busy bodies, the Do-Nothings Club. When he learns that
his boyfriend, Hank, may have ordered a ring, Marcus’ attempts to transform his
home into a winter wonderland get out of hand. Featuring the characters from Lunch With the Do-Nothings at the Tammy
Dinette.
Killian B. Brewer
lives in his life-long home of Georgia with his partner and their dog. He has
written poetry and short fiction since he was knee-high to a grasshopper.
Brewer earned a BA in English and does not use this degree in his job in the
banking industry. He has a love of greasy diner food that borders on
obsessive. Lunch with the Do-Nothings at the
Tammy Dinette was published
in January, 2017. His debut novel, The Rules of
Ever After, is available from
Duet Books, the young adult imprint of Interlude Press.
True North by
Pene Henson: Shay Allen returns to her hometown in Montana for the holidays
with her best friend Devon with the intent to return home to L.A. by New Year’s
Eve. Instead, the weather traps them in the small town, but the there’s a
bright spot: her old crush Milla is still in town.
Pene Henson has gone from British
boarding schools to New York City law firms. She now lives in Sydney,
Australia, where she is an intellectual property lawyer and published poet who
is deeply immersed in the city’s LGBTQIA community. She spends her spare
time enjoying the outdoors and gazing at the ocean with her gorgeous wife and
two unexpectedly exceptional sons. Her first novel Into the
Blue (Interlude Press, 2016) received a Lambda Literary Award for Gay
Romance. Her second novel, Storm Season, was published by Interlude
Press in 2017.
Last Call at the Casa Blanca Bar
& Grille
by Erin Finnegan: As the one-year
anniversary of his lover’s death rolls around on Christmas, Jack Volarde finds
himself at their old haunt—a bar called the Casa Blanca, where a new bartender
helps him open up about loss, and see brightness in a future that had grown
dim.
Erin Finnegan is a former journalist and a
winemaker who lives in the foothills outside Los Angeles. Her novel Luchador was
named one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2016, and along with her
2014 debut novel, Sotto Voce, received both a Foreword Reviews
INDIES Book of the Year award and a PW starred review.
Halfway Home by
Lilah Suzanne: Avery Puckett has begun to wonder if her life has become
joyless. One night, fate intervenes in the form of a scraggly dog shivering and
alone in a parking lot. Avery takes him to a nearby shelter called Halfway Home
where she meets bright and beautiful Grace, who is determined to save the world
one stray at a time.
Lilah Suzanne has been writing
actively since the sixth grade, when a literary magazine published her essay
about an uncle who lost his life to AIDS. A freelance writer from North Carolina, she
spends most of her time behind a computer screen, but on the rare occasion she
ventures outside she enjoys museums, libraries, live concerts, and quiet walks
in the woods. Lilah is the author of the Interlude Press books Spice, Pivot
and Slip, and the Amazon bestselling Spotlight series: Broken
Records, Burning Tracks and Blended Notes.
Shelved by
Lynn Charles: When library clerk Karina Ness meets a new patron, lonely
business owner, Wesley Lloyd, she puts her own love life on hold and begins a
holiday matchmaking mission to connect Wes with her uncle Tony.
Lynn Charles’ love of writing dates
to her childhood, when thoughts, dreams, frustrations, and joys poured onto the
pages of journals and diaries. She lives in Central Ohio with her
husband and adult children where a blind dog and his guardian cat rule the
roost. When she’s not writing, Lynn can be found planning a trip to New York
or strolling its streets daydreaming about retirement. Her novel Black
Dust (2016) was named a finalist for a Foreword Reviews INDIES Book of
the Year award. Her other novels include Beneath the Stars (2017)
and Chef’s Table (2014).
Review
Every year I look forward to holiday stories. Christmas, Hanukkah, winter solstice ... the particulars don't matter because it's the spirit of the season that warms my heart. The sense of hope and love and joy always leaves a smile on my face and reminds why this is such a special time of year. When those stories are full of diverse characters, plots that are unique, and settings I've not read a million times before it's even better. I knew the If the Fates Allow anthology from Interlude Press would be excellent and I'm so happy to say I wasn't wrong.
I'm not going to review each story individually because as a whole, the entire thing is wonderful. Each story is unique, each one brings something different. Whether it's the humor and nostalgia in Gracious Living Says It Has to Be a Live Tree (some title, huh?!) by Killian B. Brewer or tons of heart and feel good vibes in True North by Pene Henson, you'll find something to connect to in each story. Perhaps you like your holiday stories with a bit of a magic to them, the kind with that sense of something bigger going on? If so, you're definitely going to enjoy Last Call at the Casa Blanca Bar & Grille by Erin Finnegan. This one will definitely hit your feels and leave you with that warm, fuzzy feeling that sticks with you for a long time. If you're like me, you are a sucker for those stories where people find love in the most expected places. If that kind of thing pushes your buttons, you'll for sure want to check out Shelved by Lynn Charles. This one was all kinds of sweet and romantic. And then there's Halfway Home by Lilah Suzanne where a scraggly dog without a home helps Avery find out there's more to life than just going through the motions.
Truly you guys, this anthology is one great story after another. They're each unique in a wonderful way and will leave you feeling like you just had a cup of yummy hot cocoa, snuggled under your favorite blanket while sitting in front of the fire. These stories will put you in the Christmas mood for sure. Be sure to check them out and be prepared to revel in the holiday spirit!
Guest Post
EMBRACING THE CURMUDGEON
By Erin Finnegan
One of the earliest trade
reviews of If the Fates Allow
described Jack Volarde, the protagonist in Last
Call at the Casa Blanca Bar & Grille, as a “curmudgeon.”
I balked at first. It’s too
easy an analogy, especially during the holiday season. Curmudgeons are
everywhere this time of year. Think Ebenezer Scrooge, and all of the variations
of Christmas cranks he has inspired. The holiday grump is a staple of books, film,
and Hallmark holiday marathons.
A season that’s about giving,
about putting others first, will inevitably inspire characters who represent a
counter-balance to the holiday spirit.
They are as the definition
suggests: miserly, crusty, with the temperament of an old man shouting, “Get off my lawn!” Curmudgeons— from
Scrooge to Dr. Gregory House, Oscar the Grouch, Fred Sanford, and Katherine in
The Taming of the Shrew—appear set in their ways, looking to lock the door on
the intrusions of the outside world.
Jack certainly shares some of
these characteristics. As Christmas rolls around a year after his lover’s
death, he wants to pull a Garbo: He wants to be alone. He rejects invitations
to share a holiday meal from colleagues and family under the pretense that he
wants to take a day off, watch some basketball, and enjoy a rare day off. In
his search for a bar open on Christmas day, he is drawn to his old haunt—a
quirky tequila bar in the center of downtown Los Angeles.
Still, I felt scratchy about
calling Jack a curmudgeon. He’s driven, not greedy. He’s trying to shut out
pain. I could hardly think of him as a crank. But if you scratch beneath the
surface of a curmudgeonly character, isn’t there usually something more?
In literary curmudgeon
tradition, there is an inevitable moment of inspiration, of seeing the light, showing
some heart, and perhaps embracing joy: Scrooge rejects greed, Katherine defends
the husband she first fought (There’s an entirely separate discussion to be had
about whether Katherine represents strong women or is an anti-feminist
treatise, but that’s a discussion for another day.) Even Oscar the Grouch
replaced Ernie’s rubber duck when it went missing.
There is another common
thread for literary grumps: Underneath the surface of a curmudgeon is usually
something deeper. They’re prickly for a reason, and it’s the road from
misanthrope to fully realized character that engages us.
As readers, we’re looking for
hope.
In Last Call, Jack gets his wake up call from top shelf tequila and a
loquacious bartender, who gives him the nudge he needs to open up about grief,
and come to terms with his partner’s death. It’s a moment of hope that Jack
will get back on his feet, and realize that he no longer needs to shut out the
world by diving headlong into his work.
So fine, Publishers Weekly. You win—Jack is a curmudgeon. Because in the
finest of curmudgeonly traditions, he represents the hope that we can all
change and become better, more fully realized people.
+ + +
Erin Finnegan is a former journalist and pubic
relations veteran who gave it all up to write books and make wine in the
foothills outside Los Angeles. Her novel Luchador
was named one of Publishers Weekly’s Best Books of 2016, and along with her
2014 debut novel, Sotto Voce,
received both a Foreword Reviews INDIES Book of the Year award and a PW starred
review. Connect with Erin at erin-finnegan.com, or on Twitter at @eringofinnegan
or Facebook at facebook.com/eringofinnegan.
Excerpt
Gracious
Living Magazine Says It Has to Be a Live Tree
by Killian B. Brewer
Hank ran
his hands down Marcus’s back and tucked them into Marcus’s back pockets. He
pulled Marcus tight against his body. “So how was it today?”
“It was
a good day, Baby.” The warmth of his boyfriend’s body soothed Marcus’s tired
muscles, and he relaxed into the embrace. Marcus breathed in deeply at Hank’s
collar bone. The smells of the home-cooked food reheating upstairs that
lingered in Hank’s cotton shirt mixed with his cologne and filled Marcus with
two types of hunger. He satisfied one by
turning his face and placing his lips on Hank’s. The other man let out a low
hum of pleasure as they kissed. Marcus pulled away slightly and looked into
Hank’s eyes. “I’m going to want seconds of that later, but right now I’m
starving.”
“Let’s
get upstairs and get to rectifying that.” Hank stepped toward the stairs and
pulled Marcus along behind him, only letting go of his hand when they reached
the narrow stairway and had to ascend single file. “You can tell me all about
how the dinner went. Was it a big crowd?”
“Big
doesn’t even begin to describe it. I can’t count how many plates I fixed
today.” Marcus concentrated on Hank’s backside, which was accented by worn
spots on his tight blue jeans, as it bounced up the stairs ahead of him. The
sight of Hank’s firm body inches away and the scents of food wafting from the
apartment set Marcus’s two hungers warring
inside him. As he clomped upward, a loud rumble from his stomach signaled which desire would win this time.
“Was
that your stomach?” Hank paused on the stairs
and turned to shoot Marcus a concerned look.
“Yeah,”
Marcus’s answered as he pushed Hank up the stairs into the apartment, “we need
to get some food into me.” Remembering the Do-Nothings admonition not to ruin
Hank’s surprise, he added, “I’m so tired I can barely climb these stairs. I
don’t think I can cook another thing today. Maybe we should just make a frozen
pizza.”
Hank
spun around and grabbed Marcus by both wrists. Excitement danced in his eyes,
and he shook his shoulders. “I’ve got a surprise for you! I made us a whole
Thanksgiving dinner. Turkey and everything!” He pulled Marcus into the
apartment and gestured toward the folding table beside the kitchenette along
the wall of the large, open loft. “You don’t have to cook any more today!”
The
table was covered with a russet tablecloth and had orange tapers burning in the
center of a spray of autumn leaves and
berries. Two plates sat on brown placemats embroidered with yellow leaves that
Marcus recognized from Helen’s kitchen
table. He was sure the tablecloth, napkins, and centerpiece
belonged to the Do-Nothings as well.
“Oh,
Hank. It’s beautiful. You shouldn’t have.” Marcus turned and kissed Hank on the
cheek. His stomach interrupted the kiss with a loud grumble. “But, clearly, I’m
so glad you did.”
“I
wanted to make our first Thanksgiving together a special night.” Hank beamed as
he stepped over to the counter and pointed out bowls of food arrayed there.
“And I made all your favorites. Cathead biscuits. Creamed corn. And look!” Hank
picked one bowl and thrust it toward Marcus. “Real mashed potatoes. Not from a
box!”
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