Teddy Rose Book Reviews Plus More


May 20

13

Benefits of Breathing by Christopher Meeks: Review

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on May 13, 2020
Posted in Book Tours • Books Read in 2020 • Short Story Collection  | Tagged With: , , , , | 4 Comments

Benefits of Breathing by Christopher MeeksThe Benefits of Breathing by Christopher Meeks


Publisher: White Whisker Books (May, 2020)
Category: Short Stories, Literary Fiction, Women’s Fiction, Relationships
ISBN: Coming Soon
Tour Date: May-June, 2020
Available in: Print & ebook, 238 Pages
The Benefits of Breathing

Description Benefits of Breathing by Christopher Meeks


In The Benefits of Breathing, his third collection of short stories, Christopher Meeks dives again into the human condition, particularly within relationships.  As one reader wrote on Amazon, “Some authors need a lot of words to describe their worlds and their people. Christopher Meeks says a lot with a little.” The Los Angeles Times has called his stories “poignant and wise.”

In this volume, “A Dog Story” captures a crumbled marriage and the love of a dog named Scrappy. “Joni Paredes” shows the birth of a new relationship that starts at a daughter’s wedding. “Nestor by the Numbers” follows one man’s often hilarious online dating experiences after he finally accepts his wife is gone. “Jerry with a Twist” shows an actor on an audition while his pregnant girlfriend helps him through a crisis. These and seven other stories will bring you into the special world of Meeks.

As reviewer Grady Harp notes, if you’ve previously “discovered the idiosyncrasies of Meeks’ writing style and content, rest assured that this new collection not only will not disappoint, but also it will provide further proof that we have a superior writer of the genre in our presence.” Try this book. You’ll have a lot to think about.

My Thought Benefits of Breathing by Christopher Meeks


First I have to say that I am a huge fan of Christopher Meeks.  I have loved all of his short stories and novels.  So, when I heard he was publishing another short story collection, I jumped for joy!

‘The Benefits of Breathing are 11 short stories about love, romance, relationships, and divorce.  The way the stories are ordered made perfect sense and make the stories flow from one to the next very well and add to the enjoyment.

I’ve said it before and I will say it again, Christopher Meeks is a master in the art of writing short stories. In short 11-20 pages, he is able to accomplish what most writers would need an entire novel to get their story across. He has done so with his trademark humor and quirky characters, as well as his keen observation of the human condition.

I love all 11 stories but if I was forced to pick a favorite ‘Joni Paredes’ would be it.  I could relate to this character so much.  She has a hard time making a commitment.  I was married at 20 and divorced two years later.  After that I dated a lot and even had a couple 4-6 months relationships but as soon as they guy started talk of moving in or marrying, that was it, I severed ties.  It wasn’t until I met my husband Bill at the age of 30 that I met my match.  We took it slow and lived together for a year before he even hinted at marriage.  It seemed the Joni finally met her match but she ended up running. I’m so glad I took a different path; it just took me awhile to trust myself and a man again. Were coming up to our 25th anniversary in June. Other favorite stories are ‘A Dog Story’ and ‘You Wreak Me Baby’.

If you don’t like short stories, I challenge you to read this collection! Short stories are special, in the hands of the right author. It is a true art form and Meeks always gets it right! Meeks comes out swinging from the first story! I cannot recommend this collection highly enough! I give it 5 stars.

I received the ebook for my honest opinion.

Awards and Recognition for Christopher Meeks


Book of the Year Bronze Award from ForeWord Reviews (2017): ‘The Chords of War’

ForeWord Reviews Book of the Year Finalist award (2011)- ‘Love At Absolute Zero’

Three book critics’ Ten Best Books of 2011-‘Love At Absolute Zero’

Three book critics’ Ten Best Books of 2009- ‘The Brightest Moon of the Century’ 

About Christopher MeeksBenefits of Breathing by Christopher Meeks


Award winning author, Christopher Meeks has five novels and two collections of short fiction published. The Benefits of Breathing’ is his third collection of short stories.

He has had stories published in several literary journals, and they have been included in the collections “Months and Seasons” and “The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea.” Mr. Meeks has had three full-length plays mounted in Los Angeles, and one, “Who Lives?” had been nominated for five Ovation Awards, Los Angeles’ top theatre prize.

Mr. Meeks teaches English and fiction writing at Santa Monica College, and Children’s Literature at the Art Center College of Design. He lives in Pasadena, CA.

Website at: www.chrismeeks.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Christopher-Meeks-212382392140974/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/christopher.meeks1
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MeeksChris

Buy Benefits of Breathing by Christopher Meeks


Amazon 

Giveaway Benefits of Breathing by Christopher Meeks


This giveaway is for the winner’s choice of print or ebook however, print is open to Canada and the U.S. only and ebook is available worldwide. There will be 3 winners. This giveaway ends June 27, 2020,midnight pacific time. Entries are accepted via Rafflecopter only.

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Benefits of Breathing by Christopher Meeks

Sep 18

11

Dog Story: Story About Divorce by Christopher Meeks- Review

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on September 11, 2018
Posted in Short Story Read in 2018  | Tagged With: , , , | 1 Comment

Dog Story: Story About Divorce by Christopher MeeksDog Story: Story About Divorce by Christopher Meeks


This short story is free on Kindle today!  Here is the link:

https://www.amazon.com/Dog-Story-about-Divorce-ebook/dp/B07GL15W7C/ref

Description Dog Story: Story About Divorce


In “A Dog Story,” a Los Angeles woman going through a divorce visits her soon-to-be-ex on Mother’s Day and gets their dog, Scrappy, for the day. That dog changes everything.

This story is part of a series of new tales from Christopher Meeks of modern life in America. When his first short story collection, “The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea,” came out, the Los Angeles Times called his work “poignant and wise, sympathetic to the everyday struggles the characters face.” Entertainment Weekly wrote it was a “stunning” collection. He continues here with his trademark insight and humor.

My Thoughts on Dog Story: Story About Divorce by Christopher Meeks


Neither Dan nor Chelsea know what happened to make them decide to split and get a divorce but they are now both trying to deal with the outcome.  It is evident that both have regrets and are having trouble moving on. 

 Chelsea goes to Dan’s to pick up his dog, Scrappy, to babysit him for Mother’s Day.  The dog seems reluctant to go with her and she seems reluctant to take him. While at Dan’s she learns that he has a date planned and she seems surprised and hurt. She is the one who broke it off but it is Dan who has decided to move on.  He tried so many times to win her back but now it is time.

She gets Scrappy in the car and drives off but is quite upset.  She thinks about Dan going on a date and about their daughter Bo, who is not speaking with her.  Then she gets into a car accident but her and Scrappy are unharmed. We learn more about the characters as the story progresses.  Scrappy even helps save the day.

‘A Dog’s Story’is a 14 page short story that really packs a punch.  It will be part of a new collection on divorce and modern day America by short story master, Christopher Meeks.

If you don’t like short stories, I challenge you to read this one!  Short stories are special, in the hands of the right author.  It is a true art form and Meeks always gets it right!  After reading this first story in the upcoming collection, I have to wonder if it will be even better than Meeks ‘The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea’.  It’s a high bar but Meeks comes out swinging with this, first story!  I highly recommend it!

5/5

About Christopher MeeksDog Story: Story About Divorce by Christopher Meeks


Christopher Meeks was born in Minnesota, earned degrees from the University of Denver and USC, and has lived in Los Angeles since 1977. He’s taught English at Santa Monica College, and creative writing at CalArts, UCLA Extension, Art Center College of Design, and USC.

His fiction has appeared often in Rosebud magazine as well as other literary journals, and his books have won several awards. His short works have been collected into two volumes, “The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea” and “Months and Seasons,” the latter which appeared on the long list for the Frank O’Connor International Short Story Award. He’s had three plays produced, and “Who Lives?” is published.

In longer fiction, he’s published two comic novels, “The Brightest Moon of the Century” and “Love At Absolute Zero,” and two crime novels, “Blood Drama” and “A Death in Vegas.” “The Chords of War,” written with Army veteran Samuel Gonzalez, Jr., focuses on the war in Iraq in 2006 and 2007. His unique literary sensibility ties the novels together–perhaps like the films from the Coen Brothers, directors who hail from the same state.

Oct 14

9

Classic Giveaway: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving (Intro by Elizabeth L. Bradley)

Posted by Teddyrose@1 on October 9, 2014
Posted in Classics • My Past Giveaways  | Tagged With: , , , , | 6 Comments

SleepyHollowThanks to Andrea Lam of Viking/Penguin Books, I am giving away one print copy of ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’, just in time for Halloween.

Book Description:

Perhaps the marker of a true mythos is when the stories themselves overshadow their creator. Originally published under a pseudonym as The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., THE LEGEND OF SLEEPY HOLLOW AND OTHER STORIES (A Penguin Classics Original; On-sale date: September 30, 2014; $11.00) gave America its own haunted mythology. This new collection of larger-than-life tales contains Washington Irving’s best-known literary inventions—Ichabod Crane, the Headless Horseman, and Rip Van Winkle—that continue to capture our imaginations today, and features an introduction and notes by Elizabeth L. Bradley, author of Knickerbocker: The Myth Behind New York and literary consultant to Historic Hudson Valley, the caretakers of Irving’s Tarrytown, New York home.

The setting of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” is renowned for the supernaturalism that pervades the imaginations of its inhabitants and visitors. The most infamous specter in the Hollow is the Headless Horseman, said to be the ghost of a Hessian trooper who had his head shot off by a stray cannonball during the American Revolutionary War, and who “rides forth to the scene of battle in nightly quest of his head.” The “Legend” relates the tale of Ichabod Crane, a superstitious schoolmaster from Connecticut, who competes with townsman Abraham Van Brunt for the hand of 18-year-old Katrina Van Tassel, the daughter and sole child of a wealthy farmer, Baltus Van Tassel. Crane sees marriage to Katrina as a means of procuring Van Tassel’s extravagant wealth. Bones, the local hero, vies with Ichabod for Katrina’s hand, playing a series of pranks on the jittery schoolmaster, and the fate of Sleepy Hollow’s fortune weighs in the balance for some time. The tension among the three is soon brought to a head.

About Washington Irving:WI

WASHINGTON IRVING (1783–1859) is generally credited with being the father of the American short story and was the first American writer to achieve international renown. He debuted in 1802 with a series of observational letters to the Morning Chronicle, and is best known for his short stories Rip Van Winkle (1819) and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.  He has written several historical works covering figures such as George Washington and Christopher Columbus.

About Elizabeth L. Bradley:

ELIZABETH L. BRADLEY, the author of Knickerbocker: The Myth Behind New York, serves as literary consultant to Historic Hudson Valley, the caretakers of Sunnyside—Irving’s Tarrytown, New York, home. She also wrote the introduction and notes for the Penguin Classics edition of Irving’s A History of New York.

This giveaway is open to the U.S. and Canada and ends on October 18, 2014.  Please use Rafflecopter to enter.

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