Supporting Bookstores

Some of my books are available in independent bookstores. Athena's Bookshop in Kalamazoo carries most of my books, as does Snowbound Books in Marquette. More locally than any, the EUC Gallery in downtown Bay City (a cool city!) carries my fiction collections. If you get a chance, support them by buying a book.

Nice News

I just learned that my story "Hearts" will appear in Red Bridge Review's first "best of" anthology. The print edition of the book is due out in January. If you'd like to read "Hearts" it's available online. Go to the right side of this website and scroll down. You'll find a link to "Hearts." Let me know what you think.

A Little Summary

My chapbook, The Bridge, is a collection of three short stories that all take place around Michigan's Mackinac Bridge.

Big Thanks

Well, it's about time. I need to take a moment and thank Matt Bell for putting this website together for me. He's a good friend and one helluva writer. Check out the link to his site below. He's got some great stuff you can read online.

Cool Collection

Just recently I finished reading a collection of stories by Edward P. Jones called Lost in the City. The strength of his work reminds me of James Baldwin, Ralph Ellison, and Richard Wright. Each of his stories really pulled me in to the lives of the characters. These are characters who dwell in the dark corners of Washington DC's forgotten neighborhoods. They struggle to find meaning in their challenging and frightening lives. Jones gives voice to those who otherwise might not have a voice. If you get a chance, buy this collection. It's on amazon and others.

Most Unique Story

I always wanted to write a fly fishing story, but it seemed a little cliche. Writer. Fly Fisherman. I mean, come on. Plus, Hemingway and Norm Maclean had already done it so well. If I was going to write a fly fishing story, I wanted it to be different. I think I accomplished my goal when I wrote my little story "Cinnamon Ant." It's about a son who goes to meet his father for a fly fishing trip, except it's been years since he's seen his father -- who happens now to be a transvestite. I knew that was different. And, the catalyst for the story came from an experience I had while fly fishing. Want to know the story behind the story? Drop me an email. jcvandez@delta.edu.

The story "Cinnamon Ant" is available in my book Emergency Stopping and Other Stories.