Title: Insomniac: Short Stories For Long Nights
Author: Joe Kilgore
Publisher: Encircle Publications, LLC
ISBN:978-1645992677
Pages: 288
Genre: Lawyers & Criminals Humor/Short Stories/Literary Fiction
Reviewed by: Tony Espinoza
Hollywood Book Reviews
No matter who you are or where you go, at one point or another we have all made mistakes. Mistakes are always hard to acknowledge and admit to others and ourselves, and some mistakes are worse than others, making it harder and harder to live with. Yet mistakes are also teachable moments, and help us to grow and embrace humanity as a whole. Even Mary Tyler Moore once said, “Take chances, make mistakes. That’s how you grow. Pain nourishes your courage. You have to fail in order to practice being brave.” Yet what happens if those mistakes are so bad that they cannot be unmade?
In author Joe Kilgore’s Insomniac: Short Stories For Long Nights, the author explores the concept of mistakes in many forms. Through several short stories, the author explores honest mistakes that lead to dishonesty and realizations which come too late as he brings the human comedy of life to the forefront. Exploring assassins, adulterers, petty criminals, and even an elderly man who may just be the Devil, the author brings great authors who came before him, such as Fitzgerald and Hemingway, and their iconic writing style to life through his original and memorable stories.
What a fantastic collection of short stories! Each story has a great pace and tone that showcases the pitfalls of bad decisions and mistakes when they have gone too far. The author draws the reader in immediately with the tale of an assassin who is tasked with taking out someone within his own organization, and must deal with the fallout of his decision. The twists and turns the author takes readers on in each story and the way the author manages to find the perfect balance of character growth and narrative within each story is remarkable to read first hand.
This is the perfect read for those who enjoy short story collections, especially short stories which deal with a multitude of different themes and genres, from thriller and suspense to domestic disturbances and even deals with the Devil. As a fan of these genres, it was amazing to see the author somehow find the means to change up the tempos of each story while somehow making them feel connected in some way, if not by narrative then by atmosphere.
A gripping, thought-provoking, and phenomenal read, author Joe Kilgore’s Insomniac is a must-read collection of short stories. The vast variety of locations, time periods and genres blend well with the themes of karma, choices, and consequences. The stories draw the reader in and entertain, but also engage the reader as the twists and turns take them on a complete journey. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your own copy of this truly incredible edge-of-your-seat collection today!