"The Green Ray" by Gregory J. Wolos.

 Scantic Books is proud to publish The Green Ray, the new story collection by award-winning author Gregory J. Wolos. Short stories are deceptively simple: characters in situations do things for a limited amount of time. In the hands of short story master Gregory J. Wolos, simplicity leads to a rare depth of literature that holds a reader’s mind well beyond the final line. A grandfather nearly doesn’t make it to a new phase of life. A candle maker waxes on about his complex life. A family reemerges from isolation after an alternative-universe pandemic. An aging musician may be betrayed by his own brain. A teacher puzzles over how to be present for a traumatized young student and his own son. Wolos brings these and other stories to life with suspense, empathy, and the power of a writer whose work will captivate readers for years to come.

“Gregory J Wolos’s work will make you laugh out loud and, in the next moment, transport you to the other side of the mirror. Like Kurt Vonnegut, he shows us life’s dark and heartbreaking absurdity. Wolos captures moments of ordinary life and turns them upside down to uncover their truth.” – Jessica Barcomb, author of Letting Go.

“In The Green Ray and Other Stories, Gregory J. Wolos is at the pinnacle of his conspicuous talent, and that is really saying something because his previous short fiction collections occupy a prominent place in the pantheon of best short fiction. By any measure, he is one of the most original and adept writers at work today, and this new volume is an occasion to celebrate. The literary canon is enriched by Wolos’s formidable imagination and authentic voice. In every one of Wolos's masterful tales, we witness his dedication to the art and craft of storytelling. There is nothing facile here. Hard work has been done to consummate effect, and the reader is lavishly rewarded.” – Michael C. Keith, author of The Late Epiphany of a Low-Key Oracle.

 You can order The Green Ray and Other Stories here:

https://www.amazon.com/Green-Ray-Other-Stories/dp/B0B9R2MBDL/ref=sr_1_1?crid=349TDDV5LEG98&keywords=The+green+ray+and+other+short+stories&qid=1661363111&sprefix=the+green+ray+and+other+short+stories%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-1 

"The Late Epiphany of a Low-Key Oracle" by Michael C. Keith

Scantic Books is proud to publish The Late Epiphany of a Low-Key Oracle, Michael C. Keith’s latest collection of microfiction. This book contains 188 mini-epics, each one beaming with quirky characters, oddball situations, and biting irony.

“Michael C. Keith is a champion of truth, a connoisseur of the absurd, a somewhat bewildered student of human nature, and one of the undisputed masters of short fiction.” – Rob Dinsmoor, author of Toxic Cookout and You’ll Never See it Coming.  

“The Late Epiphany of a Low-Key Oracle by Michael C. Keith is filled with concise, insightful flash fiction that shines a light on our current era of paradoxes and contradiction. Take for example this story: “When Leon declared that no American restaurant could hold a candle to the Kuushuur served at the Khan Buuz Bistro in Ulanbataar, everyone argued the point.” Keith has the background and authority to regale us with tales that zero in like lasers to illuminate our lives. Like Lydia Davis, Keith combines credible dialogue with concrete details and surprising moves that have us by turns laughing and reflecting. The author of more than twenty books, Keith is someone you will want to add to your reading list this year.” – Ed Meek, author of Luck and High Tide.

 You can order The Late Epiphany of a Low-Key Oracle here:

https://www.amazon.com/Late-Epiphany-Low-Key-Oracle/dp/B0B9QWHFNT/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3F5YIVNL2YHAV&keywords=the+late+epiphany+of+a+low-key+oracle&qid=1661362724&sprefix=The+Late+Epi%2Caps%2C429&sr=8-1