Technically, it took me twelve years to finish this excellent collection of short stories as I bought the book in 2005. I was taking a weeklong workshop at the Iowa Writer’s Festival that year and the instructor, Mary Helen Stefaniak had included in the syllabus the opening story in the collection, “A Note to Biographers Regarding Famous Author Flannery O’Connor” written, coincidentally, by Mary Helen Stefaniak. It’s a great story and an excellent introduction to the collection.

Despite good intentions, the book remained on my shelf for the next dozen years until I rediscovered it during a bookshelf reorganizing project. Twenty compelling stories from a diverse collection of authors including Chris Offutt (“The Best Friend”), Robert Olen Butler (“Heavy Metal”), William Gay (“My Hand is Just Fine Where it Is”), Allan Garganus (“He’s at the Office”) , Tony Earley (“Just Married”) and Margo Rabb (“How to Write a Story”).

I am a big fan of William Gay and Tony Early and would highly recommended any of their stories or novels, but if I had to pick a favorite from this collection it would have to be Margo Rabb’s “How to Write a Story,” – a tragicomic tale of an aspiring young writer trying to make sense of her life situation while navigating the rough waters of a prestigious MFA program.

But maybe it’s my favorite because it’s the last story I read. I might have to go back and read Mary Helen’s story again.

Highly recommended.
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