Since the suicide of his younger brother, Julien has burrowed away from life, turning his back on family and friends. His only human contacts are the denizens of a downtown Boston homeless shelter where he works the graveyard shift. One in particular — Rosie, an Irish “hag” — helps guide Julien through a particularly dark night, as he traverses the dim caverns and blind curves of the human spirit. The single night is filled with flashbacks, interactions with shelter transients, and Irish storytelling, that Julien hopes against hope might help him find some kind of resolution and purpose. Timothy Quigley deftly interweaves Celtic mythology, Christian dogma, street smarts, New Age drunk talk and mad men’s ravings, to create a deeply compassionate portrait of a jaded, disillusioned man’s struggle to get his life back on track. "Kissing The Hag is a dark night of the soul, a harrowing trip into the battered heart of the narrator…. Mr. Quigley... brings us through this night, and into the day…with grace, where new life and forgiveness abide.” ~ Bret Lott, author of Jewel (an Oprah pick) “[Timothy Quigley’s fiction]... is wonderful... buoyant and lively and crackling with fascinating energies and tensions.” ~ Dr. James D'Agostino, author of "Nude with Anything" and Editor of "The Chariton Review"

Kissing the Hag

Literature & Fiction

Quigley, Timothy

Literary

Pixel Hall Press

<p>“Girl,” my mama had said to me the minute she entered my hospital room, “on the highway of life, you’re always traveling left of center.” (from Traveling Left of Center) What happens when people face life situations for which they are emotionally or mentally unprepared? They may choose to allow fate to dictate the path they take—a decision that can lead to disastrous results. The characters in Traveling Left of Center and Other Stories are unable or unwilling to seize control over their lives, relying instead on coping methods that range from the passive (The Healer) and the aggressive (The Clock) to the humorous (Traveling Left of Center) and hopeful (Skating on Thin Ice). But the outcomes may not be what they anticipated or desired. Will they have time to correct their course or will they crash? <i>Nancy Christie’s is a hypnotic, lyrical voice that captures your heart with its deep, rich humanity.</i></p>

Traveling Left of Center

Christie, Nancy

Seven From Haven

Grotta, Daniel

Jo Joe

Judith Ormand learned hate and bigotry early in life. As a child, she was the only Black - and the only Jew - in a small insular Pennsylvania mountain village where she was raised by her white Christian grandparents. Now, she must reluctantly break her vow to never return to the town she learned to hate. During her one week visit, she buries and mourns her beloved grandmother, is forced to deal with the white boy who cruelly broke her heart, and is menaced by an old enemy. But with her traumatic discovery of a longburied secret, Judith finds more questions than answers about the prejudice that scarred her childhood. Jo Joe is a mystery of the heart that takes the reader through a journey of twisted memories, distorted love, and hate that threatens violence. ABOUT BLACK BEAR, PENNSYLVANIA "Jo Joe" is set in the fictional Pocono Mountains village of Black Bear, Pennsylvania. Black Bear was created as a literary “folie à deux” by Sally Wiener Grotta and Daniel Grotta. Both are dipping into the same pool of invented locale and characters to write a series of separate stories and novels that will, eventually, paint a full picture of the diversity of life and relationships in a small mountain village. The first Black Bear story was "Honor," a novella by Daniel Grotta.

Grotta, Sally Wiener

United States

The Winter Boy

Reminiscent of Margaret Atwood, Mary Doria Russell and Ursula K. LeGuin, "The Winter Boy" explores important political and social issues within a dynamic, character-driven otherworld, wrapped up in masterful storytelling.  A cloistered society of widows, the Alleshi, has forged a centuries-long peace by mentoring young men who will one day become the leaders of the land. Each boy is paired with a single Allesha for a season of intimacy and learning, using time-honored methods that include dialog, reason and sex. However, unknown to all but a hidden few, the peace is fracturing from pressures within and beyond.  Amidst this gathering political maelstrom, Rishana, a young new idealistic Allesha, takes her First Boy, Ryl, for a winter of training. But Ryl is a "problem boy," who fights Rishana every step of the way. At the same time, Rishana uncovers a web of conspiracies that could not only destroy Ryl, but threatens to tear their entire society apart. And a winter that should have been a gentle, quiet season becomes one of conflict, anger and danger.

Reminiscent of Margaret Atwood, Mary Doria Russell and Ursula K. LeGuin, "The Winter Boy" explores important political and social issues within a dynamic, character-driven otherworld, all wrapped up in masterful storytelling. The Valley of the Alleshi is the center of all civilization, the core and foundation of centuries of peace. A cloistered society of widows, the Alleshi, has forged a peace by mentoring young men who will one day become the leaders of the land. Each boy is paired with a single Allesha for a season of intimacy and learning, using time-honored methods that include storytelling, reason and sex. However, unknown to all but a hidden few, the peace is fracturing from pressures within and beyond, hacking at the very essence of their civilization. Amidst this gathering political maelstrom, Rishana, a young new idealistic Allesha, takes her First Boy, Ryl, for a winter season of training. But Ryl is a “problem boy,” who fights Rishana every step of the way. At the same time, Rishana uncovers a web of conspiracies that could not only destroy Ryl, but threatens to tear their entire society apart. And a winter that should have been a gentle, quiet season becomes one of conflict, anger and danger.

Judith Ormand learned hate and bigotry early in life. As a child, she was the only Black - and the only Jew - in a small insular Pennsylvania mountain village where she was raised by her white Christian grandparents. Now, she must reluctantly break her vow to never return to the town she learned to hate. During her one week visit, she buries and mourns her beloved grandmother, is forced to deal with the white boy who cruelly broke her heart, and is menaced by an old enemy. But with her traumatic discovery of a longburied secret, Judith finds more questions than answers about the prejudice that scarred her childhood. Jo Joe is a mystery of the heart that takes the reader through a journey of twisted memories, distorted love, and hate that threatens violence. "Thought provoking and inspiring." - Margo Crispino Azzarelli "A riveting read. Astute, psychologically believable and moving." - Rabbi Peg Kershenbaum "I read it through in a single sitting.... masterfully developed." - Professor Claire Herschfel

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Pixel Hall Press publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Pixel Hall Press

See the best price to sell, buy or rent books by the Pixel Hall Press publisher. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Kissing the Hag

Traveling Left of Center

Seven From Haven

Jo Joe

The Winter Boy

The Winter Boy

Jo Joe