The Orange Spotlight

Scott McClanahan "Stories II" (Six Gallery Press)

"Quit checking your goddamn e-mail so much. Flush that cell phone down the toilet. There's a whole world outside. Let's break into blossom."

The more I read from Scott McClahanhan the deeper I find myself slipping into his world. It may be the way his characters seem to be consistent, be it his parents, Kim, or himself for that matter, but he writes in a way that draws you in. I cracked his his latest collection, Stories II, at the start of a 4 hour flight to Phoenix and finished well before we landed. I was consumed by stories of everyday life with a slightly deranged twist. I soon found that I was no longer on a plane, but working the phones as a telemarketer or watching "The Couple" implode as I ate from above, or teaching English in prison. Scott's stories were vibrantly flowing through out my thoughts.

Each story builds like the natural progression of life, but story that jump of the page from me was "Suicide Note". It is powerful, heart-felt, and genuine. Suicide as a disease that you catch, it seems relevant to dangerous times we find ourselves in. More than the brief stories, I love the way this collection ends. I won't give it away, but it is thought provoking, uplifting, and honestly a question that many of us has to face every day. It is almost like Scott is saying, here is an extended glimpse into my life, are you prepared to live yours?

Stories II was released by Six Gallery Press on November 25 and can be found here.