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Where the Dog Star Never Glows

• A NewPages.com New & Noteworthy Book, January 2010
• #7 on B&N's Bestseller List for New Story Collections, Feb-March 2010
• Jane's Stories Press Foundation Recommended Reading
• 5 Stars from Midwest Book Reviews

Praise for Where the Dog Star Never Glows:

". . . Masih’s stories are minimally but skillfully detailed—no last names, vague settings—giving extra weight to simple, recurring phenomena like water and color (“the evening’s August melon light”). Striking and resonant, this collection should prove memorable for any fan of New Yorker-style literary short fiction."   
—Publishers Weekly online Feb. 15 review 
(read whole review here)

 . . . Masih has done what so many other writers spend a lifetime attempting: she’s grown so comfortable with words . . . that she can breathe life into the fictional worlds of her imagination with the greatest of ease. At least, that’s how it feels from the outside. Like the best of artisans, she makes her job look easy. . . . Where the Dog Star Never Glows is an amazing collection of short fiction that introduces Tara L. Masih as a true artist of the short story whose way with words is matched only by her intuitive grasp of all that makes us human. Needless to say, I can’t wait to see what this author does next.
  —Marc Schuster, Small Press Reviews, May 10, 2010
(read whole review here)

Tara L. Masih's debut collection of short stories is as varied as the characters she writes--encompassing a wide range of locations and styles, Masih showcases the breadth of her talent in this slim but powerful volume. . . . [I]t is hard to identify a weak link. Masih's ability to fully inhabit each character, and her strong sense of place and time, make each story a standout in its own way. Masih's especially vivid descriptions of landscape and setting allow the reader to become completely immersed in each of her tales, no matter how brief. This is an excellent collection that should appeal to many readers.
  —Elizabeth Schulenburg, BookLoons Reviews, Feb. 2010
(read whole review here)

That beautiful spirit that permeates Masih’s short stories is nothing short of extraordinary. Truly written from the heart of a poet, her ability to turn a phrase is more than appealing to this particular reviewer. . . . Throughout the book there permeates an unexpected sense of peace, even as characters battle against tough life decisions. Settings and people alike are brought to life with well-chosen words handled like paint on a canvas, leaving the reader with lucid imagery and a sense of deep reflection. . . .
  —carp(e) libris reviews, March 2010
  (read whole review here)

There is precision in her prose that manages to capture the larger essence of character, of world and worldview, in a single stroke. . . . the vast array of settings is completely breathtaking. . . . Masih demonstrates that short fiction doesn't mean small ideas. This is a global collection that uses culture as more than color. Asking what it means to be a tourist, to be ruled, to belong, she crafts stories that delve into the essential questions of human nature that are never overly dense and are always pleasant to read.
  —Alex Myers, NewPages.com, April 1, 2010
(read whole review here)

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From the Publisher

In this impressive debut collection, Tara Masih shows an intimate sense of understanding her characters' innermost feelings, creating a memorable map of diverse characters that span the globe and several eras. Ghosts dance, butterflies swarm, men crystallize, the sun disappears, and water plays a role in both destruction and repair of the soul. With an unflinching eye, a mythical awareness of the natural world, and poetic, crafted prose, Masih examines the dark recesses of the mind and heart, which often leads to a small or great triumph or illumination that will resonate long after the last page is turned.

These stories have won awards and received Pushcart Prize, Best New American Voices, and Best of the Web nominations.

 

The Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction

Publishers Weekly Starred Review

• A 2009 ForeWord Book of the Year
• #6 on Small Press Distributions' nonfiction
  bestseller list
• A NewPages.com New & Noteworthy Book, May 2009
• A recommended nonfiction book, Poets & Writers' Summer 2009 reading list
• An Amazon.com Top-100 literary reference book
• A Fiction Writers Review Favorite Anthology for 2009

FEATURING ESSAYS FROM: Steve Almond • Rusty Barnes • Randall Brown • Mark Budman • Stace Budzko • Robert Olen Butler • Ron Carlson • Pamelyn Casto • Kim Chinquee • Stuart Dybek • Pia Z. Ehrhardt • Sherrie Flick • Vanessa Gebbie • Tom Hazuka • Nathan Leslie • Michael Martone • Julio Ortega • Pamela Painter • Jayne Anne Phillips • Jennifer Pieroni • Shouhua Qi • Bruce Holland Rogers • Robert Shapard • Deb Olin Unferth • Lex Williford

Read reviews here

With its unprecedented gathering of 25 brief essays by experts in the field, The Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction meets the growing need for a concise yet creative exploration of the reemerging genre popularly known as flash fiction. As they share their personal beliefs as to what exactly this hybrid genre consists of, and what it is defined by, the essayists also provide insight into their writ­ing habits, philosophies, inspirations, and teaching methods, along with tips for editing and improving flash stories. Original and well-tested exercises or prompts accompany each piece, followed by a story example for further study. As an added feature, the book’s introduction provides, for the first time, a comprehensive history of the short short story, from its early roots and appearances to its current state. This guide is a must for anyone in the field of short fiction who teaches, writes, and is interested in the genre’s genesis and practice.

Photo Credits: Michael Gilligan • Copyright © Tara L. Masih 2010. All Rights Reserved  
Web design/development by Ann Cope Consulting • Original site design by James Krendel-Clark