We’re thrilled to finally announce the publication dates for three awesome books—all of which will also be available at the Chicago Book Expo this Sunday! (And at the Heartland Fall Forum in Lombard on October 13th.)

First, from Canadian author Steve Passey, is Forty-Five Minutes of Unstoppable Rock, an inimitable collection about beautiful losers plumbing the depths of the Great Recession. I always want to call it “literary sleaze,” because there’s an element of that to it—bullet wounds and nudie bars and El Caminos and such—but there’s also so much more, a set of flawed-but-intriguing people stumbling through their unforgettable lives. The book will be officially available November 1, but you can get it here.

Next comes Old Open, a tremendously entertaining absurdist road novel about an aging Phoenix widower who discovers his neighbor is an expert on a mysterious UFO phenomenon. It’s been earning comparisons to Denis Johnson and Don DeLillo, but as is the case with all awesome authors, there’s also something inimitable and unique about Alex Higley’s work. This book’s an absolute delight to read; we’re officially launching it on November 7th, but it’s available for preorder as well.

Last—but far from least—we’re thrilled to have Giano Cromley back for another round with his excellent collection What We Build Upon the Ruins. This elegant but hard-hitting set features a devastating triptych of stories about a family that’s been pierced by tragedy; it’s memorable and touching and honest and true, an unforgettable series about being blindsided by tragedy, and struggling to rebuild in the face of great sorrow. It officially launches on November 14th, but along with the other books, you can get it at Book Expo, or preorder it online here.

More announcements to come!

Tortoise Books