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284 ratings | 130 reviews | avg rating:4.18

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Tim’s Year In Books

Tim’s 2025 Year in Books

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Tim Cummings

Goodreads Author

Born

in Port Jefferson, The United States

January 15

Website

https://www.timcummings.ink

Genre

Literature & Fiction, Short Stories, Young Adult

Influences

Madeleine L'Engle
Toni Morrison
Beth Nugent
Ruth Chew
Joyce Carol Oates
Mar ...more

Member Since

May 2011

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Tim's debut novel, Alice the Cat (Fitzroy Books) was chosen as an American Book Awards 'Best Book' Finalist for 2023, received a Bronze Medal in the 2024 Feathered Quill Book Awards, and is a Finalist in both the 2024 National Indies Excellence Awards for Teen Fiction and the Independent Author Network's Book of the Year Awards. His second novel, The Lightning People Play, (Black Rose Writing) was published in the summer of 2025 and received the First Place Gold Medal for Teen Fiction in the 2026 Feathered Quill Book Awards, the Silver Medal in the 2026 Nautilus Book Awards, and the Bronze Medal in the 2026 Readers' Favorite Book Awards for Young Adult Social Issues.

In addition to his passion for storytelling, Tim is an octopus and spider Tim's debut novel, Alice the Cat (Fitzroy Books) was chosen as an American Book Awards 'Best Book' Finalist for 2023, received a Bronze Medal in the 2024 Feathered Quill Book Awards, and is a Finalist in both the 2024 National Indies Excellence Awards for Teen Fiction and the Independent Author Network's Book of the Year Awards. His second novel, The Lightning People Play, (Black Rose Writing) was published in the summer of 2025 and received the First Place Gold Medal for Teen Fiction in the 2026 Feathered Quill Book Awards, the Silver Medal in the 2026 Nautilus Book Awards, and the Bronze Medal in the 2026 Readers' Favorite Book Awards for Young Adult Social Issues.

In addition to his passion for storytelling, Tim is an octopus and spider enthusiast. He goes wild for anything with eight legs. If you have any questions about spiders or octopuses, ask him. He recently discovered he is a masterful hula-hooper and can whirl non-stop for eons. Of course, he loves reading and writing, but he also possesses enviable collections of stickers, Labradorite, night-sky projector lights, vintage vinyl, and rare first-edition hardcover copies of some of his favorite novels. He has a karaoke machine, too—this is serious business.

The Language of Birthdays cites his date of birth, January 15th, as 'The Day of Heroic Inevitability'; this tracks because he shares the day with Moliere, Joan of Arc, Martin Luther King, Jr., Captain Beefheart, and Charo. Lastly, no one has ever made a better vat of chili, and his lasagna is infallible.

He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles and a BFA from NYU/Tisch School of the Arts. Since 1984, he has appeared in over 200 projects across theatre, film, television, voice-over, and new media.

Recent publications of short fiction, essays, and poetry include F(r)iction, Scare Street, Lunch Ticket, MeowMeow PowPow, From Whispers to Roars, Drunk Monkeys, Hare's Paw, Lit Angels, and Critical Read/RAFT, for which he won the ‘Origins’ contest for his essay, “You Have Changed Me Forever.” He teaches writing for UCLA Extension Writers' Program. timcummings.ink for credits and info.

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Tim Cummings’s books

Average rating: 4.35 · 261 ratings · 113 reviews · 6 distinct works • Similar authors

	Alice the Cat 4.23 avg rating — 113 ratings — published 2023 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Night Terrors Vol. 11: Short Horror Stories Anthology by Justin Boote (Goodreads Author), Melissa Gibbo, S.B. Duncan 4.33 avg rating — 80 ratings — published 2021 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Lightning People Play 4.61 avg rating — 50 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Orphans 4.58 avg rating — 12 ratings — published 2011 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Night Terrors Volumes 10 - 12: Short Horror Stories Anthology (Night Terrors, #10-12) by Scare Street (Editor), Peter Cronsberry (Contributor), Jackson Robinson (Contributor) 4.29 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2021 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	ANTHOLOGY: The Ojai Playwrights Conference Youth Workshop 2006-2016 it was amazing 5.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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Tim Cummings's Blog

New Reviews

Hi hi hi. I'm sharing some new reviews that just dropped from Readers' Favorite.
More soon.
xTC

* Review Rating: 5 Stars –
Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers’ Favorite

The Lightning People Play by Tim Cummings is a young adult novel that mixes elements of magical realism with deeply grounded emotion. Kirby Renton is a 14-year-old boy trying to hold his family together. His younger brother Baxter suffe Read more of this blog post »

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Published on June 12, 2025 16:42 • Tags: the-lightning-people-play

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Tim is Currently Reading

Tim Cummings is currently reading

Solace House

by Will Maclean

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Nov 01, 2026 07:16AM

Tim’s Recent Updates

Tim Cummings is 33% done with Solace House Solace House by Will Maclean progress:	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 05, 2026 01:22PM · like · see status
Tim Cummings started reading Solace House by Will Maclean	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 01, 2026 07:16AM · like
Tim Cummings finished reading Body Language by Meg Howrey (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 01, 2026 07:15AM · 1 like · like
Tim Cummings is 90% done with Body Language Body Language by Meg Howrey (Goodreads Author) progress:	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 29, 2026 07:49AM · like · see status
Tim Cummings entered a giveaway Blaze by Emma Donoghue (Goodreads Author) 5 copies available, ends on November 22, 2026 Enter to win »
Oct 28, 2026 05:05PM · like · see giveaway
Tim Cummings wants to read The Cure's Disintegration (33 1/3) by Andi Harriman	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 28, 2026 05:01PM · 1 like · like
Tim Cummings wants to read Mazzy Star’s So Tonight That I Might See (33 1/3) by Anthony Gomez III	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 28, 2026 04:57PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Mazzy Star’s So Tonight That I Might See by Anthony Gomez III. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Mazzy Star’s So Tonight That I Might See by Anthony Gomez III <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Tim Cummings liked Dorothy's status update Dorothy is on page 46 of 263 of May We Feed the King
Oct 19, 2026 11:03AM
Tim Cummings liked Dorothy's review of Land: "...As the months go by, as the years stretch between the here and now and home, she feels less and less at ease in herself. And this tune! Its mournful, lilting strains, its minor chords that climb and fall, the drone of the next string that must lie" Read more of this review »
Oct 19, 2026 11:03AM · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Land by Maggie O'Farrell. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Land by Maggie O'Farrell <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Tim Cummings wants to read Land by Maggie O'Farrell (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 15, 2026 03:07PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Land by Maggie O'Farrell. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Land by Maggie O'Farrell <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

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Quotes by Tim Cummings (?)

“It’s easier for me to make sense of it that way than it is for me to face the other way—reality. And yet, those evil spirits that were unleashed—be they fake entities from a stupid carnival ride, or cruel malevolencies from dark spiritual chasms of our universe—have stayed with me all these years”
― Tim Cummings, Orphans

“I leave the kitchen table to bathe, and to dress for church. If only my closet held on its shelves an array of faces I could wear rather than dresses, I would know which face to put on today. As for the dresses, I haven't a clue.”
― Tim Cummings, Orphans

“Listen, we’ll come visit you. Okay? I’ll dress up as William Shakespeare, Lucent as Emily Dickinson, and beautiful ‘Ray’ as someone dashing and manly like Jules Verne or Ernest Hemingway...and we’ll write on your white-room walls. We’ll write you out of your supposed insanity. I love you, Micky Affias.

-James (from "Descendants of the Eminent")”
― Tim Cummings

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Topics Mentioning This Author

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Goodreads Librari...: The Lightning People Play	2	8	Apr 28, 2025 04:56PM

Tim’s Quotes

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.”
― Charles W. Eliot

tags: books, friends, reading, teachers

13940 likes

“Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.”
― Lemony Snicket, Horseradish: Bitter Truths You Can't Avoid

tags: books, reading

27774 likes

“I learned this, at least, by my experiment: that if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
― Henry David Thoreau, Walden: Or, Life in the Woods

8378 likes

“It's hard to lead a cavalry charge if you think you look funny on a horse.”
― Adlai E. Stevenson

tags: horses, leadership, war

991 likes

“Memory is a snare, pure and simple; it alters, it subtly rearranges the past to fit the present.”
― Mario Vargas Llosa

813 likes

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Tim’s Year In Books

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Tim Cummings

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Tim Cummings's Blog

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Preview — Mazzy Star’s So Tonight That I Might See by Anthony Gomez III

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Preview — Land by Maggie O'Farrell

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