A Howl for Mayflower

by Dan Gilmore

Aging widower Tobias Seltzer prefers to spend his time with dead authors rather than live, but flawed, humans. That is, until the night Mayflower Bryant corners him in the basement laundry of the Coronado and persuades him to dance with her in his skivvies. Almost against his will, Tobias is drawn into the lives of his misfit neighbors - a grieving widower, a pregnant, homeless teenager, a one-handed juggler, a Vietnam vet left brain-damaged by a misfired suicide attempt, a woman on the edge of Alzheimer's - and discovers that all problems can't be solved by reading books. Sometimes, the only solution is life itself. Dan Gilmore's debut novel takes a darkly humorous, painfully honest look at this last-minute journey toward love and self-discovery.

Genres: Fiction

Paperback

First published November 1, 2006

About the author

My story Happiest Black White Man in the World was chose by Robert Olen Butler to be included in 2015 Best Short Fictions. (Queen’s Fairy Press) The same story was nominated for a Pushcart Prize by Sharing House Journal.

My first story Okies won the Raymond Carver fiction contest. I’ve published a novel, A Howl for Mayflower and four collections of poetry, Season Tickets (Pima Press) and Love Takes a Bow (Imago Press), Panning for Gold (Imago Press), and Just Before Sleep (KYSO-Flash press). I have placed in the Martindale Fiction Award, and won three first place awards for short stories in Sandscript. Many of my poems have appeared in Atlanta Review, San Diego Reader, Aethlon, Blue Collar Review, The Carolina Review, Sandscript, Poetry Nook, Sharing House Journal, and Loft and Range. I have also been featured author in the KYSO journal.


I am currently working with Clare MacQueen, publisher of KYSO, to produce a full length book of haibun (a combination of prose and haiku) called New Shoes. And I’m working on a second book of short fiction pieces called Prayer Wars.

Reviews

[Allies Opinions · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gilmore has written an intimately unapologetic novel about the holes of selfishness and ideologies we find ourselves hunched in. His characters flaws, attributes and embarrassing urges are laid bare in a fashion that reminds us all that as humans we are complex and perplexing. Our motives a mixed bag in every circumstance.

There is no black and white to humanity. We are always in the midst of the gray.

I found this novel in many ways a comforting read. That’s not to say that its a fluff read because it couldn’t be further. It was like settling into anothers life. The characters are so deep and real that I felt like I had crawled into the brain of someone else’s body and became privy to their most private of thoughts and inadequacies.

Each character is portrayed without hesitancy.

There is a list of things I would like to applaud Gilmore for.

His portrayal of mental illness is spot on. I want to thank him for being especially unapologetic on this matter. As a populace, we can’t always look upon someones behavior as their intentional attempt to be obtuse. Often, they are damaged and suffering. Gilmore expertly gives the reader a view into this world that I think many really need.

Another thing I would like to applaud Gilmore for is his portrayal of a persons right to die. Mayflower’s mind is deteriorating rapidly. She doesn’t want to wither away and die in pain and confusion. She wants to die on her own terms and I love that Tobias respects and loves her enough to be there for her in her hour of darkness.

In A Howl for Mayflower, Gilmore reminds each of us that we are shaped by those close to us and we shape them in turn. This was a fabulous novel. Gilmore is an author I have now added to my list of absolute favorites.

To see my full review, check out my blog AlliesOpinions on Wordpress!

[Angi Plant · Rating 4 out of 5]

If I could do half stars this would be four and a half!  


I have to start by saying this is not a sappy, soppy love story. It is about love and life though. What a fabulous book about life, how people who are the least likely make their own little families and care for one another. This really shows how people can change, realise their dreams, and love one another within a short space of time. 


I loved how Tobias took on the burden of everyone's secrets, trying to convince himself that he only wanted to go back to his solitary life, having been married and widowed, but never feeling he lived, truly lived. He is such an identifiable character, as so many people  wander through life waiting for things to happen and it was so darkly funny, that at times I was chuckling guiltily to myself. I love the opening scene, as I could vividly picture Tobias watching Mayflower. 


If you need a book to teach you life is to be lived and not get to the end of untasted, unsavoured , and to enjoy every second of your life you can, read this NOW!! You don't ? Grand, read it anyway, you can't fail to laugh, cry and learn something about people, maybe even yourself. I cannot say how much I enjoyed this book. Excellent.


* Verified Purchase on Amazon *

[Alka · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story is set with an odd mix of characters and explores human psychology on how possibly humans act and think, i.e., how it is perfectly fine to do a specific activity any way you want. What started as a slow moving book for me (except the first chapter which had a downright funny situation of an impromptu dance between a half-naked middle-aged man and an old lady having Alzheimer in the laundry room), later endeared me to such an extent that I read it slowly so as to ponder and relish the eccentric characters and romanticized descriptions. And this became my daily reading book for many days (before calling off the day).

(Read more book reviews at my blog Ethereal Jinxed .)

One feels for the characters and their suffering, at the same time wanting to just set it how we consider correct. However, nothing is 100% correct and Dan Gilmore explores the moving ahead part in life suitably well. The laughter, sadness, jealousy, passion, selfishness and the unsavory moments of old, middle age and young people alike makes the book a complete package and thought-provoking.

Recommended for literature lovers and library readers from fiction category!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

For the first half of the book I found myself struggling to connect with its cast of characters, even though they were well written and I found the storyline a little disjointed. Then suddenly everything clicked into place and the story started to flow and by the inevitable ending the characters were real and drew real emotion from me.
If like me, you feel you are struggling with this book, stick with it, the rewards are worth it and Mr Gilmore has written some beautiful passages regarding Tobias' and Mayflower's relationship In the latter half of the book.

[Lisa Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful, engaging story with memorable characters and hilarious and heart wrenching situations. A small group of aging misfits are living in a funky, old hotel by downtown Tucson, Arizona. You'll find yourself rooting for them as they struggle with aging, affairs of the heart, friendship, and their own crazy brand of problem solving. I would love to see it made into a movie--a great story set in my corner of the world.