Winter of Different Directions

by Steven J. McDermott

The characters in Steven J. McDermott's short story collection Winter of Different Directions struggle to keep life's body blows and uppercuts from becoming knockout punches, whether they bring them on themselves, or receive them from friends, lovers, co-workers, or family. You might root for them. You might root against them. But just like the relatives you hope won't show for Thanksgiving, these are characters you can't forget. With his stunning range and passionate delivery, it is McDermott who lands the knockout punch in this debut short story collection.

Paperback

First published March 1, 2007

About the author

Steven J. McDermott has bounced around western Washington most of his life with stints in California and Scotland adding seasoning. He currently lives on the easternmost of the San Juan Islands with his wife Therese. He received his MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles, and his BA in English and Philosophy (with a minor in Anthropology) from Western Washington University. His short stories have been published in online and print journals such as Aethlon: The Journal of Sports Literature, Carve, Passages North, Red Wheelbarrow, The Rockford Review, Timbercreek Review, Westview, and most recently in The Angler, Scarecrow, Thieves Jargon, SmokeLong Quarterly, Word Riot, and elimae.

Reviews

[Yvette Ward-Horner · Rating 4 out of 5]

There's a little bit of everything in this book. The characters run the gamut from a homeless landscaper trying to pretend he's still in business to a self-made millionaire watching his empire crumble. There's a drunk pro-golfer, a carpenter obsessed with single malts, and a software developer who can't debug his code. Best of all, there's a guy who was paralyzed in a crowd-surfing accident and returns to the mosh pit in his wheelchair. Now that's originality. I think Enter Wheelchair Man is the best story in the book and it's certainly the one that stayed with me longest. Overall, this is a good collection and worth a read, especially if you like dark protagonists.

[Jason Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

McDermott's Winter of Different Directions is one of the better collections I've read in recent months. His characters are unique and likeable, and the plots are compelling. Each story feels authentic in every respect, which is impressive considering that the topics range from sports to technology to business practices and so on. While I think "Swept Aside" would've been a better opener than "Tough Act," and though "Risk Factors" may be too long due to its use of legalese, the collection is incredibly well-rounded. Those who've read Rusty Barnes and Benjamin Percy would be wise to check this out methinks.