Winter Dance Party

by Brett Biebel

In the wee hours of a cold winter morning, the plane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson crashed in a remote Iowa field, killing all three musicians, and forever marking February 3rd, 1959, as “the Day the Music Died.” The 59 linked flash stories in WINTER DANCE PARTY focus on the obsessions and indifferences of the inhabitants who still live near that field, as well as on the development company that bought the property—and what cash-grab designs they might have for a big empty piece of Americana. Amidst flyover-country pranks and bowling-alley shenanigans are the struggles between those who want to stop the commercialization, those desperate for the tourist dollars, and those caught in between. Told in crisp, lyrical prose, this is the fragmented story of tragedy and aftermath, filled with that American determination to profit off them both.

162 pages, Paperback

First published July 25, 2023

Reviews

[Laura McPherson · Rating 5 out of 5]

In "Winter Dance Party," Beibel examines the consumerization of everything from death to bed bugs under the vampire of capitalism, always operating simultaneously in plain view and just out of sight. These connected flash stories convey a sense of longing behind the way that the American pursuit of experiences to be shared prevents us from sharing experiences, and suggests we can still find meaning when experience fails. Beibel shows an uncanny grasp of the Midwestern spirit, from the gradations of meaning in knee slaps to the dozen possible translations of a Midwesterner's favorite swear. At turns optimistic and cynical, just like the Midwesterners that populate its pages, the collection is multiply connected to itself and the worlds that inspired it. Pynchon fans will be delighted by the references here, both overt and paranoiacally layered--but this collection is best enjoyed on its own, many organic merits. As Beibel writes, "some stories you gotta see for yourself."

[Allison Renner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get an ARC of this book and write a blurb, and I can’t recommend it enough. If you love flash fiction, music history, roadside attractions, complicated lives, and more, this is the collection for you.

My blurb:
Winter Dance Party encompasses the Buddy Holly plane crash, the roadside attraction, how it affected people in the surrounding area, and how it continues to do so. The characters are your neighbors, the people you see around town, learn about through gossip, or encounter one strange night in a bowling alley or empty field. You get to know them throughout the loose ties of the stories, weaving your way through the cornfield and the parentheticals inside of parentheticals that read like whispers in your ears. In this book, Biebel’s deft writing captures the obsession and mystery surrounding pop culture history.

[Heather Johnson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short story collection centered on voices from Clear Lake, IA. This includes the citizens of the community who have a lot of opinions about development near the Buddy Holly crash site, as well as citizens whose lives are impacted by those fateful events in February of 1959.

The voices were distinct, and at times, they were reminiscent of Ray Bradbury's folksy, charming small town adventures; however, it was inconsistent, so at times the stories caused a bit of whiplash. Overall, this book will appeal to those small townies who are familiar with notoriety and the way the public responds to small town events, but I'm not sure of its overall appeal.