Kiss Me

by Andrew Pyper

These are stories of a twentysomething generation, growing up in the small towns and cities of Canada, now confronting the universal dilemmas of life in the real world. No tidy coming-of-age collection, Pyper?s stories are populated with characters who struggle to reach out -- sometimes painfully, sometimes comically, and not always successfully -- to make sense of their seemingly fractured condition in an equally disaffected universe. First love, first lust, first high, first terrible moment of awareness that in a single moment, life can change forever -- this is shimmering, profound writing that moves from subtly detailed moments of awakening to often brutally shattering epiphanies.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

136 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1996

About the author

Andrew Pyper was a Canadian author. He published over ten fictional books, including The Demonologist, which won the International Thriller Writers Award, and Lost Girls, which was a New York Times bestseller and Notable Book of the Year.

Pyper also published under the name of Mason Coile.

Reviews

[Bonnie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Andrew Pyper’s debut collection of short stories (The Porcupine’s Quill, 1996) has stood the test of time. His universal themes regarding, largely, young adults, from small towns and cities in Canada, reflect truths that are as realistic today as they were over a decade ago.

The stories are written from the male and female point-of-view, generally first-person, past tense narratives, with the exception of the story The Author Shows a Little Kindness (3rd person, past).

Words and phrases that sprung to mind while reading this collection were: dilemmas, epiphanies, irony, living with secrets, loneliness, lust, pain, revealed truths; by all means not a complete list.

There was a time when I became dissatisfied with reading short stories. Too often, I’d enjoy a story until the ending lines. Too often, the ending was indeterminate: you, reader – you decide. This may be the case with a couple of the stories here, but not with most.

I know how difficult it is to make writing easy reading. But Pyper does it here. Perhaps these stories are better suited for young adults; there are lessons that might open a few eyes. But perhaps not only young adult eyes need opening. I’d recommend this book to readers of all ages.

[Steve Stred · Rating 5 out of 5]

For the past six years (maybe seven?) I’ve been rampaging my social media pages with all things Andrew Pyper during the month of May. When I say rampaging, I mean posting EVEN MORE Pyper content than usual. I dubbed it Pyper-May-Nia (with Andrew’s blessing) and outside of year one which was kind of lame (and 100% my fault for being lame), it’s been a fun time. Now, of course, there’s always the negative Nancy’s, those who comment or DM about the frequency of my Pyper posting, but the funny thing is, if I was posting about an author who wrote ‘IT’ or ‘The Dark Tower’ series every day, those same people would be loving it. So, to them I say, tough shit.

I often do a reread or two during May of Andrew’s work as well, and in the lead up to May arriving, I dove back into his debut collection, ‘Kiss Me.’ I personally prefer the simple, stark cover image of Leah McLaren (who was Andrew’s girlfriend at the time, and the phot was taken by Andrew) in the diner that adorned Porcupine Quill’s original version, versus the re-released edition through Harper Perennial where they added some color, filtering and reference Andrew’s highly successful debut novel ‘Lost Girls,’ which is why I chose that one for this post.

My first time through this collection was back in the halcyon days of 2019.

I went in tentatively, not sure how I’d connect with a collection that was purely literary fiction. Outside of a single story (1001 Names and Their Meanings), where the ending can be considered a turn for the worst, if you see it that way, there are no shades of the juggernaut Andrew would become soon after in the Canadian Horror world, or the wider world thereafter.

The stories within this are a sublime mix of growing up. Of the micro and macro of each person’s life, as seen through the lens of a writer also trying to find their footing in the fiction world. In the past, I’ve written a non-fiction piece comparing an Andrew book to a movie (One Week) and making the further connection to iconic Canadian Band, The Tragically Hip. After having reread this collection now, I’m confident in saying that Andrew is to Canadian Fiction what The Tragically Hip is to Canadian Alternative/Rock. Both shape their stories/lyrics around people, place and Canadiana. Both speak deeply of the people and through their writing/singing voice, connect with those across the globe.

Within this collection, Andrew showcases his versatility and within that versatility, we are richly rewarded for meeting each and every character, no matter how flawed they are.

The collection opens with ‘Dime Bag Girl,’ a story that immediately showcases the emotional depth that Andrew will be laying on the reader. Now, as a 42-year-old, I look back at those days in high school with a mixture of fondness and frustration. But I connected deeply with this story. It reminded me of certain people, of different events and ultimately the struggle to look beyond as a teenager, to move on and leave those we cared for behind. In this case, a new girl moves to town, her dad the judge. She connects with our MC, and they form a fast friendship. When it hits that she’ll be moving soon and life will go on, Andrew addresses those emotions so very well, and it connected with me that in about a decade, my son will be in the same place this MC is, potentially going through the very same thing.

I won’t go through each and every story here, but ‘Dime Bag Girl’ is a great micro aspect of the macro effect that this book delivered. ‘Call Roxanne,’ was a reflection piece, about a young man being dropped off at an institution by his father. We get a great look at the complexities of a father and son, of connection and the inabilities to express emotions between generations. Within the story, our MC uses a washroom and written on the wall is a phone number and the words ‘Call Roxanne,’ which resonates with the MC in ways he never thought possible. This story was so very powerful in its approach but also about the aspects around mental health and how sometimes, those we call parents can’t see past their children’s perceived flaws.

Andrew tells each story as they are, unflinching and combative at times, not giving the characters or the reader an inch of ‘oh jeez’ compassion. This is greatly on display with the gut wrenching title story, ‘Kiss Me.’ Andrew introduces us to a man who has found the love of his life. Then, on a seemingly ordinary day, he lights the BBQ and suffers horrible burns. From that point on, we watch him spiral into a self-imposed isolation where the only person who wants to keep loving him can no longer love who he’s become. This was heartbreaking, frustrating and a story that is timeless in its asking the reader ‘what would you do in this situation?’

‘X-Ray’ is another such story that pushes the reader in ways unexpected. An X-Ray tech details her perfect life, which includes her boyfriend who seems like the perfect catch until he becomes physically and mentally abusive. It’s a tough, but powerful read and shows the lengths those within abusive relationships go to gaslight themselves in the search for a perfect life and a life with a significant other they love.

Within each story, we get little glimpses of the Pyper writer to come. From ‘Kiss Me’ and the burned character – foreshadowing Miles in ‘The Wildfire Season’ – and such is the case with ‘Camp Sacred Heart,’ which alludes to a scene/setting in the 2019 release, ‘The Homecoming.’

The story on itself is fairly straightforward. A boy is sent off to summer camp, wondering how it’ll go and haunted by his dad’s parting words of, ‘don’t get homesick!’ Once there, though, he immediately hits it off with another boy. The two become fast friends and are attached at the hip. On their final night before heading home, feelings are expressed, a kiss takes place and all within this, Pyper deftly showcases the complexities of young feelings, of the heart sometimes struggling to deal with the brain’s response and how sometimes, the distance of time doesn’t change anything. From start to finish this story was as about to close to perfect as you can get and one that I’ll be returning to again and again.

At the end of the day, the stories compiled in ‘Kiss Me’ showcase Andrew through his formative fiction progression years. Of a burgeoning author who fits in writing between academic commitments and who showcases – even back then – his gift of prose and of creating complex characters that you feel like you’ve known forever. Andrew Pyper has a distinct writing voice and, as a long-time fan of his work, it was wonderful to see that it has always been on display, even from the earliest days.

‘Kiss Me’ is a collection that every reader of literary fiction should read. Filled with love, loss, flaws, decisions and the ramifications of such, Pyper’s gift of storytelling is on full display here, buoyed by youth, hope and life experiences.

[Debra Komar · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading early works by established authors. Are there flashes of brilliance? Can you spot the writer that will eventually emerge?

Nothing about this slim but meaty essay collection disappoints. What I love about Pyper's writing - the deftly revealed characters, the scene setting that doesn't club you over the head - is all here. By far my favourite piece is "If you lived here, you'd be home by now," the story of a teen (Pyper?) who leaves home for the big city of Toronto, finds a frat-style house in Now magazine and moves in with a truly bizarre group of roommates. It captured my teen experience to the letter - did every Canadian writer do this at some point? The dialogue is effortless and completely believable. There is not a false note in any story here.

This book is not easy to find - I know, I tried - but it is absolutely worth the effort.

[Jennifer Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a huge fan of Pyper's novels, so I wanted to give this collection a try. And it's...fine? Pyper's writing is gorgeous, and there are moments where the prose itself shines so much that I'm glad to have read the book. The stories themselves are slice-of-life literary pieces that read fairly unevenly, with a few stand-outs rising above the others. (My favorites were "Breaking and Entering", "Kiss Me", and "Magnificent".) This is one of those collections where the themes running through the stories are so similar that the tone and feel becomes repetitive after a while, so I would say that this is one of those collections which is better read in small bites every once in a while rather than straight through (which is how I normally read collections). It's also worth noting that it feels like sex/sexual situations comes into play for shock value as much as anything at various points in this collection, eventually leading me to feel like the writing here just isn't as mature as Pyper's more recent fiction, which of course would make sense.

I'd absolutely recommend Pyper's fiction to anyone who loves fiction on the darker or stranger side of the map, but I probably won't find cause to recommend this little collection.

[Vern Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always thought Andrew Pyper's debut short story collection, KISS ME (Porcupine's Quill, 1996), was a near-perfect model. It was brief, checking in at an economic 131 pages (which is slightly different than the publication data listed here), avec saucy cover art, rich inside papers, and, most importantly, his best 13 stories to date. I had previously read some of the pieces in Canadian lit zines of the day, so I grabbed a first edition hot off the press. Looking back, it stands up as an important document of an Ontario that no longer exists. And god forbid we have detached CanLit from the '90s paying homage to our generational sleaze. I've carted this book around for 29 years and I knew exactly where to find it upon hearing of Mr. Pyper's passing a few days prior to this post. After re-reading "Dime Bag Girl", I poured one out and re-read the rest of KISS ME in a single sitting. Mr. Pyper obviously went on to bigger things, but this first work is the one I keep within reach.

[C. (Don't blank click my reviews, comment please! · Rating 3 out of 5]

If I’m interested in a book or music, I like a broad sampling. I’m balancing between discomfort with sleazy subjects and Andrew Pyper’s striking talent. Disgust puts a spin on my vote but I insist on three stars, because I understand undesirable focal groups are the point. I admire his willingness to present them and marvel at his gift with words. His treatise reminds me of a grungier Maeve Binchy; airing out the worst of society. These too are snippets, not full-fledged tales with outcomes. It’s an exposé of distasteful moments.

What I criticize is that neither title, nor synopsis, set the tone. I would have been prepared that the theme is bleakness entirely. It advertised one story about drugs, some disappointment. They all were about poor choices or circumstances. The exception is a boy who moves from religious parents to a cheap room. I have no taste for scenes with drugs. But I liked deflating the assumption that he was left to languish in hard lessons, when he savoured his new home. My favourite has an astute title, in which Andrew states his wish to grant kindness. A social worker finds love with a nineteen year-old, as well as the elusive writer’s voice. Here, here! I regretted but appreciated the son who shouldn’t have feared his Mom would be lonely on her farm. He brought her to Toronto in high hopes.

For sheer frankness and expressiveness with gusto; no muting his portrayals as if fearing his parents’ eyes; I would give five stars. Andrew breathes beautiful, believable, vivid sentences to us. For example: “The stories of spontaneity and foolishness were replaced by episodes in my growing up, the condition of her perennials, the scandals of neighbours’ families, and the relative ferocity of the blizzards of ’67, ’74, and ’86”.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Andrew Pyper's writing and this is his first published collection of short stories.There is a sinister element that flows through this small book that I really liked and kinda creeped me out.It seemed to build with the last few being the creepiest - X-Ray and 1001 Names. They might turn some readers off but I really found them insightful and made me wonder about the author's upbringing because when it comes to domestic violence, he hit the nail on the head (no pun intended).

[Lydia Kius · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this some time ago and from time to time some of the stories still haunt me.

[Sheena Davis · Rating 1 out of 5]

Short stories that cover only crossroads in peoples lives. The characters are interesting, but it's just not the kind of book I enjoy.