Drowning Dummies: A Novelette

by Joseph Hirsch, James Agpalza (illustrator)

Meet Gordon. He’s a lifeguard at Meadowlands Swim Club. He’s getting tired of his chunky physique, especially as he has to spend his days around popular kids from his high school who are in perfect shape. Gordon is about to get some motivation in finally achieving the kind of body he’s always dreamed of having, but it’s going to be a nightmare getting there. Actually, it’s going to be a whole summer filled with nightmares, followed by an equally nightmare-filled schoolyear.Drowning Dummies is a horror novelette, about wanting to look good, and the price that must be paid for perfection.

47 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 26, 2023

About the author

Joseph Hirsch’s work has appeared in many publications, including “3 AM Magazine,” “Film International,” and “Retreats from Oblivion: A Journal of NoirCon.” Several of his novels and novellas have also been published. He previously served four years in the U.S. Army, in which his travels took him to locales as disparate as El Paso, Texas, Darmstadt, Germany, and Bagdad, Iraq. He lives in Cincinnati, Ohio, is online @ www.joeyhirsch.com, and has dreams of one day finding a box filled with money.

Reviews

[Michael · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent story that had a clever ending. However, for a short story, this dragged on in parts.

[Kayla · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to give this three stars because I’m very grateful to have won a giveaway, but beyond some thoughtful commentary on body insecurities and a somewhat interesting supernatural premise, there just wasn’t much happening in this novelette.

[Shanon Whitfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read and humorous and well written

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

*Giveaway*

There were two, maybe three, cool scenes but too much rambling in between them. Couldn't get into it.

[jessi · Rating 1 out of 5]

What was this lol