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A Sibling in Always
When a severely deformed corpse lands on his embalming table, skilled mortician, Horace Carver is forced to confront his apathy towards life and the dark secrets hidden within himself, his family, and his hometown of Always, Indiana. This engaging novel finds a depth that is often missing in many of today’s books. Laden with literary devices and allusions, including themes borrowed from ancient mythology, this book immerses itself into the broadened and modernizing Mid-Western culture of the late 1970’s to 2008, highlighting the prose with delicate harmonic overtones of the Near South. The prose has the classic sensibilities with the poetic nuances and timing. It also uses tightly metered poetry that often serves as the reader’s guide while experiencing the novel. The story itself is one of tragedy and rebirth, as the main character Horace Carver serves as both a reluctant and unreliable narrator as he struggles to find his place in the world and the voice with which he will tell his story. In a similar fashion, the secondary narrator, Dr. Elmer Ellsworth, struggles with his own sense of self as he ends a career of hope and promise only to delve into madness as he cares for the peculiar little Acquila Rose. Though several of the characters find their origin in Greek and Egyptian mythology, they become real and flawed people, struggling to understand the lives they are living and the people who surround them. The author allows them to remain ambiguous and confused, even when the conventions of literature would demand the conflict be resolved. The majority of the novel takes place in 2008, the last year people paid attention to each other, before turning their attention to smartphones. Written in a present and intense manner, the story will please those who demand a higher level of literary discourse as well as those who prefer a fetching contemporary read. This novel departs from the dictates of corporate "literary" novels while disregarding the conventions of the MFA produced works that have caused a glut in modern American Literature. Read with a sense of ease and earnestness. With elements of horror, dark fantasy, and a tragic love story, it will appeal to readers outside the literary fiction genre. Several reviewers have commented they learned much about funeral traditions and practices from this book. This is a work of fiction. Much of the details about funeral practices, especially in the Interlude sections, are complete fiction. The author made them up. The author is appreciative of your thoughts and feedback.
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Published October 24, 2025
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About the author
Ernest Gordon Taulbee
5 books28 followersErnest Gordon Taulbee grew up in a small town in Eastern Kentucky called Salyersville. He received both a Bachelor's and a Master's degree from Eastern Kentucky University. Upon completing his MA he moved to Louisville -- where he has lived most of his adult life.
Love of reading and writing has been a theme in his life. Through the decade and a half since he finished his MA, Mr. Taulbee has worked a variety of jobs, from populating a cubicle in a large corporation to making and selling mead. Throughout his whole life, writing has remained his singular professional and artistic passion.
He enjoys writing that is both entertaining as well as writing that borders on high art.
The thesis for his MA was the first 100 pages of a novel. He would complete that novel in the months after finishing his graduate degree. After additional months spent proofreading and editing, he submitted the manuscript to small publishing houses and select agents who considered literary fiction. The stacks of rejections letters became less painful, when he received an email from a small, art house, stating they would like to publish this novel. That joy was squashed about a month or so later, when the publishing company informed him an unexpected financial situation would cause the publishing house to close.
He would continue to write short stories and outline for longer works over the next few years, until he was struck with the idea for what would become his novel, A Sibling in Always, while waiting for the bus.
Once the manuscript was complete, he continued to write prose and to submit the novel for consideration by small houses and publications.
After a year and a half, he decided to join the do-it-yourself culture that had influenced much of the books, music, and art he had come to admire.
He hope you will read his currently published works. If you like it, he hope you will leave a review. If you don't, he hopes you will be constructive in your criticism and state what you think could make the work better.
He believes that art, including fiction, is a vital part of society, so -- if you are not going to produce it -- appreciate it and try to improve it.
He currently (as was stated previously) lives in Louisville, Kentucky with his wife, Tina, and their two daughters.
Keep reading.
Love of reading and writing has been a theme in his life. Through the decade and a half since he finished his MA, Mr. Taulbee has worked a variety of jobs, from populating a cubicle in a large corporation to making and selling mead. Throughout his whole life, writing has remained his singular professional and artistic passion.
He enjoys writing that is both entertaining as well as writing that borders on high art.
The thesis for his MA was the first 100 pages of a novel. He would complete that novel in the months after finishing his graduate degree. After additional months spent proofreading and editing, he submitted the manuscript to small publishing houses and select agents who considered literary fiction. The stacks of rejections letters became less painful, when he received an email from a small, art house, stating they would like to publish this novel. That joy was squashed about a month or so later, when the publishing company informed him an unexpected financial situation would cause the publishing house to close.
He would continue to write short stories and outline for longer works over the next few years, until he was struck with the idea for what would become his novel, A Sibling in Always, while waiting for the bus.
Once the manuscript was complete, he continued to write prose and to submit the novel for consideration by small houses and publications.
After a year and a half, he decided to join the do-it-yourself culture that had influenced much of the books, music, and art he had come to admire.
He hope you will read his currently published works. If you like it, he hope you will leave a review. If you don't, he hopes you will be constructive in your criticism and state what you think could make the work better.
He believes that art, including fiction, is a vital part of society, so -- if you are not going to produce it -- appreciate it and try to improve it.
He currently (as was stated previously) lives in Louisville, Kentucky with his wife, Tina, and their two daughters.
Keep reading.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
September 6, 2017
This book is beautifully written. The story itself is quite dark in places but I enjoyed it.
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October 18, 2016I read it twice back to back. It is beautiful writing. It has poetry included as part of it way of telling its story, but the prose is often itself poetic, and I would find myself stopping and reading sentences over and over. You fall in love with the characters and want more time with them; however, the main character Horace Carver takes you on a ride as you see just how flawed and damaged he is. I plan on reading it a third time just to try to come to terms with it. It really got at my core. It was a tragic work of art. It's that kind of book.
October 18, 2016
Not sure why the ebook and paperback aren't listed together. this is a really good book. surpised it is self-published, doesn't look to be much about the author out there. very well written and haunting in tone.
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October 18, 2016Artfully crafted and compelling. Read it.
November 2, 2017
A Sibling In Always is an ambitious and complicated book that I found appealing on many levels. With complicated characters and a pace that sometimes moves along fast and at times slows down to allow the reader to assimilate what has already occurred it is outside of the general expectation of a modern-day novel, but I enjoyed it all the more because of this. If you’re tired of the same-old same-old then I’d say this is the book for you.
This was the first book I’ve read by Taulbee, but I’m a fan now and deciding which of his other books to read next.
This was the first book I’ve read by Taulbee, but I’m a fan now and deciding which of his other books to read next.
December 9, 2020
I did not know what to expect from this book, and it turned out to be very strange. Part of the story was about the history of mortuary science in America, with information about the ancient Egyptians included. A big part was about the birth and care of a little "girl" for more than 18 years. Then we have the cast and supporting cast. I'm not sure I liked the way the book was divided up, but you might like it.
I enjoyed the book, but it was a really different read. I hope you enjoy it too.
I enjoyed the book, but it was a really different read. I hope you enjoy it too.
Read
October 18, 2016I read it twice back to back. It is beautiful writing. It has poetry included as part of it way of telling its story, but the prose is often itself poetic, and I would find myself stopping and reading sentences over and over. You fall in love with the characters and want more time with them; however, the main character Horace Carver takes you on a ride as you see just how flawed and damaged he is. I plan on reading it a third time just to try to come to terms with it. It really got at my core. It was a tragic work of art. It's that kind of book.
October 18, 2016
I'm pretty sure I met this dude around 2005. We were at a party and everyone was drunk. I remember he was real quick witted and smart. This summer, a friend of a friend was trying to help him get this published on amazon. I nominated it for publication and got a free kindle copy. It wasn't my thing. I am more of a Stephen King, Dean Koontz guy. But this book has some of the creepiest stuff you will ever read in it. Overall it is a good book, not my typical read, but one I think appeals broadly.
October 18, 2016
It is very dark yet contemporary. I still think I am trying to figure out all the allusion, but they are really subtle. I recommend this book.
October 18, 2016
Artfully crafted and compelling. Read it.
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October 18, 2016a louisville writer. really hope the city embraces him. this is fiction writing at it's best and he is someone we should be proud of.
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November 2, 2017I wrote it, so . . . .
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews