Come Up and See Me Sometime: Stories

by Erika Krouse

With Mae West as her ingenious guiding spirit, Erika Krouse introduces us to thirteen young, single, geographically and emotionally nomadic women looking for self-knowledge and trouble.
"I like to sleep with other women's husbands," says the narrator of "The Husbands" by way of introduction; unfortunately, one of those husbands is her own sister's. In "Drugs and You," a lonely woman hits a heroin addict with her car and falls blindly in love. In "No Universe," Stephanie deals with her own infertility while watching her friend (who calls children "yard apes") grapple with an abortion and then a guilt-induced pregnancy. These smart, quick-witted women strive for the unflappable sass and strength of Mae West, but often fall prey to their own fear and isolation.
Krouse's perfect comic timing acts as a tribute to her muse, Mae West, pop culture's original liberated woman, giving these stories their fresh, offbeat perspective. Potently witty, neurotic and nervy, the collection marks the arrival of an irresistible new voice in fiction.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Literary Fiction

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 3, 2001

About the author

Erika Krouse is a writer of fiction and nonfiction. Her upcoming short story collection, Save Me, Stranger, will be published by Flatiron Books in January 2025. Save Me, Stranger has been hailed as “a dozen little masterpieces,” by Adam Johnson, “remarkable” by Ann Beattie, and Louise Erdrich said, “Read these stories with a buddy, because someone will have to scrape you off the floor.” In a starred review, Kirkus calls the collection "a smart set of globetrotting, emotionally gripping stories," and Publishers Weekly says, "[Krouse] makes the thrill of new beginnings palpable."

Erika is also the author of Tell Me Everything: The Story of a Private Investigation: winner of the 2023 Edgar Award for Best Fact Crime, the Colorado Book Award, and the Housatonic Book Award. Tell Me Everything is also a New York Times Editors’ Choice, a Book of the Month Club pick, a People Magazine People Pick, named “Best Nonfiction of 2022” by BookPage and Kirkus Reviews, and “Best 10 Books of 2022” by both Slate and Jezebel.

Erika’s novel, Contenders, was a finalist for the VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, and appears in German with Aufbau-Verlag. Her previous short story collection, Come Up and See Me Sometime, won the Paterson Fiction Award, was a New York Times Notable Book of the year, and is translated into six languages.

Erika’s short fiction has been published in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Esquire.com, Ploughshares, One Story, The Kenyon Review, The Southern Review, Conjunctions, Colorado Review, Alaska Quarterly Review, The Iowa Review, Glimmer Train, Story, Boulevard, Crazyhorse, Cleaver, and Shenandoah. Her stories have been shortlisted for Best American Short Stories, Best American Nonrequired Reading, and the Pushcart Prize.

Erika teaches and mentors for the Lighthouse Book Project at the Lighthouse Writers Workshop in Denver, and is a winner of the Lighthouse Beacon Award for Teaching Excellence. www.erikakrouse.com.

Reviews

[Sarah Raich · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's hard to describe, but I truly loved these stories. All women n mid-twenties till mid-thirties, all struggle with their place, with their relationships, the emptiness of their lives. There is one beautiful queer love Story, which was my favorite. but the main point is, how Krouse describes things, the images, she evoces and uses, which make these stories really special

[Monica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, she cracks me up.

"When I asked my shrink if I was a control freak, he finished saying “Absolutely” before I finished saying “freak.” I told him that I once worked with a woman who carried a remote control in her purse. Whenever she got worried or angry, she took it out and stroked it like a gerbil. My shrink said that if I keep comparing myself to severe neurotics, I’ll think that anything is permissible." -- From "No Universe"

[Leslie Lehr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning. I don't usually read short stories - because when I like them, I read too many in a row and they tend to blur together. Good ones, like these beautifully written stories have that amazing flip at the end that can stick in your mind. Somehow I overlooked Erika Krouse in the past and I'm so glad to finally meet her and her disaffected young women Now I can read her next book and see if thee women in search of identity have found love.

[Steph Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very interesting and compelling collection of short stories. They are fiction, but seem very close to creative non-fiction because of the great narration. There is a serious feeling of feminist liberation, but it is subtley and well put. Krouse has a very well read aura of writing and creates great charecters and plots.

[Elisabeth Kinsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Erika. What a fresh outlook and kooky stories that are never boring, incredibly readable. A "bring with me on the plane" book - for sure.

[Joanne Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Creative and compelling writing, quirky characters. A delightful collection of short stories about young women looking for love.

[Harvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

- copied from a review: "The thirteen stories in the collection are linked by a common theme: the main characters are all young, childless, geographically and emotionally nomadic women who are searching for self-knowledge and satisfaction in the face of the vicissitudes of single life."
- I read the one titled "The Husbands" in the Atlantic Magazine a while back.
- a favourite quote: " (My daughter) doesn't like my boyfriend. She doesn't call him by name; she calls him by number. I think he's number 35. What could that mean? Oh, I know. She's cruel, she's a Nazi, I brought a cruel Nazi into this world."
- but my favourite quote: (paraphrased) "Although I was an only child, my mother often remarked that I wasn't her favourite."

[Carly · Rating 5 out of 5]

I popped into the Denver Public Library to drop off an application last summer and ended up stumbling upon this book. The cover art intrigued me and Erika's proximity to me brought me to check it out. It was fate!

I adored these stories, many of them really hit home with me. Erika Krouse writes with such a natural flow. I finished each story and had to reflect for at least a day before I could read another. She has a very smooth prose, but somehow manages to touch on issues of humanity, womanhood and growing up in such an astute way.

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short, easy to read stories about young women. Reviewers reference comedy, but I didn't see the humor. I did like the stories but I am not sure I got them all.

[Ashley · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m sorry to say I couldn’t finish it.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bit disturbing but part of what made me enjoy it. Good short stories read.

[Chandler Potts · Rating 3 out of 5]

short stories are undoubtedly the best way to get a reader to feel an immense loss of identity and empathy for a fictional characters wrong doings

[Joshua · Rating 3 out of 5]

various young women and their incompatible partners. plenty of yuks.

[Kirsten Mickelwait · Rating 3 out of 5]

An odd collection of stories about very dysfunctional young women. A few funny lines, but for the most part, these gals were too messed up to be relatable.

[curri mel]

un 10 sois perfectas

[Leah Schmid · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just fine. I have no strong opinions on it. None of the stories really spoke to me. It was funny at times, but trying too hard in other moments.
I read this because some people said to read it if you like Melissa Bank. That's the only reason I read this. I wish there was more to read from Melissa Bank. This did not fill that void.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book of short stories was a quick read - the stories were interesting and the writing was compelling. Yet, I just didn't love it. Although the stories all ostensibly had different narrators (I think), they all kind of seemed like the same person. And that person was such a bitter/jaded/cynical/miserable one that it became a bit tiresome.

[Dr.]

Smiple, easy to read and compelling. This book, well short of 200 words and wellillustrated, is about an infant who survived the long train ride to a Nazi extermination center. I grabbed this book because that is how I spell my daughters name. After finishing this book I am so grateful that my life has been spared the grief and heartache Erika's parents must have experienced.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous set of short stories!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Krouse's writing. Just wish there was more of it.

[Caroline]

story collection that I don't remember at all

[Sage · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fabulous, witty, thoughtful; humanity in the raw distilled into a few well chosen turns of phrase.