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Coping with Ash
Ashton Taylor was a hypochondriac—justifiably so—with multiple and sometimes self-diagnosed issues that turned him into a bit of a misfortune teller. Always knowing he would die young-ish, and anticipating what would otherwise have been an unorganized and messy affair for others, he had thoughtfully left behind a step-by-step post-mortem plan. Choreographing circumstances and conveyors, Ash had arranged for his cremains to be distributed to the places he cherished in this world, by the people who meant the most to him—especially his patient and tolerant partner of the past twenty years, Rich Dreadfulwater. Rich, who is known by his family as Limping Rabbit, on account of a childhood tumble from a moving pickup truck, is a Seattle-based Native American defense lawyer suddenly grappling with grief, his caseload, and the task of divvying up the four pounds of his ash-rendered boyfriend into nineteen pre-labeled black plastic 35mm film canisters. Struggling with everything he’s lost, he finds himself coping with a whole lot more than his partner’s ashes. In honoring the final wishes of the man he never imagined he could live without, the mourning lawyer embarks on a quest to find his Inner Indian … and the destiny that has always been his birthright to seize.
294 pages, Paperback
Published January 26, 2017
3 people want to read
About the author
Michael Scott Curnes
8 booksMichael Scott Curnes is an award-winning Canadian author. He lives with his husband, Bernard in Victoria, British Columbia. Born in Coeur d'Alene and raised in Idaho and Montana, Curnes attended the universities of Idaho and New Mexico. In 1994 Curnes moved to Vancouver Island and became a fully fledged Canadian Citizen on Valentine's Day, 2000. He has written eleven novels, six of which have been published.
His sixth novel, Simpleman (published August 15, 2015 by Down Wind Press) is a fictional memoir encompassing a period of time in rural, wild west America from 1946-2025 when men were men . . . and sheep and homosexuals were rightly nervous.
Published Novels: Simpleman, 2025 ISBN: 978-1-998844-03-3; To Pay Paul, 2022 ISBN: 978-1-7772988-5-2; Wicked Ninnish, 2020 ISBN: 978-1-7772988-0-7; Coping with Ash, 2017 ISBN: 10-1629014605; For the Love of Mother, ISBN: 978-1-7772988-2-1; VAL, ISBN: 1-885487-19-3.
Anthologies: Living Artfully, Reflections from the Far West Coast, ISBN: 10-1926780140 Contributing Writer to this anthology. Writing the West Coast: In Love With Place, ISBN: 10-1-55380-055-9 Contributing Writer to this anthology
Newspapers, Magazines The Globe and Mail, Feature Columnist, June 25, 1996, “Facts and Arguments” The Sound Magazine, Feature Writer 1998-2001UpBeat!, Feature WriterVictoria Times Columnist, Feature Columnist August 10, 2003
His sixth novel, Simpleman (published August 15, 2015 by Down Wind Press) is a fictional memoir encompassing a period of time in rural, wild west America from 1946-2025 when men were men . . . and sheep and homosexuals were rightly nervous.
Published Novels: Simpleman, 2025 ISBN: 978-1-998844-03-3; To Pay Paul, 2022 ISBN: 978-1-7772988-5-2; Wicked Ninnish, 2020 ISBN: 978-1-7772988-0-7; Coping with Ash, 2017 ISBN: 10-1629014605; For the Love of Mother, ISBN: 978-1-7772988-2-1; VAL, ISBN: 1-885487-19-3.
Anthologies: Living Artfully, Reflections from the Far West Coast, ISBN: 10-1926780140 Contributing Writer to this anthology. Writing the West Coast: In Love With Place, ISBN: 10-1-55380-055-9 Contributing Writer to this anthology
Newspapers, Magazines The Globe and Mail, Feature Columnist, June 25, 1996, “Facts and Arguments” The Sound Magazine, Feature Writer 1998-2001UpBeat!, Feature WriterVictoria Times Columnist, Feature Columnist August 10, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
July 15, 2017
I thought this was an entertaining read, but honestly thought I was going to love it (based on other reviews) and didn't. Maybe I am not deep enough, but I really didn't get the connection between Ashton (who seemed kind of vapid, although possibly very fun to hang out with) and his husband/lover (who seemed very deep and thoughtful). And, ultimately, I am not sure why Ashton's death lead him (finally) home. Regarding the 19 film canisters, most of them seemed to be interchangeable to me; should have made the book shorter with 5 film canisters.
March 8, 2017
Coping with Ash by Michael Scott Curnes is a sad and emotional read. It instantly wrapped its way into my heart. Tears felt like spilling. Losing a loved one is never easy. Coping with Ash is a story told by the dead character. His death left his lover in a terrible state. A lover who wasn't ready to let go. Ashton Taylor died with a wish to be cremated. He wanted his ashes spread out to his favorite places. His lover, Rich Dreadfulwater, is a successful lawyer with Indian roots. Rich was not prepared for the loss of Ashton. In fact, he completely fell apart the day Ashton went in to be cremated. Heart breaking, devastating, and realistic. The journey of one trying to cope with the loss of a loved one. The stages of loss, grief, and anger felt so real. I don't believe anyone reading this book will not feel saddened by it. I enjoyed reading this novel. Michael Scott Curnes has a talent for sucking readers into his characters' lives. Overall, I highly recommend Coping with Ash to all.
March 1, 2017
Coping with Ash by Michael Scott Curnes is a sad and emotional read. It instantly wrapped its way into my heart. Tears felt like spilling. Losing a loved one is never easy. Here in Coping with Ash, I read a story told by the dead character. He died leaving behind his lover. A lover who wasn't ready to let go. Ashton Taylor died with a wish to be cremated and have his ashes spread out to his favorite places. His lover, Rich Dreadfulwater, is a successful lawyer with Indian roots. Rich was not prepared for losing Ashton. In fact he comepletely feel apart the day Ashton went in to be cremated. Heart breaking, devastating, and realistic. The journey of one trying to cope with the loss of a loved one. The stages of loss, grief, and angry felt so real. I don't believe anyone reading this book, will not feel sadden by it. I enjoyed reading this novel. Michael Scott Curnes has a talent for sucking readers into his charcaters' lives. Overall, I highly recommend Coping with Ash to all.
April 22, 2017
For two decades, Ashton Taylor and Rich Dreadfulwater have been partners and lovers, until the fateful morning when Ash succumbs to a faulty heart of which no one was aware. Grief-stricken, Rich dutifully carries out Ash’s last wish, carefully filling the nineteen pre-labeled 35mm film canisters with his lover’s remains and mailing them out to friends, family, and ex-lovers alike. And while nineteen packets of Ash are released, each carrying directions on how their owner wished them to be scattered, Rich sinks into a daze of almost unrelenting sorrow, unsure of how to continue living without the man who made life worth it.
It took me a while to figure out what felt off about this book because, honestly, I really enjoyed it. As each package of Ash reached its destination, I could hardly wait to find out who had got it and how it was meant to be disposed of. What made it even more interesting was the fact that not all of the recipients got equal face time. Some have an entire chapter dedicated to them, others warrant a mere page. Some narratives focus on the impact the recipient had on a living Ash, while others cover how they’re meant to dispose of their piece of the former man. The sticking point was the realization that Coping With Ash is actually two books trying to be one. While the story of Ash’s final resting places is an intriguing premise, the secondary storyline of Rich’s struggle to come to terms with his Native American roots and responsibilities just doesn’t fit into the overall narrative. The story simply doesn’t earn the gravitas that this conflict keeps trying to push. However, I’d still recommend this book for the entertaining, sorrowful, wistful, and always human vignettes that tell a great story of one man’s life.
It took me a while to figure out what felt off about this book because, honestly, I really enjoyed it. As each package of Ash reached its destination, I could hardly wait to find out who had got it and how it was meant to be disposed of. What made it even more interesting was the fact that not all of the recipients got equal face time. Some have an entire chapter dedicated to them, others warrant a mere page. Some narratives focus on the impact the recipient had on a living Ash, while others cover how they’re meant to dispose of their piece of the former man. The sticking point was the realization that Coping With Ash is actually two books trying to be one. While the story of Ash’s final resting places is an intriguing premise, the secondary storyline of Rich’s struggle to come to terms with his Native American roots and responsibilities just doesn’t fit into the overall narrative. The story simply doesn’t earn the gravitas that this conflict keeps trying to push. However, I’d still recommend this book for the entertaining, sorrowful, wistful, and always human vignettes that tell a great story of one man’s life.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews