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Winnie
Winnie and Colt forever. Winnie is Colt’s one and only, Colt is Winnie’s true love. Winnie is Colt’s rifle. There is nothing Winnie wants more than to please Colt and since a rifle is everything the young cowboy’s ever wanted, she certainly does that. But one day Winnie finds that she is not a rifle but in fact a woman. Can Winnie keep the sparks between them ignited, even if she isn’t the gun of his dreams? What happens if she can’t?
92 pages, Paperback
First published May 15, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
August 21, 2019
Review to follow...
November 19, 2018
A short allegorical bizarro tale about struggle, acceptance, and self-actualization - this thing was sad and strange and ultimately triumphant in all the right ways. I thought it was great.
May 25, 2018
Colt and his rifle Winnie live in the aptly named Ghost Town, a struggling farm community where at present, there aren’t many citizens left. They really only have each other. Their bond is strong and there is an endearing quality to their tender moments together. Winnie is about to discover something about herself that will change everything.
A striking debut, the book is well-rounded and flows gracefully. I was wholly invested in Winnie’s journey regardless of where it went. The narrative has the ideal amount of strange occurrences to anchor it but it’s strongest feature is the creative use of symbolism in Winnie’s experience as it runs deeply through the veins of the text. Ultimately Winnie is about forging a new identity and there's no going back. Relayed in a moving and multi-faceted way, it will be with me for some time. High recommendations for this one.
A striking debut, the book is well-rounded and flows gracefully. I was wholly invested in Winnie’s journey regardless of where it went. The narrative has the ideal amount of strange occurrences to anchor it but it’s strongest feature is the creative use of symbolism in Winnie’s experience as it runs deeply through the veins of the text. Ultimately Winnie is about forging a new identity and there's no going back. Relayed in a moving and multi-faceted way, it will be with me for some time. High recommendations for this one.
April 4, 2023
Winnie is a beautiful, raw, and tragic novella. It's a fast, quick read about trans rights / acceptance and gun violence in America. While the book certainly isn't perfect (the pacing for the first thirty pages or so in particular could be slowed down quite a bit), it is incredibly timely an important. If you're a fan of either bizarro, LGBTQ literature, or books with a political punch, Winnie is an absolute must. It's a wonderfully bizarre and original love story, and it will definitely win your heart.
July 5, 2019
"You have not become anything you were not already."
I absolutely loved this book. Bizarro is such a fascinating genre - although the storylines are wild and strange, some of the books are incredibly heartfelt and thought-provoking. Winnie is one of these books. Winnie stomped on my heart, but it's also a story of hope and resilience. I've thought about this book many times since I finished it, and there's so much packed into this small novella. I enjoyed this one very much, and I can't recommend it enough. I can't wait to see what Katy Michelle Quinn does next!
I absolutely loved this book. Bizarro is such a fascinating genre - although the storylines are wild and strange, some of the books are incredibly heartfelt and thought-provoking. Winnie is one of these books. Winnie stomped on my heart, but it's also a story of hope and resilience. I've thought about this book many times since I finished it, and there's so much packed into this small novella. I enjoyed this one very much, and I can't recommend it enough. I can't wait to see what Katy Michelle Quinn does next!
June 3, 2025
El relato principal que da título a esta antología es una metáfora de la transición más elegante de lo que la premisa puede dar a entender. Brillante. Los otros tres relatos están también muy bien pero quizás no dejan tanto poso; van desde el terror más clásico hasta las pelis de serie B más chuscas, pasando por los cuentos de hadas. Muy recomendable.
April 12, 2021
Love the imagery and flow, highly recommend.
May 5, 2022
A tale of a rifle who loves her cowboy, but one day turns into a girl, which significantly changes their relationship. Resonates with themes of transness and abuse. I loved the surreal, bizarro elements to the story. There was some brutal stuff on the way, but also a lot of sweetness.
December 7, 2018
It’s been a few days since I finished Katy Michelle Quinn’s debut novella, Winnie, and I can’t stop thinking about it. It’s a beautiful story of self discovery that elevates bizarro fiction to an entirely new level. Quinn’s prose is lyrical, textured, and affecting. The plot is fiercely original and manages to be both uplifting and heartbreaking. The world needs more stories from the brilliant imagination of Katy Michelle Quinn. Do yourself a favour and check it out.
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December 2, 2018Striking in all the weird and brutal and beautiful ways; resonant and memorable. I'll need to write more about it later (IY"H soon). One of the most pleasant book surprises of the year for me.
Source of the book: Lawrence Public Library (who ordered it on my request - thank you!)
Source of the book: Lawrence Public Library (who ordered it on my request - thank you!)
September 17, 2019
I've read nearly 30 of the Eraserhead Press New Bizarro Author Series books. There are a lot of really great stories in that series by a ton of incredible authors.
But Katy Michelle Quinn's Winnie is undoubtedly my favorite. It's beautifully written and bursting with so much heart, frustration, and - ultimately - emotional truth. Quinn did something so immensely special with this novella that it's hard to believe this is her first. And she's an author who continually blows me away in her short-form work as well. She's one to watch and I can't wait to see what else she comes up with. Highly recommended.
But Katy Michelle Quinn's Winnie is undoubtedly my favorite. It's beautifully written and bursting with so much heart, frustration, and - ultimately - emotional truth. Quinn did something so immensely special with this novella that it's hard to believe this is her first. And she's an author who continually blows me away in her short-form work as well. She's one to watch and I can't wait to see what else she comes up with. Highly recommended.
June 3, 2025
El relato del rifle con el cowboy es super potente como simbolismo trans y la forma descriptiva de narrar lo materico/simbólico es muy bella. Las otras historias me han floppeado un poco, pero el final también me ha ganado mucho. Hace un par de días en yo también sentí que me fusionaba con el agua como experiencia trascendental y es que el agua con su fluidez es una gran maestra.
May 29, 2018
Within a scant 90 pages Winnie manages to be weird, funny, sad and disturbing all at once. I read it in a single sitting, and like all the best bizarro, I can see it sticking with me for a long time. Great stuff.
October 13, 2019
Lots of lessons in this highly palatable novella. The voice starts strong and stays constant. Heartfelt and entertaining, the best kind of weird read.
February 27, 2021
Very interesting story. Definitely has some metaphorical content about life. Not gory or scary, just bizarre but in a great way.
Would definitely recommend.
Would definitely recommend.
August 1, 2022
4.5 stars
March 5, 2025
A weird little stitched-together tale of a gun/woman and her journey. Winnie has changed and she can’t undo it, and her new life is looking very different. There are darkly comedic moments and tragedy, with a little bit of hope. More sex than I expected. Ultimately endearing, and I’m happy for her.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews