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This Distance
Wannabe astrophysicists and screenwriters, star gazers and time travelers, a foul mouthed Chris Hemsworth, a sitcom star lamenting her station in life while wearing a fake pregnant belly, and even a cult author kidnapped by the very secret society his work spawned—all of them get to have their say in This Distance. Dramatic, violent, comical, sad, and occasionally hopeful, Nick Gregorio’s first collection of short stories puts the human need to connect on display with grit, humor, and compassion.
“Wow—what a wonderfully deranged carnival ride!” – Joshua Mohr, author of Sirens and All This Life
“Gregorio’s stories happen at the intersection of Carver’s America and wherever Doctor Strange’s sling ring wants to go. These stories are excellent.” – Bud Smith, author of Teenager
“Gregorio pulls you in before you even know what happened. He develops such strong plots he leaves you no choice but to binge read.” – Claire Hopple, author of
Too Much of the Wrong Thing
“This Distance is a badass book full of meditations on the moments when we’re alone, vulnerable, and striving for connection.” – Daniel DiFranco, author of Panic Years
“The feelings are raw but the sentences are polished, and this makes This Distance a pleasure to read.” – Joshua Isard, author of Conquistador of the Useless
“Wow—what a wonderfully deranged carnival ride!” – Joshua Mohr, author of Sirens and All This Life
“Gregorio’s stories happen at the intersection of Carver’s America and wherever Doctor Strange’s sling ring wants to go. These stories are excellent.” – Bud Smith, author of Teenager
“Gregorio pulls you in before you even know what happened. He develops such strong plots he leaves you no choice but to binge read.” – Claire Hopple, author of
Too Much of the Wrong Thing
“This Distance is a badass book full of meditations on the moments when we’re alone, vulnerable, and striving for connection.” – Daniel DiFranco, author of Panic Years
“The feelings are raw but the sentences are polished, and this makes This Distance a pleasure to read.” – Joshua Isard, author of Conquistador of the Useless
176 pages, Paperback
Published November 2, 2018
13 people want to read
About the author
Nick Gregorio
9 books77 followersNick Gregorio is a father, husband, dog-dad, writer, reader, nerd, punk, mall-walker, movie guy, and teeth-grinder living just outside of Philadelphia with his family. He is the author of five books; the most recent of which, Launch Me to the Stars, I'm Finished Here, was released by Trident Press in 2023.
For more, please visit www.nickgregorio.com.
For more, please visit www.nickgregorio.com.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 4, 2019
Some of the stories don't feel like they belong in this collection, but Gregorio is a talent large enough to force them into place anyway. This collection of stories is deserving of 5 stars not for the quality of each story individually, as some fall shorter than others, but "Life/Hack" is a standout that I enjoyed reading enough to give it multiple passes.
November 6, 2018
This Distance is not a collection of stories. It is a badass book full of meditations on the moments when we are alone, vulnerable, and striving for connections with others and ourselves, while often wrestling with inevitable separations. Gregorio delivers these moments with his trademark brash and unabashed style as his characters operate in a modern world that is frequently all too familiar and real. What This Distance does so well is exist within and examine pop culture, rather than merely reference it—and the result is a very fine collection of distilled, transgressive snapshots depicting the struggles of being alive.
January 27, 2019
This book was an amazing ride. I laughed and cried reading these well crafted short stories. The narrative elements are great. The author's imagination is definitely entertaining. I truly recommend this novel. You won't regret it.
January 11, 2019
I loved this collection and read it in two sittings. Gregorio does an excellent job drawing the reader into the world of each story--sometimes grounded in reality, sometimes not. I, personally, prefer those that exist outside of the "real" world. There is a clear theme of loneliness and people's desire for connection or inability to make one. Even with a more somber theme the collection has many funny moments, some where you literally laugh out loud. It is a collection you don't want to miss.
February 18, 2019
Gregorio’s collection is a polished blend of stories capturing the human condition, the stark reality and consequences of meaningful connection, and the pangs of trying to find personal happiness amidst a world of loneliness. He does this against a variety of backdrops — some terribly true to real life, some wonderfully fantastical, others yet somewhere in between, and pace -- some just one page long, some several pages in length, keeping the reader engaged and curious throughout of what’s next.
You’ll find your mind wondering, your heart warmed, soul crushed, and spirit self-examined from story to story. While reality of the settings may vary— from walking the moon and stars to an empty room filled with vibrations of aliens (intrigued? You damn well should be) — it’s the characters within and what they make you feel about them, about yourself, whatever that feeling is, that’s painfully real, and leaves a lasting mark at the end of each tale. And that’s where This Distance, distances itself above the rest.
Well, except for that ridiculous story about his buddy Chris Hemsworth. His actual buddy? Well you’ll just have to read that one for yourself.
You’ll find your mind wondering, your heart warmed, soul crushed, and spirit self-examined from story to story. While reality of the settings may vary— from walking the moon and stars to an empty room filled with vibrations of aliens (intrigued? You damn well should be) — it’s the characters within and what they make you feel about them, about yourself, whatever that feeling is, that’s painfully real, and leaves a lasting mark at the end of each tale. And that’s where This Distance, distances itself above the rest.
Well, except for that ridiculous story about his buddy Chris Hemsworth. His actual buddy? Well you’ll just have to read that one for yourself.
May 28, 2019
This is a strong debut collection from an author who can be clearly seen pushing himself in terms of both voice and content to improve his craft. While there is surely a thread of lonesomeness loosely tethering these stories to the author, one finds they rarely encounter the same character twice, which is saying quite a bit given the debut status and sheer number of stories in this collection.
My overall take, and perhaps the most important and impressive aspect of this collection, was that there's something Nick wants you to feel and it's not the trite nostalgia or bizarre sadism that seems to plague many indie writers work these days. These are mostly dark stories, no doubt, but with the brutal realism comes a new kind of hope, one born in the reality of our age but bathed in the light of a youthful optimism previous generations have sorely lacked. Here Gregorio and his collection shines.
My overall take, and perhaps the most important and impressive aspect of this collection, was that there's something Nick wants you to feel and it's not the trite nostalgia or bizarre sadism that seems to plague many indie writers work these days. These are mostly dark stories, no doubt, but with the brutal realism comes a new kind of hope, one born in the reality of our age but bathed in the light of a youthful optimism previous generations have sorely lacked. Here Gregorio and his collection shines.
May 20, 2020
A short story collection with some tales that read like novellas. It truly brings dozens of characters—in their own worlds—closer to you than even the person sitting next to you on the train. Engrossing, studious, charming, and often tragic stories that certainly don’t end when the page turns.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews