Escape!: A Writing Bloc Anthology

by Michael Haase (Contributor), Durena Burns (Contributor), Jason Chestnut (Contributor)

ESCAPE! It’s something that we all crave. Life in 2018 is loaded with stress, worry, and regret so, of course, these themes are old friends of the independent writers of the Writing Bloc Cooperative. In the first collection of shorts presented by Writing Bloc Publishing, twenty up-and-coming authors illuminate the varied nuances of ESCAPE! The result is nothing short of pure alchemical gold in the form of the written word.

These twenty gripping tales, running the gamut from science fiction and fantasy to political satire and literary fiction, illustrate the many faces of escape, escaping, and escapism. In a curiously deep look into the human psyche, they examine the urge to leave our present circumstances behind as well as how that instinct both aids and hinders our lives.
Drop the drudgery of daily life by diving headfirst into this stunning collection, and you might just find that ESCAPE! Is right around the corner.

Featuring shorts from: Tahani Nelson, Grace Marshall, Kendra Namednil, Susan K. Hamilton, Deborah Munro, Daniel Lee, Christopher Henckel, Michael James Welch, Evan Graham, Patrick Edwards, Peter Ryan, Mike Donald, Christopher Lee, Jason Pomerance, Durena Burns, Cari Dubiel, Becca Spence Dobias, Ferd Crôtte, Jason Chesnut, and Michael Haase.

358 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Andrea Stoeckel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in awe that some writers can do this:take a prompt and come up with a short story....Bravo to all the authors for their presentations

[J. Milius · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm always on the lookout for new things to read and this anthology provides a delicious sampler platter of new literary voices. It really does have something for everyone, from the deep space tension of Evan Graham's "Breach," to the rich fantasy worlds of Tahani Nelson's "The Faoii of Ashwood" and Christopher Lee's "The Gilded Tower," the surprising twists Susan K. Hamilton's "Chrysalis" and Jason Chestnut's "Like Clockwork," and the laugh-out-loud humor of Michael James Welch's "Convict 45" and Patrick Edwards' "Wendell, Wendell, & Wendell." There's not a weak story in the bunch. It's also impressive to see so many independent authors come together to collectively polish and publish their work, supporting each other in putting themselves out there. Can't wait to see what else this group of authors can do!

Disclaimer: While I don't have a short story in this collection, I am a member of the group Writing Bloc. (And, as such, can attest that these are some top quality humans.)

[Jacqui Castle · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful collection that could be of special interest to writers as readers, as we get to explore what twenty different indie authors did with a central theme - Escape!

There is something for everyone in this collection: scifi, fantasy, dystopian, western, and more. Favorite stories included Mrs. Ravenstein by Jason Pomerance, Cedric by Michael Haase, and The Marking by Grace Marshall.

Disclaimer: I do not have a short story in this collection, but I am a member of the group Writing Bloc.

[Jane-Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent compilation of stories! I would be hard pressed to single out one as the weakest (or as my favorite!), as they are all strong. Each author has brought their own distinct style to the idea of ESCAPE, and *you* will be glad to sit down and escape into the pages of this book.

[Billy O’Keefe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I watched behind the scenes as this book came together, and am friends and likely a future collaborator with the head architect (as well as friends with a few of the authors). So take from that what you will, but that extra perspective afforded me the ability to (a) watch a very difficult project come together smoothly and on schedule (b) appreciate, on multiple levels, how well the final product came together.

A anthology of this nature, especially one wherein the authors themselves are also the editors, can go very sideways. I read a few that have, and was part of one that didn't even make it to the editing stage, never mind publication.

And while I didn't *love* every story in "Escape," as almost has to be the case with an anthology from 20 authors all writing with their own voice, at no point was a I troubled by a nagging concern that a story felt rushed, unpolished or artistically compromised by the process it went through to get in the book. Your favorites won't be the same as mine, but I bet you'll find a story (and an author) (or two or three or 10) to love inside.

[Susan Hamilton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I am a contributor to this anthology.

Now that the transparency part is out of the way, I very much enjoyed the ESCAPE! anthology when I had the chance to read through it. Not only does it showcase a wide variety of authors, genres, and styles, but it also takes readers through a very interesting psychological landscape. Each story is the author's take on the theme/concept of "escape." Some have a very literal view, others come at it from the side -- and I was very intrigued by how each author came at the theme in their own unique way.

I would recommend this to anyone looking for an interesting collection of short stories -- there's something for everyone in this collection.

[Mike James Welch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disclosure: I am one of the contributing authors to this anthology.

Escape! showcases a dynamic array of genre work from an equally dynamic array of young authors. Everyone is represented here - men, women, people of color, straight, gay, etc. There is truly something for everyone in this collection. Highly recommended.

[Cari · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I have a story in this one, and worked on it as an editor, so I am clearly biased. But I have to say, for my fellow authors - there is some amazing work in this anthology. It's definitely worth checking out. Every story has its own strengths, and I loved working on it.

[Jason Pomerance · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent anthology of excellent stories, with something for everyone. (Full disclosure -- I am a contributor!)

[Kelsey Rae · Rating 4 out of 5]

This anthology will definitely take you on a rollercoaster ride of different and complex emotions. It includes stories that make you smile, think, cry, and raise an eyebrow. It runs the gambit on genres and over all feels while all being tied together by the theme of escape, and the wide spectrum of what that word can mean.

My favorite story was "Ashwood" by Tahani Nelson. It was well passed with vivid characters. The good thing about it is that it is tied into Tahani's main works, The Faoii series but it doesn't require you to have read them to understand what it happening. It will make you curious about it though.

My only note is don't go into this for a fun time of light reading because some of these tales are dark matter HEAVY!

[Christine Sopko · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had a hard time with the font. Pondering the word escape prior to reading might be helpful. There was a lot of sci-fi fiction. A read for those interested in the method of writing or sci fi. I'd rather have a discussion about it or see it as a Sundance short than read it.

[Daniel Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A top-notch collection of crackerjack tales by some of today's most exciting indie authors! I count myself privileged to have a story included among them!