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Without Expiration: A Personal Anthology
“Are we bad people who sometimes do good things, or good people who do bad things?”
As society struggles to reconcile the uncovering of past wrongs with simple human frailty, punishment and personal redemption, the stories in Without Expiration challenge us to consider the humanity of characters who are flawed and heartbroken and who do and suffer terrible things. Works from Without Expiration have been published in some of America’s best short fiction journals. From the tale of a devastated father hunting his daughter’s killer to that of a couple forced to confront the disintegration of their marriage anew each time the wife awakes from a persistent vegetative state, the short fictions in this anthology seek to obliterate any sense of righteous indignation and to question how any of us can make it unscathed through a life where our every mistake is without expiration.
“Hincy doesn’t hold your hand while he tells you a story—he leads you to the darkest hour, the deepest secret, the saddest truth, and leaves you holding the consequences. While one story is funny and filled with ludicrous-but-adorable characters, the next is stark, real, and unsettling. You may need a moment to recuperate between stories, but it’s well worth it. This is short story telling at its finest.”
— Connie Kuntz, editor The Rockford Review
“Deft, poignant, and unflinching, this collection takes the short story form and turns it inside-out like yesterday's lost sock. Not to be missed.”
— Charles Hood, winner of the Kenneth Patchen Prize for Experimental Fiction
“In Without Expiration, William Hincy wields keen mastery of a dazzling variety of narrative styles and voices. Many of the stories in this collection are deeply poignant, with a recurring theme of loss, while others are told with a primal irreverence, exploring the substance of what is human and humane. Running throughout the range of short fiction in this volume are a love of language, a wry humor, and startling insights from an emerging author you need to know.”
— Michael Craft, author of Inside Dumont: A Novel in Stories
and fourteen other novels
“An exciting new voice in literary fiction. The stories in Without Expiration expertly walk the line between humor, social satire, and genuine human emotion.”
— Adam Cushman, author of Cut
“William R. Hincy's short stories produce what Edgar Allan Poe described as a lasting ‘singular effect,’ which is the greatest gift a writer can deliver to the intelligent reader. Hincy’s stories reveal the wisdom, versatility, and human understanding of an author the world needs. Bravo!”
— T.D. Johnston, winner of the International Book Award
for Friday Afternoon and Other Stories
As society struggles to reconcile the uncovering of past wrongs with simple human frailty, punishment and personal redemption, the stories in Without Expiration challenge us to consider the humanity of characters who are flawed and heartbroken and who do and suffer terrible things. Works from Without Expiration have been published in some of America’s best short fiction journals. From the tale of a devastated father hunting his daughter’s killer to that of a couple forced to confront the disintegration of their marriage anew each time the wife awakes from a persistent vegetative state, the short fictions in this anthology seek to obliterate any sense of righteous indignation and to question how any of us can make it unscathed through a life where our every mistake is without expiration.
“Hincy doesn’t hold your hand while he tells you a story—he leads you to the darkest hour, the deepest secret, the saddest truth, and leaves you holding the consequences. While one story is funny and filled with ludicrous-but-adorable characters, the next is stark, real, and unsettling. You may need a moment to recuperate between stories, but it’s well worth it. This is short story telling at its finest.”
— Connie Kuntz, editor The Rockford Review
“Deft, poignant, and unflinching, this collection takes the short story form and turns it inside-out like yesterday's lost sock. Not to be missed.”
— Charles Hood, winner of the Kenneth Patchen Prize for Experimental Fiction
“In Without Expiration, William Hincy wields keen mastery of a dazzling variety of narrative styles and voices. Many of the stories in this collection are deeply poignant, with a recurring theme of loss, while others are told with a primal irreverence, exploring the substance of what is human and humane. Running throughout the range of short fiction in this volume are a love of language, a wry humor, and startling insights from an emerging author you need to know.”
— Michael Craft, author of Inside Dumont: A Novel in Stories
and fourteen other novels
“An exciting new voice in literary fiction. The stories in Without Expiration expertly walk the line between humor, social satire, and genuine human emotion.”
— Adam Cushman, author of Cut
“William R. Hincy's short stories produce what Edgar Allan Poe described as a lasting ‘singular effect,’ which is the greatest gift a writer can deliver to the intelligent reader. Hincy’s stories reveal the wisdom, versatility, and human understanding of an author the world needs. Bravo!”
— T.D. Johnston, winner of the International Book Award
for Friday Afternoon and Other Stories
- GenresShort Stories
152 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 30, 2019
11 people are currently reading
22 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 10, 2020
Uncomfortable, unsettling and often unresolved, I believe these stories are best dipped into over a period of time. It would be too intense to gobble up this collection in one or two sittings. If I had to use another ‘u’ word it would be understandable, but I’d have to put a question mark after it as a number of the stories had me completely flummoxed. I found that I was often searching for meaning and more than once I came up empty handed. The offerings vary in length and style, with some of the shortest stories ending before I’d settled into the flow of them. These were forgettable but others did engage me.
My favourites are all about relationships where tension is the dominant theme:
- A long-term marriage in which the wife is constantly annoyed by the fact that her husband never washes the dishes.
- A scientist whose estranged and dying wife awakes every few years to torment him afresh.
- A son desperate for his father’s love but constantly disappointed by his disregard.
Overall it’s a mixed bag, as many collections are. I found myself one minute admiring how the author had drawn me in to a situation and the next finding that a piece had completely passed me by. It’s possible I’d gain more by working through the stories again, but in truth I’m not drawn to do that.
My thanks to the author and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
My favourites are all about relationships where tension is the dominant theme:
- A long-term marriage in which the wife is constantly annoyed by the fact that her husband never washes the dishes.
- A scientist whose estranged and dying wife awakes every few years to torment him afresh.
- A son desperate for his father’s love but constantly disappointed by his disregard.
Overall it’s a mixed bag, as many collections are. I found myself one minute admiring how the author had drawn me in to a situation and the next finding that a piece had completely passed me by. It’s possible I’d gain more by working through the stories again, but in truth I’m not drawn to do that.
My thanks to the author and NetGalley for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
January 4, 2021
This short story collection was right up my alley. William Hincy weaves wonderous tales, whether filled with mounting dread or with unabashed laughter. The characters he brings to life are easily relatable. What a bender it is when the twisted happens. When the unimaginable takes place. When the absurd becomes reality. Could these unassuming, everyday people become us? Oh, quite rightly. That is what I ultimately enjoyed about Hincy's writing. He is able to make the obtuse relevant. The outlandish feasible. A trademark of a phenomenal story teller.
'Are we bad people who sometimes do good things, or good people who do bad things?' I think we all are a little bit of both, don't you think?
Thanks to NetGalley, Whiskey-Winged Lit, and William R. Hincy for an ARC in return for an honest review.
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'Are we bad people who sometimes do good things, or good people who do bad things?' I think we all are a little bit of both, don't you think?
Thanks to NetGalley, Whiskey-Winged Lit, and William R. Hincy for an ARC in return for an honest review.
Publish your review!
We’ve already copied it to your clipboard.
July 22, 2022
I received an advanced digital copy of this book, courtesy of the author and publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
RTC
I don't know.. the tagline is: “Are we bad people who sometimes do good things, or good people who do bad things?”
I don't really think what I read mirrors that sentence. Maybe I was just expecting something grittier, something darker, more of a psychological study of the human mind... Perhaps some of the stories simply went over my head... Like I said, I don't know. Still though , I really enjoyed the writing style and the stories. Some more than others, but that's just the way of a short story collection.
Full review to come
RTC
I don't know.. the tagline is: “Are we bad people who sometimes do good things, or good people who do bad things?”
I don't really think what I read mirrors that sentence. Maybe I was just expecting something grittier, something darker, more of a psychological study of the human mind... Perhaps some of the stories simply went over my head... Like I said, I don't know. Still though , I really enjoyed the writing style and the stories. Some more than others, but that's just the way of a short story collection.
Full review to come
November 11, 2022
Dark and Funny
I’d start with this quote from the book – “There are times when I’d light the world on fire to watch it burn; in my most sober moments, I’d do it because it deserves it.” I got this.
The first story is about infidelity and is presented lightheartedly yet profoundly. Amelia and Charles are in bed, talking about stuff. Perhaps, after an intimate act. There was so much beauty in the foulness of dishonesty.
The second story is about a woman reminiscing about her life while putting away groceries. She finds many expired items and walks down memory lane of her time with Holden, her dead son, perchance. Her husband, John, filed for divorce since she couldn’t get over her grief. His words – “We’re all parented by the past, so it’s perverse when you marry it.” It pushed in a philosophical tone of things that is truer than any.
The next story was of Hank and Helen. They have been married for 46 years. They have a son, Hue, who is also now married, and has a son Charles. Something Hank said, “Only the discontent can invent,” resonated with me. But the story is all about how Hank never helped Helen with the dishes. Every past memory ended up with Hank not helping Helen… with the dishes. That cracked me up many times. In the end, it changed, however.
Friendly Stranger narrative left me in a big shock. I couldn’t agree with the end, but it made sense at some level. For Jose, or whatever his name was, did go through what he reveals in the end, then it was only fair to leave Mr. Big Hurry in a lurch.
The story of Bryan, a doll engineer, is next. He gets fired for being five minutes late. A month prior, Bryan had asked Chris, his boss, for an old clock that was his companion during work and was being replaced with a digital one. Chirs says it is discarded for being slow. What a parallel to this June 20th happening! Another parallel is drawn between his life coming to an end and his second son, that was stillborn years ago.
A study into discontinuity echoed with me the most because of how it ended. Edward referred to his dying wife, Christa, as discontinuity. I am researching something similar from an Indic Mythology perspective.
‘Teeth’ was an emotional tale of revenge. A father’s way of settling the score with her daughter’s murderer.
A dog named Gau-Gung came to America with Yi from Hong Kong. After Yi’s death Jian took care of the seemingly immortal dog. Jessica, her daughter, helped her but knew Puppy-Pa or Gau-Gung needed to be put down. The dog, despite all the ailments, continued to breathe.
Reneia and Bill’s story also has a shocking end. A woman who resorts to prostitution and a therapist that understands her move. Her breakthrough ended so abruptly that I was left questioning what-ifs. It appeared Bill loved her.
The story of Poope Hal and Mary was hilarious. It came across as unruly even! And Oceans gave a totally different perspective on an outwardly normal ultrasound procedure for women. You know, the one where it a stick is inserted inside! Flying was an emotive ride, a bond between a father and son.
In conclusion, I felt author William R. Hincy does write some dark stuff with literary brilliance.
I’d start with this quote from the book – “There are times when I’d light the world on fire to watch it burn; in my most sober moments, I’d do it because it deserves it.” I got this.
The first story is about infidelity and is presented lightheartedly yet profoundly. Amelia and Charles are in bed, talking about stuff. Perhaps, after an intimate act. There was so much beauty in the foulness of dishonesty.
The second story is about a woman reminiscing about her life while putting away groceries. She finds many expired items and walks down memory lane of her time with Holden, her dead son, perchance. Her husband, John, filed for divorce since she couldn’t get over her grief. His words – “We’re all parented by the past, so it’s perverse when you marry it.” It pushed in a philosophical tone of things that is truer than any.
The next story was of Hank and Helen. They have been married for 46 years. They have a son, Hue, who is also now married, and has a son Charles. Something Hank said, “Only the discontent can invent,” resonated with me. But the story is all about how Hank never helped Helen with the dishes. Every past memory ended up with Hank not helping Helen… with the dishes. That cracked me up many times. In the end, it changed, however.
Friendly Stranger narrative left me in a big shock. I couldn’t agree with the end, but it made sense at some level. For Jose, or whatever his name was, did go through what he reveals in the end, then it was only fair to leave Mr. Big Hurry in a lurch.
The story of Bryan, a doll engineer, is next. He gets fired for being five minutes late. A month prior, Bryan had asked Chris, his boss, for an old clock that was his companion during work and was being replaced with a digital one. Chirs says it is discarded for being slow. What a parallel to this June 20th happening! Another parallel is drawn between his life coming to an end and his second son, that was stillborn years ago.
A study into discontinuity echoed with me the most because of how it ended. Edward referred to his dying wife, Christa, as discontinuity. I am researching something similar from an Indic Mythology perspective.
‘Teeth’ was an emotional tale of revenge. A father’s way of settling the score with her daughter’s murderer.
A dog named Gau-Gung came to America with Yi from Hong Kong. After Yi’s death Jian took care of the seemingly immortal dog. Jessica, her daughter, helped her but knew Puppy-Pa or Gau-Gung needed to be put down. The dog, despite all the ailments, continued to breathe.
Reneia and Bill’s story also has a shocking end. A woman who resorts to prostitution and a therapist that understands her move. Her breakthrough ended so abruptly that I was left questioning what-ifs. It appeared Bill loved her.
The story of Poope Hal and Mary was hilarious. It came across as unruly even! And Oceans gave a totally different perspective on an outwardly normal ultrasound procedure for women. You know, the one where it a stick is inserted inside! Flying was an emotive ride, a bond between a father and son.
In conclusion, I felt author William R. Hincy does write some dark stuff with literary brilliance.
February 27, 2022
Without Expiration
Credit where credit’s due, the writing in this anthology is exquisite, poetic even. I would compare it to the writings of Sylvia Plath.
The unifying theme is about the human tendency to hold onto things long after its absolutely necessary, and how we stubbornly hold onto things (even when they no longer serve us as they once did).
Yet each individual story has its own individual themes also. (I won’t go into them all because I don’t to spoil the surprise for anyone.) The tome covers just about every aspect of the human condition.
As each short story progresses, the context of the themes seems to change greatly, but gradually, just as how I’d imagine the earth’s tectonic plates might move. The ground beneath your feet at the beginning of each story leaves you somewhere completely different by the end.
These stories have a real grit to them and are very original. I was invested in the outcome of every character.
The story titled “A study in discontinuity” was particularly cleverly written. And I thought that the stories couldn’t get much stranger after the one titled “A thousand counted and uncounted debts”, but then came an even stranger story in “Amen”.
I was perpetually entertained and would definitely read from this author again.
Credit where credit’s due, the writing in this anthology is exquisite, poetic even. I would compare it to the writings of Sylvia Plath.
The unifying theme is about the human tendency to hold onto things long after its absolutely necessary, and how we stubbornly hold onto things (even when they no longer serve us as they once did).
Yet each individual story has its own individual themes also. (I won’t go into them all because I don’t to spoil the surprise for anyone.) The tome covers just about every aspect of the human condition.
As each short story progresses, the context of the themes seems to change greatly, but gradually, just as how I’d imagine the earth’s tectonic plates might move. The ground beneath your feet at the beginning of each story leaves you somewhere completely different by the end.
These stories have a real grit to them and are very original. I was invested in the outcome of every character.
The story titled “A study in discontinuity” was particularly cleverly written. And I thought that the stories couldn’t get much stranger after the one titled “A thousand counted and uncounted debts”, but then came an even stranger story in “Amen”.
I was perpetually entertained and would definitely read from this author again.
February 18, 2022
If you're looking for light reading, this isn't the book for you. Filled with angst and a continuous thread of internal contention between the various characters, these short stories generally share consistent themes of the ups and downs of human relationships, the internal impact of unexpected misfortune, and discontentedness upon reflection of life.
I did not give a higher rating as I felt that it did not pull me in consistently. There were stories I greatly preferred such as "A Study In Discontinuity" that felt memorable due to the uncomfortable due to the unconventional plot and independent intrigue of the characters, but there were others that felt drawn out in writing, at times without purposeful conclusions.
The last thing I'd point out is that I struggled to holistically connect the content being read to the tagline that invited potential readers to question "Are we bad people who sometimes do good things, or good people who do bad things?..."
However, if you have no qualms about delving in the shadows of human nature and the psyche of people, and if you can be contented to, at times, be left up to your own conclusions, I'd suggest reading this book.
I did not give a higher rating as I felt that it did not pull me in consistently. There were stories I greatly preferred such as "A Study In Discontinuity" that felt memorable due to the uncomfortable due to the unconventional plot and independent intrigue of the characters, but there were others that felt drawn out in writing, at times without purposeful conclusions.
The last thing I'd point out is that I struggled to holistically connect the content being read to the tagline that invited potential readers to question "Are we bad people who sometimes do good things, or good people who do bad things?..."
However, if you have no qualms about delving in the shadows of human nature and the psyche of people, and if you can be contented to, at times, be left up to your own conclusions, I'd suggest reading this book.
March 30, 2020
William R. Hincy is a lucky man. He is gifted with the ability to sublimely transpose his frighteningly large imagination skillfully to the page. His insight into the human condition enables Mr. Hincy to take you to the ugliest hole and prettiest hill....but not by the hand; you don’t get an easy ride with this author. He leaves a lot of the driving to you, but once you have mastered his style the allegorical nature of the stories will fascinate.
‘ Without Expiration’ sits as the default read for any author wishing to resolve writers block.
Quote from the anthology - ‘ it’s impossible for a wife to compete when her husbands mistress is himself ‘ ( Bermuda Triangle ). Quote - ‘ Spanning into the distance, tall yellow grasses swayed, each strand rooted in position, stretching out to feel the sensation of movement and the sweet piercing sensation of approaching the moment it will snap ‘ ( Left to soak ). The prose is delicious and can’t help but inspire. Thoroughly recommended.
May 28, 2020
Great novel.
Without Expiration is just a great read for me and the best fictional book I have across. The author, Hincy does great work in that he narrates in a way that is mysterious and he inputs different styles and tone in the unrelated stories that is eye catching. The good in the bad persons and the bad in good persons is clearly portrayed and this keeps me to think how the world looks like in this nature! Characters of different personalities in the short fictional stories is well articulated and I give Hincy a thumbs with such an interesting thing to do. The book is exciting to read which in a way makes Hincy very intelligent in writing this kind of a book. Highly recommended from me at the end of my read.
Without Expiration is just a great read for me and the best fictional book I have across. The author, Hincy does great work in that he narrates in a way that is mysterious and he inputs different styles and tone in the unrelated stories that is eye catching. The good in the bad persons and the bad in good persons is clearly portrayed and this keeps me to think how the world looks like in this nature! Characters of different personalities in the short fictional stories is well articulated and I give Hincy a thumbs with such an interesting thing to do. The book is exciting to read which in a way makes Hincy very intelligent in writing this kind of a book. Highly recommended from me at the end of my read.
February 26, 2020
Without Expiration by William R. Hincy is an unusual short story collection that all share a common theme.
There are 12 stories to it, most of them previously been published.
Are good people capable of doing bad things like bad people do on a regular basis?
What about bad people are they capable of producing the kind good deed that would make good people proud?
Most importantly, if the answer to both questions is yes, just how big a difference is there, between “bad” people and “good” people.
There are 12 stories to it, most of them previously been published.
Are good people capable of doing bad things like bad people do on a regular basis?
What about bad people are they capable of producing the kind good deed that would make good people proud?
Most importantly, if the answer to both questions is yes, just how big a difference is there, between “bad” people and “good” people.
May 18, 2020
This book did not grab me. Too much going on. Some felt not quite complete. Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the arc of this book in return for my honest review. Receiving the book in this manner had no bearing on this review.
March 7, 2023
A Deeply personal story that touched me
I loved this book from page one! I really liked the writing style but what really caught me was how the author connected to me on a personal level. I highly recommend this book.
I loved this book from page one! I really liked the writing style but what really caught me was how the author connected to me on a personal level. I highly recommend this book.
March 9, 2022
An uncomfortable read. Most of the characters have reached unhappily-ever-after and live there. Others will arrive shortly.
Full review on my blog: https://nouw.com/cwidmann/unsettling-...
Full review on my blog: https://nouw.com/cwidmann/unsettling-...
April 1, 2022
I'd recommend.
I read Friendly Stranger and it took a wrong turn there at the end. Which I found hilarious. Very unexpected and it makes me want to read more from the author.
I read Friendly Stranger and it took a wrong turn there at the end. Which I found hilarious. Very unexpected and it makes me want to read more from the author.
November 20, 2022
An engaging, thought-provoking collection
This is an entertaining and thought-provoking collection of short stories about life and the human condition. Some are hopeful, others, dark. My favorite was ‘Left to Soak,’ about a woman struggling with her role in her marriage.
This is an entertaining and thought-provoking collection of short stories about life and the human condition. Some are hopeful, others, dark. My favorite was ‘Left to Soak,’ about a woman struggling with her role in her marriage.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews