Stories (Within): An Anthology of Stories Within Stories

by Benjamin Gorman, Mark Teppo, Rick M Cook

The tradition of a story framed by another story traces back before recorded history. The snake has been eating its own tail for at least 7000 years. This anthology is radically new but depends on something so ancient it may be intrinsically human. Authors wrote varied pieces-contemporary, historical, futuristic, fantastical-in which a character tells a story--but the authors did not know what the story within would be! The question underlying the exercise is Are stories so fundamental to our humanity that any story can serve as both a frame around, and an illustration within, any other? Thanks to the talent of these skilled storytellers, the result is a marvelous series of matryoshka dolls which nest inside one another, proof that experimental fiction can be fun to read, and that we exist encircled by narrative.

150 pages, Hardcover

Published August 5, 2022

About the author

Benjamin Gorman is a high school English teacher. He lives in Independence, Oregon with his partner, bibliophile and guillotine aficionado Chrystal. His first novel was The Sum of Our Gods, followed by Corporate High School, then The Digital Storm, then The Convention of Fiends, Book 1: Don’t Read This Book, and, most recently, The Convention of Fiends, Book 2: You Were Warned. He's also the author of two poetry collections, When She Leaves Me and This Uneven Universe. He believes in human beings and the power of their stories. He places his confidence in his students and the world they will choose to create if given the chance.

For a much more extensive biography, click here!