Confessions

by Sean Eads

Nathan Ashcraft knew this morning wasn't going to be easy. After all, he's the town funeral director, and he's coming to work early to meet two grieving parents whose baby was stillborn. The meeting fills him with dread and anticipation because the baby's father, Steve, was his high school crush, and they haven't seen each other in almost thirty years. What Nathan doesn't know is how the child's death connects him to other people in town, especially Tim Sawyer, the local dentist and Nathan's recent infatuation, and Sarah Lawrence, a retired high school biology teacher whose good intentions almost destroyed his life decades ago. These three people will face their own moment of crisis today, sparking self-reflection and self-doubt, despair and regret that drive them toward their own drastic resolutions and confessions. But in the end, is confession really good for the soul?

288 pages, Kindle Edition

Published November 29, 2022

About the author

I was born in West Virginia, raised in Kentucky, and have lived in Denver, CO since 1999. I'm a reference librarian by trade.

My first few books are currently out of print. The Survivors (2012, Lethe Press) was a finalist for the Lambda Literary Award. Lord Byron's Prophecy (2015, Lethe Press) was a finalist for the Shirley Jackson Award and the Colorado Book Award. My first short story collection is 17 Stitches, (2017, Lethe Press).

I'm hoping to bring these three books back into circulation by 2025.

My other novels include Trigger Point (2013, rereleased in 2017 by Hex Publishers), The Feast of Panthers (2023, Rebel Satori Press), and Confessions (2023, Hex Publishers). Confessions was a finalist for the Colorado Book Award.

Upcoming publications include Lost Story (2024, Hex Publishers), a second short story collection called Midnight Vintage (2025, Crystal Lake Publishing) and a fantasy novel titled Servants of Stone (2025, Crystal Lake Publishing).

Reviews

[Marjorie Elwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Compelling (I read it in one sitting) novel about the intertwining of lives in small-town Kentucky. The sense of place is strong and the characters are well-defined and authentic, even those outside of the lived experience of the author. For instance, the scene where the older school teacher doesn't want to get every ache and pain checked out by a doctor rang true. Some good philosophizing about life, families, what ifs, and the nature of love, and some beautiful lines: "Our lives are impoverished by the unmade touch."

[QA Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great story. Heart wrenching, unfuriating, baffling and very touching. I could not.put it down

[Elly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very flat. If you really want to read a good book about gays struggle, read “The Hearts Invisible Fury” by John Boyne. That is a real treat.