Dog Run Moon: Stories

“It was a full moon, fat as a tick stuck to midnight's flank. The coyotes worshiped it faithfully.”

“There were cats in the barn. Litters begetting litters-some thin and misshapen with the afflictions of blood too many times mixed.”

Steeped in the modern American west, these stories begin with a young man running naked in the desert at night. He is on the run for his life for stealing an abused dog. The second story features a Custer look-a-like, who reenacts Custer's Last Stand, once a year. He is also having an affair with a Native American woman, who slays him on the pretend battlefield, during each show. The rest of the collection unfolds in a similar manner, with most of them taking place in Montana and Wyoming. Well-drawn show more characters facing a variety of trials and predicaments, against this rugged, western backdrop. There is beauty and humor here, perfectly balanced with nuanced prose. It is an impressive debut and I look forward to seeing what this young writer does next. show less

This debut collection has turned out to be a pleasant surprise for two reasons. The first one, because as I had not read anything by Callan Wink I had no idea about what to expect; and the second one, because I didn’t find the first story (which is usually one of the strongest in every collection) especially compelling. But curiously enough, I found myself increasingly hooked and absorbed the more I read on. Most of Callan Wink’s characters are ordinary people, living a more or less plain life in Montana (with a background of animals, forests, hunters…), but they really rang true to me and I really empathized with their problems, little crisis, struggles and feelings. I also enjoyed the pervading humor even in those stories in show more which the plot was not particularly funny, but quite the opposite.
A really entertaining and well-written collection that I would recommend to any short-fiction lover. show less

I've never read much short fiction, but I found Dog Run Moon difficult to put down. It both intrigued and frustrated me. Each story was quirky but real, I felt like I was reading pieces of life in the Midwest. What frustrated me was that the stories just ended, there was no feeling of conclusion. And I really wanted to know what happens, I want to know more about these people. However, my feelings about the lack of finality may just be personal. I would love for each of these stories to be part of a larger book.

I received a copy of this book from a Goodreads Giveaway.

Easily one of the best collections of short stories I've dived into this year and a very impressive debut. Wink's Dog Run Moon brings a fierce freshness to the fore with simplistic prose and relatable, well-wrought characters. While some stories shine more than others, Wink's talent feels fluidly present throughout.

A sterling collection, the nine stories in DOG RUN MOON (2016), established Callan Wink as a writer to watch. One story here, "Breatharians," was a basis for his second effort, AUGUST (2020), one of the best coming-of-age first novels I've read in years. The last story, "In Hindsight" - a short novella, actually - exhibits an insight and wisdom rarely found in such a young writer. Simply stated, this is a fine bunch of stories. Very highly recommended for anyone partial to the genre.

- Tim Bazzett, author of the memoir, BOOKLOVER

This was odd. Most of the stories seemed pointless... but probably that's just me not 'getting' them. But many were more vulgar or disturbing than I wanted to read. I even skipped one about killing barn cats.

Otoh some of the later ones were interesting, in bits. I think my favorite was "Exotics" that used Big Game Hunting in Texas as a metaphor for ppl not fitting in. But really this is not my sort of thing at all. I have to admit it, I just can't enjoy reading about ppl I don't like, and I don't like what I see of most of these people.

MFA meets Montana Fly Fishing - lovely stories deeply rooted in the high plains...