Essays

[close] ANNIE CHOI HATES MUSICAL THEATER. SHE THINKS SANDWICHES ARE BORING. She likes camping, except for the outdoors part. At fifteen, her father made her read the entire car manual before allowing her to sit in the driver’s seat. Her neighbor, who has no cur­tains, is always naked. And she once chased down a man who stole her handbag.

All this is to say that Choi is one part badass and one part curmudgeon, with a soft spot for savage bears. Mostly she wants to ask the world: WTF?!

Written in Choi’s strikingly original and indignant voice, Shut Up, You’re Welcome paints a revealing portrait of Annie in all her quirky, compelling, riotous glory. Each of Choi’s personal essays begins with an open letter to someone (babies) or something (the San Fernando Valley) she has a beef with. From the time her family ditched her on Christmas to her father’s attach­ment to the World's Ugliest Table, Choi weaves together deeply personal experiences with laugh-out-loud observations, all of which will delight and entertain you. [close]

[close] A humorous collection of anecdotal essays on how to deal with common adult life struggles that fall just short of FEMA intervention but are bigger than a duct tape and coat hanger fix. This stuff wasn’t supposed to happen to Madge, she’s college educated and comes from a good white collar Irish Catholic family. But she made it through an abusive marriage, co-parenting with her alcoholic ex who subsequently vanished, joblessness, homelessness, food stamps, dating, and raising three kids single handedly. Somehow she maintained her dignity and fabulousness and produced three very smart, well adjusted, successful children. These are life lesson stories filled with humor, common sense and snark.
“This book is very nice dear but I still think you should become a dental hygienist. They make good money you know. People always need their teeth cleaned.” – Madelyn Madigan, Madge’s Mother
“Funny and cleavage, a winning combination!” – A creepy guy that reads my blog [close]

[close] Rick Garvia is a writer, amateur landscaper, former professional homebuilder, traveler, yoga hack, reader, wine drinker, amateur photographer, boulder mover, dog lover, loud sneezer, spelling snob, coffee drinker, father, brother, son and a happily married regular guy facing growing older with equal amounts of frustration, amazement and aplomb.

The Road Gets Longer If I Stop is a collection of short stories from his popular blog. Described as “out-of-the-box, insightful, humorous, and smart,” each story digs deeper yet barely scratches the surface of a life spent trying to figure things out. The colorful short stories, insightful musings and razor sharp dialogue will capture the reader’s imagination and curiosity. [close]