Scott Semegran's Blog, page 19
September 15, 2017
KIRKUS REVIEW for BOYS by Scott Semegran
KIRKUS REVIEWTwo short stories and a novella about youngsters growing up in Texas.
Author Semegran (The Discarded Feast, 2017, etc.) assembles three pieces of fiction; each chronicles the struggles of a boy in Texas—a second-grader, a teenager, and a recent college graduate. In the first story, “The Great and Powerful, Brave Raideen,” a quirky grade schooler, William, plays solitarily with his toys, which function as surrogate friends. He’s terrorized daily by Randy, a relentless bully, and conspires with his toys to fill his tormenter with fear, pilfering a gun from his parents’ room. Later, a repentant Randy apologizes and reveals that his father is his own oppressor. The boys make amends and become friends, but that doesn’t mean all ends well. In “Good Night, Jerk Face,” Sam obsessively pines for a 1980 Mazda RX7 and takes a job at a local Greek restaurant to save up for it. He makes deliveries in the owner’s truck, though he doesn’t have a driver’s license and doesn’t know how to drive. He starts to put his preoccupation into context, however, when he begins spending time with his crush. In the longest piece, The Discarded Feast, Seff, an aspiring writer, barely makes ends meet working at a restaurant. He starts stealing the food that’s headed for the dumpster but is eventually caught and fired. Along the way, though, he begins a potentially promising relationship with co-worker Laura Ann. Semegran artfully weaves together lighthearted comedy and emotional turbulence in each of the stories, and in the last one, Seff practically sustains his meager survival with jocose banter. The writing is sharp and unpretentiously thoughtful, and since each of the main characters finds solace in companionship, this is an affecting literary depiction of the comforting power of friendship. Each of the stories can be read on its own, but taken together, they make a coherent, thematic whole, skillfully produced.
An endearing collection that deftly captures the need for youthful fellowship. -- Kirkus Reviews
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/scott-semegran/boys/
Boys by Scott Semegran
August 27, 2017
IndieReader Review for BOYS by Scott Semegran
INDIEREADER REVIEWThree clever and captivating stories weave in themes of companionship and friendship in BOYS
Verdict: With nary a dull moment, Scott Semegran's BOYS features short stories filled with unexpected nuances that draws readers right into the heart of his well-developed characters.
IR Rating: 5 Stars, IR Approved
Congeniality reigns among action figures (i.e., Star Wars, Micronauts, Shogun Warriors) within William’s fictional and solitary realm in “The Great and Powerful, Brave Raideen.” Through an imaginary conversation with William, Brave Raideen—a Shogun Warrior action figure—comes up with a solution to scare Randy, the bully at William’s school, “real good.” What follows is entirely unexpected.
During the summer of 1986 in “Good Night, Jerk Face,” Sam wants a 1980 Mazda RX7 for his 16th birthday, even though he has no cash and doesn’t know how to drive. Taking a job working at a Greek restaurant appears to be a good thing until his boss asks him to make deliveries.
In “The Discarded Feast,” Seff and his friend Alfonso make piddly as restaurant servers. Barely making ends meet, the two friends have no idea how they’ll be able to bring in enough money to pay the monthly rent. When the restaurant’s corporate headquarters introduce some changes, Seff and Alfonso end up making their own decisions, which eventually lead them onto different paths.
Semegran adds verisimilitude to his latest collection of stories by employing very relatable human-interest scenarios. In “The Great and Powerful, Brave Raideen,” both William and Randy seek love, acceptance, and friendship amid undesirable circumstances. Sam represents the stereotypical teen in “Good Night, Jerk Face” who is aching to spread his wings a bit. The longest story—a novella—will most likely speak the loudest to those readers who have struggled with higher education, student loans, and finding a decent-paying job.
Uniting and enriching Semegran’s human-interest stories is his writing style. Semegran weaves in familiar and even expected dialogue scenes while carefully crafting unexpected nuances to his plots. He also has an ability to draw his readers right into the heart of his well-developed underdog characters and their emotional well being. Amid subtle and not so subtle twists and turns, Semegran leaves his audiences ruminating on his surprising story closures.
With nary a dull moment, Scott Semegran’s BOYS features short stories filled with unexpected nuances which draw readers right into the heart of his well-developed characters.
~Anita Lock for IndieReader
https://indiereader.com/2017/08/three-clever-captivating-stories-weave-themes-companionship-friendship-boys/
Boys by Scott Semegran
August 9, 2017
SAMMIE & BUDGIE, a new novel by Scott Semegran. Release date: Oct 1, 2017. Pre-order now!
SAMMIE & BUDGIE, a new novel by Scott Semegran. Release date: Oct 1, 2017. Pre-order now on Amazon, Google Play, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, Kobo. Only $2.99! Cheaper than a fancy cup of coffee. Pre-order today!
From Kindle bestselling writer and cartoonist Scott Semegran, Sammie & Budgie is a quirky, mystical tale of a self-doubting IT nerd and his young son, who possesses the gift of foresight. The boy's special ability propels his family on a road trip to visit his ailing grandfather, a prickly man who left an indelible stamp on the father and son. The three are connected through more than genetics, their lives intertwined through dreams, imagination, and longing.
Sammie & Budgie is an illustrated novel brought to you from the quirky mind of writer and cartoonist Scott Semegran. The novel explores the bond between a caring father and his children, one affected by his own thorny relationship with his surly father, and the connection he has with his sweet son is thicker than blood, going to the place where dreams are conceived and realized.
"Engaging and fun, with wonderfully crafted characters." --Derf Backderf, award-winning and bestselling creator of the graphic novel My Friend Dahmer
"Sammie & Budgie is instantly absorbing... I loved this book!" --Davy Rothbart, author of My Heart Is an Idiot, creator of Found Magazine, and contributor to public radio's This American Life
"A sweet story about an extraordinary everyday family, Sammie & Budgie will find its way into your heart, and stay there." --Emily Flake, New Yorker cartoonist, author of Mama Tried: Dispatches from the Seamy Underbelly of Modern Parenting, and creator of Lulu Eightball
Pre-order today!
Pre-order for Amazon Kindle http://amzn.to/2vlC4yQ
Pre-order for Google Play Books http://bit.ly/2vw5dYs
Pre-order for Kobo Books http://bit.ly/2v1ZiYh
Pre-order for Apple iBooks http://apple.co/2vwmD7B
Pre-order for Barnes & Noble Nook http://bit.ly/2vvZh1F
July 26, 2017
Good Ol' Sammie Boy
Chapter One
I discovered that my boy, Sammie--my son, my first child, my spawn, a chip off my ol' block, my heart and my soul--could see the future, that he could tell me what was going to happen before it happened, when he was in the third grade. I discovered this by dumb luck. Now, what I'm about to tell you, I'm telling you in the strictest of confidence. I mean, I'm telling you because I feel you need to know and I just don't go around telling everyone in the goddamn world my business because, well, it's my business; but I like you and that's all that matters. My boy, Sammie, was considered special by all accounts, not just special because I learned he could see the future, but special for two reasons: 1) he went through intensive testing and was designated as a child with special education needs by the State of Texas and 2) he's special because I said he's special. A father knows what a father knows, and I knew, without a doubt, that my boy was special. It's true.
Even before Sammie Boy was born, I had a feeling he was special (I call him Sammie Boy all the time--even now--because that's what I like to call him). When he was still living in the cramped efficiency apartment that was his mother's womb, he would kick and punch all over the place in a manner that made me feel like he was communicating with me in some type of fetal Morse Code. His mother would always tell me, 'Play our baby some music because I've read that playing our baby music while it is still in utero helps its intelligence.' So, I would do that. I'd get a Walkman or iPod or whatever was around, I'd put some classical music on, and place the headphones around his mother's overgrown stomach, and play the music loud so Sammie Boy could hear it. And whenever I would start the music, he would start kicking and punching all over the goddamn place, more punching when he disliked the music and less punching when he seemed to like it. Whenever I played any pop music, good ol' Sammie Boy seemed to hate it. He'd start punching and kicking and jabbing and stomping at such a furious rate that I thought he'd bust out of his mother's stomach like one of those hideous alien babies in the Alien movies. I played him all kinds of music to see what he would like: classical music, rock music, hip-hop music, country music, and even movie soundtracks. But the type of music that I discovered that he liked the most was jazz music, particularly John Coltrane songs and albums. He loved the shit out of some John Coltrane music--all the punching and kicking and stomping and jabbing and head-butting would cease the minute this music started. It really did, especially when I played the album Blue Train.
But what really made me aware of the fact that my boy Sammie was special was the day I picked him up from elementary school and he told me his after-school counselor was going to hurt herself in a serious way. I thought that to be a very strange thing for him to say, since Sammie didn't particularly have a malicious bone in his body, but was unsettling even more since my boy wasn't known to tell lies. Outside the school, out in the back where the playground and basketball court stretched beyond the portable buildings, I watched all the kids run and play while his counselor stood alone, keeping an eye on the children. It was a warm, humid day and the kids swarmed around the counselor like excited bees circling a sunflower.
I knelt next to my boy, placing my hands on his arms, and braced him gently, when I said, "What do you mean she will hurt herself?" Now, you have to understand, my boy Sammie was the cutest kid you will ever lay your eyes on, with big, round, brown eyes and a round face, tussled brown hair that never seemed to keep the style it started with in the morning, and a smile that would make a serial killer renounce his depravity and perform cartwheels in a field of daisies. Even in this serious situation, where I would have to compose myself to find answers, I had to fight the urge to pinch his cheeks and giggle. He was just that cute. "She looks fine to me," I said.
Sammie Boy looked over where the counselor stood, his sparkling, brown eyes examining her, the lids closing slightly as he peered at her, as if making out what her next move might be, and resolute sadness appeared on his cute, little face. "Daddy, can I ask you a question?" he said.
"Of course, my boy. You can ask me a question."
"Will you be mad at me if I tell you the truth?"
July 25, 2017
Sammie & Budgie
"Illustrated throughout by Semegran, this book is the author's best. In these pages, his steadfastly idiosyncratic style really begins to click. An unconventional, beguiling, and endearing family tale." — Kirkus Reviews
From Kindle bestselling writer and cartoonist Scott Semegran, Sammie & Budgie is a quirky, mystical tale of a self-doubting IT nerd and his young son, who possesses the gift of foresight. The boy's special ability propels his family on a road trip to visit his ailing grandfather, a prickly man who left an indelible stamp on the father and son. The three are connected through more than genetics, their lives intertwined through dreams, imagination, and longing.
Simon works as a network administrator for a state government agency, a consolation after a promising career as a novelist flounders. He finds himself a single parent of two small children following the mysterious death of his adulterous wife. From the ashes of his failed marriage emerges a tight-knit family of three: a creative, special needs son, a hyperactive, butt-kicking daughter, and the caring, sensitive father. But when his son's special ability reveals itself, Simon struggles to keep his little family together in the face of adversity and uncertainty.
Sammie is a creative third-grader that draws adventures in his sketchbook with his imaginary friend, Budgie, a parakeet that protects him from the monsters inhabiting his dreams. Sammie is also a special needs child but is special in more ways than one. He can see the future. Sammie seemingly can predict events both mundane and catastrophic in equal measure. But when he envisions the suffering of his grandfather, the family embarks on a road trip to San Antonio with the nanny to visit the ailing patriarch.
Sammie & Budgie is an illustrated novel brought to you from the quirky mind of writer and cartoonist Scott Semegran. The novel explores the bond between a caring father and his children, one affected by his own thorny relationship with his surly father, and the connection he has with his sweet son is thicker than blood, going to the place where dreams are conceived and realized.
Read an excerpt here.
Praise for Sammie & Budgie:
"A quirky, mystical tale of a self-doubting IT nerd and his young son, who possesses the gift of foresight. Engaging and fun, with wonderfully crafted characters." --Derf Backderf, award-winning and bestselling creator of the graphic novel My Friend Dahmer
"Sammie & Budgie is instantly absorbing, its affable narrator hooking you with wit and whimsy, then reeling you into the boat, where larger revelations await. Scott Semegran is a lively, vivid storyteller, and this book will delight readers of all ages, while leaving them with plenty to ponder about their own lives. I loved this book!" -Davy Rothbart, author of My Heart is an Idiot, creator of Found Magazine, and contributor to public radio's This American Life
"Scott Semegran’s loose charm and conversational style brings his shaggy narrator to vivid life in this story of a loving, if imperfect father and his maybe-psychic son. A sweet story about an extraordinary everyday family, Sammie & Budgie will find its way into your heart, and stay there." --Emily Flake, New Yorker cartoonist, author of Mama Tried: Dispatches from the Seamy Underbelly of Modern Parenting, and creator of Lulu Eightball
"Through Semegran's tongue-in-cheek writing, we get to step inside a wacky world where each chapter is an adventure and we're led to see just where Sammie’s vision will propel us." --Mary Bryan Stafford, award-winning author of A Wasp in the Fig Tree
"A feel good story that captures the extraordinary love between a parent and child. This particular father nurtures the uniqueness of his son emulating the bond usually held between a mother and child. Together they capture the hearts of the chosen few who become intertwined in the life of Sammie's world. A reality-based fairy tale both entertaining and inspirational." --Bessie David, author of the novel On a Pedestal
"Sammie & Budgie is a heartfelt novel about a Daddy's love for his family. The reactions to Sammie's special gift are balanced on the dual edge of pride in Sammie's gift and fear that educators might view the gift differently. I was caught up with the honest exchanges between Sammie and his Daddy. There is a level of fun in relating the everyday activities of the children of a single parent home. This story will tug at your heartstrings." --Rox Burkey, co-author of The Enigma Series
Reviews for Sammie & Budgie:
Kirkus Reviews
Indie Reader
RetailereBookPaperback
Amazon
$3.99
$15.99
Barnes & Noble
$3.99
$15.99
Apple
$3.99
Kobo
$3.99
Google Play
$3.99
Smashwords
$3.99
Scribd - $8.99/month
Link
CreateSpace
$15.99
Goodreads
Add Sammie & Budgie to Your Goodreads Shelf
Paperback Info
ISBN: 978-0692926925
Copyright: © 2017 Scott Semegran
Language: English
Edition: First Edition
Printed: 290 pages, 6" x 9", perfect binding, cream paper, black and white ink, full-color cover with matte finish
Publisher: Mutt Press
Category: Fiction / Literary
July 13, 2017
Book Giveaway for Boys on Goodreads
I am giving away 10 signed paperback editions of Boys to 10 lucky Goodreads community members in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
The book giveaway is open from Jul 13 - Jul 28, 2017. The winners will be announced soon after Jul 28th. The signed books will be shipped within two weeks of the winners being announced. Good luck!
Enter here:
Book Giveaway on Goodreads
To read more about Boys, go here for a description, links to reviews, links to retailers, and more.
April 13, 2017
Tears in Beers and Shit Like That
I slid the key into the dead bolt of the door to my apartment, turned the door knob, and in we went, to-go containers from the P.W. in our hands, smiles on our faces when we saw Mr. Whiskers waiting for us by the door. He always waited for me by the door. He was a good cat.
"Hey buddy!" said I, leaning down to scratch his head. He purred loudly. "I bet you're hungry."
I turned the lights on and we made our way to the coffee table, setting our food on it, plopping on the floor, our dining area. Alfonso noticed a gang of slaughtered roaches on the floor next to the couch, still twitching, almost dead, flopping on the carpet. Mr. Whiskers pounced on them, jabbed at them for the last time, then promptly ignored them. He lost interest for some reason.
This was a typical haul for Mr. Whiskers. When he was on the prowl, he liked to crouch low to the floor, digging his claws into the carpet, his tail slithering side-to-side like a snake easing through a forest, his eyes narrowing into focus, his whiskers spreading out, stiff, quivering, waiting for bugs. The roaches made their way from the sliding patio door to under my couch and my dutiful cat would watch them, the bugs tip-toeing around dust bunnies and cigarette lighters and waded up hamburger wrappers and sticky bent straws. My apartment complex was surrounded by oak and cedar trees, straddling creek beds that fed Town Lake a couple of blocks away, making fertile ground for bugs and rats and mice and snakes. To say my complex was infested with vermin was almost a stretch (almost) but it was not unusual for roaches to make their way daily under the sliding door from the rotting wooden deck behind my apartment, and that was where Mr. Whiskers would lay, crouched on the hearth of the fireplace next to the back door, his eyes aimed at the bottom of the door where the sliding rails were, looking for tasty bugs, waiting to pounce on them and rip their legs off. He was an effective insect exterminator. The roaches under the couch attempted to make it to the kitchen like starving idiots. Mr. Whiskers wound up his hind legs, sprang into action, jabbing his front right leg under the couch, and pulled the roaches out, his claws ripping the roaches open in one swift motion. As the roaches flip-flopped on the carpet, Mr. Whiskers licked himself clean, setting his paw on the roaches whenever they bounced around too erratically, keeping them in check until their demise. He would leave the bugs to die, alone, in the middle of the living room--or actually, Alfonso's temporary bedroom--as a symbol of his love to me and my new roommate. Fucking gross.
April 4, 2017
Scott Semegran Reading at Malvern Books in Austin, TX
I will be reading one of my short stories at Malvern Books in Austin, TX on Saturday, April 22nd. Please come out and support me and my favorite local bookstore.
Who:
Scott Semegran with Deborah Clearman
Where:
Malvern Books
613 West 29th Street
Austin, TX 78705
512-322-2097
When:
Arrive at 6:45pm
Starts at 7:00pm
Ends at 8:00pm
Why:
To support a local author and a great bookstore. And because it's fun!
How:
I'm not sure how you'll get there but I'm certain you'll figure it out.
The parking lot is small so arrive early. Additional parking around the back of the building and on Rio Grande St.
More info can be found here and to RSVP:
https://www.facebook.com/events/310465626039480/
I look forward to seeing you there!
Take care,
Scott
Scott Semegran Reading at Malvern Books in Austin, TX
Who:
Scott Semegran / Deborah Clearman
Where:
Malvern Books
613 West 29th Street
Austin, TX 78705
512-322-2097
When:
Arrive at 6:45pm
Starts at 7:00pm
Ends at 8:00pm
Why:
To support a local author and a great bookstore. And because it's fun!
How:
I'm not sure how you'll get there but I'm certain you'll figure it out.
The parking lot is small so arrive early. Additional parking around the back of the building and on Rio Grande St.
More info can be found here and to RSVP:
https://www.facebook.com/events/31046...
Scott
Boys
by Scott Semegran
March 17, 2017
Book Giveaway For The Meteoric Rise of Simon Burchwood on Goodreads
For the week of February 13 - 19, 2017, my novel The Meteoric Rise of Simon Burchwood was #1 on the Amazon Kindle Best Seller list for humorous Literary Fiction in the U.K., Canada, and Australia, as well as #4 in the U.S.
To celebrate, I am giving away 10 signed paperback editions of The Meteoric Rise of Simon Burchwood to 10 lucky Goodreads community members in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia.
If you haven't spent time with Simon Burchwood, then there is no better time than now. Quirky and foul-mouthed, Simon wants nothing more than to be famous. Fortunately for the rest of us, it's just not that easy for him.
The book giveaway is open from Mar 20 - Apr 17, 2017. The winners will be announced soon after Apr 17. The signed books will be shipped within two weeks of the winners being announced. Good luck!
Enter here:
Book Giveaway on Goodreads
To read more about The Meteoric Rise of Simon Burchwood, go here for a description, links to reviews, links to retailers, and more.
