Hack

by Jeb Stewart Harrison

When a film producer arrives at the California Heritage Gallery to view Hack's paintings, he's accompanied by the artist's childhood sweetheart, a woman he hasn't seen in twenty years except in dreams, where she appears almost nightly, a heavenly image of beauty and light. Now Hack is overwhelmed with desire and despair, for she's the trophy wife of a rich man. What could she possibly see in a downtrodden, besotted artist? So, in a state of love struck dementia, he hatches an outlandish scheme to win her fake his own death, thereby driving up the value of his portfolio, and then under cover, continue to produce "undiscovered" work, get rich,and one day return to claim his true love, when they'll ride "Fat Boys" together into the sunset to live happily ever after. Even a loser can get lucky sometimes.

287 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 1, 2012

About the author

I was born and raised in Kentfield, CA, just north of SF. Like many boomers (1955) I wanted to be a Beatle, and spent many years chasing that dream. Meanwhile, I got a job as a copywriter in the ad biz, had a family, made a living. Stories were always popping into my head, but I didn't start writing them down until my forties.

My debut novel, "Hack" was published by Harper Davis publishers in August 2012. My second novel, "The Healing of Howard Brown," was published in August, 2016 by Baby Bingus Books, and is the winner of the 2017 Independent Press and Firebird Award for Literary Fiction. My latest novel, "American Corporate", was published around Xmas 2018. In July 2021 Baby Bingus Books published "For Want of Grace - Collected Stories." I graduated from MFA Writing Program at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA.


Please drop by and say hello! Visit my website, and leave a message at the beep. I look forward to meeting you!

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Henry "Hack" Griffin is a jack of all trades, master of none. Well, he's a pretty decent landscape painter, but in the art world, raw talent only gets you so far. You need a gimmick to sell paintings, like, oh let's say...being dead.

To be a success and hopefully win the heart of his childhood sweetheart, Hack decides to fake his own death. Though he has the end result clearly in mind, the rest of his scheme could have used a little more planning. Is there life after (fake) death? And how can a dead guy ever hope to get the girl?

Together with his gallery rep and a colorful make-up artist, Hack concocts an elaborate alter identity and sets about taking the art world by storm. Then out of the woodwork come the relatives eager to share in the profits. Hack may just find himself needing to be rescued by a princess on a honkin' big Harley.

Here is a clever, heartwarming, and occasionally side-splitting tale of death and life, love and landscapes.

And kudos to the author for using age-appropriate females instead of young chippies.

Moral of the story? If you think life is too complicated, try dying.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeb Harrison's characters are as colorful and multi layered as his artwork. Hack is a fascinating read about a down and out (albeit talented) artist with a dream: to reconnect with his long lost love in real life, not only in his dreams. The road Hack lays down to get from where he begins his journey to where it ends is full of twists and turns, not unlike the roads leading to Hack's favorite Northern California beaches. Like a winding road, there are surprises at every turn, and not just roadkill, although roadkill is a fitting euphenism for some of the potential trainwreck-in-the-making situations Hack finds himself navigating. "Hack" is down and dirty, "Hack" is reality, and "Hack" is just plain fun. There's no guessing what happens next or how it ends. You'll just have to pick up a copy and find out for yourself. Highly recommended!

[Anthea Carson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am still reading Hack, but I just wanted to write a partial review now, because I wanted to make sure to let everyone know what a fun ride this book is. I'm finding myself really attached to the main character and the love of his life. These characters are so fun you want to jump in the book and ride along.

[Wendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hack is … laugh-out-loud hysterical, crushing and unromantically honest to the dilemma of being an artist, and compassionate to how characters must grow up and get through their lives. Jeb Harrison writes with descriptive aplomb so vivid you see the most mundane in Technicolor. Of course descriptions of life in Marin County resonate and remind some why they left… a matter of survival as in Hack, but the location could be anywhere an artist feels he has to somehow .. survive. Hack is a wild ride… vicarious and poignant.

[Thatgrl09 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel is a breath of fresh air. The protagonist Hack, is original, lazy, witty, talented, and a mess. Set in beautiful and materialistic Marin county the character list ranges from a gay make-up artist, ex-WWF fighter,drugged up house wife to a free loving hippie. I couldn't help but laugh out loud at Hack's attempts to win back his childhood sweetheart and the chaos his scheme creates. All the while I felt a strong connection to Hack, and the Bay Area art scene that is an ever present part of this book. A must read!