Not Everyone Is Special

by Josh Denslow

A teen who can teleport just wants to make his mom happy. A midget working as an elf in a year-round Christmas-themed amusement park battles his archrival: a condescending Santa. You’ve heard of Fight Club, but have you been to the Underground Punch Market? Like the work of George Saunders crossed with Richard Linklater, NOT EVERYONE IS SPECIAL is a collection of slacker fabulist stories that are at once speculative, hilarious, and poignant.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

160 pages, Paperback

First published March 27, 2019

About the author

I live outside Austin, TX with my wife, my mother-in-law, and my three sons. To keep things interesting, we also have four dogs and three cats, plus a bunch of scorpions hiding just out of sight.

My short stories have appeared in print and online in such fine places as Barrelhouse, Third Coast, Cutbank, Wigleaf, and Black Clock, among many others. NOT EVERYONE IS SPECIAL, my debut short story collection will be published in 2019 by 7.13 Books.

Reviews

[Michael Ferro · Rating 5 out of 5]

My full review is up at Heavy Feather Review: https://heavyfeatherreview.org/2019/0...

It doesn't get any better than this! Josh's stories are funny, heartbreaking, and truly empathic. Read my full review above for more info.

[Lori]

Beginning in November, I'll be working with Josh to promote this collection. It's pretty rad, and you should total check it out! Hit me up if you'd like a digital review copy!

[Jason · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fine collection of short stories, I loved every single one of them. The editing and ordering of the stories is spot on, nothing ends up feeling samey, each story feels original and could easily be by a different author, that's how much each character stands out. The long stories have little breaks now and then with little bits of flash fiction and it was one of these that was the highlight for me. "Bio" follows chronological book bios of an author from his first book, full of aspirations and the love of his life, to struggling to get his first novel written and living with his dogs. It is very clever and makes you wonder how Stephen King's bios read over the years.

It is tough to pick a favourite from the longer stories but I'd have to go with "Punch" a dystopian story where you're allowed a couple of free punches, with no repercussions, a year. I loved how human nature takes advantage of this situation and there is an underground market for selling your free punches.

I highly recommend this short story collection, fun to read and nothing offensive...for the easily offended. As it says on the cover these stories are speculative, hilarious and poignant, the perfect words to describe this book.

Blog review: https://felcherman.wordpress.com/2019...

[Josh Denslow · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is me giving my own book a five-star rating and then writing a review where I say I feel good about it.

[Ben Arzate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full Review

Not Everyone is Special is an excellent collection of quirky, funny, and creative stories about lovable losers. Any fans of short stories will find a lot to enjoy here. This is Josh Denslow's first book and I very much look forward to what he comes out with in the future.

[Hobart · Rating 4 out of 5]

★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I'm not sure what to say about this collection of 15 short stories. They're all really well-written -- there was one or two I didn't care for, two that I really liked -- but they all showed skill, craft, and achieved what I think Denslow intended to achieve. But I'm not sure that I can muster up any excitement over the collection.

Some of the stories fall into the SF/Speculative Fiction category, but by and large these are "General Fiction" (whatever exactly that is). Some are comic, some are very tragic (I think you could make the case for all of the stories containing elements of both).

"Proximity" a bittersweet story about a young man on the brink of maturity (but resisting stepping over it) who happens to be able to teleport is one of the best things I've read in months. A great combination of imagination and story, that sadly, I read the same day I read the best novel I've read so far this year, and completely forgot about until I started flipping through this book again while writing this. (but, man, am I glad I remember it now...)

Then there's "Mousetrap," which starts with the line,

I want to find a not scary way to tell my sister that I’m contemplating killing myself, but I don’t want her to think that it has to do with the fact that she asked me to start paying rent.

And openings don't get much better than that (the story lives up to it).

There are a handful of other really high high points in this collection. I can't talk about "Dorian Vandercleef" beyond encouraging you to read it -- but you really should. "Blake Bishop Believes in Love" is sweet, grotesque and unpleasant (intentionally so). "Extra Ticket," a story about a teenager dealing (and not well) with grieving over a friend's death would serve as a handy example of the concept of "poignant," if you ever find yourself in need of one.

I might not be over-the-moon with this book, but I did like it. I can even see me being in a situation where I'd re-read parts or all of it (I don't normally re-read short story books, but I'm not opposed to the idea). I would absolutely read more by Denslow -- long form or short form. Not Everyone is Special is a good book -- some of the stories might even be more than good. I'd absolutely encourage you to get your hands on this to judge for yourself. I promise you'll find at least one story that'll knock your socks off.


Disclaimer: I received this book from the author in exchange for this post and my honest opinion, which is what I provided.

[Ross Jeffery · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, writing good fiction is about punching the reader through the chest and laying hold of their still beating heart, crushing it, and not relinquishing that hold until the book is finished. If that’s your type of writing then look no further than this very bold and daring debut collection from Josh Denslow.

Not Everyone Is Special is a unique collection of short stories with some flash fiction sprinkled in for seasoning, and Denslow is versed in both forms. The collection boasts fifteen stories of gritty realism, which are witty and damn right breathtaking at times. His style will inevitably bring comparisons to great writers such as Palahniuk, Fante and Bukowski who have developed a mastery regarding flawed protagonists and scoundrel characters. Denslow doesn’t look out of place being mentioned in the same breath as these writers – his collection is dark and melancholic, these thematic elements compliment the delightfully complex and constructed undercurrents woven in to each story.

Denslow has also laced his stories with elements of black comedy too, such stories as ‘Mousetrap‘ and ‘Too Late For A Lot Of Things‘ spring to mind, but the collection is littered with humourous phrases, which makes Not Everyone Is Special a very quotable collection.

‘The woman told us that she wanted to cut up her husband into little pieces so she could eat him and carry him around everywhere in her belly.
That’s true love, I said to my wife later as she pounded pork chops for dinner, each time matching my pulse exactly.’
Denslow has an arresting talent, a keen ear for conversation and a writing style which is fresh and challenges what’s out there in the current market. Denslow is like a fisherman, he appears to have cast a net out, capturing stories and daily experiences (over a ten year period – thats how long it’s taken to produce this collection), sewing these experiences together imaginatively and in doing so constructing stories that are both morbid and witty but told in a remarkably visceral way – which make Not Everyone Is Special a book that grabs you by the throat and forcefully screams at you to take notice.

Denslow’s outlandish metaphors and audaciously memorable similes coupled with his deftly constructed prose and masterful storytelling prowess force you to ask fundamental questions about the human condition, and about yourself. It’s captivating and challenging fiction at its very best. There are so many stories within this collection that I could discuss, but I think it would be best if you discover Denslow’s brilliance for yourself, anything I can offer wouldn’t do his mastery any justice!

I haven’t been this excited for a collection to come out since Palahniuk released his collection Make Something Up – but where Palahniuk in my opinion (it pains me to say as I am such a fan of his work) failed to deliver knock out stories (a bit of a mishmash of real quality but with many filler stories) – Denslow has constructed a collection which is all killer no filler, each story is a stand alone masterpiece. It is a collection that I firmly believe can go on and win many awards, such is the readability of this collection, from a new and dynamic voice in the short story genre.

A collection that doesn’t pull any punches. Denslow writes in an unabashed, unashamed and unique way.

Not Everyone Is Special is a spectacular debut not to be missed!

[Tyler Barton · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories come complete with clever, hook-y premises, consistent punchlines, and endings that aren't afraid to reach for meaning, sentiment, and growth. This is a fun collection of stories that will remind you that short fiction is not allowed to be boring.

[Kevin Catalano · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, these stories are so damn funny and heartbreaking and creative and complicated and funny and funny.

[Ian]

In January, Josh Denslow’s story collection Not Everyone Is Special began appearing on the most-anticipated preview lists that get passed around the internet among the literary elite, where it was described with adjectives like “quirky” and “hilarious”. My interest was piqued. Then there was the fact that Denslow’s publisher, the relatively new 7.13 Books, is run by Leland Cheuck, who founded it with the explicit mission of seeking out stories and books that may not appeal to larger publishers, after his own frustration with the traditional publishing process...

Read the rest of the review at Fiction Advocate
http://fictionadvocate.com/2019/05/16...

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not Everyone is Special has this sort of "haunting" or "sticks with you" quality. I've found myself thinking of some of the characters for days afterward. The various struggles they deal with, weirdly human and yet often unique to circumstances that are very different from the sort we experience in this human reality. I really enjoyed Denslow's take on teleportation, which seemed so tactile and oddly nostalgic, like it's how I'd remember having that ability as a child if I'd had it (walking home from school was such a pain in the ass and I was lazy kid). The book is full of moments of hiraeth like this, longing for a place that has never existed but feels oddly real, nonetheless.

[Sharon Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good collection of short stories! I didn’t love every single one, but I loved the mix of speculative stories and the running theme of the aimlessness of new adulthood. I think my favorites were “Punch,” “Not everyone is Special,” “Blake Bishop Believed in True Love,” and “Too Late for Lot if Things.”

[Sara Gerot · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable collection of short stories to read. The characters are memorable. Honestly, I liked all of the stories. "Punch," "Proximity," and "Not Everyone is Special" were my favorites. Though the fusion of noir and 80s love story in "Blake Bishop . . " was great. The speculative twists are done with a gentle hand, without disturbing the flow, enhancing the narrative.

[Glassworks Magazine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed by Christopher m. Comparri on www.rowanglassworks.org.

Each of us finds a way to cope with the hurdles and pain that life throws our way. Some turn towards their work, others to more destructive means. Then, there’s Josh Denslow. In his collection of stories Not Everyone is Special, Denslow covers a range of topics with his characters: from being a child of divorce, to being a survivor in the aftermath of a friends’ suicide, to being a little person in today’s world. His approach is to use humor not only to build up the narrative in each story, but show how people use it as a form of self-preservation and self-defense in ways that are true to real life, even when he is putting a character in a world where people have superpowers like being able to get the wrinkles out of shirts by patting them down with their hands or extending and retracting their facial hair in real time.

In the title story, Denslow tackles the issue of divorcees who can’t move on by having the readers follow Cameron, a single dad who is trying to discover his superpower in a world filled with mundane superpowers. Cameron is obsessed with the idea that if he just discovers his superpower, it will somehow bridge the gap that split him and his ex wife apart so that their family can be restored. The struggles that Cameron experiences are often made easier for him to bear through the use of his own internal dialogue every time he encounters a failure to discover his superpower: “But then again, I know a guy who can turn pepperoni into sausage. He envies my ignorance.” In a world where superpowers range from walking on water to being able to change your eye color, Denslow is able to convey one simple message: a superpower doesn’t have to define you.

One particularly difficult but overlooked topic that people don’t often talk about is being a survivor of something as heart wrenching as someone close to them committing suicide. In “Punch” the humor that Denslow utilizes with his character skirts the line of being on the nose without ever crossing it: “After the preacher talked about how Chuck was called away too early (no mention of how), I talked about the time I hit him and broke his glasses. I got a few laughs, choked with tears of course, but it felt good to smile while remembering my best friend. I almost told them about the time I beat his high score in Tomb Blaster, but I didn’t want to brag. It was his day after all.” Denslow builds a narrative around a character that dives headfirst into events that he has absolutely no place in rather than come to terms with the lack of authority he has in his own life. The pervasive feeling of the story was that there was something he could have done to prevent Chuck from taking his own life but the reality was that there was nothing he could do.

Humor as a tool can be tricky and there are times when it felt like the humor was a square peg trying to fit into a circular hole. In “Too Late for a Lot of Things” the story revolved around the plight of Keith, a person of short stature that is constantly plagued by his height in one way or another. Playing an elf in a Christmas themed amusement park that is open year round, the reader is confronted early and often with the passive shaming that the character has to endure. While this is done effectively at times to make the reader uncomfortable, the humor that usually acts as the balancing measure on this scale falls short of building empathy for Keith: “I’m only steps away when I’m suddenly pushed backwards, as if Charlie has a force field around him. The candy cane smacks into my face, and I land flat on my back.” The idea of a little person charging at someone who has just mocked them because of their height only to fall short in acting upon their aggression came off as a bit more slapstick comedy than the usual quick jabs of insightful humor that are woven throughout the rest of the collection.

The shortcomings of one story however are not reflective of the thing that Denslow does best: use humor as a tool. It comes in quick spurts and never leaves the reader wondering how callous the author or characters are. Instead, we are left thinking about times we have reacted in a similar manner when tragedy has reared its’ ugly head in our lives and some sense of comfort comes with knowing that the way you reacted in those moments doesn’t make you a monster. In those times, it is kind of nice to not be so special.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The stories in Not Everyone is Special feature boys and men trying to get by on dead-end jobs, slackers and sad-sacks who seem to accept their lots in life until an outside force or event propels them forward. A boy who finds love with a stripper his uncle wants to kill; a grocery bagger with carpal tunnel syndrome; a man paying for sessions to discover his power. Each story is filled with warmth and humor and Josh Denslow had me rooting for these guys all the way. As I read the collection, I kept thinking, “this is my favorite story so far,” and then I’d get to the next one and think the same thing. I laughed out loud many times. These stories are gems, and you’ll love being transported into the worlds Denslow has created. It’s clear he is a skilled writer with a unique voice, and it was a delight to spent time with his characters. This is a warm, funny debut you don't want to miss.

[Elliott Turner · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am not a flash dude, but super glad I got this collection and read/devoured it in one sitting!

The constant theme is ADB - arrested development bildungromans. Most of the protagonists are slackers, adults that still live with their parents and are still finding their way through lives with families in various degrees of dysfunction. There are some great 80's references and jokes here, a dose of the supernatural at times, and lots of powerful moments that are both sad but also hysterical.

[Kendra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderfully funny debut, NOT EVERYONE IS SPECIAL brings humor, heart, and a certain wry slacker bleakness to a kaleidoscope of weird and speculative worlds. The protagonists of these stories dodge murderers, work as Christmas elves for douchey Santa Clauses, join underground punching clubs, have teleportation abilities and more -- but despite their powers, their greatest enemies are often themselves. These are young men who can't seem to get their shit together, who are in love with (but incapable of expressing it to) the wrong women, who bear endless silent grudges against taller, jockier dudes.

This human element renders Denslow's stories at once fantastic and deeply relatable, not to mention laugh-out-loud funny. A brilliant collection for readers with spec fic sensibilities in the market for something fresh. I'd pair with Sequoia Nagamatsu's fantastic literary kaiju story collection, WHERE WE GO WHEN ALL WE WERE IS GONE.

[Lacey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing collection of short stories. I thoroughly enjoyed each one, and they all felt different...

[Paige Zalewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent collection of stories. Funny, thoughtful, and packed full of meaning. Hard to pick a favorite. But this is absolutely one of those collections that makes you want to sit down with the author and ask "tell me everything. How did you come up with the idea? The characters? The ending? The meaning?" Denslow has interesting characters, many of whom wouldn't normally be the protagonist of a story. It is both fun and sad to take these journeys alongside these characters.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This collection featuring young male antiheroes bursts with imagination and heart.

[Jenn Rossmann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Deadpan dudes who believe themselves braver and more heroic than their actions reveal. Each story had me rooting for a character to stop thwarting himself. Imaginative situations and setups that aren't just about writerly cleverness -- the humanity and fallibility of these characters shines through.

[Jackson Bliss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, this short story collection has such a spectacular range of genres, ideas, voices, and perspectives! It's amazing how many different types of short stories this author can write. It's insane, honestly. In this book, you come for the buffet of Saunderian satire and then stay for a heaping plate of contemporary fairytales, speculative fiction, and original comedy. This dude is crazy talented!

[Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters are mostly in The Real World ™ but at the same time they're in their own worlds. They see things surrealistically and quirkily. The narration is intense, often rude. The strength of these character voices jars the reader into an awakeness attuned to their perspectives.

[Pam Susemiehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not normally a reader of short stories but I loved this book!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny irreverent. Thoroughly enjoyable. Sometimes dark. Like whoa.

[Ben]

Absurd, speculative and wholly engaging world-building.

[Benji · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Proximity" is my favorite story here, but they are all enjoyable. The slimness of the collection works really well. This is a strong debut collection and one I'll likely return to.

[Emily Saso · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Moving, funny, and exceptional dialogue. Enjoyed every story.

[Scott Radway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved this collection -- only wish there was more of it!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Weird and sad. Everything a short story collection should be.