When I first saw the cover to Christian A. Dumais’s Empty Rooms, Lonely Countries, I was intrigued. A black gate, slightly open, providing a blurred glimpse of a stone alley and some buildings, perhaps homes or apartments, in a place that seems both so foreign yet so strangely familiar. On the back of the book, a summary explaining that this is a collection of “a decade’s worth of short stories, wandering through two continents, five countries and multiple universes to explore love, loss and redemption in the 21st century.” Universal themes, as everyone has loved and lost in an attempt to figure out the thing we call life – and it is here that we get thrust into another man’s world that is both as humorous and heartbreaking as it is strange. The writing is very readable, the stories easy to relate to if you’ve ever loved, traveled, and drank hard. As you make your way through his stories, you’ll feel as though you know Christian as well as any of your friends.
You can expect a full review of this collection of stories in the next week or so. In the meantime, head on over to Amazon and give it a purchase. If you go over to Dumais’s official website, you have a chance to win $1000 if you take a photo of yourself with the book – not a bad deal.
This discussion currently has 3 responses.
June 24, 2009
Thanks for the plug, Jonathan. Looking forward to the review.
June 24, 2009
I finished the first short story and I must say: impressed. Can't wait to check another few stories off the list.
Great work so far, Christian!
June 25, 2009
Glad you're enjoying it. If you have a copy of the book, send a photo in for the contest.