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Sign up todayWinterswim
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Learn morePastor Sheldon Long was born of the woods, raised in a secluded cabin by a mute mother and an abusive father who preached God's vengeance. Forced to take control of his own destiny, Pastor Long found God in his own way, melded with the mythologies of his mother's tribe. Now he's out to send the wicked, as he has judged them, to heaven.
Steven, Pastor Long's son, is simultaneously pining for his former babysitter who has moved to Hollywood and crushing on nearly every girl he goes to school with. Soon his preoccupation with the opposite sex lures him into investigating a string of drownings that local police are declaring accidents.
Ryan W. Bradley's novella Winterswim weaves religiosity and mythology into a tale of drugs, sex, and murder set against the frozen backdrop of blue-collar Alaska.
Features the song "Uninvited" by Mutts
Ryan W. Bradley has pumped gas, changed oil, painted houses, swept the floor of a mechanic’s shop, worked on a construction crew in the Arctic Circle, fronted a punk band, and managed an independent children’s bookstore. He now spends part of his time designing book covers. He is the author of several collections of poetry, a story collection, and the novel Code for Failure. He lives in Oregon with his wife and two sons.
Richard Powers has published thirteen novels. He is a MacArthur Fellow and received the National Book Award. His book, The Overstory, won the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction.
Reviews
“Anyone who’s spent time in the world of independent publishing knows that Ryan W. Bradley is a true believer in the power of literature, so it’s fascinating to see what happens when he turns his attention to a believer of a different sort. Bradley’s novella about a meth-addled preacher and his teenage son manages to be fast-paced without sacrificing complexity, moral but not moralistic, and thrilling without a hint of pandering. I read Winterswim in a single sitting on a summer evening in Chicago, but it feels like I just survived a harsh Alaska winter.”
“A lightening quick read that sobers you up as it drags you down, Winterswim showcases the psychotic side of religion and the lasting, devastating scars of familial abuse.”
“A recommended read for fans of great crime fiction, the novel possesses something else that makes it a must read; an indefinable quality that makes the narrative dance between the beauty of the mythological realm and the grittiest and most perverse moments of human desire, insanity, and addiction.”
“Written in spare, unadorned prose reminiscent of Willy Vlautin and Raymond Carver, Ryan W. Bradley’s Winterswim is an edgy, fast-paced story about a psychotic preacher and his good son. I can’t wait to see what he comes up with next.”
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