About the Book
This book has been traveling 25 years to get here … and now it’s here. And you have to say call it — is this the book that will win your heart?
There are many stories in Land of The Story Tellers. It’s vivid anthology of American fiction. These stories were gathered from a sharp eye, and ears cupped into the conservations of strangers. The things they said which stuck inside, only writing what really mattered in good storytelling.
About Stephen
Stephen Deck is a fiction writer, artist, and photographer. I’m deeply thankful for the talents the Lord has given to this figure of flesh and blood. I believe these gifts … aside from my devotion and perseverance to sharpen these skills … are supernatural gifts from above. When I can no longer write and tell stories on reams of paper, I’ll be ready to depart into the Promised Land.
Praise
“Deck can write. In the Land of The Story Tellers he writes up a storm...and war, and festa, and...He writes with a seemingly infinite range of styles from sparse Hemingway to rococo—Faulkner and beyond. Amazingly, at least to me, he’s mastered them all. From this exceptional observation of details comes vivid and luminous images, and from the juxtaposition of these images he builds his stories.”
—John M. Del Vecchio, The 13th Valley, For The Sake of All Living Things, Carry Me Home, The Bremer Detail, Demise: A Novel of Race, Culture Wars, and Falling Darkness
“Simply stated, Stephen Deck is a natural born storyteller who is able to tell his stories (and his poems) on paper with the same eloquence and spelling binding as if he were sitting across the room and regaling the reader in person. Land of the Story Tellers: 24 Stories and 7 Poems is a compendium of short stories whose deftly crafted prose raises them to an impressive level of literary eloquence.
The signature of his storytelling is breathing characterization with unusual subject matter, and protagonists who bear very deep scars, both seen and unseen from the whipping posts of life.”
—Midwest Book Review
“Stephen Deck’s Land of the Story Tellers: 24 Stories and 7 Poems is a diverse and captivating anthology that pulls the reader through various experiences, periods, and emotions. The book’s long journey to publication feels like the culmination of an author’s dedication to observing life and carefully crafting what matters most in storytelling. The anthology is a rich tapestry of variety in subject matter and tone. These stories excel in exploring the rawness of human emotions and relationships.
The variety of stories and the calming layout piqued my interest, and I knew this was a book I had to read. I wasn’t disappointed. In Texas Hardpan told in Hillcrest Cemetery, Deck seamlessly moves between thematic introspection and the supernatural, offering compelling and thought-provoking stories. Practicing Law ventures across the Atlantic to Ireland, combining history, tragedy, and political tension, while Dolly Dagger is a poignant Vietnam War tale. Deck’s portrayal of a wounded veteran grappling with physical and emotional scars is authentic and honors those who served. Deck’s ability to create engaging settings and solid, well-fleshed characters makes this a thought-provoking read that will appeal to readers of all ages and genres. The poems are as good as the stories. My favorite is Schools Out because it’s so nostalgic, and Swamp Serenade is a close second with its portrayal of Poe’s The Lake. Land of the Story Tellers is an unforgettable anthology that sticks with you for its diverse storytelling and the masterful way it’s written.”
—Reviewed by Carol Thompson for Readers' Favorite
“Thank you for your copy of the short story, The Mexicans, kindly inscribed. You know how I love to read! And thanks too for the engaging photo. President Bush joins me in sending our best wishes.”
—Laura Bush
Note: The Mexicans is a story in Land of The Story Tellers.
Photography
