John Dufresne: 13 books

"This is the most practical, hard-nosed, generous, direct, and useful guide to writing fiction." —Brad Watson Finally, a truly creative—and hilarious—guide to creative writing, full of encouragement and sound advice. Provocative and reassuring, nurturing and wise, The Lie That...

“[Dufresne’s] generous, wise, cajoling, stern, and compassionate voice will get you working right away.”—Brad Watson “Writing a novel,” says John Dufresne, “is not as easy as you may have thought before you tried. But it’s also not as difficult as you imagined.” Dufresne’s...

“If Raymond Chandler were reincarnated as a novelist in south Florida, he couldn’t nail it any better than John Dufresne.”—Carl Hiaasen John Dufresne has been hailed by the New York Times as “an original talent . . . [whose] humor is frightfully dark, but . . . dazzling.” I Don’t...

In the tragicomic mode of his best-selling Louisiana Power & Light, a hilarious and tenderhearted novel about a son's attempts to save his family. John Dufresne takes us to Requiem, Mass., heart of the Commonwealth, where Johnny's mom, Frances, is driving in the breakdown lane once again. She...

He goes by the name Elvis Engdahl. He's lost his wife, his family, his job, and his future. He's wanted by the police. So whats a desperate man to do? What Elvis figures, writes award-winning novelist John Dufresne, is that when a man loses everything, hes free to do anything.

An engaging and frank guide to writing the very short story, full of sound advice, exemplary models, and provocative exercises. The history of fiction has been dominated by the novel and the short story. But now a brave new genre has emerged: very brief fiction. FLASH! identifies the qualities...

Reissue of a favorite novel by “a generous and lyric storyteller” (San Francisco Chronicle) known for his tragicomic voice and unforgettable characters. Ever since Lafayette Proulx quit his day job, left his wife, hauled his dog and his Royal portable across town to Judi Dubey’s house,...

A favorite novel by “a generous and lyric storyteller” (San Francisco Chronicle) known for his tragicomic voice and unforgettable characters. Welcome to Shiver-de-Freeze, a boot-shaped precinct deep in the Louisiana swamp, famous for its healing waters and curious fauna. Grisham Loudermilk...

For readers of Elmore Leonard and Dennis Lehane, a South Florida noir from the best-selling author of Louisiana Power & Light. On Christmas Eve in Eden, Florida, Wylie “Coyote” Melville, therapist and forensic consultant, is summoned to a horrific crime scene. Five members of the Halliday...

Lewis Nordan: Humor, Heartbreak, and Hope examines and celebrates the work of southern writer Lewis “Buddy” Nordan, whose stories reveal his own pain and humanity and in their honesty force us to recognize ourselves within them. Written by scholars and fiction writers who represent a fascinating...

Father Tom Mulcahy wakes up on the day of a fierce blizzard to learn he has been accused of sexual abuse by an ex-altar boy in the parish. His life as he knows it is over. The Cardinal has sent an emissary to make things right. When Father Tom decides to confront his accuser, he doesn't realize that he will also have to confront himself.

The stories here document the way we live our days now, very often alone and in dire straits. The stories were chosen for their beguiling voices, their vivid sense of places, their compelling and intriguing characters, their tension, and their suspense. These are stories about what keeps us up at...

We had so much fun with our first anthology that we thought we’d do it again. Everything’s Broken, Too is our second publishing venture, and the stories inside were chosen from the submissions of past and present participants in our Friday Night Writers group. These are stories about what...