Where the Dog Star Never Glows by Tara L. Masih
Where the Dog Star Never Glows by Tara L. Masih
ISBN 978-0-9825760-5-2
8.5 x 5.5 paperback, 166 pages
USA Book News Award Finalist
About Where the Dog Star Never Glows
In this impressive debut collection, Tara Masih shows an intimate sense of understanding her characters' innermost feelings, creating a memorable map of diverse characters that span the globe and several eras. Ghosts dance, butterflies swarm, men crystallize, the sun disappears, and water plays a role in both destruction and repair of the soul. With an unflinching eye, a mythical awareness of the natural world, and poetic, crafted prose, Masih examines the dark recesses of the mind and heart, which often leads to a small or great triumph or illumination that will resonate long after the last page is turned.
Praise for Where the Dog Star Never Glows
"This is a rich and surprising collection. I loved how—whether they are set in Dominica, Montana, Holland, the Mexican Border, New England, India, or the territory of schizophrenia—these stories are all concerned with seeking to find, or to lose—or simply to come to terms with—love and the self. The characters are wildly varied and wonderfully inhabited; the settings are intensely observed and believable." -Grace Dane Mazur, author of Silk and Trespass
"Revitalizing themselves in far-flung corners of the globe, Masih’s characters emerge at crossroads in their lives, groping to discover intimacies situated in the small spaces of vast landscapes. . . . [A] wise and beautifully written collection imbued with a sharp awareness that makes her subtle, emotionally honest portrayals haunting and powerful. It is impressive in its evocative breadth as it is in its intimate depth." -Michael Hartnett, author of Universal Remote
"Whether on a car ride, Coney Island—in Europe, or Appalachia, the stories in this collection are like eloquent journeys. Where the Dog Star Never Glows illuminates, gracefully, with keenness; with a sharp eye for emotion, and a zoom into the senses, Tara Masih is a talent, and this book is full of heart." -Kim Chinquee, author of OH BABY and Pretty
"The characters in Tara Masih’s Where The Dog Star Never Glows are bright and daring, her prose vivid and full of poetry, her landscapes rendered with astonishing beauty. These stories will captivate readers of all stripes—a highly absorbing and original debut." -Laura van den Berg, author of What the World Will Look Like When All the Water Leaves Us
"Within each of these stories lies a surprise at the turn of the page. Sometimes subtle, sometimes not, but Masih always has a surprise waiting. This is a wonderful debut collection, which travelers should bring along in their backpacks or suitcases and savor in those moments of solitude." -Jeff Talarigo, author of The Pearl Diver and The Ginseng Hunter
“These stories travel the world to explore a terrain more mysterious and fulfilling than place—that of the human mind and heart. The finely crafted prose and acute observations in this collection left an indelible impression on me. Where the Dog Star Never Glows marks the arrival of a gifted new writer.” -Lisa Borders, author of Cloud Cuckoo Land, winner of the Fred Bonnie Memorial Award for Best First Novel
About the Author
Tara L. Masih grew up in the small harbor town of Northport, situated along the Long Island Sound. Much of her time was spent on the beaches and in the woods, and as a result her writing is often set within the framework of nature and place. Her fiction, poetry, and essays have been published in numerous literary magazines, including Confrontation, Hayden’s Ferry Review, Natural Bridge, New Millennium Writings, Red River Review, Night Train, and The Caribbean Writer, as well as in many anthologies. Several limited edition, illustrated chapbooks featuring her flash fiction have been published by The Feral Press. Awards for her work include first place in The Ledge Magazine’s fiction contest, a finalist fiction grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and Pushcart Prize, Best New American Voices, and Best of the Web nominations. Tara judges the intercultural essay prize for the annual Soul-Making Literary Contest, and is editor of the acclaimed Rose Metal Press Field Guide to Writing Flash Fiction (2009). C. W. Post College presented her with the Lou P. Bunce Creative Writing Award upon graduation, and Emerson College, where she received her MA in Writing and Publishing, awarded her with a Bookbuilders of Boston Scholarship. Tara now works as a freelance book editor in Andover, Massachusetts. Her website is www.taramasih.com.
Interviews
Cervena Barva Press Interview,