Dan Flanigan

Dewdrops Dan Flanigan

In Dewdrops, author Dan Flanigan explores the facets of human behavior and the will to persevere within three separate stories. In the first story, On the Last Frontier, Katie is an older woman living in Juneau, Alaska. Having recently lost her waitressing job, Katie must come to grips with the life choices that brought her to this point and decide the best way forward. In the long short story, Dewdrops, readers are introduced to an array of characters undergoing group therapy, most notably Ray, the group's therapist, and Angel, a beautiful and talented rock star suffering with addiction. The focus is primarily on Ray's mental and emotional unraveling and relapse, culminating in a sexual relationship with Angel and subsequently, the fallout for them both. Meanwhile, the rest of the group, despite their struggles, finds a path toward redemption by embracing the humble reality of a life lived with limits. In the final story, Some Cold War Blues, 11-year-old Jack is living with his abusive and alcoholic mother and stepfather. As a playful Saturday morning snowball fight turns violent, Jack finds himself solely fending off bullies. Ultimately, Jack must retreat to his own back porch and seek refuge within his own domestic torment from an even more brutal confrontation outside.

In each tale, Flanigan hopes to highlight his characters' struggle for survival. He says, "Each of these characters is floating within a sea of troubles from deep wounds, either self-inflicted from lack of good judgment or from external sources." Dewdrops is available for purchase online at Amazon.