No Call Too Small

by Oscar Martens

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Pub Date Apr 07 2020 | Archive Date Apr 06 2020

Central Avenue Publishing

General Fiction (Adult) | Literary Fiction

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Description

By the end of the day, a cop must choose between ethics and social death. A camp counsellor, stuck deep in the woods with a small group of boys, only has a few hours before the DTs kick in. Adult children scramble to get the best of what remains of their mother's estate, but funeral plans may be premature. Sandwiched between a depressed mother and a careless father, a young girl must help attract customers to the family business, no matter the cost. On this dark, winding road of stories, there's little choice but to hang on and meet whatever's over the rise head on.

By the end of the day, a cop must choose between ethics and social death. A camp counsellor, stuck deep in the woods with a small group of boys, only has a few hours before the DTs kick in. Adult...

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Reader,
Some time ago, a colleague mentioned they knew of someone through someone who was a writer. As a publisher, I get this remark rather often.
When I do, it’s either the person talking to me who wrote a book, or they know someone who did. I usually take such comments in stride, and with an element of disinterest. But in this particular instance, (because I respected the colleague), I told them to tell the writer to email me.
An email from Oscar Martens showed up in my inbox with this book. I read it quickly and found myself completely absorbed in these stories of the hapless, the mean, the innocent, and the gullible. And, I loved the fact they were mostly set in Western Canada, the place I call home.
Oscar has this stripped-down way of writing, and his stories remind me of George Saunders, whom I personally love. Many of these stories have been published in literary journals and been nominated for major prizes, so it’s not just me who thinks they’re amazing.
I’m truly proud to publish all of these in one collection, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I do. And from now on, I have to remember that it’s worth it to stop and pay attention when someone says they know someone who wrote a book — for it might very well be my next gem.
Happy reading,
Michelle Halket, Publisher

Advance Praise

Ideal for those looking for choice and regional literary options. Oscar Martens is an accomplished writer, having been nominated for several notable Canadian literary awards. This anthology compiles some of his best work which has previously only been published separately in literary journals.

“Martens’s striking, perceptive debut collection illuminates a range of Canadians in moments of bad luck and dissatisfaction. His haunting, darkly funny situations, captured in crisp, spare prose, will appeal to fans of George Saunders.” — Publishers Weekly

“Martens's strong prose is a pleasure to read, with dark humour and lively storytelling that brings a quirky humanity to his characters.” — Janie Chang, Globe and Mail bestselling author of Dragon Springs Road

“Deeply humane and often darkly funny, Martens’s stories appeal to the slightly off-centre observer in all of us.” — Nadine McInnis, author of Delirium for Solo Harp

“Oscar Martens’ debut collection is a warm, safe port in the storm the is life these days. His writing is vivid and clear, his characters honest and their stories full of the details and emotional truth that make them real.” — Jennifer Haupt, Editor, One True Thing, Psychology Today

“Smart, honest, sparely eloquent, moving, humane, and disillusioned in the healthiest sense of a word that gets way too much bad press.” — Steven Heighton, Governor General’s Award winner and author of The Nightingale Won’t Let You Sleep

“Taut, efficient and always just a beat away from heartbreak, No Call Too Small is a beautifully crafted collection. Martens deftly explores surprising and unexpected worlds, using them as a prism to dissect and understand human nature.” — Marcia Butler, author of Pickle’s Progress