Interesting Tales of Other People’s Woe

 Interesting Tales of Other People's Woe presents 12 stories written by author Damon Stewart. Many of the stories in this collection first appeared in various literary magazines. The collection is available in paperback (156 pages) and ebook editions, both available through Amazon.

Several of the stories in this collection first appeared in various literary magazines, including: Word Riot, Salvage, Big Toe Press, Hobart, Amoskeag, Full Circle, and The Morpo Review.

The stories in Woe provide a glimpse into lives that have gone off in unpredictable directions, both bad and good. Not all the tales are truly about “woe.” Some characters find hope, even contentment, in this collection. But we can relate to all of them, or at least get a sense of our neighbor’s fear or wonder. Sometimes it’s not about where you end up, but how you got there.

In “Déjà Vu You Too, Champ,” the author explores the concept of reincarnation and what would happen if one remembers all one’s past lives. In “Fall Harvest,” Stewart makes the case that those awkward re-encounters with long lost friends just don’t have to be that awkward. In the stories, we see the consequences of decisions we might have made but (fortunately) didn’t— e.g. what if you did run off with the that person you were infatuated with, leaving spouse, children and all trappings of your former life behind? What if your rage at a betrayal was given full rein? What if you did have that one-more-for-the road, after you’ve had one for the road? Interesting Tales of Other People’s Woe is about roads to “getting there,” both the paved and the rough path.