After writing 8 artifact related books, and three children’s books, Tom Westfall is pleased to announce the arrival of his first work of fiction. “Not Quite Novels” is a compilation of stories that includes a novella, a novelette and a short story.      

“These tales are an eclectic mix,” Westfall said. The Novella is entitled, “The Olive Creek Chronicles” and begins with a young drug-addicted woman (Sara) in a severe domestic violence situation who is befriended by a middle-aged Methodist minister who recently lost her husband in an auto accident. As the pastor (Abigail) and several of her congregants repair the damage done to this young woman’s house during the most recent abusive situation, a cache of writings is discovered, left there by the very first woman to live in the house nearly 140+ years earlier. The Novella is in three sections and contains the story of the woman and her husband (Sara and William Cronin) who homesteaded the place in the 1880’s. The third portion of the story brings us back to modern times. Using the journal of Pioneer Sara, modern day Sara finds strength and healing in the words of a young pioneer woman written over a century ago, but there is a painful reminder that recovery is a broken road,

                The Novelette is entitled “The Legend of Poke Kidder,” It begins in Gordon, Nebraska and is set mostly in the 1950’s and 60’s. Poke is a recalcitrant old man without any real redeeming features with a pack of mongrel dogs that only respond to Poke. Living on a ranch 20 miles from Gordon is good for the town folk and for Poke, but inevitably a sort of semi-peaceful détente goes awry. He runs afoul of the law because one young deputy sheriff has it out for him. When this deputy disappears, along with his patrol car, people are perplexed and Old Poke is pleased, but at his core, he’s frustrated that the town folk think he is too irrelevant to play a role in the deputy’s disappearance.

The setting for “Dump Jam” is Fairbanks, Alaska. Just before Christmas, a young couple is camping at the Fairbanks dump, trying to sell jam to raise money for gas and presents for their children. The temperature is nearly 40 below zero. They are met one dark night by a successful young man who is touched by their plight. He agrees to purchase all of their jam and puts them up in a hotel because he fears their two small children might not survive the cold. As he is leaving them at the hotel, the young mother whispers to him that “There is magic in the jam.” He is intrigued by her statement but isn’t a believer. His wife and kids aren’t convinced and name it, “Dump Jam.” Over the next few months, he starts noticing changes in his life, changes for the better. He is happier and more fulfilled. Could dump jam really contain magic?

                “Not Quite Novels” is 146 pages long and would make an excellent summer read. Books can be purchased on the mammothruncasting.com website, or by contacting Westfall (mammothrun@gmail.com) and paying with check to Mammoth Run, 10512 CR 39 Sterling, Co 80751, or credit card or Paypal to mammothrun@gmail.com. The cost of the book is $22 which includes all extras, postage, etc.