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WestSide Books published my novel Cracking the Ice in January. Here is what award-winning author Joyce Carol Thomas says about it:
“I started reading your amazing Cracking the Ice manuscript and could not put it down. Jessie Stackhouse’s generosity, hope, and intelligence touched my heart. Usually I go to bed early; however, I kept reading Cracking the Ice until I turned to the last page.”
Greg Neri, author of Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty, a 2011 Coretta Scott King Honor book, says:
“Cracking the Ice scores the literary equivalent of a hat-trick: funny, harrowing and finally, heartfelt. This book is a winner.”
Jewell Parker Rhodes, author of Ninth Ward, a 2011 Coretta Scott King Honor book, says:
“A compelling, civil rights tale of a young man’s coming of age on the ice. Hendrickson personalizes history with unforgettable characters.”
Richard Harris, who graciously gave of his time to talk to me about his experiences as a black hockey player in the late sixties and early seventies, says:
“Having been a black hockey player in this era, I found that Cracking the Ice isn’t just a very good read. It captures the prep school life completely. I felt like I was back in my old room. The hockey action comes to life. The scenes made me feel as if I were out on the ice. But this book doesn’t just cover a black hockey player at a prep school; it’s for anyone trying to succeed in difficult situations.”
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See the Writing as David Bawdy page for my novel Bubba Goes for Broke, published under that pen name by Pentucket Publishing.
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My story “Blue Note Heaven” leads off Act I in Music For Another World. Order from Mutation Press.
Music For Another World
In Interzone #231, Andy Hedgecock wrote:
One of the most exciting and original [anthologies] I’ve read in years…. The collection offers a host of absorbing, entertaining and thought provoking stories…. An exceptional anthology. Ten of the nineteen stories are astonishing; eight are simply impressive.
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The next two anthologies, both published by DAW and edited by Denise Little, contain stories of mine. The books are available in paperback and Kindle formats.
The Trouble with Heroes
These 22 all-new tales pay tribute to the true heroes-the people who enable and put up with heroes. From what it’s like to be Hercules’ wife (complete with an appearance by Hercules in drag) to the trials of H.P. Lovecraft’s housekeeper, from the perils of being King Kong’s girlfriend to the downside of dating a shapeshifter, this anthology turns heroism on its head, revealing the behind-the-scenes drama, as opposed to glorious rescues. From the Pied Piper’s power trip to David acting like a giant you-know-what after slaying Goliath, these stories show heroes in all their ignominy and shine a light on the unsung faithful standing in their shadows.
The review site Grasping the Wind said this about my story “Beloved” (the aforementioned tale of David post-Goliath):
“The conclusion turns [the reader's assumption] on its head in a funny and honest way. I also found the last line in this story to be the funniest of the anthology by far.”
Swordplay
From a samurai’s sword to an assassin’s blade, from Custer’s cavalry sword to D’Artagnan’s deadly weapon, from the sword of Damocles to the legendary Excalibur, these all-new spellbinding tales get straight to the point. Whether it’s a sword bespelled to crave blood, cold steel that magicks its wielder into a video game, or a dwarf-crafted blade meant to slay a dragon, these weapons each come sheathed in their own fascinating story that cuts right to the heart of fantasy adventure.
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Last, but really first, is:
Food and Other Enemies: Stories of Consuming Desire
My first published story, “Yeah, But Can She Cook?” appeared in this anthology. Most readers have enjoyed at least one belly laugh (fortunately at places where that was the desired reaction).
