Finally, another installment! It’s been a while, I know, but I’m super happy to present more WRITERS YOU MIGHT LIKE.

Let’s start with a dear friend of mine and wonderfully talented human, Costa Koutsoutis: He recently wrote a book of short stories called Running The Train and Other Stories. Here’s the skinny, in his own words:

“Running The Train is basically short stories about a PI, Ben Miles, who really isn’t that special of an investigator or bail bondsman. He’s a guy, plain and simple. Most of the time these days you see detectives or whatever on TV and in books or movies or comic books that have some tragic past, latent talent, special skills, supernatural whatever… Ben is just a guy who’s sucked at most other things, but is passably OK at being a bondsman and a private eye. (Even then, he’s pretty much always in debt to a circle of friends who put up with him and are way more talented than he is.) Ben bluffs though a lot of stuff, and somehow just manages to still stand up after those bluffs fail miserably. It’s meant to be a little funny in a dark ‘look at that schmuck!’ sort of way, a schmuck who is decent at heart but has an awfully dark sense of humor.”

I recommend it, not just because Costa’s a friend but because it’s a solid read. Also, if you’re into comics and cartooning at all, DEFINITELY check out the Comics section of Costa’s site and follow him on Twitter.

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Next, here’s Elias Barton, and I swear-ta-god we’re not related. His book,  Above the Universe Below is one of the best things I’ve read in a while.

An agoraphobic artist in our world but a grim reaper in another, Carder Quevedo hides at home, immersing himself in the paintings which commemorate the strange deaths he’s witnessed. He ventures into public only when necessary, scrambling to his hospital job to extract corneas from deceased donors or darting to the diner to share a meal with Darren, his only friend. That’s Carder’s existence – and he’s content.

Until…

Haika changes that. As the bored, beautiful owner of an art gallery – who also happens to be married – she stumbles into Carder in a chance encounter and soon becomes obsessed with his art. As they forge a quirky, electric relationship, Carder is reluctantly pulled into Haika’s social world of wealth, status and the peculiar characters that come with it. Carder is pushed further to the edge when his teenage niece visits, rebelling against her ultra-conservative upbringing. All the while, Carder’s hidden history threatens to ruin his developing chance at normalcy, and on the opening night of his art gallery show, his past finally catches up to his present. Will its tentacles entwine them together, or wreak havoc upon them all?

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And now! Shawn Kupfer’s sequel to 47 Echo (a book I mentioned in a former Writer’s You Might Like post) is out and it’s called Supercritical.

Siberia, 2021

As global tensions escalate, China attacks New York City, wiping out its entire population. Marine ex-con Nick Morrow and his team of convicts, dubbed 47 Echo, are sent on a deadly mission—to infiltrate Shanghai and shut down its computer network. Given virtually no weaponry, the crew must rely on themselves as they trek across the dangerous countryside, crawling with enemies.

As they head toward almost certain death, Nick struggles to not lose his ever-thinning thread of control. Though the convict soldiers outnumber their own military counterparts, they’re looked down upon as human shields. But to Nick, they’re friends. The team needs him—hell, the world needs him. The stakes are higher than ever before. This will be the ultimate battle, and the consequences will test everything Nick is and will become.

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And that’s it for this installment! You can check out my podcast No Math Allowed for more book related goodness and follow me on twitter @jessicasayswhat. If you are yourself a writer, don’t hesitate to email me about your work ([email protected]). I love hearing about your literary endeavors! Happy reading!