Roadless Homelands

Baroness Melody Von Smith's collection delves into the search for a place that anchors our identity. From the solace found in Maine by a young woman grappling with loss in “The Ocean Doesn't Want Me Today,” to the consuming role of a war journalist in “The Snows of Jake Manjaro,” each story explores the concept of home. Whether it's a physical location or a metaphorical space, such as a career or a peculiar encounter with oneself in Chicago, these tales blend humor, humanity, and the absurd. With unforgettable characters and vivid storytelling, the Baroness captures the essence of our existential quests with wit and heart.

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About

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About the Author: Melody Von Smith
Baroness Melody Von Smith wrote her first story when she was six. Everybody died in the end. It was a comedy. She is the author of the play Bonegrinders, the novel Survivanoia, and the soon-to-be-released novel The Accidental Despot (Summer 2017).

She has lived in State College, Los Angeles and New Orleans, and done significant time in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Chicago.

She currently spends most of her time in Western New York (not to be confused with Upstate!) where she shares her home with two cats and one husband.
In this wry collection, Baroness Melody Von Smith explores our need for a place to call home, either literally or figuratively, and how this need is directly tied to our identity.

In “The Ocean doesn't Want Me Today”, it is a physical place—Downeast Maine—that provides solace for the young woman contending with her mother's suicide by learning to be a lobsterman. In “The Snows of Jake Manjaro,” it is Jake's all-consuming vocation as a war journalist that defines, preserves, and ultimately consumes him. “Yes, This is A Fine Promotion,” (adapted from a stage play of the same name) features a young man who meets himself on a subway train in Chicago, while in "The High Price of the Wild Truth," a beach bum slowly transforms into his once-famous television character, a hired vigilante killer.

These stories—blunt, funny, and deceptively simple—showcase the Baroness's knack of capturing the wonderful ridiculousness of being human. Her characters are unforgettable, her realities fantastic, and her dialogue both crackling and crackerjack. All this, woven with a gentle, quirky satire and an odd optimism, makes for a wild ride with a satisfying splashdown.

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Available in the following formats: .epub, .pdf, .mobi

Price: $4.99 USD

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