Brendan Howard, Author


All of these short stories (and more!) are now available in paperback or ebook in the collection Rubberneckers! Click here to learn more and read a preview! Click the titles below to read excerpts from these stories.

DO YOU HAVE TO SLEEP?
A sudden loss inspires vivid dreams in the subconscious of a woman left alone too soon.

FISHING AT SPRING LAKE
After a swimming trip with a friend, Shayla makes her peace with her absent father and her own adolescence.

MONA'S DEAD
Ian deals with the aftermath of Mona's untimely departure as he lunches with her vivacious younger sister.

THE EVIDENCE
One of the "he and she" stories examining relationships from the inside out. After a painful breakup, she only wants one thing back....

FATHER'S DAY
What does Father's Day mean to a man whose father was never there for him?

BREAKING UP LIGHT
A chance meeting between a bright girl and a sullen man leads to passion, violence, confusion, and finally understanding.

HOME FRONT
Yardwork. Marriage. Both require constant maintenance. A young husband's meditations about the futility of raking leaves... and war.

SQUINTING

A simple tale about a young couple who take a trip to the beach. Donna's body image and Joey's ignorance of it leads to many questions with no answers.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF?
Larry wants to work at The Bradbury Group. He picked the wrong day for his job interview....

RAIN CHECK
Based on a dream about rainstorms and regret, possibly the most fully realized of the "he and she" stories.

PERMANENT
Workplace flirtations and barside conversations lead Tess and her suitor to believe that beauty can be as much a problem as an advantage.

TORN
Jack and Erin are already walking an emotional tightrope when an unexpected ATM malfunction occurs.

MUSHROOM
Hunting for morels is a family tradition for a Missouri truck-driver and the daughter he barely knows.

WHAT SHE HEARD
The first "he and she" story, written as a birthday present for a dear friend. He is suffering from a bad cold and she is fascinated by the frozen river that cuts through their college campus.

SPRING SHOWER
A love affair between two co-workers ends abruptly, leaving one to wonder why as the other tries to leave it all in the past.

COUNT THE SECONDS
Doesn't it feel like the end of the world when your first love reveals itself as being temporary?

HEARTBEAT
A walk across the Golden Gate Bridge makes two newlyweds think about the meaning of forever.

ICE CREAM MAN
A vignette in an ice cream parlor, starring a blurry-eyed scoop jockey and two teenage joggers.

FIRST FLIGHT
An old man feeds the pigeons, with a twist.


© 1997- Brendan Howard
All rights reserved.