Humanity's Grace: A Linked Collection of Short Stories

"Montgomery writes using the skills of a weaver; presenting rough fibers of life, sadness, and regrets, along with the soft thread of tenderness, love, and human relationships to create these stories; like a loom displays its almost finished right angles of cloth." — Doug Erickson, co-author of Jefferson's Western Explorations: Discoveries made in exploring the Missouri, Red River and Washita

Salty air, low lying clouds, and crooning of seagulls near the towering Astoria Column and the flowing Columbia River set the scene for <i>Humanity's Grace</i>, a collection of linked short stories. Frank, Anne, Monica, and Sarah all reappear from the pages of Montgomery's novel, <i>Beyond the Ripples</i>. New characters: An elderly mother and her son, a police office and spouse, a childhood friend, a counselor, a bystander appear, are all uniquely connected to a murder in downtown Astoria, Oregon.<br> <br>Frank's untimely death creates a spectrum of consequences for his loved ones, acquaintances, and strangers. The ensuing murder accusation throws a trio of characters into darkness, as they reassess earlier beliefs, past decisions and actions. Other characters are impacted in unique and unexpected ways. A police officer is haunted by his past. A young woman awakens from a vivid dream of a friend from before. A mother wonders what she did wrong. A son aches for others to be kind. A daughter questions her father's past, while her mother remembers parts of the man she had forgotten. A stranger ponders the significance of a message she's received.<br> <br>The characters in <i>Humanity's Grace</i> intertwine as they laugh, scream, and cry, do good or create evil. Most of all, they meander through sorrow and sadness, joy and regret, as they remind the reader of the startling and collective beauty of life's connections. Some may identify this book as a "novel in stories."

Dede Montgomery is a sixth-generation Oregonian and the author of literary fiction, memoir, and narrative nonfiction. Her work blends personal narrative, historical reflection, and social awareness, often grounded in a deep sense of place—particularly the Pacific Northwest.

Drawing on more than forty years of experience in workplace safety, health, and well-being, Montgomery weaves themes of identity, family legacy, aging, and resilience into both her fiction and nonfiction. Her writing is thoughtful and introspective, often exploring the ways personal lives intersect with broader cultural and historical forces.

Her books include A Map of Her Own (October 2025), a dual-timeline novel of contemporary and historical fiction; From First Breath to Last: A Story About Love, Womanhood, and Aging (memoir, 2024); Humanity's Grace (a novel in stories, 2022); Then, Now, and In-Between: Place, Memories, and Loss in Oregon (nonfiction, 2020); Beyond the Ripples (literary fiction, 2019); and My Music Man (memoir, 2017).

Learn more about her, her books and blogs on her author page at dedemontgomery dot com.