Every Time She Shouted Fire (Americana)

In 1950, eight-year-old Matty watches her family's building burn, along with other gawkers and her only friend, 51-year-old Nicholas Miracle, who has something wrong with him-or so everyone says. For Matty, he's the big brother she never had.

They both love sci-fi matinee movies and the accompanying cartoons. Matty "works" bussing tables at the Miracle Bakery-her pay includes a bag of pastries to take home to her parents-while Nicholas paints in a corner. Quite accomplished, he once sold a ribald painting of Teddy Roosevelt to F. Scott Fitzgerald.

They love chasing fire engines, often ending up at downtown St. Paul apartment buildings. Teenage Matty is smitten with a young firefighter and, by seventeen, is dating the 21-year-old local hero. But there's something wrong with him-though Matty refuses to believe it.

But Nicholas knows.

Will Tinkham has published six novels: THE CARY GRANT SANATORIUM AND PLAYHOUSE, THE GREAT AMERICAN SCRAPBOOK, THE ADVENTURES OF HANK FENN, BONUS MAN, NO HAPPIER STATE, and ALICE AND HER GRAND BELL. He lives and writes in Minneapolis, MN. His short fiction has been published on three continents and he long ago attended Bread Loaf on a scholarship. An actor of little renown, his credits do include the Guthrie Theater and Theatre in the Round. @WillTinkhamfictionist on Facebook and willtinkham.blogspot.com.