A good old
American diner may just be my favorite place in this world. It’s certainly right
up there, along with dark and cozy British pub and my end of the couch. There really
is nothing quite like it. The smell of fresh brewed coffee mixed with the sizzle
of beef searing on the grill and the low murmur of half-heard conversations punctuated
by the chink of cutlery on china.
Daniel McTaggart
is the author of a collection called Diner Poems. It’s an evocative work that
really struck a chord with me. It’s also the only book of poetry I have ever
owned (I don’t consider that to be a failing, so bite me) and when I heard that
Dan was putting together a collection of short fiction based in and around
diners I knew I wanted in.
More than a
year in the making, Diner Stories: Off The Menu is out now in paperback from Mountain State Press. I’m damn proud to be the only Englishmen to have a story included
and to be alongside some very fine writers, such as Jason Jack Miller and Frank Larnerd.
You can
check it out here: AMAZOD
