Praise for Whiskey Nipple

Sometimes I just know from viewing front cover art what the book content will be. Press 53 and Doug Frelke chose the ideal cover for Whiskey Nipple. The surreally appealing painting by Wolff, "Goddess of Killarney," accentuates the unusual title; both title and cover portray the book's content to perfection. One critic lauded Frelke's sparseness of prose. To me, this writer's prose is not sparse but rather whittled precisely to reveal frayed nerve endings, shattered synapses, and raw imperfections in his characters. Like Wolff's primordial art, Frelke reveals the essence of humanity hidden in these eight short stories.

My advice is to put aside all preconceived notions of life, death, love, and human interaction while reading Whiskey Nipple. Frelke's characters, like his stories, are skillfully crafted and unforgettable. His voice as storyteller alternately stuns, soothes and shocks. Let this writer lead you into his surprising shadow world. And when your scalp tingles or you're stricken with a haunting sense of deja vu, don't be surprised.

  — Midwest Book Review by Laurel Johnson

About the Author

Doug Frelke served in the U.S. Navy for five years and participated in the Persian Gulf War as an officer on the minesweeper USS Leader. He studied at Duke and Temple Universities before earning his ALM from Harvard as the first graduate of their creative writing program. Doug teaches English at Strayer University and Mt. Olive College and lives in Raleigh, NC, with his wife Kimberly and daughter Hannah. His work has appeared in The Harvard Review, Cutthroat, and others and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. 

Other Books by this Author