"It is easy to see how this debut collection was selected as the winner of this year's Prairie Schooner Book Prize in Fiction. These stories remind us of the attributes that give short fiction its special appeal. . . . A remarkable debut for all readers of fiction."—Sue Russell, Library Journal "Gilley's debut collection offers admirably constructed narratives from which ... Read morehis troubled protagonists emerge bearing small, resonant victories. . . . Telling, make-or-break moments are the crux of Gilley's stories, allowing his sharply etched characters to find unexpected purpose under fire."—Publishers Weekly "Bliss and Other Stories is a great collection by a gifted writer."—Kevin O'Kelly, Boston Globe "Each story is a small pleasure. . . . While many tales involve the quiet situations often found in contemporary American short stories, these stand apart, thanks to Gilley's knack for effortless dialogue in whichever diverse, everyday situation he plumbs."—Annie Tully, Booklist Online "[Bliss and Other Short Stories] is as startling as stumbling upon a full, immense moon—scarred white and sharp above the trees—and just as quiet. This collection's nine stories serve up people who are reeling in the borderland between desire and despair, trying to survive the only way they know how: by recounting their stories and scrambling to make sense of their worlds' unraveling."—Stacy Muszynski, Rumpus.net "Gilley maps contemporary America in ordinary towns on both coasts, and although his stories range in location, they pulse with his masterful attention to place, the poetry of his images, and the predicaments of lives no longer simple."—Rachel Bara, Colorado State University Show Less