![]() WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU collects fourteen stories in which the desire to connect, masculinity, sexuality, and human nature are examined. While the entire collection may not appeal to all readers, there is a story in the collection that should resound with those willing to explore Tim Fredrick’s skillful story telling. Overall, WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU is a captivating read that could benefit from expansion and stories that are more cohesive. Reviewing a collection is tricky because even though the stories connect, they are disparate tales under a thematic umbrella. The shorter stories, spanning a page or two, offer a chance to reflect in between the meatier tales. Fredrick combines stories with vastly different voices, genres, and characters with that single unifying theme. Most people contemplate how and why we crave connection to each other and to ourselves. Please inform us if this is an acceptable alternative or if you prefer to be on our priority waiting list. Therefore, we have passed on your request to our hotel X in Paris XV. ![]() “Driving Lessons” and “By the Stream on Moving Day” shine because regardless of the reader’s perspective, universal human desires are exposed. We regret having to advise you that our hotel is already fully booked for the requested period. Tim Fredrick’s WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU boils down to masculinity and human connection. Since short story collections eschew a single narrative and focus on an encapsulating theme they are often polarizing. Some of the stories are too short to summarize, flow like poetry, and must be read firsthand. The surreal “My Right Armpit Sweats More Than My Left One” chronicles a man with unique sweat stains searching for a cure. “Driving Lessons” and “Egg-and-Spoon” are grounded in realism, but both involve young men contemplating fathers and adult life ahead. The titular story is a form letter detailing all the reasons Tom Warzach earned the title of “Total Dick” from a committee that evaluates evidence presented by partners, colleagues, doctors, and family members. ![]() The science fiction “Thawed” follows a racist and homophobic man brought out of cryogenic sleep and cured only to discover he has less than a year to live. Each story revolves around a masculine character coming to terms with his place in the world. Science fiction, fantasy, poetry, fiction, and even dips into surrealism. WE REGRET TO INFORM YOU is a collection of fourteen short stories that draw from varied genres. ![]()
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