“As history tends to shave off the weird bumps and ridges of our past, it's exhilarating and unsteadying to read a collection that ambitiously seeks to provide a kind of bizarro reimagining of our world. Any Time But This Time is odd and hilarious and yet so tenderly human, so unafraid of cataloging all the strange desires and cruelties and moments of true connection that have somehow gotten us to this moment in time, and then it rockets beyond that to imagine an even stranger future. This is wildness of the highest order, unforgettable and highly original.” —Kevin Wilson, author of Nothing to See Here
“Deeply entertaining, the stories in this collection crackle with the spark of imagination, invention, and compassion. Peterson writes with a satisfying blend of humor and pathos, fearless in both wit and empathy. For lovers of George Saunders and Haruki Murakami, with a dash of Aimee Bender, this collection also feels somehow entirely fresh.” —Aja Gabel, author of Lightbreakers
“The stories in Adam Peterson’s Any Time But This Time are funny, but, like, really, really funny, but like, the kind of funny that makes you laugh and laugh and then makes you question your own soul, or whether you even have a soul, because Adam Peterson has slyly tricked you into laughing at some of the worst possible things, the most terrible people, the most dire situations. He has made you laugh the kind of laughter that keeps you honest, makes you see the world as it really is. This is a fabulous, unrelenting collection, full of gorgeous, punchy, compulsively readable prose. Do yourself a favor: Pick it up, take it home, and start reading.” —Manuel Gonzales, author of The Miniature Wife and Other Stories
The stories of Adam Peterson’s funny, daring, and deliciously outrageous debut Any Time But This Time span our history and confront our future. From the first woman on Earth grieving among the Neanderthals to the last man alive nursing the dying flame of love, this collection moves across human history and geography to reveal us at our best and lament our worst. Jesus declares himself a superhero. Lost sailors launch an ill-fated attempt to colonize medieval England. A young woman fights to commandeer the founding of America. A pioneer’s wife satisfies her endless sexual appetite in barren Nebraska. Children hurtle into space to confront alien life—even though they really, really just want love. For fans of George Saunders and Kelly Link, these voices, unbound by time and undaunted by consequence, show us that there are truly no limits to what a short story—so long as it centers our relentless human heart—can do.Adam Peterson is a writer and filmmaker living in Los Angeles. He’s the author of the prose poetry collections My Untimely Death, The Flasher, and [SPOILER ALERT] (with Laura Eve Engel). His short fiction has appeared in Epoch, The Kenyon Review, The Southern Review, and a mess of other places. His films have played at HollyShorts, Fantasia Fest, and Just for Laughs, among many other festivals.
Contents
ContentsDenise, or: The First Woman on Earth
Jesus Does a Hero
The Distance 983
And Who Shall Rule This Land of Freedom
A Prairie Romance
Self-Portrait as Greatest Generation
The Distance 1983
ANGELUS
All We Must Destroy, All We Must Save
Keith, or: The Last Man on Earth
Acknowledgments
