James R. Gapinski
author, editor, educator
Books & Chapbooks
The Last Dinosaurs of Portland
Bottlecap Press, May 2021
The Last Dinosaurs of Portland contains ten stories set within cascading surrealist versions of Portland, Oregon. New bridges sprout across Portland; a sabertooth cat roars atop the Moda Center; a cavalcade of matching bicycles pour into the Willamette River.
Fruit Rot
Etchings Press, July 2020
In this modern fable, a comic book writer and his artsy partner discover a magical tree in their backyard, able to cure any ailment with a single bite—but when the fruit rots, it reveals darker properties.
Edge of the Known Bus Line
Etchings Press, May 2018
In Edge of the Known Bus Line, a woman’s daily commute takes an abrupt turn when she’s dropped off in a grotesque shantytown. The narrator searches for a way out of this surreal hellscape while dredging up a few nightmares of her own.
Messiah Tortoise
Red Bird Chapbooks, January 2018
Messiah Tortoise contains ten linked stories, each taking place in the same zoo. Amid a collection that is fundamentally animalistic, readers gain several glimpses into what it means to be human.