Short Story Collection / Fiction
Date Published: 05-15-2026
Publisher: RMK Publications
In his first collection of short stories Joe Cappello presents an array
of characters whom he describes as having “rocks in their heads.”
Instead of accepting the hand life has dealt them, they pursue more outlandish
solutions to its problems. The reader witnesses firsthand the zany antics
these characters employ to cope with the situations they encounter in each
story: Mortality…daring to know death’s secret and determined to
face it without fear and dread; Workplace… seeking an environment that
is based on teamwork and respect, rather than fear and intimidation;
Family…taking extraordinary steps to unite an estranged family and to
bring another closer together; Language…re-establishing the sacred role
of words in our lives as a unifier of people and a conveyor of truth. All told
with a healthy dose of humor and a belief that life can be joyful, hopeful and
a down-right hoot.
Excerpt
Lucy wasn’t smiling like she used to when she folded her letter, slipped
it into the envelope, sealed it with a kiss, and applied the three-cent stamp.
Even the spring in her step lacked the zeal she typically exhibited during her
walk to the post office. The words on the paper were true to her commitment.
They spoke of the news from the home front, stories that helped Stan’s
morale, and made sure her underlying message was being proud, supportive, and
encouraging. The words wandering around in Lucy’s thoughts, however,
were in stark contrast to this messaging.
Ever since Stan was assigned to the navy radar training school, Lucy had
become more and more unsure in her belief that things would be okay. His work
as an Aviation Machinists Mate stateside meant he was safe. And Minneapolis
was relatively close to home. Being trained as a radarman for shipboard duties
meant it was more likely he would be sent overseas into a combat zone. This
caused a higher level of worry. Like everything else this war has put in short
supply, her ration of optimism was slowly being depleted, and the resources
for replenishing that reservoir were becoming scarce.
Her quandary was not letting Stan know about this foreboding, even though he
was normally her most trusted sounding board. She tried to talk about this
with her sister Millie. But Millie’s approach to these heartfelt
struggles was to fix them, make them go away, or advise Lucy, “Try not
to think about it.” This was not the type of support Lucy needed.
During her alone time, sitting staring out the window, the overwhelming
emotion that prevailed over all others was that she really missed her husband.
She now knew what being heartbroken felt like.
About the Author
Joe Cappello’s creative life began when he accepted a minor
speaking role in a play, walked on stage for the first time, and came to the
terrifying realization that, “Oh, no, they sold tickets!”
Fortunately, he overcame his initial stage fright and began accepting roles in
community theatre, the parts of Oscar Madison in “The Odd Couple”
and Ivan Lomov in “The Proposal” among his favorites. He studied
acting in New York City and performed in a couple of Off-Off Broadway
productions including Sam Shepherd’s “Buried Child,” where
he played the crotchety, whiney patriarch, Dodge (a part for which his wife
felt he was uniquely suited).
He wrote and produced plays for children, awarding roles to his sons and other
kids in his neighborhood (earning the gratitude of their parents who
considered rehearsals free babysitting). He started writing adult plays and
received a number of accolades including an honorable mention in the 2020
Bridge Award contest sponsored by Arts in the Armed Forces (AIAF) for his
full-length play, “The Stars of Orion” and selection as the winner
of the 2022 Susan Hansell Drama Award for his one act play,
“Monarch.”
But the logistics of staging plays proved too time consuming. In his early
30's he started writing short stories and flash fiction pieces and submitting
them for publication. Many of the stories presented in this collection have
been published in online magazines and anthologies, and some have achieved
recognition, most notably, “The Secret of the Smiling Rock Man,”
First Place, National Federation of Press Women’s Communications Contest
(2022); “They Only Showed Elvis from the Waist Up,” First Place,
Southwest Writers Writing Contest (2023); and “Running Errands,”
Finalist, Hemingway Shorts Competition, sponsored by the Ernest Hemingway
Foundation of Oak Park (2023).
Joe invites you to read more of his work and follow his
anything-but-straight-line career at joecappelloauthor.com.
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