Novels and Chapbooks

NOVELS

Reviews
Once Events Happen, They Cannot UnHappen.
The first thing that this book teaches you is how high on the food chain us “Big Ones” are. The peril that faces rabbits: dogs, starvation, birds of prey, are made very apparent in this book. The story starts off with a frustrated gnome with how ineffective he is. A mystery swirls about his parents and why they are missing. Roddy the rabbit has awaken from hibernation and has begun to dine on the fresh shoots of the summer, which angers the gnome in charge of the garden. The story evolves with the magic sack of seeds left by the Queen Coon and the looming gnome council awaiting or frustrated gnome. We have a world of violence that is constantly around us, with the imagination of the author that creates an allegory for each of us: that there is no going back. -G. McFadden

What a wonderfully imaginative tale! I loved the character of Wil from the get-go, and the social commentary was fascinating. Beautiful, descriptive prose. Gnome Harvest is an exceptionally well-written book, with excellent thematic expression. I especially enjoyed the themes of parental “after-effects,” if you will. It’s quite interesting, especially within the context of this beautifully written story.

The parts with Roddy and Mare-Belle were very sweet…interesting to see the world through ‘rabbit eyes’. “The magnificence of life dwelled in the void where their fur intermingled.” There were so many great meditations upon love and growth, what it means to be a parent, a child, or even an orphan. The feeling of grief is perfectly captured.

Through this story of what it means to be an animal or a gnome, the author evokes deep emotions about what it is to be human. It’s interesting that we need perspective sometimes to properly see ourselves, and Gnome Harvest provides this perspective with a stunning, very natural approach.

All of the richness of life is detailed in this book, with an nostalgic view of love as well as the inevitable pain from grief we cannot escape when our loved ones leave us. I felt that Gnome Harvest really expressed the nuances of going from being an adolescent (with all of the swagger and invincibility that brings), to growing into an adult, weathering some disappointments and then finding that you are older than most of the people around you.

It’s a realistic, naturalistic novel that is uplifting, haunting and moving all at once. How do we find happiness in the midst of nature, which can be a cruel mistress? How can we forgive ourselves when we make mistakes, even when they were not made purposefully? How do we approach the fact that life is constantly changing? I would definitely place this book in the category of other similar works of literature such as ‘Watership Down.’ Highly recommend this book to those looking for a book with deeper meaning, and especially to those with a book club. There is so much to discuss about Gnome Harvest; I was thoroughly impressed, and believe that I will find second and third meanings when I read it again. -KJ

CHAPBOOKS

Euphoric Drift, 2018, Buy Now

This collection of poetry focuses on UFO sightings from different personas who integrate their encounter with a life already crisscrossed with issues from relationships, personal ambitions, and exploration of the self. Ashley Parker Owens is a writer, artist, and UFO abductee living in Richmond, Kentucky, USA.

Retrospecter, 2019, Buy Now

Unruly Spirits, Dancing Girl Press, 2018, Buy Now

Puppet, Rinky Dink Press, 2018, Buy Now

Territorial Misfortune, 2017, Buy Now

Ashley Parker Owens is an Appalachian writer, poet, and artist living in Richmond, Kentucky. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Eastern Kentucky University and an MFA in Visual Arts from Rutgers University.

Reach her at
https://ello.co/ashleyparkerowens
https://www.deviantart.com/ashleyparkerowens
https://www.virtualgallery.com/galleries/ashley_parker_owens_a43845277/landscapes_s16464
https://www.facebook.com/ashleyparkerowens/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
https://www.saatchiart.com/ashleyparkerowens