How to Make a Killing Jar

A collection of thirteen short stories written by Ace Baker.

“This book is disturbingly beautiful. The prose is magical. The moment you feel the dark sadness, it shocks you with a humorous touch.”

Deniz, Amazon Review

“This thin volume is rich with new perspectives on love, death, and the day-to-day business of living. The author takes risks by blending genres within stories–sometimes within a single paragraph — I find this intriguing. Because of the intensity of each piece, I could only read one and then pause for a long while to think and reflect. Tuck this away for quiet moments — you won’t be disappointed.”

Jessica H. Stone, Amazon Review

The Killing Jar (previously “Victory Girl”)

Winner of the 2012 SIWC Storyteller Award

Featured in an edition of Pulp Literature: https://pulpliterature.com/subscribe/back-issues-2/issue-4-autumn-2014/

Nominated for The Journey Prize: https://pulpliterature.com/journey-prize/

Nominated for a Pushcart Prize: https://pulpliterature.com/award-season/

Excerpt:

My name is Chouko (‘butterfly girl’) Takeda, and I was born on August 29^th, 1967, in a little town called Slocan, BC, just outside of where the old Japanese internment camp used to be. Even when released, my father, Jiro (‘second son’) remained in that small community because there was still work he could do. He could still teach the children Japanese and Japanese culture. What was left of it, anyway.

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“A wonderful story of love, heartbreak, and redemption, all sliding past each other in overlapping layers of depth and meaning.”

 —Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series

“This story is a tour de force that left me breathless and awed by the indelible images it thrust into my awareness. It’s a searing piece of writing–terse, taut, and terrific in its brilliant intensity, with the poetic commentaries falling like sparks from a brilliant rocket. A stand-out winner by anyone’s standards.” 

—Jack Whyte, author of The Camulod Chronicles

Big Red Schoolhouse

My poem that won Pulp Literature’s Magpie Award, “Big Red Schoolhouse.” Featured in the same Pulp Literature issue as “Victory Girl”.

“The poem in 1st place, ‘Big Red Schoolhouse, keeps us up to our elbows in the muck of the moment and the situation with the calving.  I felt I was physically at the other end of the rope in my new jeans, and my uncle was a world away from where I was at and right beside me at the same time, handing me that rope to tie around the calf’s hocks to haul it out.  The poem is dynamic and dramatic in its details, as elegiac as it is realistic and beautifully sequenced through stanza and line.  I might even say choreographed, a choreographed chaos of feelings and action, dominated by a double dimension of obligation to the birthing and to the uncle.  Wonderful poem.”

George McWhirter, Vancouver’s first Poet Laureate

Water in the Way

Second place winner in a Magpie contest: https://pulpliterature.com/the-2015-magpie-award-for-poetry/

“The drama in the poem of a trip (literal and metaphorical) into death and the consecration of the beloved dead-one’s remains, with the fish-shaped skull, to the deeps of mystery and the waters is spectacular. The moment of that fish arising out of those waters into indelible memory for the granddaughter and the poet solders emblem and epiphany to mine and makes a perfect consummation for the poem.”

George McWhirter
Final Judge
(source)

Plow Breaks Soil

Third place winner: https://www.blankspaces.ca/winners/acebakerbronze

“Nice change from the usual use of big and unnatural words in dialogue that often occur in the short story entries.”

“I did not see the ending coming. Graphic and painful, but so wonderful to read. Really, really interesting and compelling story.”

“I appreciated the unique take on the image. It was interesting to read such a violent and unexpected ending paired with an idyllic image.”

The Cocoon Breaking Up

Second place winner: https://www.blankspaces.ca/winners/acebakersilver

“The various elements of the story are weaved together and flow well to add depth and background to the story.”

“Wow. What a great story. Everything hung together, layer upon layer. The writer took chances with form and structure but all the choices became logical and effective. A character to aspire to. Very well done.”

“The butterfly metaphor is often used but the author effectively steers clear of clichés and thoughtfully incorporates the comparisons!”

“Really unique approach to a short story, particularly with your formatting and inserts of web addresses. A little strange; a little quirky; but I think that’s exactly what you’re aiming for.”