Xeno Hemlock

Herbert Novelli lives an ordinary life. Breakfast. Work. Lunch. Work. Gym. Dinner. Sleep. Plus the occasional get together with his long-time friends who entered adulthood together with him in Cinnabar City.

An unannounced visit to his apartment one ordinary night brings his ex-girlfriend Gina Watson. After leaving him with a vague letter and a broken heart in their old home town Verona, Gina’s unexpected appearance is the last thing Herbert expects to happen.

Gina hands Herbert an invitation to her wedding with another man as a strange peace offering. Herbert accepts it, a show of his willingness to bury the hatchet. 

But Death has a funny way of doing his job in the city. Sometimes he makes a grand fanfare of his arrival. Other times, he comes unannounced with a wedding invitation on hand.

“They called her Wilma Walden. I loved and hated her my entire life.

My name? You have to download the book to find out. All the important things about me are in there: the color of the crayon that I ate, the place where I secretly found my parents f*cking (yes, you read that right – f*cking), the person I referred to as the Bitch, the worst song/composition/whatchamacallit ever in the entire world, like EVER, ugly Grandma Eyeglasses, and the girl whose boobs I envied.

There’s more: the boy who I wanted to be my first boyfriend, the man who became my real first boyfriend, that other man who became my extra boyfriend (he abused and used me like a doll in cheap motels), and the traitor who desired to steal my first boyfriend.

And yes, that’s me on the f*cking bloody cover. Don’t I look beautiful? Say yes or you’ll regret it.

‪Birthed from the clouds of dust, cats, Pokémon, Survivor, and philosophy, this poetry collection tells stories of life, love, and loss. This book also contains elements from the author’s other works and upcoming novel Cygnus Fatalism.‬

Cygnus Fatalism is Xeno Hemlock’s upcoming second novel. It is the companion book of The Lion Eating the Sun.