Collected Editions: The Lean Years
Introduction to The Lean Years
Welcome to The Lean Years, my third definitive collection of short works. It’s been over three years since the compiling of the second collection, and I hope that this new one reflects my maturation and growth as a writer, assuming there’s been any. I’ve been busy for most of the three plus years since the last collection working on larger projects, so everything you find here, I suppose you could say, was written during down time I had in between the heavier stuff. Needless to say, I hope that doesn’t make it less worth while, and as always, I hope you’ll enjoy perusing this as much as I enjoyed writing it. As before, I’ve included some short stories, poetry, some teasers, or “short shorts,” and also this time I’ve added a new section, fragments, where I’ve showcased some random tidbits that probably will never be suitable for use anywhere else but here. I’ve no reason to think that this collection, like the two that came before it, will ever be seen by someone other than friends and family, and it is probably destined to sit in a drawer collecting dust like the others, but hey, everyone needs a hobby. I think the most important thing to be noted, here, at this moment in time, is that (if I can quote John Melloncamp for a moment) the dream is still alive. Because it is, and I thought that needed a bit of extra emphasis. That’s why I can say in all certainty that this will not be the last of these collections, and who knows, maybe someday there will be more people besides just myself looking forward to their release. But if you are reading this, whoever you are, wherever you are, let me just say, I’m glad to see you, and I’m glad you’re here. These are The Lean Years.
Steven Finkelstein
11/20/07