Tales of Block E: Stories from the Most Notorious Block in Minneapolis

A man living in a flophouse tries to impress his long-estranged blind father by embellishing on what the old man can't see. Two employees of a porn theater pick the wrong day to get stoned. A fragile young woman and follower of a street preacher witnesses a tragedy, setting her on a mission that may be beyond her abilities. It's 1979 on Block E, a woebegone Times Square-type district filled with characters of all stripes-hookers and the homeless, addicts and drug dealers. But the streets also belong to the hopeful-the many people wanting so much more.

William E Burleson’s short stories have appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies to date, most recently in The New Guard and American Fiction 14. Burleson has two novels in development: Ahnwee Days, the story of a small town that has seen better days and the mayor who tries to save it, and The Avenue, a story set in a skid row district in 1979. Previous to writing fiction, he had published extensively in non-fiction, most notably his book, Bi America (Haworth Press, 2005). For examples of past work and more information, visit www.williamburleson.com.