Fiction. This collection continues Firth's deep mining into the bowels of Canadian life. From there he unearths tales of forgotten people who survive with their wits and guts during these harsh times. Behind the covers of SHAG CARPET ACTION are stories about rival garbage collectors warring over a possible strike; suburban lust and yearning involving the creative use of a son's Spider-Man toy; the travails of a man who has a vasectomy but then finds out there are far more painful events to deal with on his agenda; shameless and bombastic people who just don't care who overhears their conversation—and on it goes. These are absurd, raunchy, funny stories whose sharp, salty characters are boldly credible and wonderfully rendered by one of Canada's most adventurous and courageous fiction writers.

Author City: OTTAWA, ON CAN

Matthew Firth has run his own independent micro press, Black Bile Press, since 1993. He edits and publishes the literary magazine Front&Centre. Since 2002, he has been a book columnist for the Ottawa Xpress. Previous publications include the short story collections Fresh Meat (Rush Hour Revisions, 1997), Can You Take Me There, Now? (Boheme Press, 2001), and Suburban Pornography & Other Stories (Anvil Press, 2006). Most recently, he is the author of SHAG CARPET ACTION (Anvil Press, 2011).

Reviews and Other Links
Shawn Syms @ Quill & Quire
interview by Michael Bryson @ The Danforth Review
John Sekerka @ Ottawa XPress