So Far Behind I Thought I Was First is a collection of west coast gothic stories that combine grotesque dark comedy with a sense of surrealism and unexpected wonder. Set amidst the deserts, mountains, and suburban neighborhoods of Southern California, they follow characters on the margins of society, left behind by the promise of the American Dream.
The author’s friend, the writer Elsa Nekola (a recent winner of the Spokane Prize for fiction), describes the collection as “Anchored by a strong sense of place, Knutson’s California feels like the beginning and end of the world. Both larger than life and grounded in brutal realities, it’s a mythical and gritty, sun-scorched place where quiet moments turn explosive; where characters plot to get ahead and find themselves falling further behind.”
While these stories could be categorized as ‘edgy’ fiction, there is simultaneously a clear-eyed earnestness and big-hearted quality to them, even in their most fallible human moments.
by Matt Knutson
$15.95 USD | Paperback | 116 pgs | 9798234159441
Limited Edition Pre-Order Package
First 100 paperback pre-orders come with signed book, limited edition So Far Behind…-branded Pool Party Swag, and FREE eBook add-on [PDF and ePub eBook files].
This book ships on 12.10.2026. You will be charged at the time of purchase.
$5.95 USD | eBook | 116 pgs | 9798234159458
Digital Book
Digital ePub and PDF files will be delivered on publication day, 12.10.26. Files will be sent to the email address used during checkout. You will be charged at the time of your purchase.
So Far Behind I Thought I Was First is a collection of west coast gothic stories that combine grotesque dark comedy with a sense of surrealism and unexpected wonder. Set amidst the deserts, mountains, and suburban neighborhoods of Southern California, they follow characters on the margins of society, left behind by the promise of the American Dream.
The author’s friend, the writer Elsa Nekola (a recent winner of the Spokane Prize for fiction), describes the collection as “Anchored by a strong sense of place, Knutson’s California feels like the beginning and end of the world. Both larger than life and grounded in brutal realities, it’s a mythical and gritty, sun-scorched place where quiet moments turn explosive; where characters plot to get ahead and find themselves falling further behind.”
While these stories could be categorized as ‘edgy’ fiction, there is simultaneously a clear-eyed earnestness and big-hearted quality to them, even in their most fallible human moments.
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