Never Stop Exiting - by Michael Hopkins (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

FINALIST, Edna Ferber Fiction Prize, Wisconsin Writers Awards (2025)

FINALIST, American BookFest Awards, Short Fiction (2025)

An unhittable baseball pitcher, a young woman who wants to keep her amputated leg, a couple dealing with an Alzheimer's afflicted father, and the rocks speaking with one another when everything comes to an end. Michael Hopkins' dazzling mix of stories helps us see the world as if through beginner's eyes, a prism where the refractions usher in light and life.

Review Quotes

"A reason for readers, lovers of literature, to celebrate."

-Charles Johnson, National Book Award Winner

"Smart, mercurial, exploratory stories that ask major questions about what it means to be a human being. "

-Nickolas Butler, author of Shotgun Lovesongs

"Singular, wholly unpredictable stories."

-Jim Knipfel, author of Slackjaw

"Stealthily complex and persistently compassionate, Hopkins' stories move like a curve ball: swerving, pivoting, and rising, to land in the reader's mitt with a satisfying grip."

-Phong Nguyen, author of Bronze Drum

"What a world we all share, and what a jackpot these stories are in steering us through it."

-Abby Frucht, author of Fruit of the Month

"A bold and compelling collection . . . offering masterful dialogue and surprises galore."

-Mark Wish, author of Necessary Deeds

"Compelling characters, intriguing storylines, and masterfully made connections."

-John Bloner, Jr., editor of Moss Piglet

"The magnetic rhythm of Michael Hopkins' debut collection combines snappy prose with meditative narrative that draws you into worlds that are a circle that somehow has an extra edge. An edge from which you look up and realize it's well after midnight. Savor these stories now, feel them linger for days."

-Steve Fox, author Sometimes Creek, Rick Bass Montana Prize Winner

"Hopkins's stories show us where grief, regret, and loss may be transformed into possibilities and healing."

-Nikki Kallio, author of Finding the Bones