In a nutshell, this debut novel offers a gesture to its predecessors. "Death Letter Blues" momentarily captures the antithesis to a life fully lived. Imprisoned by the whims of others and enslaved by reluctance, our non-hero embarks on a journey cross country to deliver a letter stashed away in his late mother's possessions. This undiscovered, raw, and unique voice dares to share a frustrated optimism (perhaps too frustrated and too optimistic to be mass produced) long suppressed by our collective futility. Beyond the words, characters, and pages herein, something is happening that can only be seized by a fleeting lapse of self-deception. Have the courage to delve beyond the calm and collected exterior of a tormented idealist.