Horse Bite
First novel, fall 2011
About the book
Horse Bite is the story of Dave and his efforts to find a bit of permanence in the balance of the things we create and the things we do to sustain ourselves. His journey jumps between morning pit stops in the ubiquitous coffee shops of Seattle and the evenings of beers and bartenders and music clubs where some bedrooms are longed for, some found. Everything slips away, though, until he meets elusive Yvonne who brings the realization from past and present that things “do end … so we write books and songs and poems. It is the only way to make love eternal.” At its core, Dave’s tale is one of monster G chords, poetry, booze, goodbyes, and the chance at that which matters most of all, the heart of a woman.
Praise for Horsebite
“Dave O’Leary’s debut novel, Horse Bite, offers a heartfelt and thoughtful meditation on love, sex (lots of it), and the ways in which we view the world–and ourselves–differently as we grow older.”
“Horse Bite is a lyrical and introspective tale of one man’s attempt to carve out an artful life—written in prose that’s as lush as the Guinness Stout and dark roast coffee that seem to drip from every page.“
“That’s my first 5-star review for SeattleWrote… Horse Bite and Dave O’Leary really do deserve it. If you’re looking for something new and interesting to read, something that flows and moves like poetry without being confusing or archaic, this should be the next book on your stack to read.”
“There’s something good here … an affecting portrait of a largely unspoken kind of straight manhood.”