Forest of Fortune

"Powered by adept characterization, darkly lyrical prose, and an unexpected but oh-so-perfect ending, this is the literary equivalent of a slot machine jackpot." --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Forest of Fortune tells the story of three haunted souls--an alcoholic, an epileptic, and a gambling addict--who try to turn their luck around at a decrepit Indian casino. But something's not right at Thunderclap Casino. As the three of them come to terms with the ways in which they are haunted by the past and struggle with their addictions, they must confront the malevolent force that won't rest until old wrongs have been made right.

"Beguiling, nimble, and wonderfully weird, Forest of Fortune is an out-of-left-field gem." --Patrick deWitt, author of The Sisters Brothers

"Forest of Fortune captures the soul and voice of hard-luck, hard-living Americans..." --Jerry Stahl, author of Permanent Midnight

Jim Ruland is the author of the award-winning novel Forest of Fortune and the short story collection Big Lonesome. He is also the co-author of Do What You Want, My Damage, and Giving the Finger. Jim writes for Razorcake—America’s only non-profit independent music zine. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including The Believer, Electric Literature, Esquire, Granta, Hobart and Oxford American, and has received awards from Reader’s Digest and the National Endowment for the Arts. He lives in Southern California.