The Complete Down and Out in Seattle and Tacoma Series

Sleeping in the Daytime, Novella One: Courting Mediocrity, Novella Two: Squatting in the Shadow of an Ant, Novella Three

By: Christopher Stockwell

Narrated by: Nick Paras

Winner of the second-place award in Contemporary Fiction for the prestigious 2025 Digital Book Today Literary awards, and currently in development to be a major motion picture, the Down and out in Seattle and Tacoma book series showcases the best in gritty contemporary indie fiction with a punk rock and satirical take on mental health and drug addiction.

Charming but flawed Jack was never "right," but that's a lot of what made him magnetic to others. His decades-long deterioration is chronicled in painful detail with a mix of dark humor, tragedy, and brutal self-awareness that is unlike any book you've ever listened to.

Sharp, poetic, and deeply human, but not a feel-good story. It's an unforgettable gut punch that is absolutely unforgettable. Author Christopher J. Stockwell's existential and absurdist masterpiece shows you a Seattle that is a medically-prescribed nightmare. It mirrors the best aspects of the alcohol-induced blackout that is Charles Bukowski's LA, and the blue-faced overdose that is Irvine Welsh's Edinburgh.

The Complete Down and Out in Seattle and Tacoma Series takes you there and shows you the view you can only get from the gutter. Enjoy!

"A gritty, heartfelt journey through the recent past."—Kirkus Reviews

"With a more than healthy dose of humor, the author paints a depressing picture of what life could be."—Elizabeth Connor, Reedsy Discovery

"Drawing from his own experience with alcoholism, drug use, homelessness, and the counterculture, Stockwell takes the reader to places on the underside of society that few dare to tread as they follow Jack through the social services and criminal justice systems."—Reader's Entertainment Magazine

"Through Jack, Stockwell acquaints the reader with lonely souls living on Seattle's streets and shows areas people often don't acknowledge in their day-to-day lives: a psychiatric hospital; a camp of unhoused folks living under the bridge of a freeway; a crack den; and the county jail."—South Sound Magazine

©2023, 2024 Christopher J. Stockwell (P)2026 Christopher J. Stockwell

love loss struggles

Jack’s journey is a paradox—he’s both a tragic figure and someone who remains oddly alluring despite his flaws. Stockwell’s exploration of Jack’s life is raw, absurd, and often satirical, offering readers an unflinching look at the darker side of humanity. Through the lens of Jack’s relationships, the series addresses the difficulty of reconciling love with self-destruction and the toll it takes on those who care deeply for someone who is just out of reach.

haunting story

It’s the kind of book that burrows under your skin and won’t leave—dirty and gritty and painfully honest. Jack’s not a hero or even a human being you get to know, but you feel him, and that’s why the book hits so hard. Stockwell writes with the same motion he might to draw a burning cigarette along a page—sharp and smoky and never ever going in to be pretty. It’s not a redemption story; it’s nearer to witnessing a person slip away just beyond your reach, and you keep hoping anyway. If you're a reader who likes Bukowski or Welsh, this one doesn’t tip its hat in that direction—it goes headfirst and never resurfaces to take a breath.

time traveling material!

Listened from the hospital—this one pulled me into the gutter in the best way. I did live in Seattle for a while,so it totally made me go back to 2016! Raw, absurd, kinda hilarious, kinda heartbreaking. Jack’s slow unraveling felt too real sometimes. Loved the weirdness but not all the chaos hit right for me. Still, it sticks with you. Good to get distracted from reality.

Great Exploration of Love

What makes this book truly stand out is its honest and unflinching portrayal of love and helplessness. It’s a painful yet necessary reminder of the people society often overlooks—the ones who drift further away no matter how many lifelines are thrown their way.

Raw and absurdist gutter view

This collection offers a truly unique and unflinching look at life on the margins. I found most compelling was the author's raw and honest portrayal of Jack, a character who is deeply flawed yet strangely magnetic. I would recommend this series to readers who enjoy gritty, character-driven fiction and aren't afraid of exploring the darker sides of life.