Time-Jumping Tale Of Paternal Love, Guilt And Redemption, From Where We Threw Dogs By Stephen Mellor, Is A Cult-Classic In The Making

On The Table Read Magazine, “the best book magazine in the UK“, in time travelling story of fathers and sons, Stephen Mellor’s From Where We Threw Dogs, Ben is travelling through Spain a year after his father died, and dreaming about the lieutenant of a ninth century Spanish king, Infante.

From Where We Threw Dogs

It took Stephen Mellor twenty-five years to bring his story, inspired by his own travels through Spain following the death of his father to fruition. From Where We Threw Dogs is a tale of male grief, the healing process, and how toxic such grief can be. The dark and compelling storyline follows Ben as he travels around Spain in the Summer of 1995, a year on from his fathers death by his side. During his journey, Ben finds himself bound to ninth century lieutenant to Alej through the similarly felt anguish of the Spanish King Infante. It is only through these visitations that Ben begins to understand that facing his demons is the only way to survive his most dangerous enemy: himself.

Alej has been waiting centuries, while Ben believes he is passing through. As the days that follow fall between the past and the present, Ben must battle the lawless land he once ruled and the untamed spirits haunting his journey. , From Where They Threw Dogs is a masterly piece of writing and its story, sublime.

Linking past and present with the irrefutable and time-defying bonds that exist between father and son, From Where We Threw Dogs crosses borders, times, and cultures, reimagining the traditions of gothic horror and romanticism.

Stephen Mellor

I started writing From Where They Threw Dogs back in 1995, but it was not until 2013 when I started writing with intensity. ‘Dogs’ is about the loss of my own father. The description of the protagonist’s, Ben, father’s death is the death of my own father. We worked together in the family business, but after some time, it was clear the family business was not where I wanted to be and one Wednesday lunchtime I sat down with my father and mother (also involved in the business) and told them this.  That same evening, my father and I went to watch Sheffield Wednesday play, but as we left the ground, he suffered a heart attack and died.

At its heart, “Dogs” is about male grief, and the healing process, and how toxic male grief can be. I often get asked the question, why did you write the book, or why are you best placed to write on the subject. My answer is always, because it is my story, my toxic male grief, my guilt and ultimately my redemption.

-Stephen Mellor

Born in Buchannan, Liberia, Stephen Mellor grew up in Yorkshire before moving to Sheffield with his wife, and they’re excitable greyhound, Moose. He is the creator and co-host of the podcast, Prompety Prompt, a podcast for readers and writers alike, where writers are challenged to write live and against the clock to a series of not seen before prompts.

From Where We Threw Dogs is his first published novel. His first novella, Pyre, a tale of isolation and a serial killer in a North Yorkshire farming community, was shortlisted for the 2022 Reflex Press Novella Award.

Find more from Stephen Mellor now:

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3S2khGN

Prompety Prompt: https://www.prompetyprompt.co.uk

X/twitter: @sgmellorwriter

Instagram: stephenmellorwriter

Web: www.stephenmellor.net

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