Squandering the Blue

An uncompromising and sensually charged collection from one of the great practitioners of the short story.

Squandering the Blue is Kate Braverman’s debut story collection, a fierce, hallucinatory vision of Southern California and the women who move through its heat, glamour, and wreckage. Set among artists, addicts, lovers, and drifters, these interconnected stories form a vivid patchwork of lives caught between longing and self-destruction, where affection and addiction are often inseparably entwined.

Across brief, haunting snapshots, Braverman captures women at moments of fracture and transformation: an art-world satire that becomes a feminist post-nuclear parable in “Falling in October”; a woman struggling to break free from an abusive relationship in “Points of Decision”; and, in the widely anthologized “Tall Tales from the Mekong Delta,” a recovering alcoholic navigating motherhood, sobriety, and a dangerously seductive stranger.

At once raw, lyrical, and unsparing, Squandering the Blue explores how people shape—or bury—their own experiences while living in the long shadow of a better life just out of reach.

“If, as they say, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it stands to reason that horror, too, lurks deep within the optic nerve. How else to explain the lushly menacing imagery in the poet and novelist Kate Braverman’s latest book?” —The New York Times

Standard and Primary covers are widely available through general retailers. They often have higher print runs and can be cheaper, especially during sales.

In contrast, Direct Market (DM) and variant covers are primarily sold in comic shops. DM editions tend to have more limited availability and may be more valuable to collectors.

The main differences lie in artwork style, availability, price, and collector appeal. Ultimately, the choice between standard and variant covers depends on personal preference, budget, and individual collecting goals.

Comic book enthusiasts have various formats to choose from when collecting their favorite stories.
Here's a brief overview of the main types:

Omnibus

• Large, hardcover collections
• Usually contain complete runs or extensive story arcs
• Typically 800-1000+ pages
• Higher price point, often €100-€150

Oversized Hardcover (OHC)

• Similar dimensions to omnibus, but thinner
• Collect shorter runs or story arcs
• Usually 300-600 pages
• Priced between €30-€50

Hardcover (HC)

• Standard-sized hardcover books
• Collect 6-12 issues typically
• Similar dimensions to single issues, but with a hard cover
• Priced around €25-€35

Trade Paperback (TP)

• Softcover collections
• Standard comic book size
• Usually collect 4-6 issues
• Most affordable option, typically €15-€25

Other Formats

• Absolute Editions: Oversized, deluxe hardcovers (mainly DC Comics)
• Compendiums: Massive paperback collections
• Graphic Novels (OGN/GN): Original stories not previously released as single issues

The choice between these formats often depends on personal preference, budget, and collecting goals. Omnibus and OHC editions offer larger artwork and more content but at a higher price, while TPs provide a more affordable way to collect complete story arcs