Love, Movies and a Dragon? is a dramatic novella written by Steve Zimcosky. Alexa was horrified when her step-mom, Akemi, called her one night and told her that Alexa’s dad had been injured on the job. There was an electrical explosion which caused burns over his arms, but worse, the impact of the explosion smashed his body against a concrete wall, breaking an arm and a leg and causing swelling in his brain. The doctors at St. Vincent’s in Solon had induced a coma to help stabilize his condition; they could only wait and hope the swelling would go down. Most terrifying of all for Alexa and her family was the thought that he would have to be on a ventilator until he was able to breathe again on his own.

The doctor discussed how people who had been comatose had reported hearing their loved ones speaking to them, and he shared how stories were particularly good devices for maintaining a lifeline with a comatose patient. As they were considering how best to do that, Dad was thinking about his predicament and wondering why he couldn’t move. It seemed strange that he knew where he and they were, but he couldn’t open his eyes or tell them that he was okay. Then Akemi got an idea for a series of stories based on the movie stub collection she found in his drawer.

Steve Zimcosky’s dramatic novella, Love, Movies and a Dragon? is a moving story that shares what it’s like for families who have loved ones in a comatose condition. I especially liked revisiting the movies and restaurants out that Akemi shares with her husband. The interactions Dad has with Fuku Riu, the dragon of good luck, while he’s in a coma are the stuff of grand epic fantasy and add another compelling dimension to this tale. Zimcosky’s characters are credible and well-defined, and his plot is suspenseful and moving. This well-written and perceptive novella is most highly recommended.

I would highly recommend Steve’s new book, Love, Movies and a Dragon? It accurately depicts how families feel when their loved one is unable to speak and on a ventilator. The wave of emotions is evident from the excellent writing, and even the first page is packed with excitement. It shows how important the little things are in life, such as movies. The love of family is a continued theme in the book, and you want to keep reading to learn what will happen to Alan. It is a great read, and I definitely recommend!

Kim Griffin RN

A cute short story, you'll love this novella if you're into modern fantasy with historical elements. Alexa, one of the main characters, learns that her father has been injured during a horrific work accident. He ends up in coma but with his daughter and wife (Alexa's step-mother) by his side, he travels in his mind with a dragon that leads him on a journey that he'll never forget. He goes on an adventure, learning things about his wife's family that ends up bringing them closer than they ever imagined. And, did we mention that it's illustrated?! Endearing, and at times funny, this story had us rooting for everyone and happy for the feel good ending.

This book was very interesting. It pulls you in from the very first page. I couldn’t wait to see what happens at the end. Highly recommend.