"An exquisitely constructed novel with a large cast of believable, well-rounded characters you come to care about. Pass captures the nuances of High Plains village life, which many have attempted but few have achieved."

— Bryan L. Jones
Author of North of the Platte, South of the Niobrara

"The story sucked me in with the same awe and mystery as the whirlpool spinning at its center. I loved every page."

— Becky Mandelbaum
Author of Bad Kansas (Flannery O'Connor Award)

"A well-crafted comedy about the bad side of miracles. Pass expertly blends humor with moments of darkness, and the pacing stays strong throughout, picking up speed toward the end and racing smoothly along to the finish."

— Kirkus Reviews
"Get It"

"Strange, darkly funny, and surprisingly emotional. This book takes the idea of a miracle and turns it into something both beautiful and unsettling."

— Crystal
Advance review via NetGalley

"Brings together saint and Santa in a way I could never have guessed at before reading this thin, quietly astonishing book... Far from the red-nosed, portly elder tipsy on his own generosity, Young Santa cuts the lean figure of an ascetic mystic, more Jain than djinn, closer to a stoic philosopher than to the stuff of our childhood dreams."

— Dan Beachy-Quick
The Los Angeles Review of Books

"A saint of poetry."

— Anne Waldman
Author of The Iovis Trilogy

"A saint with pagan traces of Frank L. Baum’s Claus and a spiritual afterlife akin to the mystics... The book's remarkable accomplishment is that it adheres to and transcends the lune poetic form invented by poet Robert Kelly (syllable count) and perfected by ecopoet and teacher Jack Collom (word count)."

— Chuck Stebelton
Woodland Pattern

"Worthy of Bashō or Dōgen."

— David Mutschlecner
Author of Poetic Faith

"Pass masterfully blends humor, heart, and peril in this anthropomorphic tale, making it an unforgettable read."

— Southwest Books of the Year, 2025

"A madcap, entertaining escape from reality from the canine perspective."

— Kirkus

Joe Deany-Braun is the curator of Perelandra Bookshop and author of Young Santa. A “quietly astonishing” debut (LARB), Young Santa sketches the life of a saint in short-form poems “worthy of Bashō or Dōgen” (David Mutschlecner). Joe’s work has appeared in The Denver Post, The Colorado Sun, LitHub, Poets & Writers, and the Biennial of the Americas. He holds a BA in ecosystem science and an MFA in writing & poetics.

Jason Hardung

Jason Hardung’s work has appeared in many journals, including Hobart, Grist, Juked, X-Ray, Cimarron Review, 3AM, Evergreen Review, The Common and Word Riot. He has published two books of poetry. In 2013 he was named Poet Laureate of Fort Collins. He teaches the therapeutic value of writing in juvenile detention facilities, jails and rehabs in Colorado and southern Wyoming. His memoir, Mammal, is forthcoming from Thiessen Press in 2026.

Will Pass's debut novel, The Second-Smartest Dog That Ever Lived, was published by Thiessen Press in 2024 and named one of the 2025 Southwest Books of the Year. His work blends humor, philosophy, and the uncanny, often examining human absurdity through unexpected perspectives. His second novel, The Whirlpool of Lebanon, is forthcoming in 2026. Will also hosts Who Reads Books Anymore?, a short-form video series with 2.5M+ monthly views in which he asks strangers about their reading lives.

About Us

Thiessen is an independent publisher specializing in contemporary fiction, poetry, and memoir. We celebrate imaginative, daring, humorous writing that romps over expectations like a winedrunk falabella wearing neon rainboots.

Contact

[email protected]Thiessen Press
316 Willow St
Fort Collins, CO 80524
United States