To Squeeze a Prairie Dog: An American Novel

· Mutt Press
3.9
7 reviews
Ebook
332
Pages
Eligible

About this ebook

2020 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award Gold Medal Winner for Humor


2019 Readers' Favorite International Book Award Winner: Silver Medal for Fiction - Humor/Comedy


2019 Texas Author Project Winner: Adult Fiction


This is the story of J. D. Wiswall, a sincere young man from a small town, who joins a state government agency in a data entry department comprised of quirky clerks. Quickly endearing himself to the diverse group in Unit 3, J. D. learns his coworkers have a pact to share the $10,000 prize if they win a cost-savings program for a suggestion that could save the government money, in turn helping them rise above their own personal struggles. A multimillion-dollar cost-savings suggestion is accidentally discovered by J. D.'s supervisor, the goof-off alcoholic Brent Baker. This lucrative discovery catches the attention of crotchety Governor Dwayne Bennett, a media-hungry demagogue, who turns the coworkers of Unit 3 into props for his selfish political reasons. The publicity surrounding the clerks piques the interest of a newspaper reporter, Esther Jean Stinson, whose investigative reporting threatens to reveal the governor's career-ending secret, as well as jeopardizes the prize that the clerks so desperately desire.


Along with J. D. and Brent, the lives of the amiable coworkers in Unit 3 are revealed. There is Rita Jackson, the kind matriarch of her large brood, who spends her time outside of work caring for her five struggling children and thirteen wily grandchildren. Then there's Deborah Martinez, a single mother to a felonious son, who struggles to keep her head above her sinking financial woes. There's also Conchino Gonzalez, a quiescent giant of Mexican and Japanese descent, who street races at night to relieve worries about his ailing grandfather in Japan. Finally, J. D. has dreams bigger than his small hometown can provide, and Brent wants nothing more than to drop the bureaucratic routine to become a rock star with his bar band.


A few blocks away from the agency that houses Unit 3, Governor Bennett, a smarmy politician who whizzes around the Governor's Mansion on a gold-plated wheelchair, parades the unwitting clerks in front of the local media in an attempt to raise his sagging poll numbers. But reporter Esther Jean sees through the governor's bald-faced motives and uncovers secrets not meant to be revealed. Will her revelations keep Unit 3 from receiving their elusive prize?


From award-winning writer Scott Semegran, To Squeeze a Prairie Dog is an American, modern-day tale with working-class folks—part fable, part satire, and part comedy—revealing that camaraderie amongst kind-hearted friends wins the day over evil intentions.


"An amusing yet heartwarming romp... To Squeeze a Prairie Dog is an entertaining slice-of-life story that's humorous yet uplifting at the same time. By the novel's last page, readers will be longing for more." — BlueInk Reviews (Starred Review)


"To Squeeze a Prairie Dog paints a rollicking story that careens through the office structure to delve into the motivations, lives, and connections between ordinary individuals... an uplifting, fun story." — Midwest Book Review


"A comic sendup of state government that remains lighthearted, deadpan, and full of affection for both urban and rural Texas." — Kirkus Reviews


"An accomplished tale... a recommended read for fans of humor, drama, and office politics." — Readers' Favorite Book Reviews. 5 stars.


"Fascinating and heartfelt." — IndieReader


"Semegran is at the top of his game as he crafts this thoroughly engaging read. Written in a crisp, clear prose, this fast-paced novel will delight fans of literary fiction." — The Prairies Book Review. 5 stars.


"Semegran lures you in with a combination of sardonic wit and slapstick comedy, but before you know it, you're contemplating issues of money, class, media, politics, the social contract, and the many possible definitions of success... To Squeeze a Prairie Dog concludes on just the right note and contains depths you won't expect." — Lone Star Literary Life

Ratings and reviews

3.9
7 reviews
Amy Shannon (Literary Consultant)
February 1, 2019
Interesting story I must admit I was a little put off by Semegran's cover for To Squeeze a Prairie Dog: An American Novel, but I know to never judge a book by its cover. And I don't. I read, and I read. The story was good, has come interesting characters, and was blended with humor, satire and dramatics. Semegran tells the story of JD, and he's a likeable character, and mixed with the chemistry of his co-workers, the story comes to life. I like the premise of this story, and I look forward to reading more by this new author.
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Anthony Marks
September 24, 2018
Anyone who has worked in any sort of office environment can relate to the mind-numbing bureaucracy. The characters in this story meander through the day-to-day work load as they each have their own struggle living off a state salary. All of them have a common goal to win a big payday to help them get out of their current rut. There is surprisingly a lot of tension due to the circumstances they end up in as they try to achieve this common goal while their working and personal lives wants to hinder progress. This story has a lot of heart as this team of people with wildly differing personalities manage to stick up for one another (for the most part). You will most likely root for a majority of them well before the book ends. ARC provided by author and publisher for review.
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About the author

Scott Semegran is an award-winning writer of nine books. BlueInk Review described him best as “a gifted writer, with a wry sense of humor.” His latest novel, The Codger and the Sparrow (TCU Press), is a comical yet moving story about a 65-year-old widower’s unlikely friendship with a 16-year-old troublemaker. His eight previous books include The Benevolent Lords of Sometimes Island, which was the first place winner for Middle-Grade/Young Adult fiction in the 2021 Writer’s Digest Book Awards, and To Squeeze a Prairie Dog, which was the winner of the 2020 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Award Gold Medal for Humor. He lives in Austin, Texas with his wife. They have four kids, two cats, and a dog. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English.


Scott Semegran is co-host of the web series Austin Liti Limits along with fellow award-winning writer Larry Brill.

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