The Secret of the Smiling Rock Man by Joe Cappello
Short Story Collection / Fiction
Date Published: 05-15-2026
Publisher: RMK Publications
About the Author:
In his first collection of short stories Joe Cappello presents an array
of characters whom he describes as having “rocks in their heads.”
Instead of accepting the hand life has dealt them, they pursue more outlandish
solutions to its problems. The reader witnesses firsthand the zany antics
these characters employ to cope with the situations they encounter in each
story: Mortality…daring to know death’s secret and determined to
face it without fear and dread; Workplace… seeking an environment that
is based on teamwork and respect, rather than fear and intimidation;
Family…taking extraordinary steps to unite an estranged family and to
bring another closer together; Language…re-establishing the sacred role
of words in our lives as a unifier of people and a conveyor of truth. All told
with a healthy dose of humor and a belief that life can be joyful, hopeful and
a down-right hoot.
Read an Excerpt:
“Sorry I no make Lanford’s funeral,” Samora said breaking in on Win’s memory. She
grabbed his hand and squeezed it. “You okay?”
“I’m okay.”
“You don’t look okay.”
“Okay, I’m not okay.” He paced around the yard as the fears he suppressed since
Lanford’s funeral that morning spilled out in a rush. “I’m 35 years old, Samora. Where am I
going? I been floating around the country, taking odd jobs. I haven’t spoken to my parents in
Chicago for over 10 years. And now Lanford up and dies on me.”
Samora felt sorry for the tall, thin figure slumped pathetically in front of her. “Shush, my
son. You shouldn't let death haunt you so.” Her brown eyes sparkled as she looked up at Win.
“You want to know the secret, yes?”
“What secret?” asked Win.
“Death,” she said. Samora led Win to the front of his casita. “Out there.” She grabbed his
chin and pushed his head up, his protruding lips making him look like a fish with a hook stuck in
its mouth. She pointed to the view of the Galisteo basin, a huge, flat plain bordered by mountains
forming the “Galisteo Wave,” a vista of higher to lower elevations that resembled an ocean wave
on its way to shore. “There’s a smiling rock man in the basin. You must find him.”
“A smiling rock man?”
“Find him and you will find the answer.”
About the Author
Joe Cappello’s creative life began when he accepted a minor
speaking role in a play, walked on stage for the first time, and came to the
terrifying realization that, “Oh, no, they sold tickets!”
Fortunately, he overcame his initial stage fright and began accepting roles in
community theatre, the parts of Oscar Madison in “The Odd Couple”
and Ivan Lomov in “The Proposal” among his favorites. He studied
acting in New York City and performed in a couple of Off-Off Broadway
productions including Sam Shepherd’s “Buried Child,” where
he played the crotchety, whiney patriarch, Dodge (a part for which his wife
felt he was uniquely suited).
He wrote and produced plays for children, awarding roles to his sons and other
kids in his neighborhood (earning the gratitude of their parents who
considered rehearsals free babysitting). He started writing adult plays and
received a number of accolades including an honorable mention in the 2020
Bridge Award contest sponsored by Arts in the Armed Forces (AIAF) for his
full-length play, “The Stars of Orion” and selection as the winner
of the 2022 Susan Hansell Drama Award for his one act play,
“Monarch.”
But the logistics of staging plays proved too time consuming. In his early
30's he started writing short stories and flash fiction pieces and submitting
them for publication. Many of the stories presented in this collection have
been published in online magazines and anthologies, and some have achieved
recognition, most notably, “The Secret of the Smiling Rock Man,”
First Place, National Federation of Press Women’s Communications Contest
(2022); “They Only Showed Elvis from the Waist Up,” First Place,
Southwest Writers Writing Contest (2023); and “Running Errands,”
Finalist, Hemingway Shorts Competition, sponsored by the Ernest Hemingway
Foundation of Oak Park (2023).
Joe invites you to read more of his work and follow his
anything-but-straight-line career at joecappelloauthor.com.
Contact Links:
Website
Goodreads
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