I’m no elite runner, but I care enough about the sport to get it right. And I hope the human story in Running Out will be engaging even for readers who never run a step.
Support small presses and buy direct from Main Street Rag Publishing Company,
or contact me for a signed copy.
Also available in audiobook from Audible and Apple Books.
“A deftly crafted and impressively original novel by an extraordinarily skillful author, ‘Running Out’ is an absorbing and entertaining read from beginning to end. Replete with dramatic and unexpected twists and turns, ‘Running Out’ will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library fiction collections in general, and the personal reading lists of dedicated cross country runners in particular.” —Midwest Book Review
“Dave Essinger slowly scatters bits and pieces for the reader to assemble—from the start…to the moment by moment challenge of covering ground in a challenging wilderness. The book brings the reader to pauses of both ‘Wonder if I could do that’ and ‘I would not have lasted that far.’ In the end I was left wishing for another fifty or sixty pages; for now my imagination will suffice.” —John Morelock, author of Run Gently Out There.
“For his debut novel, Essinger takes his protagonist, a competitive runner, and pits him against the brutal powers of Mother Nature. The only finish line for Dan in this race is the thin, nearly invisible, strip between life and death. Just following the daunting course he takes on is a twenty-nail-biting experience.” —Carol Anshaw, author of Lucky in the Corner, Seven Moves, Aquamarine, and Carry the One.
“After a plane crash in a remote Canadian wilderness, the athlete-hero of Dave Essinger’s riveting debut novel faces the race of his life—to save his wife, his daughter, and himself. Dan’s past is fraught with sinuous turns and compelling complexity, but his present path is straight and clear: survival. We follow his every stride, sometimes as breathless as he is, as he runs toward rescue—or disaster.” —Mark Brazaitis, author of The Incurables: Stories, Truth Poker, and Julia & Rodrigo.
“Great Read! I could not put it down.” —Ryan O’Dell, Mohican 100 Race Director
“David Essinger’s novel Running Out is a thrilling and compelling book about being pushed to the very limit of endurance. The story begins with a plane crash in the Canadian wilderness, which leaves Dan, an ultrarunner, faced with finding a way to save his family. As he endures the most important race of his life, we slowly learn more about his character and motivations through glimpses into his past. This is one of those books that I didn’t want to put down, and I had to force myself not to peek at the end. The well-crafted tension builds and sucks you in. As a runner, I really enjoyed the character’s sometimes conflicted feelings about his running and what it means in his life at different times. Also, the author weaves in the science of running throughout the story, which fellow runNerds will appreciate. I definitely recommend adding this to your reading list.” —Katie Bradley for Hal Higdon’s Marathon
or, Listen to a sample from the audiobook here:
or, heck, you can watch me read it to you, in this recording with MSR:
Dave Essinger 