The Goodbye Process: Stories

Jones debuts with a meandering collection of short stories centered on transitioning through loss and grief. These wide-ranging stories feature individuals faced with the end of life, the dissolution of relationships, and the process of saying goodbye, whether to people, the past, or even one’s childhood home. Some stories feature loss and healing, such as “Realtor,” where a real estate agent who has had numerous plastic surgeries loses his sense of self, only to find a partner who helps him become whole. In the titular story, a grieving man hires a professional mourner to help his small collection of friends and family properly mourn a wonderful wife and mother. Narrator Suzanne Elise Freeman delivers the stories empathetically and with dignity. Unfortunately, Freeman presents similar character voices and tones throughout, which may have listeners wishing for more differentiation and contrast; luckily, there is only minimal dialogue. The stories themselves are endlessly creative and varied; even the shortest gives listeners much to ponder.