Closing Ceremonies and Dying Times
Portrait Photo - Eric Fefferman
Closing Ceremonies and Dying Times is a collection of linked love stories that explores the aftermath of love. Who among us has not suffered the after-shocks? The sorrowing souls that inhabit these tales struggle at various stages of the grief cycle: from denial and paralysis to anger and desire for revenge; to bargaining and, ultimately, for some characters and for others incompletely, acceptance and reconciliation. Some of the stories handle the love quandary comedically — for example, the triptych of stories about Francesca and Concetta, who embrace a sisterly friendship born of betrayal. Others are more elegiac, such as the story of Thor and Lovise: unsanctioned lovers who get to orbit about each other, however briefly. “Appropriation” is a coming-of-age story where the longed-for first kiss is obtained, but not in the way the kiss was desired. What links these stories? Human yearning to move out of love away from an obsessive attachment, to a selfless state where genuine love becomes possible again.
Closing Ceremonies includes a resurrected Dying Times, which is really all about celebrating life and love — amatevi — love one another.
Autumn 2026 edition Order your copy today
“Madott’s composition reminds me of the way Picasso painted—trying to represent all angles of a physical object at once. Madott tackles the subject—be it death, abandonment, or betrayal—from multiple perspectives… Together, the two books create a poignant meditation on finality, loss, and the subtle new beginnings they can present us with.”
Daniel Scarcello – Independent Scholar
“I now feel less alone in the world… You have a rare and wonderful capacity for abstraction, for weaving threads together to find the deeper meanings.”
Emma Pivato – Author of the nine-volume Claire Burke mystery series and
…and along came Alexis
…and along came Alexis
Guernica Editions, 2026
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The Author Reads from Closing Ceremonies and Dying Times
“Momma, how will I bear it?” her little Marco had asked, home from his access visits, sitting up in bed with his mother, who spooned pastina in brodo from a Bunnykins Royal Doulton mug. “You will bear it because you must, because we have no other choice”. What he will never say, could never say aloud to his mother: I have a father who went to prison. You have your little broken heart. In a contest between yours and mine, who was dealt the crappiest hand?
“Darlene Madott weaves an intricate web in the connected short stories of Closing Ceremonies… Very often laugh-out-loud funny! Always intelligent and full of heart.”
Laurie Gough – Author of Kite Strings of the Southern Cross, Kiss the Sunset Pig, and Stolen Child
“Madott’s short stories remind me of why I love the genre. They need to be read and reread. So many left me breathless in admiration.”
Caterina Edwards – Author of Finding Rosa, The Sicilian Wife, The Lion’s Mouth, Island of the Nightingales
“Madott’s short stories are haunting meditations by a fine artist blessed with a scrupulous intelligence.”
Guy Vanderhaeghe – Author of Man Descending, The Englishman’s Boy, The Last Crossing
“Darlene Madott is snared in a spiderweb of rivalry, resentment and grief… Written in a frank and crisp style, Dying Times offers compelling life lessons for the young as well as the aged. I couldn’t put it down.”
Sandra Martin – Author of A Good Death and Working the Dead Beat, contributing writer for The Globe and Mail
“This is writing to delight in—it floats small illuminations of lyrical intelligence… So much life in Dying Times!”
George Amabile – Internationally acclaimed and award‑winning author of dozens of books
“You have written one of the best works of fiction (faction?) on the subject of dying and loss… so full of truth about family and the business of loss, rarely found in writing.”
Daniel Weinzweig – Cultural Arts Consultant and son of the late Helen Weinzweig
“Dying Times… is a call to delve deeply into what we think we see or know, to search those depths. The relationships… are fully alive, and the love between these characters shines through.”
Genni Gunn – Author of 12 books, including Solitaria (longlisted for the Giller Prize 2011)
“Whether we read Darlene Madott’s book for edification, for comfort in dark times, or for intellectual entertainment… These moments will linger long after the last words are read.”
Nella Cotrupi – Retired lawyer, scholar, writer, translator of Carol Shields’ poetry