Ponte Vedra Beach author Victor DiGenti has a new book out, and it spans shrimp docks, alternate realities and a talking chimpanzee.

DiGenti, writing under his pen name Parker Francis, released "Every Living Thing: Eight Stories of Mystery, Loss & Redemption," a collection of eight short stories now available in paperback and e-book editions. The Ponte Vedra Recorder reported the stories span mystery, suspense, speculative fiction, nostalgia and humor.

Author reflects on the stories' shared themes

"Short stories have always given me the freedom to follow an intriguing idea wherever it leads," DiGenti said. "These eight stories may appear to have little in common at first, but each is ultimately about someone arriving at a crossroads — facing loss, danger, uncertainty or an unexpected second chance."

Stories span eras and imagined realities

The collection's settings stretch well beyond Northeast Florida. One story, "The Day Hemingway Died," follows a young girl in 1960s Fernandina Beach who befriends a shrimp-boat captain convinced he is Ernest Hemingway. Others feature a young Elvis Presley wrestling with the life he might have lived and a Hollywood animal trainer confronted by a talking chimpanzee. Another follows a government agent chasing a fugitive who can slip between alternate realities.

The title comes from a line in the collection's darkest story: "Every living thing deserves a chance." DiGenti said that idea gradually emerged as a thread connecting all eight pieces, which explore memory, compassion, choices and redemption.

Career spans pen names and genres

DiGenti adopted the Parker Francis pen name after his Windrusher trilogy, a series of award-winning adventure fantasies featuring a cat protagonist, attracted younger readers and cat lovers. He switched to harder-edged fiction with the three-book Quint Mitchell Mystery series. He is also a longtime biographer and ghostwriter.

Before writing full-time, DiGenti spent years in public broadcasting in Northeast Florida, including producing the Jacksonville Jazz Festival for eight years, according to his Amazon author profile. He has taught writing classes at the University of North Florida. He serves on the board of the Beaches Museum in Jacksonville Beach and is a member of the Florida Writers Association, International Thriller Writers and the Association of Ghostwriters.

Collection is out now through independent press

DiGenti publishes through his independent imprint, Windrusher Hall Press. The book is eight stories. The publisher's blog announced a Sept. 1 release in paperback and Kindle editions on Amazon.