Coming August 11, 2026.....

ADVANCE PRAISE

"Silverman's collection is an arresting portrait of humanity—a potent cocktail of flaws, insecurities, shame, and hope. ... the collection's universal themes will surely resonate." — Blueink Review

"Each of these witty, moving, and morally complex stories is as rich and packed with surprises as a novel. A deeply satisfying book, and a remarkable debut." — Brian Morton, author of Starting Out in the Evening and Tasha: A Son's Memoir

"Silverman showcases a cast of believable characters grappling with truth, lost connections, and loneliness among everyday scenarios... A quiet but weighty collection that will surely resonate with readers long after the last page is turned." — Kirkus Reviews

"Readers are swept into a roller coaster of emotions in these stories, glimpsing individuals seeking meaning and purpose amid life's complexities." — Booklife Reviews

"E.G. Silverman summons my favorite short story writers—T.C. Boyle, Tobias Wolff, Raymond Carver—and it is a joy to read such an accomplished writer at the height of his powers." —Dan Pope, author of Housebreaking

“'Only the decision counts,' a character in one of E.G. Silverman’s stories says, a suggestion reinforced in nearly every story in Your Only Best Hope. Quality short stories are built on the tension created by difficult choices, and, in story after story, Silverman thrusts his characters toward decision-making to provide that tension."— Gary Fincke, author of The Out-of-Sorts: Selected Stories

His fiction having appeared in Prairie Schooner, Confrontation, Painted Bride Quarterly, and dozens of other literary magazines over the last three decades, E.G. Silverman now releases his first full-length book of short stories, featuring an array of memorable characters thrust into unique and intriguing circumstances, told in his unsparingly honest, raw voice. Fans of Richard Ford and Jim Harrison will feel right at home in these stories.

Drink beer and eat pizza with a venture capitalist and a rock star as they attempt to hang out at a local bar unnoticed.
Become immersed in small-town Maine as a hardware store franchisee escaping the problems he left behind in Boston falls for a younger woman who wants more from him than he's ready to give.
Commiserate with the proprietor of a central New Jersey neighborhood pharmacy as his business dissolves and his marriage is threatened.
Watch as a former pro football player turned successful Cincinnati car dealer is confronted with his dying wife's final days and must come to terms with his own shortcomings.
Come along to sell the Pittsburgh house you grew up in after the death of your parents and find yourself reliving the loves and travails of your childhood.

Join this assemblage of folks, familiar and new, on compelling journeys as they stumble into quagmires while searching for answers to life's most enduring mysteries—truth, love, death, and discovery.

Coming August 11, 2026.....

Pre-order Your Only Best Hope: