A confessional narrative melding black humor with sincere insight that speaks on class, queerness and addiction
Through a striking performative monologue, Chimes follows the distinctive voice of a first-person narrator recounting his experiences of shame, addiction and self-destructive behavior with mischievous humor. Now, after months of monotonous solitude, a storm of unresolved issues resurfaces, and his escalating feelings of alienation and unworthiness lead to unconventional solutions. In the tradition of the plays of Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Georg Büchner, Charles Ludlam and Sarah Kane, Cole weaves the very bleakest of humor with startling and heartbreaking feats of intimate self-reflection. Speaking on issues of class, sex, intimacy and the highs and lows of queer reality today, Chimes asks how and where one finds the answers to living a complicated life. Tom Cole is an American writer, performer and artist living in the Lower East Side and Kingston, NY. He is a three-time MacDowell Playwriting fellow.
In September 2026, The Song Cave released playwright and performer Tom Cole's highly anticipated debut novella, Chimes: A Monologue, a funny, endearing and refreshingly direct "shame-based" confessional that touches on class and queerness, intimacy and addiction. Immediately, reviews in PW, LitHub and BOMB flooded in and a bicoastal book tour was born. Please join the author in New York, Los Angeles and Boston for these celebratory launch events! continue to blog
Thursday, October 22, from 7–8 PM, McNally Jackson Seaport presents Tom Cole, author of new release Chimes: A Monologue, a confessional narrative melding black humor with sincere insight that speaks on class, queerness and addiction. Cole will appear in conversation with filmmaker Elliot Tuttle, followed by a book signing. RSVP here. continue to blog
FORMAT: Pbk, 5.5 x 7.5 in. / 128 pgs. LIST PRICE: U.S. $18.95 LIST PRICE: CANADA $25.95 GBP £14.95 ISBN: 9798993181134 PUBLISHER: The Song Cave AVAILABLE: 9/22/2026 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: TRADE PUBLISHING STATUS: Active AVAILABILITY: In stock TERRITORY: WORLD
A confessional narrative melding black humor with sincere insight that speaks on class, queerness and addiction
Through a striking performative monologue, Chimes follows the distinctive voice of a first-person narrator recounting his experiences of shame, addiction and self-destructive behavior with mischievous humor. Now, after months of monotonous solitude, a storm of unresolved issues resurfaces, and his escalating feelings of alienation and unworthiness lead to unconventional solutions.
In the tradition of the plays of Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Georg Büchner, Charles Ludlam and Sarah Kane, Cole weaves the very bleakest of humor with startling and heartbreaking feats of intimate self-reflection. Speaking on issues of class, sex, intimacy and the highs and lows of queer reality today, Chimes asks how and where one finds the answers to living a complicated life.
Tom Cole is an American writer, performer and artist living in the Lower East Side and Kingston, NY. He is a three-time MacDowell Playwriting fellow.
