David Ball in Buzz. "In his first collection of flash fiction, Small Economies, local author John Palen displays his mastery of the genre with his minimalist approach. He often only shows the complexity of his characters with a single phrase illuminating both the consistencies and contradictions commonplace in our daily lives, subtly hinting at the roots of what makes us human beings."
Margo Dill, reviewing Small Economies in the News-Gazette, June 24, 2012 (F3): "These stories focus on everyday life, on the struggles many of us go through on a daily basis."
Gaynell Gavin, on Small Economies: "John Palen brings his skill as a poet to this concisely elegant fiction collection, making every word count. If it is given that cruelty is part of human experience, so are unexpected acts of kindness, and Palen's characters compel us with both, whether in a nursing home, a chemical plant, or on 'Busker's Corner.'"
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