Drew Nellins Smith’s Wince Explores American Masculinity in Freefall

Broke, unemployed, and thrice-divorced, the protagonist—known to his dwindling circle as Wince—is caught between the expectations of his family and the reality of his isolation. While his mother and daughter maintain faith in the man he once was, his only true confidants are a drug dealer and an escort. What begins as a modest side hustle customizing AR-15s in his garage quickly escalates into a dangerous gamble when he stumbles upon a cartel-run stash house in a South Texas junkyard.

Smith’s sophomore novel serves as a dark satire of American gun culture, charting how a man might view catastrophe as a path toward stability. The book has garnered early praise for its biting tone; author Sam Lipsyte calls it "funny, profane, sly and bruising," while Donald Ray Pollock credits Smith with the difficult feat of making a repellent character compelling. A resident of Austin, Texas, Smith previously published the 2016 novel Arcade and has contributed to outlets including The Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post. Wince is currently available through major retailers and independent bookstores.