LABOR
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Pub Date Oct 1 2026 | Archive Date Sep 30 2026
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Description
Seven years since he left home.
Seven countries.
Seven names. Each adapted to where he was.
Seven lives. All temporary. All laborious.
Now on a drill rig in the desert. Twelve-hour days, every day. No weekends. No variety. Just the same loop, over and over.
The visa is the goal. Guaranteed by contract. A signed bond between the company and himself. He has spent years on short visas, always moving. He just wants a life that doesn’t have an expiry date.
Months into work, he is paired with an older driller. A quiet man, reading by the fire. No speeches. No shortcuts. The shift, done right, every day.
Rod by rod, page by page.
The work will change him. It will not save him.
Mark Bonen. This time he keeps the name.
A novella about discipline, belonging, and the cost of building a life on a promise.
Advance Praise
"In the allegorical novella Labor, a man’s unceasing work and sense of determination come to subsume his end goals." — Foreword Clarion Reviews
"The author impressively succeeds... Readers who appreciate a spare, literary style will admire this story." — BlueInk Review
“An excellent read. Flawlessly written, this novella will appeal to many people… Nogia’s writing is as sparse as the landscape… Short, sharp sentences bring the audience right into the visceral environment.” — Reedsy Discovery
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9781764830614 |
| PRICE | |
| PAGES | 168 |
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Average rating from 4 members
Featured Reviews
Hazel M, Reviewer
I was itching for a Novella and stumbled across Labor in my search, and was immediately sold after reading the description.
How it went was NOT what I anticipated, but I still enjoyed the journey. This is a good one for those who are looking for inspiration to conquer the challenges we face in our everyday lives as adults. The monotony of working, self-medicating, crashing, and doing it all over again. And again. And again. It's a very simple story, but it gives a true nod of appreciation to the undercurrent of complexities our fellow humans are experiencing at any given moment. It will leave you with a real feeling of sonder.
Now somebody give Mark the damn visa, PLEASE.
Thank you NetGalley and Orange Pen Press for the opportunity to read this!
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