Forthcoming Novel
The Wellman Variations
In 1923, Charles Wellman leaves an Ohio farm for Manhattan carrying his brother's last words, “reach high but don't forget what you're from.” A career as a bellboy was supposed to be a steppingstone, but a year later he's still carrying other men's bags.
Three conflicting invitations arrive one weekend, from a speakeasy hostess looking to advance from her connections, an heiress looking for a way out of her father's world, and his hometown sweetheart looking to broaden her horizons in Manhattan. The Wellman Variations follows all three variations of his life.
Currently in development
Join the Newsletter for UpdatesShort Fiction
Dragged Through the Garden
Forthcoming in Flash Fiction Magazine.
Early Work
The Echo She Left Behind
Before Wellman, Garrett self-published a novella — a time-slip story following a teenager stranded in 1880s Colorado, told across two centuries. It was an early, independent project exploring some of the same questions of identity and change he returns to in his longer fiction.
“...a fast, inventive read from a fresh voice.” — Reader review via Amazon
About Garrett Vargas
Garrett writes upmarket literary fiction with historical settings, drawn to stories about identity, change, and the quiet moments that shape lives. He is currently at work on his debut novel, The Wellman Variations, set in 1924 Manhattan and named a finalist in the 2026 PNWA Writers Contest. He has also self-published a novella, The Echo She Left Behind, and his short fiction includes “Going Through the Storage Garden” (10x10 Flash) and the forthcoming “Dragged Through the Garden” (Flash Fiction Magazine). He lives in the Pacific Northwest.