Champagne and Sour Grapes
Marriage: bliss or blitz? Champagne and Sour Grapes is a collection of short stories sharing the lows and highs, sorrows and joys, sobs and guffaws of holy and holey matrimony. Sometimes poignant, often hilarious, Buslik's tales hit close to home, spouse-wise. We're sure to recognize something of our giddy selves or screaming-bloody-murder neighbors in these face-smooching and head-biting gems. So pour yourself a flute of Dom P. or paper cup of dimestore boxed wine, relax in your leather lounger or rickety chaise lounge in front of your fireplace or ice-fishing hole, and have a bubbly and briny time knowing you're not alone.
Vasudeva...The Wanderer Prince
Vasudeva...The Wanderer Prince discusses mainly the anecdotes/stories related to Vasudeva, the father of Balaram and Krishna, who were in relation and contemporary of the 21st Tirthankara Neminatha or Arishtanemi. As lucidly pointed out by the author herself, the book concentrates on the journey of Vasudeva involving his wandering from Magadha to the entire North India and even beyond. The stories include his lust for worldly possessions, authority and beautiful women for sensuous pleasure, but all such stories (not so well connected) conclude with spiritual or moral experience and suggestions, which reveal some important aspects of Jaina philosophy and moral values.However, the objective of the present book is altogether different, which presents Vasudeva as a wanderer and in course of his wandering enormous knowledge of geography and different aspects of regional cultural features are provided, which are a tremendous source of cultural history. It is a book dealing with a text of Jaina stories centring around the wandering character of Vasudeva and his interaction both with the mortal human beings and semi-divine Vidhyadharas/ Vidyadharis to make the stories interesting as well as meaningful.The translation is flawless and the language is chaste making the reading of the book interesting. It is indeed a new approach for the study of ancient Indian texts, which the readers will find absorbing with relevant messages of moving from worldly to spiritual attainment, the ultimate goal of human life. I congratulate the author for brilliant retelling of the stories based on the text Vasudevahindi.Professor MARUTI NANDAN Pd. TIWARIFormer National Tagore Fellow, Former Emeritus Professor and Former Head, Department of History of Art, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi
Scenes from Life
Scenes from Life is a collection of stories and vignette set in a variety of countries.They describe encounters with people and with the often strange worlds they and we inhabit.Some of those brushes are the stuff of adventure.Two involve the authors close encounters with death. There are tales of human kindness, but also of cruelty. One is a narrative told to the author by a survivor of the Holocaust. All accounts in the collection are true in that they are taken from life and are a record of memory and occasional field notes.As many truths exist as there are people to express them. They are ways of being in and seeing the world. Had someone else encountered the experiences and the characters that appear in this book, they would have written them differently, or perhaps not written them at all and either consigned them to capricious anecdote or to oblivion. So the sense in which these tales are true is necessarily the authors. They are offered to you, the reader in the hope that you will find in them some meaning of your own.As Thoreau observed: Nothing was ever so unfamiliar and startling to a man as his own thoughts.We are alien first to ourselves.
Oracle Orbits of the Life
"Step into the tender yet resilient world of 'Oracle Orbits of Life, ' a poignant collection of short stories that weave together the intricate threads of human experience. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the human condition, Savita S. Dharan masterfully crafts narratives that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of childhood, the complexities of marriage, and the rich tapestries of Indian culture. Through the lens of hope, struggles, failures, and triumphs, these stories illuminate the universal emotions that bind us all. From the innocence of youth to the wisdom of age, each tale is a testament to the power of resilience and the indomitable human spirit. Join Savita S. Dharan on a journey that will leave you reflecting on your own life's orbits, cherishing the memories, and finding solace in the shared experiences that make us human. 'Oracle Orbits of Life' is a heartwarming and thought-provoking read that will resonate with anyone who has ever searched for meaning, connection, and hope in the complexities of life."
Daddy Issues
Winner of the Barbara DiBernard Prize in Fiction Daddy Issues is a collection of moving and complex--yet simply and directly told--stories of queer Asian American experiences in Los Angeles. In many of these stories, the protagonists are artists and writers and other creative thinkers living on the fringe of survival, attempting to align a life of the imagination with the practical considerations of career, income, and family: a gay father who hasn't come out to his young son; a social worker, numbed by the destitute of his clients, who finds himself lost in self-destruction; a trans man who returns home to a father with dementia to help his family pack as they are pushed out by gentrification; a husband who can only stand aside as his wife heals from a miscarriage; and a broke writer who learns to love his stories again. The stories in Daddy Issues offer different contemplations on solitude--the good and the bad of it. Ultimately, this collection by Eric C. Wat is full of hope, and it shows how we can find the connections we need once we allow ourselves to become vulnerable.
To Wonder and Starshine
"To Wonder and Starshine is a gorgeous tapestry of magical tales for the young (and young at heart!). With her trademark lyrical prose, deft plotting, and engaging characterization Jendia Gammon once again establishes herself as a master-storyteller, crafting a book to be cherished for generations. Highly recommended!" - D.K. (Danika) Stone, bestselling multi-genre author of the Waterton trilogy, Inescapable, All the Feels, and Switchback"To Wonder and Starshine is a frolic though space, time, and different realms. Once again, Gammon delivers a book bursting with colour that dares minds to dream bigger, search farther, and imagine more vividly. You'll be left believing in goodness and wonder in the world." -Jesse Reid, author of Bran Finds His FeathersFrom Nebula and BSFA Award finalist Jendia Gammon, To Wonder and Starshine is a charming collection of tales from fairylands to alternate realms, from Appalachia to deep space, and points in between.Following her multi-award-nominated The Shadow Galaxy: A Collection of Short Stories and Poetry (written as J. Dianne Dotson), Gammon showcases fantasy and science fiction storieswithin this book. Themes include whimsy, love, grief, beauty, exploration, and friendship, whether between people, animals, robots, aliens, or fairies. This is Jendia Gammon's homage to all the wonder tales that have shaped her life, whether real or imagined.Within this collection, Gammon spins tales of a future, autumnal Appalachia with "The Dewdrop Bot and the Honey Fae." Seaside memories glimmer with supernatural visitors in "A Swirl of Leaves and Sand" and "Upon the Gloaming Hour." Robots, whether cantankerous or charming, make appearances in several stories, such as "Starry Eyes and Fireflies." There are flashes of alternate cities, woodland enchantment, deep space adventures, and a little bit of homespun magic throughout."Jendia Gammon weaves nature, technology, and magic into an enchanting collection of stories with the charm of fairytale and the heft of modern myth." -Gareth L. Powell, author of Future's Edge and Embers of Water
Scattered Tales
Thirteen stories. Endless intrigue. One unforgettable collection.From sentient robots facing their final moments to authors plotting delicious revenge, R. Henry Price crafts a whirlwind of wit, wonder, and sharp storytelling. Whether you're seeking a break from the ordinary or diving headfirst into something unexpected, Scattered Tales has you covered. Some stories will make you laugh, others will make you think-but all will keep you hooked.
How to Take a Lawnmower Home on the Tube and Other Absurd Acts of Everyday Survival
The Slip
These dark, feral and unforgettable short stories are about the things we can't hold onto: a marriage drifting out with the tide, a family collapsing like a wave, a young woman's affair that dissolves as quickly as it ignites. From Melbourne to regional Victoria and beyond, lovers flounder in the push and pull of desire, and families are caught between duty and disarray. A restless couple are visited by an old flame, a washed-up playwright faces his demons and a woman returns to her childhood home to confront her twin brother's ghost. Elsewhere, a one night stand takes a sinister turn, an intoxicated eel writhes its way to the sea and a grieving gardener finds solace in the dirt beneath his nails. Brimming with dark humour, empathy and a sharp eye for the uncanny, this is an electrifying debut from an utterly original new voice.
