First published 2022
A son chases the memory of his absent father in Timilehin Alake's prize-winning story that opens this debut collection. In another tale, a brother's plan for revenge against his sister backfires completely in Michael Agugom's exploration of sibling warfare. These nineteen stories move from blue cities to orange bungalows, from California heat beating down on fractured families to distant international settings. Each writer presents characters desperate to flee their circumstances. The collection suggests that paths beyond sorrow exist, but finding peace requires active pursuit. Guest judge Ivelisse Rodriguez selected Alake's father-son story as the standout piece. The anthology brings together both American voices and international perspectives on universal struggles with loss and the human drive to escape pain.
Genres: fiction, anthologies, contemporary, 21st-century
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, unreliable-narrator
Setting: California, International
Period: Fall 2022
198 pages · Paperback · Lulu.com