First published 2025
The most powerful axman in an illegal logging operation shocks his crew with an announcement. He will come to their upcoming dance dressed as a woman. This decision creates fierce competition with a handsome young logger. As the dance draws near, obsession takes hold of both men. Jealousy infects the entire camp. Betrayal becomes inevitable. The dance night will transform everyone's understanding of identity and transformation. Three more stories round out this collection. A volatile former lover sparks a catastrophic shift in gender reality. Two students at a Quaker boarding school begin a hidden affair that breeds scheming and cruelty. In Las Vegas, a young person in drag faces a choice during a wild weekend. One option is a mysterious attractive man who treats her as an object of desire. The other is a seasoned trans woman who offers harsh but genuine solidarity. Peters captures the sharp conflicts within communities and relationships with biting wit.
Genres: literary-fiction, contemporary, adult-fiction, short-story-collection
Vibes: biting-wit, dark, intimate, thought-provoking, transformative
Tropes: betrayal, hidden-affair, obsession, solidarity
Setting: Las Vegas, Quaker boarding school
304 pages · Paperback · Random House Trade Paperbacks
Content warnings: emotional-abuse, toxic-relationship