First published 2010
A train engineer triggers a catastrophic accident and suddenly finds reporters swarming around him. Meanwhile, across Louisiana, other lives intersect with unexpected moments. A grandfather takes on caring for his infant granddaughter when circumstances force the responsibility on him. A petty criminal tries to outsmart a widow, only to discover her card-playing companions have sharper instincts than he anticipated. A young man becomes captivated by a radio voice he has never seen. A camera repair technician develops forgotten film and uncovers the hidden story of a stranger's family. Each person grapples with choices that seemed small but ripple outward in ways they never imagined. Some situations turn comic, others heartbreaking, but all demand that these characters reckon with who they are and who they want to become. Gautreaux captures people at crossroads, showing how they wrestle with their failures and reach toward the possibility of redemption.
Genres: fiction, short-stories, literary-fiction, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: crossroads, redemption, slice-of-life
Setting: Louisiana
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
400 pages · Kindle Edition · Sceptre