About the Book: 
Sometimes hope has a way of changing everything…

Just hours after giving birth, Eli Bell is forced to give up her newborn baby daughter for adoption. Devastated, she tries desperately to rebuild her shattered life.

Then, over thirty years later, Eli catches sight of her daughter. And she knows that she must do everything to find a way back into her life. Even if it means lying…

While her husband Tommy must grow to accept his own part in the events of her early life, he can only try to save her before her obsession with the young woman ruins them both.

Don’t miss the breathtaking debut Before You Were Mine by Em Muslin! Perfect for fans of Jodi Picoult, Alice Peterson and Lucy Dillon.

 


 Before You Where Mine is available here:

Amazon: rxe.me/1D4J3M
Apple: itun.es/gb/Spb8ib.l
Barnes & Noble: bit.ly/2qiCVdW
Kobo: bit.ly/2qmN7kR

 An Interview With Em Muslim: 

What inspired you to write your book?
 
I’ve always been fascinated by the idea of how it must feel to be reunited with your child or mother after being adopted/having given up your child for adoption. I once saw a documentary many, many years ago, about this very thing. About having an ‘idea’ or ‘fantasy’ in your head about who this person is, who they have become – and the reality of that situation. The documentary was heartbreaking, as not only did you find out the stories behind why women from all walks of life were placed in a position to give up their baby for adoption, but also when they finally met, sometimes the mothers or children didn’t meet up to their expectations.
 
I also drew on my own feelings of grief. How, despite someone not being in your life, you desperately hold on to the feeling that somehow, one day you will be re-united and that no matter what there is a bond between you both that cannot be separated. There’s a Hebrew word; Mizpah which can be interpreted  as ‘the deep emotional bond between people, especially those separated by distance, or death.’ And I felt this was very much the underlying theme that drove the characters in Before You Were Mine.
 
 


Do you have a specific writing style?
 
I’m not sure I do. I guess over time, as books get published (wishful thinking) then perhaps I’ll be able to answer that a little easier, and readers will be able to answer it too!
 
How did you come up with the title?
 
Actually, a dear friend of mine came up with the title. She had read an early draft of the book and it was originally called ‘Regret’ – but there was this sense of a line drawn – Before and After – in the book and so, the title fitted the prose perfectly.
 
What books have most influenced your life most?
 
There are way too many to mention. I think it is probably easier to mention a few (and I mean a few!) of my favourites; First of course was the book I read when I was a very little girl: Judith Kerr’s ‘When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit’. Utterly beautiful book which never leaves you. A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry has got to be up in the top 3 for me. I will never forget reading it, crying, and weeks later literally wondering how the characters were – they had become so embedded in my heart that I had forgotten they were ‘characters’ in a book. Dinner At The Homesick Restaurant – Anne Tyler – stunning book and in fact there’s nothing she writes that I don’t utterly love. Her characters and dialogue are second to none. Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult was utterly beautiful. Elizabeth Strout’s Olive Kitteridge was an incredible read. To be able to write a character who is curmudgeonly but utterly compelling and someone I absolutely loved spending time with, is a work of genius. Always at the top of my pile is Primo Levi’s If This is a Man/The Truce. I read this the first time when I was a young girl. It has never left me. It gets to the heart of humanity like no other book.
 
Do you have any advice for other writers?

I’m not sure I am in the position to give advice!
 
What books/authors have influenced your writing?

See above re books that have influenced my life most!
 
What genre do you consider your book(s)?

Ha. I am careful about answering this. I don’t think it helps placing a book in a genre as it can often put off readers who may well enjoy it. Let’s leave it to readers to place it in whichever box they choose!
 
Do you ever experience writer's block?
 
I wouldn’t say I experience ‘Writer’s Block’ as such, but I can certainly testify to times where I fall foul to having a lack of confidence in my writing. There are days when words on the page seem like lead weights clunking along as I re-read them and finally halt to a stop. They are the worst days. Once your mind is set to that dial, there is nothing you read of your own that seems to flow in any way.
 
Confidence from others (people close to you that you respect) are essential in these times. They are the ones that drive you forward, sit you back on your saddle and tell you to get back to it. Without those people, it is hard. You feel as if you are heading towards a black hole. Always have a ‘dear reader’ friend close by. You never know when those days are going to come! Mine have saved me from despair on many an occasion!
 
Have you ever hated something you wrote?
 
Yes, see above!
 
What is your favourite theme/genre to write about?
 
I think there is definitely a common theme of family, love, and grief within all of my writing. Even in the comedy work I have written, these themes come up. They are for me what are at the heart of all of us, no matter of our experiences in life.  
 
Where did your love of writing come from?

Reading, reading, reading.
 
What was the hardest part of writing this book?
 
Sending it out to reviewers and bloggers. To become so closely attached to the characters you love and care for and tried to present in the best way possible for the possibility of someone telling the world ‘Em’s baby is ugly’ is a terrifying notion!
 
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
 
Spending time with Eli. I like her. Despite what she has gone through in life, how she is treated by some people, she has tenacity about her. She’s not weak. She drives forward despite the odds. My friends are the same and I respect and love that in people. No matter what life throws at you, just drive forward with your head held high.
 
Do you write every single day?
 
I wouldn’t say I tap on my keyboard every day, but I can hand on heart say I ‘write’ every day because I spend a lot of time (a scary amount of time) with imaginary characters in my head – where I am working through a story, playing with their ‘tongue’, their dialogue, jotting down random thoughts etc. A lot of that happens before I actually sit down at my keyboard and let my fingers do the talking. So yes, is the short answer.
 
Which writers inspire you?
 
In no particular order .... Anne Tyler, Rohinton Mistry,  Joyce Carol Oates, Jodi Picoult, Primo Levi, Khaled Hosseini, Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche Elizabeth Strout,Franz Kafka, Jeffrey Eugenides,Judith Kerr, Eli Wiesel, John Steinbeck, Diana Athill, Fanny Flagg ... the list could go on and on and on ...
 
What are you working on at the minute?

My second novel: A Song For the Last Act.

An Interview With Jay: 

What inspired you to write your book?
 
When I was in the second grade we were assigned to write stories about Halloween. Every other kid wrote a paragraph or two about trick or treating or candy.
 
I wrote a two and a half page treatment about being teleported to a haunted graveyard and transformed into a bloodthirsty creature of the night by a cult of ghouls.
 
I always knew I was different.
 
While others were playing kickball or some other form of sports, I was hiding under the playground equipment reading Shadows of the Empire or another Sci-Fi novel. I began printing my own books before I was ten. I would have benefitted from spellcheck then.

Then I stopped writing for years. I never produced a single word in high school, college, or into my adult life. I fell into a monotony of trying to be “normal”. I wanted to be successful in business and started my own insurance and financial services company when I was 24.

I have been successful but still felt the undeniable pull towards writing. I ignored the message from The Outsiders and did not “stay gold”.  In June of 2016, I read a book on vacation about superheroes in the common world and decided I could mix my passion of history with the idea of superheroes being inserted into world events.

I began to write on the way back from that very trip and came up with the basic idea of Atlas, Okinawa Dragon, and the Reich facing off at Pearl Harbor.


 
Do you have a specific writing style?

Yes, I prefer to write in the first-person and follow one protagonist throughout the story. You will see the clear influence from comic books in my life during Outbreak Mutiny. I label my chapters as “issues” and my Volume series is a collection of issues. Just like comic books, each issue must stand on its own but still create a serialized story that flows together. At some points, my story will go to another time or place away from the main narrative or hero. That is when I swap to a third person perspective, like in the issues Sewer Storm or when I travel to another point in the hero’s journey in issue Abandon All Hope ...


 
How did you come up with the title?

Trial and Error. I went through many titles. When this book began it was called The Losers and took place in 2016. I wrote a series background for this book when I realized the history I imagined was more interesting than the story I was writing at the time.

I re-titled the book History of Heroes or HoH and decided to focus on writing historical fiction with a mixture of superheroes.

My early feedback was vital, and I recommend any writer to make use of Betas. I was told the first draft of the book was tedious and bogged down with historical trivia. They were absolutely right. I scrapped months of work which amounted to over 100k words and completely started over.

In creating Outbreak Mutiny and The Novel Comics, I moved away from real history and created an alternate timeline where America had fallen in 1929 and was about to be choked to death by a new empire called The Reich.

Originally I just called them the Third Reich like our enemies in WWII. However, the Reich Ruler would never acknowledge any previous “Reichs” as being legitimate. He would be the sole ruler of the world! That led to the creation of the dystopic Remnant States as the successor to the downsized United States. This is where the story picks up in Issue 1, Paper Purgatory, ten years after the fall of the Old US.


 
What books have most influenced your life most?

All of the Star Wars Expanded Universe from the 90’s made me love to read and made me love Science Fiction. The Thrawn Trilogy by Timothy Zahn began my deep love of written fantasy. Outside of Star Wars I loved the Harry Potter series, Narnia, and many other authors.


 
Do you have any advice for other writers?

Writing is an evolutionary process. Your finished product will only vaguely resemble what you began with. Patience is the most important trait you can develop and it was so difficult for me to learn.



What genre do you consider your book?
My series is alternate history. With Superheroes. Broadly speaking it’s fantasy but I like to think it carries a hint of originality. The Novel Comics is like my DC or Marvel. It is a shared universe of characters and events that will encompass years of storytelling. This is only the beginning!


 
Do you ever experience writer's block?

I don’t consider it writer’s block. If I reach a point where I can’t write anymore then it just means I have to walk away from my manuscript until I am in the right frame of mind to continue. An author does not create a story; the story is simply conveyed through his or her fingers. If you find that it’s not flowing, leave it and come back later.


 
Have you ever hated something you wrote?

Yes, and that led me to scrap months of work and over 100k words at one point in this process. I realized that my original antagonist was about as exciting as Holden Caulfield if he had stayed at school that weekend. My setting was also entirely wrong. I started fresh and kept the best elements of the previous draft to create something entirely new.

As a writer, you can’t be afraid to kill your investments and redirect your efforts. Even if it means more time.


 
What is your favourite theme/genre to write about?
 
My original characters are my favorite. In particular, I love Clockwork, Okinawa Dragon, Buccaneer, and Caliente Blu. I like to discover their story as I write it and ask questions like: “What happened to them in the past?” “How did they arrive at this stage in their lives?” “What drives this character/what do they want?” etc.


 
Where did your love of writing come from?

I would say it came from the love I gained for reading at a young age. I devoured books. As I read them, I felt myself grow sadder as I neared the end. It was like the ending of a friendship. That’s why I felt a love for series and stories that continued. I was in a relationship with the characters and wanted it to continue even after I turned the last page of a particular volume.


 
What was the hardest part of writing this book?

That one is easy. The hardest part was learning patience and taking my time to deliver a polished product. I felt so many temptations to call my book DONE before it was really ready. Patience was a foreign concept to me when I began, but I have since become more acquainted and I believe we will enjoy a long relationship together.


 
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?

I enjoyed the manifestation of the story. I don’t feel as if I wrote it at all, but that it was conveyed through me. It’s like it already existed and I simply had to discover it. Does a writer invent or does a writer discover? I honestly cannot say.


 
Do you write every single day?
 
I would say I write the same way I watch Netflix. I binge on writing for several days or weeks and then walk away and experience life without writing or creating. This helps me gain a fresh perspective and distance from the story improves my objectivity regarding its quality. Elements that seemed strong at first grow stale after the manuscript has time to breathe.


 
Which writers inspire you?

Timothy Zahn, Dan Brown, James Patterson, Stephen King, Peter Clines, Jim Bernheimer, J.K. Rowling, H.G. Wells, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Mary Shelley and more!


 
What are you working on at the minute?
 
I am actively promoting OUTBREAK MUTINY with all my might. As an Indie Author you have to fight for every download or purchase of your book. I am also planning the bullet points of the next book. I know where I want to begin and where I want to end. The path to arrive there, however, has yet to reveal itself.

I am also planning to write a short story in between about Caliente Blu, the heroine from Issue 0 of OUTBREAK MUTINY. She has received such an overwhelmingly positive response that I want to write a story that takes place ten or fifteen years before her appearance in OM as a young Outbreak Baby gaining her superpowers and fighting for the freedom of slaves in Cuba. And, of course, forming her super team “La Escalera” the female group of Latina Liberators!


 
What’s is your latest book about?

OUTBREAK MUTINY is alternate history. With Superheroes. It takes place in a world where superpowers are real and an entire generation known as Outbreak Babies manifest their abilities after suffering a severe injury or trauma. In this world, superpowers are treated like a resource and those who possess them are in demand by the powerful.

The Reich has taken over the world after Germany pledged their allegiance to the most powerful of all Outbreak Babies, The Reichsmensch. He governs a caste society ruled by Warlords in conquered territories. Those who join the Reich attend Acolyte Academies where they seek the honor of earning a Warlord Trial.

Life is hard for those living outside the Reich in the Remnant States. The map I provided should show the new boundaries of the land known as the Old US. When Issue 1 begins, we find the stragglers in the Remnant just struggling to survive as a Virus breaks out in the Chicago Buffer Zone.

In this world, the choice is clear: You Die Free, or Live in Chains. Which will you choose?

​About The View From the Cheap Seats

• Paperback: 544 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks; Reprint edition (May 16, 2017)

The New York Times bestselling non-fiction collection, now in paperback, from the author of American Gods, now a STARZ Original Series.

An enthralling collection of nonfiction essays on a myriad of topics—from art and artists to dreams, myths, and memories—observed in #1 New York Times bestselling author Neil Gaiman’s probing, amusing, and distinctive style.
An inquisitive observer, thoughtful commentator, and assiduous craftsman, Neil Gaiman has long been celebrated for the sharp intellect and startling imagination that informs his bestselling fiction. Now, The View from the Cheap Seats brings together for the first time ever more than sixty pieces of his outstanding nonfiction. Analytical yet playful, erudite yet accessible, this cornucopia explores a broad range of interests and topics, including (but not limited to): authors past and present; music; storytelling; comics; bookshops; travel; fairy tales; America; inspiration; libraries; ghosts; and the title piece, at turns touching and self-deprecating, which recounts the author’s experiences at the 2010 Academy Awards in Hollywood.
Insightful, incisive, witty, and wise, The View from the Cheap Seats explores the issues and subjects that matter most to Neil Gaiman—offering a glimpse into the head and heart of one of the most acclaimed, beloved, and influential artists of our time.
​

Purchase Links
HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Review: 
The View From the Cheap Seats is a compilation of Neil Gaiman's best non-fiction.  Some of these are essays, some are introductions, some are speeches and all of them are thoughtful.  In this book, Neil Gaiman shares things he believes, things about the people he is fortunate enough to know, movies, comics, music and more.
 
You might be thinking that Neil Gaiman is best known for stories, fantasy or science fiction works and why would anyone want to read 500 pages of speeches and introductions, who reads introductions anyways?  Well, I always read introductions and hopefully you will too. 


In The View from the Cheap Seats I have learned what I have always known, but have never put into complete thoughts; stories are important, stories have power.  I have learned that words are magic that turn into ideas, ideas that can make you change the world.  

In his essays, speeches and introductions about other authors I learned of the deep respect held for fellow mentors and writers.  I also gleamed some insight into how authors work and develop ideas.  Most of all, I discovered some authors that I have never had the pleasure of reading and have now been added to my to-be-read pile. 

With any compilation, you could pick and choose which sections to read or individuals selections.  If you do choose to read this, read it however you choose, skip around, devour or meander through, but I do suggest reading it all and letting the power of the words soak in. 

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 

About Neil Gaiman

Neil Gaiman is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels Neverwhere, Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, Anansi Boys, The Graveyard Book, Good Omens (with Terry Pratchett), The Ocean at the End of the Lane, and The Truth Is a Cave in the Black Mountains; the Sandman series of graphic novels; and the story collections Smoke and Mirrors, Fragile Things, and Trigger Warning. He is the winner of numerous literary honors, including the Hugo, Bram Stoker, and World Fantasy awards, and the Newbery and Carnegie Medals. Originally from England, he now lives in the United States. He is Professor in the Arts at Bard College.

Find out more about Neil at his website, find all his books at his online bookstore, and follow him on Facebook, tumblr, Twitter, Instagram, and his blog.

I have always looked to nature in order to ground myself and find the simplest way of doing things.  Since becoming a mother, I have often thought about how mothers in the animal kingdom have approached challenges with their young ones.  The Wisdom of Moms captures these moments with stunning photography of animal mothers and children courtesy of talented photographers at National Geographic.  The vivid photography is paired with inspirational quotes of life, love and motherhood, facts about the animals pictured and stories of how each mother accomplishes the amazing feat of motherhood.


One of my favorite stories of wisdom from the animal kingdom is of gorillas; so closely related to humans, I learned that gorilla babies spend the first five months connected to mom and nurses for up to three years.  Thinking back to having a newborn, this very much mirrors my experience and would be a comfort to any new mom.  Another inspiring story is of the capybara; in the capybara community any female can mother a capybara pup and all of the females help in raising the litter in a true sense of community.  Lastly, one of my favorite quotes in the book comes with a picture of one of my favorite animals, the giraffe.  Giraffe moms carry their baby in gestation for up to 15 months.  Joyce Carol Oates sums up family life for us: " What is family, after all, except memories? -haphazard and precious as the contents of a catchall drawer in the kitchen."  

A perfect Mother's Day Gift for a new mom, your mom or yourself!

This book was provided for free in return for an honest review. ​​

Purchase Links for THE WISDOM OF MOMS: National Geographic | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Fathers do not always stand out in the animal kingdom. However, there are many examples of fathers that nurture, care and teach their children as much as human fathers.  If you have an amazing father in your life, they will be sure to appreciate Amazing Dads.  Gorgeous photography captures fathers with their children across a wide array of animals.  These remarkable photographs are paired with quotes of family, love and fatherhood, facts about the animals pictured and examples of how these fathers are truly amazing.

My favorite father story is of the Barbary macaque.  Macaques are very social and part of their social standing relies on how well they take care of their children.  This is very reflective of some human fathers!  Another fun father fact I learned was about the Stickleback fish.  Fish are not often thought of as having parenting skills at all, though the Stickleback fish father is the sole guardian of his eggs.  While standing guard, he is responsible for the cleanliness an oxygen level of the nest and will fan the eggs.  He also teaches his fry self-defense tactics.  My favorite quote of the book is paired with the amazing puffer fish and his intricately made nest; from Robert Brault: " Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."

A wonderful choice for Father's Day or any amazing dad in your life.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. ​

​Purchase Links for AMAZING DADS: National Geographic | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

This hop is for a book that I would like to suggest for someone to read!  Well, I have a lot of suggestions.  However, here is one I think you may like...

Fatal Option- A Thriller!

Here is my review: 

​

Stephen Porter has just heard some terrible news about the insurance claim concerning his wife's death. He begins a night a binge drinking knowing that his son, Kenneth is safely in his room nursing a black eye after upsetting the school the school hot-head and his daughter, Sara is supposedly a few houses away in their cul-de-sac sleeping over at her friend Madison's house. However, when the weather begins to turn and the roads turn to ice, Stephen receives a call from Sara saying she is stranded on Rolling Road at a teacher's house and near the site of her mother's death, Stephen begins to panic. Eventually, he decides to go save his daughter himself even though he is a little buzzed. Stephen doesn't know that Aiden, the autistic younger brother of the teacher she was visiting is lost outside in the dark that night. When the collision inevitably happens, Stephen opens up a can of worms concerning the death of his wife, the death of three other women that died similarly, and the troubled mind of teacher, Kieran O'Shea.


This is the type of thriller where you just have to go along for the ride. Every time that I thought I had an idea of where the author was going with the story, there was a new twist. The suspense of the story is layered through carefully guarded secrets of many of the town's inhabitants. Secrets, the fact that we will do anything for our children and the struggle between good vs. evil were central themes. I do like that in many of the characters, there was a grey area between good and bad. Characters that I thought that I had pegged turned out to be someone different. Sara's teacher, Kieran turned out to be one of the most interesting characters, he was not exactly who I thought, but still harbored evil within. His relationship with Sara was something I'm still having trouble with, it seems like either Sara or Kieran should be smart enough to stop a romance that is asking for trouble. I also wish that Kieran's life was explored a little more; there was some back story, but it seemed like his story could have gone further. I can't say much more without giving things away, but in the end I was thoroughly surprised at how everything came out with a bang. I do wonder if anyone else in the town is alive afterwards and I truly wondered about the fate of Kieran and Stephen. Overall, an intense thriller that has a lot going on and will keep you guessing until the end. 

​About The Baker's Secret
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow (May 2, 2017)

From the multiple-award-winning, critically acclaimed author of The Hummingbird and The Curiosity comes a dazzling novel of World War II—a shimmering tale of courage, determination, optimism, and the resilience of the human spirit, set in a small Normandy village on the eve of D-Day.

On June 5, 1944, as dawn rises over a small town on the Normandy coast of France, Emmanuelle is making the bread that has sustained her fellow villagers in the dark days since the Germans invaded her country.

Only twenty-two, Emma learned to bake at the side of a master, Ezra Kuchen, the village baker since before she was born. Apprenticed to Ezra at thirteen, Emma watched with shame and anger as her kind mentor was forced to wear the six-pointed yellow star on his clothing. She was likewise powerless to help when they pulled Ezra from his shop at gunpoint, the first of many villagers stolen away and never seen again.

In the years that her sleepy coastal village has suffered under the enemy, Emma has silently, stealthily fought back. Each day, she receives an extra ration of flour to bake a dozen baguettes for the occupying troops. And each day, she mixes that precious flour with ground straw to create enough dough for two extra loaves—contraband bread she shares with the hungry villagers. Under the cold, watchful eyes of armed soldiers, she builds a clandestine network of barter and trade that she and the villagers use to thwart their occupiers.

But her gift to the village is more than these few crusty loaves. Emma gives the people a taste of hope—the faith that one day the Allies will arrive to save them.

Review: 
On the coast of Normandy, the people of Vergers are trying their best to go on with their everyday lives.  Since the German occupation, everyone has simply been doing their best to survive by any means necessary.  For Emmanuelle, this means continuing to bake her bread; however, it is no longer the joyful task it once was.  Emma was apprenticed to Ezra Kuchen, the village baker when she was 13.  Since the Germans came, she watched her mentor forced to wear a yellow star and later dragged away.  Emma  is the only one in town left to bake and is commanded to do so for the occupying army.  Forced to bake for the soldiers while she watches those around her starve, Emma decides that she will stretch her extra rations to make 14 loaves instead of the desired 12 for the Germans.  She stretches her resources by adding finely ground straw to the recipe.  While taking her covert bread to those who need it most, Emma is asked if she could find other things: eggs, gasoline, light bulbs, for the townspeople.  So begins Emma's unintentional Resistance to keep the town alive and hopeful until help arrives. 


The Baker's Secret is an extraordinary book that shows the effect of an occupation on a small town during WWII. The beautiful writing clearly conveys the struggle, the intense emotional state of the people and the beauty of the area.  I could easily imagine Emma's baking shed, the coastline and the church. More importantly, The Baker's Secret impressed upon me the importance of one person during the times of struggle.  Emma's perseverance and ingenuity saved lives and gave her town hope.  Another aspect highlighted was the choices people will make in order to stay alive, some will paint "V's" on a tree in order to tirelessly annoy the occupying troops, some will use their beauty to take up with the enemy, some will turn in their neighbors, some will bake extra bread, some will join the Resistance and risk their lives smuggling ammo. listening in to German conversation and counting paces.  With the Resistance the importance of every person's actions put together was highlighted.  I thought it was especially important that the people who everyone believed were inconsequential, those who have been outcast, or with disabilities were able to do the most because they went unseen.  These characters weren't even called their true names, going by The Goat and Monkey Boy, they were as big of heros as Emma.  Lastly, it was very interesting to see the D-Day invasion through the eyes of the townspeople, it is what they hoped for for so long but happened very differently than they imagined. Overall, a tremendous story of courage, strength and hope of a town during WWII.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review. 
Purchase Links
HarperCollins | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | IndieBound

​About Stephen P. Kiernan

Stephen P. Kiernan is a graduate of Middlebury College, Johns Hopkins University, and the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop. During his more than twenty years as a journalist, he has won numerous awards, including the Brechner Center’s Freedom of Information Award, the Scripps Howard Award for Distinguished Service to the First Amendment, and the George Polk Award. He is the author of The Curiosity, his first novel, and two nonfiction books. He lives in Vermont with his two sons.
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Find out more about Stephen at his website and connect with him on Facebook and Twitter.

​About By the Wayside: Stories

• Paperback: 246 pages
• Publisher: Unsolicited Press (January 31, 2017)

Marvelous. Honest. Generous. From the first story to the last, “By the Wayside” catches your attention and demands that you give into its every whirl. Each character unfolds with a precision that will have you wondering how Parrish managed to create such real-to-the-bones people within a world that captivates you with ease.
“Anne Leigh Parrish’s third collection is both a charm and a gem, a vividly imagined work that introduces us to genies hidden in spare tires, Virgin Mary images concealed inside body parts, and Jewish professors disguised as Calvinists in small-town South Dakota. In stories that are crisp and poignant, yet told with a hint of wonder, Parrish captures the details of domestic life with its inexorable echoes of childhood and its family vortices. Rich and nuanced, conjuring up the spirits of Muriel Spark and Henry Green, By the Wayside belongs very much at the center of our literary road.” — Jacob M. Appel, author of The Topless Widow of Herkimer Street.
“Anne Leigh Parrish is one of the best of a new wave of American short story writers reinvigorating the form. Many of these writers specialize at flash fiction– a genre at which Parrish is a master. She also, however, excels at stories of more traditional length. Her tales, long or short, are highly readable but also convey intelligence and meaning. Few writers today create as much compassion for their characters, or draw as much emotion from their situations, as does Anne Leigh Parrish.” – Karl Wenclas, Editor, New Pop Lit.
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Purchase LinksAmazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

About Anne Leigh Parrish

Anne Leigh Parrish is the author of All the Roads That Lead From Home, stories (Press 53, 2011); Our Love Could Light The World, stories (She Writes Press, 2014); and What Is Found, What Is Lost, a novel (She Writes Press, 2014). Her new novel, Women Within, is forthcoming from Black Rose Writing in September 2017. Find Anne on Facebook, Twitter, and her website.
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Connect with Anne
​Website | Facebook | Twitter

Guest Post: 
Short Stories: My First Love
Anne Leigh Parrish
 
Young writers tend to focus on novels as the grand achievement. And I suspect that most of us began our reading lives with novels in hand. While I read my share of novels as a girl, stories drew me closer, and for years, that’s all I wrote.
My father had a particular passion for Sherwood Anderson’s story cycle, Winesburg Ohio. My father’s people hailed from that state; he went on to graduate from the University of Illinois, and while he made the rest of his life in the east—Cambridge, D.C., and for over fifty years as a professor of English at Cornell—his midwestern roots remained strong. Maybe that’s why he loved Anderson so much.

I read Anderson. I read Hemingway. I read O. Henry; Eudora Welty; Katherine Mansfield, all masters of the short form. I learned that value of a life glimpsed, as if from the window of a slowly moving train. A gesture you try to put in context, such as a woman unpinning laundry from a line who for a few moments stands stock still, as if something momentous has occurred to her—that’s how stories begin in an author’s mind.

You just fill in the blank space around that moment. At least, that’s how I approach the problem of writing a short story. And I say “problem,” because to me writing is a study in finding solutions, not necessarily resolutions. This is an important idea, I think, because fiction shouldn’t resolve anything. Its only job is to let the reader recognize truth.

In a short story, a character is revealed. In a novel, a character develops. This is function of space, specifically depth. A reader spends much more time in the fictional world of a novel than she does with a story. A story must be efficient, hard-hitting, ultimately swift.

Stories are powerful, when done right. You’re in their grip until the author lets you go. You don’t have much time to reflect on what’s happened until after you close the book and put it down. Good stories will hang in the mind a long time, refusing to be forgotten.

Reading a collection of short stories can feel like spending time walking around the museum gallery devoted to one particular painter. Here, the obsession is the color blue, or sunlight, or parasols. There’s a progression, a developing aesthetic. Stories in a collection follow an arc, much the way a single story does, all held together by a consistent—if slightly varying—sensibility.

My collection, By The Wayside, is all about women, what they endure, what they conquer, and what more often than not conquers them. They’re well-off or poor, hammering out a career, or thrust suddenly into a position of domestic responsibility. There’s magic here, too, born of desire, truths that won’t be denied, flights of fancy that lift the soul before dashing it. What I hope is most present, though, is the value of self-determination in the face of overwhelming odds. I can’t think of a better way to define the female experience.
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If you’re new to short stories, or have been reading them for years, I think By the Wayside will offer something tangible that survives beyond the page. That’s my hope, at any rate. Please let me know if you agree.