In Pools of Empty Winter A woman struggles to adhere to traditional Japanese codes of honor. Feedback on the final section would be appreciated.

The Acquired Skill of Living I watched then as his head slammed into the steering wheel, and saw the blood left there, and felt the impact as he was tossed into me so the blood on his head stained my dress. Oh my God, I said, oh my God." A major revision of another story of mine.

1Six Small Words » A collection of stories that are all six words in length. No more, no less. In progress.

2My Daughter, Who Would Have Been Louisa A short piece about grief in the wake of losing a child at birth.

1 In the River Neranjara 4 lines, free verse. -Gold bowls that swim upstream is a reference to the Buddha, who, before fasting and achieving enlightenment, ate from a gold bowl and threw the bowl in the River Neranjara, saying that if it went upstream he'd be enlightened. It did

1 A Discovery The gates to hell are found outside a small American town.

4 Zenith Trapped on a mountain, a man mistakes his starving companion's hunger for love. WARNING: Cannibalism portrayed vividly

1 Thr Rush of Tide A teenage girl seeks escape from her life in the open ocean, but underestimates the power of the sea.

1 Familiar Blood A woman tries to explain her grief over the death of a father she did not love.