Crossings
by Marsha Carow Markman
AuthorHouse


"…I wonder at the paths we take, by choice and by chance, through detours, accidental and intentional, that can lead to destinations both rewarding and hazardous…"

This collection of over fifteen stories contains fantastic and supernatural tales. There are aliens and ghosts, but more often than these, there are instances when characters slip through the cracks and alleyways of time and find themselves, or those they love, to be suddenly somewhere or "somewhen" else. More than anything, these stories are concerned with the decisions people make that can completely alter outcomes. Their choices come in different types: there are those that are regretted, those made from impulse or whimsy, and those whose choice seems to be made for them. These are stories where everyday people find their reality suddenly crossed with another reality, most often one that has already passed but becomes present again.

Markman’s collection is thematically cohesive and grounded despite the elements of fantasy. Some readers will identify this collection as falling under the genre of magical realism. In any case, Markman’s writing of her sentences is confident and precise. Many readers will find the professional handling of her stories and her adeptness at developing the little windows into these seemingly ordinary lives compelling and worthy of the read. Others will appreciate her craft. One thing readers will not need to be concerned about is an overload of sex, violence, or coarse language that are common aspects of modern novels. Instead, Markman’s book is a clean read, a feature that is gaining in popularity in various genres of fiction. Readers looking for a selection of stories about people they can recognize who experience something extraordinary during the ordinary should find that many of these tales will capture their imaginations.

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