Threads is an anthology of selections from the NeoVerse Short Story Writing competition. The stories' subjects range from history, in "Night Insects," to science fiction and fantasy. Each offering incorporates elements of realism and otherworldliness. A lesson from "Dysphoria," for example, is to beware of a surfeit of "virtual" reality. "One Time Hero," the First Place Winner, extols the virtue of and necessity for sacrifice, as it permits readers to identify with the vulnerable protagonist. "Say When" muses on the experience of death from the perspective of a daughter who prepares for her mother's departure from mortal life. "Gold, Vine, and a Name" inverts Shakespeare's, "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." to demonstrate the power of a name to give, influence, and potentially take life. "Hotel Marietta," tells the truly heart-warming story of a woman whose emotions have been shut down and the effect that the fostering of a little girl has on her.

The value of NeoVerse's competition may be summarized by the publisher's philosophy. "Neoglyphic Entertainment believes story is the heart of human experience. Story inspires creativity, shapes minds, and catalyzes social change...." The selections, which are too numerous for all to be mentioned here, have the essential ingredient of good stories: In the first lines they draw the readers in and make them care about the characters and their situations. Many genres and perspectives are represented to appeal to a cross-section of readers. These stories are true art, since they hold mirrors to the faces of humankind that we may recognize ourselves and be enriched by the adventures. By the expert applications of narrative, a variety of voices, and action, many of these selections have the feel of novellas. We're not experiencing only a short period of time or a few episodes in life. The anthology seems to live and breathe a multitude, a waterfall, of experiences. The collection has the feeling of life itself in many of its incarnations.

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