The Birthday Picture: and Other Stories

These stories are the results of an imagination at work over a span of 10 years, from 2010 to 2020. They will take you from Iceland to Italy, the Midwest to New England, the present day to the 1920s, and more times and places in between. They are dark, sad, strange, and sometimes humorous. Themes range from mental and physical illness to disillusionment and family drama; perspectives, tenses, and lengths vary. In truth, not every story is likely to please every reader. But through all runs at least one common thread: an illustration of some inevitability, some expression of the human condition - the heart of storytelling. This book includes the nine stories listed below, which are illustrated with pen and ink drawings by Minnesota artist Briana Bloom.