Reckless Disregard and Other Stories
Forthcoming from Mint Hill Books
Reckless Disregard and Other Stories is a collection of fifteen short stories and novellas, twelve of which have been previously published. The title novella traces the unexpected interactions of young Kristin Bennett, the city councilman she falsely accuses of hit-and-run, and the detective assigned to the case. "Regrets Only" is a poignant short short about letting go of a dying partner. "All I Asked" is a short short about collateral Covid damage. "Starbucks" is a novella in which editor Finn Mitchell finds family he knew nothing about, only to discover that the person he left behind is the one who matters most. The flash fiction piece, "Brakes" describes a mother's grief. In "When Carol Left Me," the end of a relationship is really the beginning. Young Carrie experiences the reality of death when she goes to the funeral of her beloved "Gramps." In "Bequest" Zoe's relationship with her father doesn't end with his death. "Christopher Reisner" learns a lesson he thought he already knew when he falls in love. "Vacation Hold" is the tale of Cat Chernin, whose frustration with the post office leads her from one desperate act to another. In "Home Improvement," Emma meets a series of frustrations when she tries to remodel her house after her husband's death. Air traffic controller Murphy Callaghan struggles with the consequences of losing "Control" during a mysterious epidemic. In a short triptych, Amanda's past is dominated by "Soldiers in the Garden," and "I Dreamed I Was Arlen Spencer" traces the structure of dreams.