Weather Report, December 5

Fearless Girl statue, New York City. (CBS News).

Our currently featured books, “Ordinary Splendor,” by Judith Waller Carroll, “The Reporter,” by B,M. Simpson and “American Wasteland: Stories” by Alexander Shalom Joseph can be found by scrolling down below this post, or by clicking the author’s name on our Author’s page.

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UPMING ON SNOWFLAKES IN A BLIZZARD, DECEMBER 6-12

“THE GAME CAFE,” BY ELEANOR LERMAN.

The nine stories in The Game Cafe focus on people who live in New York City—or are traveling there—in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. These men and women include a security guard; a mother with a far-away daughter; a ham radio operator; two strangers playing a board game in a café; a woman driving from Los Angeles to Manhattan who makes a stop at a famous corner in Winslow, Arizona; an unemployed airport worker who has an unexpected reconciliation with his brother; and others. While the stories are primarily set in New York, they are also meant to explore how living in modern-day urban environments unalterably shapes the fate of people going through difficult times.

“STERLING AND NUGGET THE DRAGON,” BY JUDD B. SHAW.

As the first story in Judd B. Shaw’s Sterling the Knight series of medieval adventures, Sterling and Nugget the Dragon teaches how kindness is mightier than the sword.In a land far away, many fear a dragon named Nugget—including Sterling, a brave young boy, who dreams of becoming a knight. Sterling sets out to slay the dragon, until his quest presents him with a choice: fight or help. In choosing kindness and compassion, Sterling becomes a true knight.Sterling and Nugget the Dragon fosters growth in a child’s social and emotional development. Sterling’s story will encourage the knight in shining armor within any child!

“FALLING FROM TREES,” BY MICHAEL FIORI.

Falling from Trees, winner of the 2022 Independent Press Award (in the short-story category) is a collection of tales in the tradition of Italo Calvino, Jorges Borges, Stanislaw Lem and even Philip K. Dick.

And while coming from the speculative tale tradition Falling from Trees strikes out new territory in exploring consciousness, identity, and the human condition. More than just embodying ideas, these stories are written with heart and longing. And humor.

“A HILL CITY CHRISTMAS,” BY CAROLYN TYREE FEAGANS.

Writes Carolyn: “A Hill City Christmas is a Christmas story, of course, but not only that. It is a historical book as my others, set in 1923 in downtown Lynchburg, VA. I did much research for this little book in order to make it as realistic as possible. I decided to humanize it through one family that actually lived in downtown Lynchburg at that time: my own family, primarily my grandparents and their four children, who are all now deceased. The general theme is one of basic humanity involving life’s difficult trials and how one faces them or not.