Rising and Other Stories

<p>In story after story in her diverse new collection, <em>Rising and Other Stories,</em> Gale Massey illustrates the moments that shape and alter destiny. Bringing each to life through interconnected themes of moving water and a sense of loss, Massey shares with us an unvarnished narrative of a world that objectifies women and the strength and resourcefulness required to attempt to overcome those limitations. </p><p><br></p><p>From the panicked mother in <em>Racine</em> who escapes to the ocean and a young girl''s last fishing expedition with a dying father in <em>Glass</em> to the inevitable end in <em>Marked</em> and the gamble in <em>Not so Fast,</em> these stories show how simple twists of fate can change a person forever. </p><p><br></p><p><em>Ivy Waters</em> and <em>Long Time Coming</em> both explore the loss of a father in very different ways, and how the identities of the daughters are rooted in those losses. And Elise''s life in <em>Rising</em> is told in contrasts as she develops the use of her volition to pull her toward the life she deserves.</p><p><br></p><p>Massey''s protagonists are everyday folk depicted in stories that explore the scars of redemption <em>(Lucky Girl),</em> despair <em>(Differences),</em> daring <em>(The Train Runner) </em>and longing (<em>Swimaway</em> and <em>Freedom''s Just Another Word</em>), a visceral sense of fate <em>(Low Tide), </em>and, most of all, each character''s desires and will to live<em>.</em> </p><p><br></p><p>These stories will transform you and deepen your view of the world, as Massey helps us discern societal constructs and their acute burdens, and the many ways that people--particularly women and girls--attempt to rise above them.</p>