Böcker utgivna av Cinder House Publishing

Nathan Ballingrud's Shirley Jackson Award winning debut collection is a shattering and luminous experience not to be missed by those who love to explore the darker parts of the human psyche. Monsters, real and imagined, external and internal, are the subject. They are us and we are them and Ballingrud's intense focus makes these stories incredibly intense and irresistible. These are love stories. And also monster stories. Sometimes these are monsters in their traditional guises, sometimes they wear the faces of parents, lovers, or ourselves. The often working-class people in these stories are driven to extremes by love. Sometimes, they are ruined; sometimes redeemed. All are faced with the loneliest corners of themselves and strive to find an escape.

What would you sacrifice to become American? Everything about the Beauclaire family seems normal-almost perfect, even. They immigrated to New York City from Haiti years ago, looking for their own piece of America's promised riches. They go to church; they're good neighbours; and their two daughters, Judith and Beatrice, have typical sibling rivalries that keep things interesting. But beneath this polished exterior, something is just slightly off. There's malice waiting . . . wanting to reveal itself. When their mother unexpectedly dies, Judith and Bea are overwhelmed by a mob of relatives, friends, and church ladies. Amidst taking care of the funeral, they meet Libete, who claims to be a close friend of their mother's. Bea welcomes her, but Judith is immediately suspicious - their mother never mentioned Libete, and yet she seems to know everything about them. After a series of unsettling events-a disfigured doll appearing in their attic, childhood photos of Bea vanishing, and a myster