They write from outside the urban centres, with depth, insight and quiet wisdom. From Pleasantville, Nova Scotia, to Nelson, British Columbia, to Frampton, Quebec, and Steinbach, Manitoba, these stories are stoic, frank, solid and unafraid. The fifteen writers in Outskirts speak to generations, to sex and death, animals and ancestry, to the passing on of flesh and blood in a world of water and stone. Their voices unexpectedly convey a sense of place and character, taking you into the lives of a small town, a rural farm, a coastal community.
Without pretension, these writers document the human experience through unique literary sensibilities. Many have been published in such literary journals as Room of One's Own, The Fiddlehead, Pottersfield Portfolio, Zygote, subTerrain, Fireweed, Atlantic Books Today, NeWest Review and several have won awards for their short fiction. The stories in Outskirts explore the ways in which self and environment shift and grow together and tell us that even in a small place, a lot can happen.
In a summer field, a moment of passion is recognized yet unspoken. The innocence of childhood is explored through the intrigue and curiosity stirred by a shot heard down the lane; generational connections are revealed through the memories of an ageing mother. Strict family codes and restaurant rituals mask the intensity of having to please father; a long-kept secret is revealed to a husband only when time has less meaning. Bittersweet emotions unfold, as the poignant contrasts between small-town life and moving to the city are confronted.
Outskirts is an anthology of short fiction that gives women writing from small places a voice, often an unexpected one. As emerging writers, they are putting a new roof on feminist fiction.
