PHYLLIS SHAND ALLFREY, novelist and poet, was born in Dominica, where her father was Crown Attorney. Her work has often been compared to that of her compatriot and friend, Jean Rhys. The novel has been made into a film for British television. LIZABETH PARAVISINI-GERBERT an associate professor in the Department of Hispanic Studies at Vassar College. She co-edited Green Cane and Juicy Flotsam: Short Stories by Caribbean Women (Rutgers University Press).

• IntroductionThe Days BeforeMiss Stella Comes HomeMiss Joan ReturnsMiss Natalie Arrives