2026 Finalist for The Eric Hoffer Award The first collection of award-winning short fiction from the author of Bellflower and Things to See in Arizona; Mary Vensel White's writing reflects "e;how we can endure and overcome our personal histories, better understand our ancestral ones, and accept the unknown future ahead."e;A celebration of human resilience and the ability to always find a road not taken.In "e;Driftwood,"e; a woman in a sleepy desert town willingly jumps into the back of a stranger's pickup. In "e;Griffin,"e; an organized wife struggles to keep her family together and manage her husband's mental illness. And in the title story, "e;Resonant Blue,"e; an egotistical architect shatters everything around him as he tries to connect with his loved ones and build a better life.A game show for those seeking love, a family wedding that unveils another secret union, a woman's impulsive trip to Greece to find her first love… In these twelve stories, Mary Vensel White's characters face turning points. Whether backed against a wall, reeling from a loss, or forced to confront a painful truth, they doggedly pursue the glimmer of possibility shining on the horizon.Praise for the author's novels:"e;Unique and powerful. I will think about these characters for a long time. —Jessica Francis Kane, author of This Close: Stories"e;Vensel White seamlessly forms a tapestry of prose with…astute observations of the human dynamic…shines light on the ways we imprison and ultimately release ourselves through the strength of our yearnings."e; —Cherie Kephart, author of A Few Minor Adjustments"e;Each vignette comes as a surprise, and each is a testament to how, just like in life, everything is woven and fused and pulling toward the other."e; —Deborah Reed, author of The Days When Birds Come Back

2026 Finalist for The Eric Hoffer Award The first collection of award-winning short fiction from the author of Bellflower and Things to See in Arizona; Mary Vensel White's writing reflects "e;how we can endure and overcome our personal histories, better understand our ancestral ones, and accept the unknown future ahead."e;A celebration of human resilience and the ability to always find a road not taken.In "e;Driftwood,"e; a woman in a sleepy desert town willingly jumps into the back of a stranger's pickup. In "e;Griffin,"e; an organized wife struggles to keep her family together and manage her husband's mental illness. And in the title story, "e;Resonant Blue,"e; an egotistical architect shatters everything around him as he tries to connect with his loved ones and build a better life.A game show for those seeking love, a family wedding that unveils another secret union, a woman's impulsive trip to Greece to find her first love… In these twelve stories, Mary Vensel White's characters face turning points. Whether backed against a wall, reeling from a loss, or forced to confront a painful truth, they doggedly pursue the glimmer of possibility shining on the horizon.Praise for the author's novels:"e;Unique and powerful. I will think about these characters for a long time. —Jessica Francis Kane, author of This Close: Stories"e;Vensel White seamlessly forms a tapestry of prose with…astute observations of the human dynamic…shines light on the ways we imprison and ultimately release ourselves through the strength of our yearnings."e; —Cherie Kephart, author of A Few Minor Adjustments"e;Each vignette comes as a surprise, and each is a testament to how, just like in life, everything is woven and fused and pulling toward the other."e; —Deborah Reed, author of The Days When Birds Come Back