“‘Girl,’ my mama had said to me the minute she entered my hospital room, ‘on the highway of life, you’re always traveling left of center.’” (from “Traveling Left of Center”)

What happens when people face life situations for which they are emotionally or mentally unprepared? They may choose to allow fate to dictate the path they take—a decision that can lead to disastrous results.

The characters in “Traveling Left of Center and Other Stories” are unable or unwilling to seize control over their lives, relying instead on coping methods that range from the passive (“The Healer”) and the aggressive (“The Clock”) to the humorous (“Traveling Left of Center”) and hopeful (“Skating on Thin Ice”). But the outcomes may not be what they anticipated or desired. Will they have time to correct their course or will they crash?

Included in this collection of eighteen short stories are the critically acclaimed “Alice in Wonderland” and “Annabelle.”

Nancy Christie's short stories are brilliant, disturbing, and exquisitely written. Hers is a hypnotic, lyrical voice that captures your heart with its deep, rich humanity.