Imaginary Friends - Softcover

Marks, Arlene F.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1928011713 ISBN 13: 9781928011712

Publisher: Brain Lag, 2022

Synopsis

Extraterrestrial colonies with otherworldly secrets. A science-themed art installation about to go nova. A computer shop with a truly hellish customer. These tales show a deeply personal side to the fantastic worlds they imagine, whether it's the struggle of a troubled teen roped into an ages-old battle between light and dark or the loneliness of a grieving rabbi in outer space.

Arlene F. Marks, multi-genre novelist published for more than thirty years, shares eleven stories of wonder, beauty, and terror in this collection. Get ready, it's time to go on a magical ride and meet some extraordinary friends... and foes.

"It’s always a treat to open a debut collection of short stories from an author who has been publishing them for years. Underlying all of it is Marks’s fascination with storytelling itself. Without becoming overly meta she presents characters who feel aware in different ways of the genre they find themselves performing in, conscious of being a part of stories that they both shape and are shaped by." - Toronto Star

“The worlds and stories [Marks] touches on in this collection are vast and amazing. Whether the stories are previously published, connected to the universes of her novels, or wholly original, there is something for everyone who appreciates sf, dark humor, or captivating characters.” - Booklist

"Arlene has the knack of writing intelligent and original stories full of surprises and psychologically realistic characters. They’re all good and several are superb." - Amazing Stories

"Marks and her imaginary friends take us on some pretty fantastic voyages – ones that make even the most jaded of SF reader thing they are back reading that first paperback full of really great stories!" - Hugh A. D. Spencer, multiple award-nominated author of The Hard Side of the Moon

"Her ability to make even minor characters real to me with just a single line or action is on full display in this one: so much character stuffed into so few words." - Ottawa Review of Books

"Marks combines many genres to offer a compelling collection of short stories. Imaginary Friends will easily capture the attention of the thoughtful reader." - Readers Favorite 5-star review

About this title

About the Author

Born and raised in Toronto, Arlene F. Marks found her storytelling muse at the age of 6, and she has been writing and sharing her imaginative tales ever since. She is also a retired educator and veteran teacher of the craft, having authored two literacy programs for the classroom, as well as From First Word to Last: The Craft of Writing Popular Fiction. During her life, she has worked as everything from a travel agent to a fashion consultant. However, her first love and current obsession is writing speculative fiction. She is the author of Sic Transit Terra, an ongoing series of sf novels set around the turn of the 25th century. Adventures in Godhood is her first Brain Lag release. Arlene lives with her husband on the shore of beautiful Nottawasaga Bay. She spends an inordinate amount of time following her characters around the universes in her mind, but she can be lured away from them by dark chocolate...and interesting owls to add to her collection. www.thewritersnest.ca

Edition details

• Publisher: Brain Lag
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1928011713
• ISBN 13: 9781928011712
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 236