In her second short story collection, J.A. Carter-Winward weaves tales that engross and immerse you in emotions as versatile as her imagination.
With Carter-Winward's unique take on the complexity of human behavior within intimate relationships, she tackles issues such as monogamy, sexuality, and betrayal with her unique, nuanced eye: from shattered illusions and regret in Days Past, to the sting and slap of betrayal in Chance of Rain; the ambiguities and devastation of acquaintance rape and sexual assault in Daddy's Girl and Violets, as well as the redemptive dissolution of conventional boundaries in Unspoken and Inside.
Her stories, The Bus Stops Here and Perfect, explore the themes of the paradigms we hold and how they shift, causing everything from mild, to a terrifying moment of truth. and concluding in a decision that could have literal life-or- death ramifications.
Carter-Winward's themes of loss and grief as well as her unwavering belief in the paradoxical light and dark within each of us permeate this collection, with stories such as Market Time, and The Third Son.
But Carter-Winward throws in plenty of feel-goods, as well as her special brand of dry humor with Grapefruit, Going Nowhere, and Mama's Boy, tales that will leave you curled in the comfort of knowing that there is goodness in the world.
Included are four bonus stories: the meta-fictional self-parody, WikiMe; a heart-breaking dialogue of relevance and import concerning religion and LGBTQ issues, #1Leading Cause, and a heartwarming, breaking, and soothing overview of the human condition, reduced to a form capturing zeitgeist of the Millennial age with Demographics.
Finally, Carter-Winward's acclaimed monologue, One Week, commissioned by a local theater owner/director for the 2014 production of Eve Ensler's The Vagina Monologues; a piece that will open your eyes and mind to the sacred feminine, the healing beauty of sexuality, and intertwining them with grief, loss, and the glory of being thoroughly,wonderfully, human.
Dress warmly and get ready for the tumultuous sea of Carter-Winward¿s diverse storytelling as she sets sail on the whole spectrum of human emotion and experience in The Bus Stops Here and Other Stories.
Whereas Carter-Winward’s poetry books are dominated by scathing and naughtiness, with sentimental pieces taking more of a back seat, that balance has been reversed in this book. In these heartwarming and compassionate stories, there’s a real understanding of what it is to be an everyday human with all of life’s struggles, pitfalls, kindness and love.
Unlike many books of short stories, this hangs together as a collection very well indeed; where the expertly written tales and well-drawn characters feel like they fit seamlessly into the same realistic world. The themes of loss, hopes, tragedies and reconciliation blend together into one mightily satisfying whole. So when the bus stops, I highly recommend you climb on board.—Harry Whitewolf, author of Underdogs Unite, Two Beat Newbie, and Rhyme and Rebellion
“The Bus Stops Here was a great read for me, and that is saying something. Carter-Winward explore themes around the trap of romance, with people getting what they want or perhaps just what they deserve. This book is filled with slice of life stories and near tragedies with crash car anxieties. When I put it down, I genuinely looked forward to picking it back up. This is definitely an anthology you will want to go back to after you finish.”—Jesse Parent, poet, performer, author of The Noise That Is Not You
