From award-winning writer Jann Everard, a debut short story collection about love and loss. Some of the women in Blue Runaways are grieving. Some are looking for a second chance. All are at a turning point. From Iceland to Bali, from the comfortable houses of Canada’s cities to its wild and expansive backcountry, the characters in this collection face the most human of fears: that dear ones die, love is a risk, and no promise is certain. As diverse in situation as it is controlled in theme, this collection serves as a multifaceted exploration of loss, love, and what it takes to move on. With a keen eye for landscape and an uncanny knack for inhabiting hearts and minds, Everard ventures into her character’s darkest days. By confronting the sorrow of being alive, Blue Runaways reveals the joy of knowing we are not alone.

Carefully curated stories from our monthly magazine to create a themed short story book about the philosophy and ethics of food. Perfect for classrooms and book clubs, each story is 1,500-7,000 words and comes with five suggested discussion questions.

"If you could take a pill that showed you the truth about the world, would you take it?" After Dinner Conversation - Season One is a collection of the best short stories published in the After Dinner Conversation series to date. Short stories span all genres; science-fiction, near-future, dystopia, spiritual, fantasy, urban fantasy, AI, historical fiction, contemporary women, political, horror, thriller, and children's stories. The important thing is that the story is compelling, and that it asks a specific ethical or moral question. Imagine the "trolley problem" in short story form. Reader Reviews "...a terrific collection of short stories (for teaching) courses on civics, ethics, or contemporary social problems, in high school or junior college." Philosophy Professor at Chapel Hill, Luc Bovens "Tears Your Heart. Heart breaking discussions fueled by this book." Amazon Reviewer MariaJ "...these stories as a whole so far, have been haunting, staying with me long past finishing." Amazon Reviewer Andrea L. Stoeckel Each short story is also accompanied by discussion questions for the reader, or for a group of readers, to discuss. Many of the short stories have associated podcast discussions on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora, Stitcher, and Youtube, as well as on our website, After Dinner Conversation. Included Stories Top Ranked In The Following Amazon Categories! #1 in Utilitarianism Philosophy #1 in Aesthetics #1 in Zen Philosphy #1 in Children's Books On Values #1 in Pragmatism #2 in Historical Fiction Short Stories #1 in Death, Grief And Spirituality #1 in Occult Magic #1 in Free Will And Determinism #2 in War Fiction #1 in Religious Intolerance #1 in Political Fiction #1 in Sociology of Race Relations #1 in Epistemology #1 in Ethics & Morality #1 in Good & Evil Philosophy #1 in Children's Books on Values #1 in Jewish Life #1 in Christian Ethics #2 in Mental Illness #1 in Compulsive Behavior #2 in Children's Short Stories #1 in Children's Multicultural Folk Tales #1 in 30-Minute Teen & Young Adult Short Reads #2 in 30-Minute Literature & Fiction Short Reads #1 in Historical Australian & Oceanian Fiction #2 in One-Hour Science Fiction & Fantasy Short Reads #2 in Hard Science Fiction #2 in Parenting Morals & Responsibility #1 in Natural Law Perspectives #2 in Criminal Law #1 in Comparative Law and many more! Short stories by (in alphabetical order) A. Katherine Black, Ana Carolina Pereira, Andre Lopes, Christine Seifert, David Shultz, Dean Gessie, Jann Everard, Jenean McBrearty, Joanna Michal Hoyt, John Sheirer, Margaret Karmazin, Michael Rook, Shikhandin, Tom Teti, Tyler W. Kurt, Vera Burris, Veronica Leigh, and Viggy Parr Hampton.