Description: "As they did in The Curiosities (2012), critique partners Stiefvater, Gratton, and Yovanoff reunite to produce a short-story collection that is as much about the writing process as it is about the final creation. Each author contributes one short story and an introduction that indicates her approach and priorities when crafting a story. For Stiefvater, character is key. Her story 'Ladylike' follows painfully shy Petra, who learns poise from an elegant old lady who may also be a monster; margin notes detail how Stiefvater conceived of the characters and carefully worked to shape them. Gratton's 'Desert Canticle,' about a young soldier who disarms beautiful, magical IEDs in a fantastical desert, epitomizes her focus on world building as she indicates how even the smallest details create a fuller backdrop for a story. And it's all about the idea for Yovanoff, whose 'Drowning Variations' offers less a coherent story and more a series of vignettes that all circle back around to drowning, demonstrating the evolution and impact of a single concept. For these authors' many fans, the true-to-form stories will deliver and delight. For budding writers, the insight into the creation and editing processes is even more valuable. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: Each of these authors draws a crowd on her own; together they are unstoppable."Booklist

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