King of the Lake: And Other Stories (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781957344409)

Kira Marie McCullough has woven together a series of brilliantly crafted short stories that are like peering through a window into the soul of another, but you've been invited to do so. The opening story of a minister and the wife who will never be at peace with the expectations placed on her, is especially powerful when told through the eyes of a child. There's a familiar quietness in these tales, like the feeling you get when someone is about to share a deep secret with you. Each story exposes the often overlooked nuances of humanity in relationships, parenthood, childhood, love, euphoria, and the helpless feelings that arise when your ideals crumble like a house of cards in a hurricane. If words were a paintbrush, Kira would be a most sought after portrait artist.

In "Secret Life" the description of the Walker Woman blurs the line between storycraft and poetry. In "Her Best Kiss" the description of each person's unique experience of a shared kiss is alarmingly and humorously divergent. With each character that each story introduced I found myself internally saying, "Tell me more." And here's something I found especially facinating. Beyond simply enjoying the tales in King of the Lake, and Other Stories, I found myself looking more deeply at others around me as more than just people passing by.

Good writing does that. It opens your eyes wider at the wonder in the world around you. Don't be surprised if this book doesn't have the same effect on you too.