Voices on the Stair
Collected Stories
by
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About the Book
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Elizabeth Routen, whose stories embody all that is true about a generation—from the harsh realities that knock us back to the smooth winds that calm us—has written a book which I am not hesitant to call a masterwork. Routen´s first collection achieves what no young author should hope for, but every young author should strive for—honest artistic merit. An exciting book that will not allow you to walk away without exhaling and wondering if you´ll ever read something as moving again.
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Voices
on the Stair
Collected Stories by Elizabeth Routen
~Official Website~
It´s no coincidence
that Elizabeth Routen´s first book has been hailedby reviewers on three continents
as "sensitive," "haunting," and "ambitious." Readers
have been captivated by powerful prose, apt images, and unusual insights into
the human condition that are the hallmark of an intrepid new writer.
Elizabeth Routen is proud to
present Voices on the Stair, a collection of short stories that is certain
to delight and surprise even the most critical reader.
From the captive Holland of
World War II in "A Far Distant Place" to the soft piedmont of Virginia
in "Tess", Voices on the Stair is a book which will take you
on a journey like no other—that to the center of the human heart and back again.
Go with Ellie to the high plains of Nebraska, with James to the first test his
boyhood, with Louis to the childhood home that has been poisoned by age and
memory, with Margaret to the wedding bed on a cold winter night. These protagonists
are young and old, male and female. They struggle with life and love and loss—and
the trauma of getting what they want.
From the preface:
"You [the reader] are the present, the active ingredient that makes clear what was nonsense and real what were but the quixotic leavings of a pen. You´re going to hate some of these pieces. One or two might make you laugh. Maybe another will inspire you to call a long-lost friend. That´s good. If I can help you forget about the dishes that are begging to be washed and the colicky baby whom you just know is going to wake you up in the middle of the night, then my job is done. How to do that job is the consuming passion which ties me, and I presume others, to writing. It´s something of an obsession, and, like all obsessions, can be unhealthy, unproductive, detrimental to one´s social life, and generally aggravating. But let me worry about that. Your purpose is to determine whether or not I´ve been successful."
Start now. T
About the Author
Elizabeth Routen, a native of Hampton Roads, Virginia, is a writer and web designer whose work has appeared in publications including The Paumanok Review, Critique, and GWN. To learn more about her work, read additional stories, or comment on Voices on the Stair, visit her online at http://elizabethrouten.bizland.com.