The Earth and the Sky: Stories - Tapa dura

Wesselmann's debut collection contains richly varied stories with a wide range of cultural knowledge. Hers is a curiosity directed at understanding events from different perspectives and a compassionate engagement with questions of the various forms of exilemoral, spiritual, geographical, and emotionalwhether the setting is Taipei, Florence, Tornado Alley (in Texas and Oklahoma), or the Andean foothills. In lyrical prose Wesselmann creates characters who bridle against what is expected of them despite the pull of a social or cultural imperativeand despite their own inclination to embrace it. The men and women in these thoughtful, moving stories spanning five continents share the desires, loves, and hardships of being human."

DEBBIE LEE WESSELMANN was born in New York City and currently lives in Pennsylvania. Her first novel, "Trutor and the Balloonist," was published earlier this year. Her short fiction has appeared in "The Literary Review, ""Philadelphia"" Inquirer Magazine, ""North Atlantic"" Review, Ascent," and many other publications. End to end, her travel miles would circle the globe more than four times.