If Only...

Two siblings, a brother and a sister, joined forces on this collection of stories about unexpected events and the feelings they set off. Ordinary days in these pieces often lead to outcomes no one anticipates, and the shifting bonds and expectations that come with everyday life become the material for each tale. The characters' emotions and traits are rendered so vividly that readers may feel they are stepping into the roles themselves.

Each story is written in its own distinct style, yet a shared thread runs through the whole book. The settings range widely, from the Nazi invasion during World War II to a small rural town in New England and to the poverty and violence of an American inner city. No particular place, class, or era is the focus, since the collection moves freely across all of them.

The stories range from acts of kindness to acts of revenge, and throughout them the characters' choices shape what happens to them.