A time-traveling fisherwoman keeps landing on the right shore, but at the wrong time. A pair of witches fight over the gate between life and death. A new consciousness, intent upon seeing all the wonders of the universe, visits a floating library. Humanity makes first contact, but falters when selecting the world's representatives.

This subversive collection showcases one of the hottest talents in speculative fiction: 2025 Compton Crook Award winner and Pushcart Prize nominee Samantha Mills. In her strange and emotional worlds, with stakes ranging from the epic to the personal, Mills creates ample room for humor and hope amidst tragedy and struggle.

"Samantha Mills' work is like a stained-glass window: beautiful, intricately crafted, and ready to let the light into the dark places of our lives."-Aimee Ogden, author of What Any Dead Thing Wants