Promising young female Northern Irish writer.

Pulitzer Prize–winning playwright Paula Vogel once said that theater helps us learn how to be comfortable with being uncomfortable with each other. Revolving around the theme of "this is who we are," the one-act plays in this latest edition of the Best American Short Plays series (now in its ninth decade) explore the thoughtful ways in which playwrights are wrestling to make sense of our world today. The selected plays reflect how we perform our identities (private and public) and how we negotiate who we are with others who often have different perspectives, perspectives that make us uncomfortable. The theme of this collection is topical and apt—as our country continues to shore up its borders along party lines, from pride parades to strict abortion laws, from inclusivity in education curricula to children in detention centers at the US–Mexico border. Each of the plays presents a clear reflection of who we are (and who we aspire to be) as individuals and as a nation. The styles of the plays also reflect different approaches to storytelling: two characters, four characters, a single setting, multiple settings, or a utopian "nowhere." The rich and compelling characters try to work out their differences and overcome obstacles using humor and a sense of magic that comes with simple moments of human connection. This is who we are: people who are grappling with the desire to be understood, the hope to be loved and accepted, and to allow that hope to shape a larger sense of who we could be if we continue to work and listen.

Table of contents

More than 160 short stories from bestselling and award-winning authors. This volume will introduce you to horror, mystery, fantasy and thrills, from the dark worlds of Lovecraft to the cutting-edge suspense of the mean streets of the cities of the world. This monster collection speaks in the voices of some of today's leading masters of the short story, with something certain to appeal to every reader. Find a new creative voice to follow. Find a new world to love. An amazing wealth of fiction and imagination. Included in Corruption at the Crossroad: 12+1: Twelve Short Thrillers And A Play — Raymond Benson The Devil Made Me Do It Again And Again — Paul Dale Anderson Seeing Red — David J. Schow Bedbugs — Rick Hautala Destinations Unknown — Gary Braunbeck The Call Of Distant Shores — David Niall Wilson Falling Idols — Brian Hodge In The End, Only Darkness — Monica J O'Rourke 13: A Collection Of Horror And Weird Fiction — Michael Boatman Vapors: The Essential G. Wayne Miller Fiction, Vol. 2 — G. Wayne Miller Scars And Other Distinguishing Marks — Richard Christian Matheson