When our writing group, Off the Page, set up for its first year in existence, we chose to celebrate by creating an anthology. A few writers got together and created a world, then we all wrote our own short stories set in this world, using some core characters and a common premise. We added characters and plots of our choosing. Some of our meetings were dedicated to review the stories in progress so that we could coordinate characters’ traits and plot-lines to make a seamless book. That book, The Mayor’s Tales: Stories from the Kyleighburn archives, was a rounding success for our little group. [find The Mayor’s Tales here]

The following year we laid plans for a new anthology, but we chose not to set it in a common world. Instead we selected a theme and each wrote our own story for based on that theme. Illness, politics, the PANDEMIC, and overall busy-ness delayed us, but this past December we finally were able to present our book to the world. The book is titled  Passages.

[from the back cover]

When one door closes, another one opens…

The seven authors of Passages take the familiar phrase into new territory with tales of revenge, time travel, tragedy, betrayal, new beginnings and misunderstandings. Some characters get stuck outside their closed doors, unable to move on to the next opportunity, while others triumph over their obstacles and move on to happiness.

The members of Off The Page Writers’ Group weave the open/closed concept into stories of mystery, science fiction, fantasy, romance, and comedy. We find out how far a scorned woman will go, what happens to a selfish man, how punishment shapes a child, what it’s like to live for hundreds of years, how paint shows a woman’s growth, why meddling in others’ lives is sometimes a good thing, and why you should always appreciate help from others.

Not all the characters of the stories in Passages benefit from their journey between doors, but these seven stories help illuminate the central concept.

You’re invited. Just open the door …

Passages, the second anthology by members of Off the Page, is available at Amazon in various formats. You can find it here .

‘ta