The latest book by prolific local author Edward Mickolus is actually an eclectic collection of stories and poems by 19 writers, including nine selections by Mickolus himself.
“Stories by the Side of the Road” takes readers on a ride through America and beyond, stopping at places along the way to marvel at curiosities large and small. It is Mickolus’ 52nd book.
A wide range of writing styles and forms can be found in this anthology. There are short stories, flash fiction pieces, poems (including several haiku), a nonfiction article, a 6-Word Challenge and much more. In fact, it’s as varied as those roadside curiosities tend to be.
Mickolus writes in his introduction that he got the idea for the collection during a drive he and his wife made along I-95. They saw a vehicle’s rear quarter panel off the side of the road, and it reminded Mickolus of the myriad items he’d seen lying along the shoulder at various times. We’ve all seen them and wondered: How did those particular things end up there? What events led to their abandonment at the roadside? Who made that decision?
Each item is a rich source for the imagination — and for storytelling.
“Stories by the Side of the Road” takes plenty of twists and turns within its 150 pages. Readers will find science fiction, mystery, fantasy, tales that reveal our humanity and stories that absolutely defy classification. There’s an inexplicable box of fried chicken, a damaged disco ball, a crashed hot rod, a bicycle painted white and a squirrel painted green. The phone rings in an old-fashioned phone booth. The mascot of a once ubiquitous restaurant chain offers passersby his giant, plastic burger. A money bag contains a deadly surprise, and a woman is left to drive life’s highways alone. Add to all this a pink hippo and an empty bird cage. There’s no kitchen sink, though there is a cracked toilet.
But some of the stories and poems focus on something else we encounter along our own private roads: people. The driver of a disabled SUV hides a dark secret. A hitchhiker makes observations on his journey. A breakdown in an out-of-the-way place becomes a lesson in human kindness and connection.
In all, the book contains 39 works, some short, some shorter. No two are alike. And all are loaded with that indescribable but highly prized quality: They stick with you.
