Spirit Fruit: Collected Speculative Fiction — Carole McDonnell

This collection of published stories by novelist Carole McDonnell bring together multicultural concerns, spirituality, and speculative fiction. The fantastical elements in these tales range from contemporary worlds, to days of courtly love, to fairytales and to worlds not yet discovered. About the Author: Carole McDonnell is a Jamaican-American writer of Christian, speculative fiction, and multicultural stories. She is the author of Wind Follower, which was nominated for the Clives Staples award for Christian speculative, and The Constant Tower, among other books. The stories in this collection include: -- "Lingua Franca" - So Long Been Dreaming: Post-Colonialism in Science Fiction, edited by Nalo Hopkinson and Uppinder Mehan -- "Black is the color of my true love's hair," - Fantastic Visions III, edited by William Horner -- Homecoming at the Borderlands Cafe - Jigsaw Nation anthology, edited by Kat Sedia The Gleaners -- in Black Faery anthology So Far -- in Genesis, the Black Science Fiction Society anthology Changeling -- in Griots edited by Milton Davis and Charles Saunders Housewarming -- in When the Morning Stars Sang anthology edited by Lyndon Perry A Cry For Hire - Fantastic Stories of the Imagination, edited by Warren Lapine The Night Wife-- published in Griots II: Women of the Spear Oh Western Wind-- published in Steamfunk, edited by Milton Davis and Balogun Ojetade And the following unpublished stories: This is how you make a world A Little Haven As in the Days of Noah The Substance of Things Hoped For Meat for the Journey Review from Marvin Katzoff: These short stories are one terrific "read " Whatever the setting for each story, Carol McDonnell (one of our most gifted authors) manages to imbue each of them with a sense of humanity and compassion that shines through on every page. You'll love them I especially enjoyed "As in the Days of Noah," which builds terrific suspense in its story of a man on his wedding day, who comes to realize that something ominous may be about to occur to all of us; "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair," about a knight returning home to his beloved wife, who's joined by a spirit; and "Housewarming," a lighthearted tale of a harried hostess who has to deal with a pesky ghost at her dinner party (don't you just hate when ghosts show up uninvited?) This wonderfully humorous tale clearly shows that having a ghost hanging around a dinner party doesn't exactly help a harried hostess - especially when he turns out to be a demon Fortunately our heroine knows how to handle a pesky spirit. "So Far," great story about a man who doesn't appreciate his wonderful wife due to his desire for the "other girl." As the story is related in the second person of "you" rather than the first or third, it enables the reader to more readily identify with the lead character. The decree that each family should have only one child reminded me of China; and the baby girls being killed reminded me of India and other poor nations where baby girls are often put to death. "Lingua Franca" - interesting perspective on how what we would consider a "gift" - the ability to hear and speak - is seen by Mist as a threat to her way of life. Give new meaning to the term "cut throat." "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair" - wonderful story. "The Gleaners" - nice to see spirits who want to help the starving inhabitants of a poor village. I like how it shows the power of forgiveness at the end (even with such a villain). "The People of the Dark Mirror" - an interesting parable on segregation, and how people can't stand to see the evil in themselves. Meat For the Journey -- Wonderfully spooky story, with Father Giorgiou trying to save the soul of the dying Louise. Changeling -- This story is a classic, beautifully showing what jealousy and greed can do to families, even royal ones