Amphibious Dreamers

This collection of stories by Stirling Davenport has evolved over a period of 20 years. The tales are organized loosely by genre, although such designations can be ambiguous. Stories which appear at first to be fantasy are interwoven with reality. A gravedigger sees the ghost of a dead child. A mans obsession with memory leads him into a past life as a voodoo priest. An artist has a recurring experience with a homeless woman who may be his true muse.

Mainstream tales include a childs scrap of memory, a doomed love affair, a possible suicide, and a transformative journey to Tibet. Even the authors science fiction stories explore the classic themes of courage, redemption, love and endurance. Many of Stirlings tales reflect her Buddhist philosophies. As she says, Its tempting to remake the world by writing fiction, but its more difficult to simply translate it as it is, without any judging or forcing resolution. So Ive tried to let the characters find their own way, however that happens. Its how we all live, isnt it? Following the inner voice and seeking a life of integrity and dignity without losing our humor, flexibility or love.

A few of these stories have been published elsewhere. Abbas Mark was published in 1998 by Design-Image Group in a vampire anthology called The Darkest Thirst. Engineering Beauty won a prize in eternity.coms Price of Technology contest in 1999. Dancing with the Shadow appeared on-line at Dark Planet (http://www.sfsite.com/darkplanet) in 2000. The Intercessor was presented in its original form in Dont Forget To Write: A Guide to Building and Maintaining a Lasting Writers Group, published by Xlibris in 2000, a joint venture by the 6 Ferrets Writers Group, edited by D.M. Rosner.

Background notes at the end of the book give a fascinating glimpse into the creative process of a writer, and expose the inspiration for many of the stories.