Bug Stew and Other Short Stories

In "Bug Stew", Andrew chain smokes while staying in a motel with his new and much older lover, Tony. He reminisces about his days in New Orleans. While he drinks and stares out at the murky, green motel pool, he comes to realize his extreme distaste for Fort Lauderdale and the decisions he made to land himself there. Thomas Davis was a Baptist "Preacher" for most of his life and preached the importance of abstinence from drugs and alcohol. After retiring, he begins drinking heavily and using hard drugs. This is a short story delving into the complexity of addiction. In "The Murderer Across the Hall", Randy's dead ex-girlfriend, Evelyn, emerges from his television for the fifth time. Things get extremely heated when Evelyn, once again, refuses to speak to Randy and won't leave his apartment. Whisper Lake may seem like the safest apartment complex in Winter Park, but when animals in the neighborhood start disappearing, three boys decide to investigate the lake behind their houses. What they discover is more frightening than they ever imagined. They come up with a plan to kill the "Whisper Lake Monster" once and for all. "The Other Side of Vanity" is based on the The Story of Echo and Narcissus, but with an unexpected twist. Instead of Narcissus being obsessed with how handsome he is, he becomes obsessed with how terrible he believes he looks.