UP UP UP

Julie Booker gives us a collection of nineteen bite sized, hilarious, off-kilter stories about love, sex, friendships, travel, and insatiable hunger. They are taught, compassionate and true. Her deceptively simple storylines are handled with intelligence and a light sisterness that make them entirely satisfying.

A pair of plus-sized friends make tracks for a kayaking trip in Alaska. A woman vacations with her parents at a Texas trailer park, wondering why she can't meet a man. A worldly member of a tour group selects sacrifices from among the most cherished belongings of her fellow travellers. A young man dreams of rescuing an abusive friend's girlfriend - and of having her for himself.

Having already been identified by the Writer's Union of Canada as an up and coming talent, winning the Short Pose Competition in 2009, Booker reminds us of the power of words to enlighten and move us - but most of all, to delight us. Her writing is a revelation - wildly whimsical and yet razor-sharp, highly unusual and yet prompting gasps of recognition on every page.