"Kisses conquer all." That's what five-year-old Addison was told by her mother following her grandfather's death. In the years that follow, Addison holds those words close, closer than her mother-or her father, or her brother-may have ever thought possible. And the consequences for them all might just be too much to bear.
"Q&A" is an experimental short story (written entirely in Q&A format) that brings into focus the power just a few words can have-on a child, on a family, and on a community.
If you enjoy short stories from any of the following authors, "Q&A" might just resonate with you: Caitlin Horrocks, Adam Johnson, Alice Walker, Raymond Carver, Colum McCann, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Jim Harrison, Karen Russell.
"Q&A" is a story from Strays Like Us, a collection of ten standalone short stories exploring what it means to grow up in America.