Twenty-seven speculative short stories celebrating the value of the journey: how lessons learned traveling the path between two points often transcend the goal of reaching the destination. These tales—including science fiction, fantasy, and horror—introduce characters who traverse unusual and often unsettling routes toward their desired objectives. A man ventures through the depths of his beloved's subconscious to save her, only to discover a deep-rooted secret that could destroy everything. A young girl and a newly found friend travel to the Middle of Nowhere, desperate to find a way Out. A teenager struggles to escape the clutches of a demonic blanket inherited from a deceased family member. An "ugly" vampire goes through hell on earth to find his true self and his one true love. A woman revisits her past to determine whether it’s time to pull the plug on a scientific experiment that’s sustained—and devastated—her family for decades. Passageways is the second short story collection from author Lisa Fox, following her acclaimed debut Core Truths. In these pages, readers voyage through darkness and light, fear and faith; toward understanding and peace. Sanctuary. Self-awareness. Being heard. Being loved. As speculative literary fiction, the stories in this anthology harmonize the excitement and otherworldly escapism that genre-based tales offer with the lyrical poeticism of language that makes storytelling sing. What readers are saying... "Definitely recommended to speculative fiction lovers who enjoy short stories focussed on the emotions as much as on the fantastical elements… There is an emotional undertone to many of the stories, something not common in SFF. ...She captures emotions in a vivid style, and never lets the situation or the human response appear unrealistic. Her prose is also very lyrical, lending a beauty to the proceedings even when they are not charming." – Rosh Reviews, Book Blogger "I found Lisa Fox's collection of short stories an enjoyable and ... thought-provoking read. As someone who has delved into speculative fiction before, I ...appreciated how these stories seamlessly swapped between genres, keeping each narrative fresh and unpredictable. Each tale captured my attention, often with a single sentence or paragraph that stopped me in my tracks, compelling me to think deeply about the point being made." – Sazerina Wilde, Goodreads review "Though Fox is a speculative fiction writer, she is also one of those rare authors whose works can also be called literary. I love her ability to write lyrical prose that never feels overdone and the fearless way she grabs my heart time and time again. Whether wrangling with bad rulers, love gone wrong, monsters, or beloved children, Fox always pulls at my emotions and makes me think." –Andrea Goyan, Award Winning Sci-Fi Author "I have a special love for short stories... And then, I have even more love for speculative fiction. This book contains 27 bite-sized snacks of stories. Each deliciously savory, each giving a glimpse into another world. It feels like having read 27 books in one. If you too happen to be a fan of those two things (short stories and speculative fiction, some of it downright borderline horror, by the way), then add this one to your TBR." –ThisHumanReads, Book Blogger "The purpose of scifi stories... is to get us thinking about concepts that are awaiting us in the future, or even contemplating, in abstract, difficult subjects in the present. ...Lisa Fox’s ... scifi ideas are mind-bending and wildly imaginative, but they’re always delivered through deeply human dilemmas and come wrapped in literary sentences you want to re-read, as she brings all your senses alive.... I found it useful to have a tissue box nearby as her tales gave me all the feels as well as the science." – Paulene Turner, Author of the Time Travel Chronicles series