A collection of ten short stories by Michael Milardo

From the back cover:
A remarkable collection of ten finely crafted stories, Love and Illusions, Sunlight and Shadows explores the complexities of human nature in ways that are at once poignant and profound, passionate and demanding. Each story, whether its main character is a child or an adult, is rooted in contradictions: good vs. evil, light vs. shadow, reality vs. illusion- the antitheses we all experience and explore in life, whether we are ready to, or not. While each story is unique, each also echoes the other's themes as they delve into the nuances of love and loss, truth and deception, and the decisions we make while confronting these issues that ultimately define us as human beings. Perhaps the theme that most unifies these riveting tales, however, is childhood, particularly in the first four stories, which feature children trapped in situations they are mentally and emotionally unprepared to handle, but must seek to resolve, anyway. The remaining six tales, while implementing adults as their protagonists, also examine the effects their childhood experiences have had on their mental and emotional make-ups.