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On the Way
Cyn Vargas's debut explores the whims and follies of the heart. When a mother disappears in Guatemala, her daughter refuses to accept she's gone; a divorced DMV employee falls in love during a driving lesson; a young girl shares a well-kept family secret; a bad haircut is the last straw in a crumbling marriage. Cyn Vargas lives in Chicago, Illinois.
188 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2015
5 people are currently reading
463 people want to read
About the author
Cyn Vargas
6 books19 followersCyn Vargas is an accomplished author and faculty member in short fiction at StoryStudio Chicago. Her short story collection, "On The Way," has garnered rave reviews from notable publications such as Shelf Awareness, Library Journal, Heavy Feather Review, and Necessary Fiction. The book has received several accolades, including being named one of Book Scrolling's Best Short Story Collections of All Time and earning recognition from Chicago Book Review and the Chicago Writers Association.
Cyn's writing has been featured in esteemed literary magazines including Split Lip Magazine, Word Riot, Chicago Reader Fiction Issue, Allium Magazine, and Hypertext Magazine, among others. She has been honored as a Top 25 Finalist and received Honorable Mention in Glimmer Train's Short Story Award for New Writers contests. Additionally, Cyn's work was selected as a Symphony Space Selected Short and was produced live on stage and made available as a podcast.
Beyond her writing accomplishments, Cyn is an esteemed member of the literary community. She serves on the Curatorial Board for the Ragdale Foundation and holds a position on the Board of Directors for Hypertext Studio. In recognition of her teaching excellence, she was voted Stories Matter Foundation's 2022 Instructor of the Year.
Cyn holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia College Chicago and takes great pride in her heritage as a first-generation American with El Salvadoran and Guatemalan roots. Her upcoming novella, scheduled for release in spring 2024, will be published by Tortoise Books.
Cyn's writing has been featured in esteemed literary magazines including Split Lip Magazine, Word Riot, Chicago Reader Fiction Issue, Allium Magazine, and Hypertext Magazine, among others. She has been honored as a Top 25 Finalist and received Honorable Mention in Glimmer Train's Short Story Award for New Writers contests. Additionally, Cyn's work was selected as a Symphony Space Selected Short and was produced live on stage and made available as a podcast.
Beyond her writing accomplishments, Cyn is an esteemed member of the literary community. She serves on the Curatorial Board for the Ragdale Foundation and holds a position on the Board of Directors for Hypertext Studio. In recognition of her teaching excellence, she was voted Stories Matter Foundation's 2022 Instructor of the Year.
Cyn holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia College Chicago and takes great pride in her heritage as a first-generation American with El Salvadoran and Guatemalan roots. Her upcoming novella, scheduled for release in spring 2024, will be published by Tortoise Books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
December 22, 2018
Some people go to church to think about things. Some people go to the bar. But the next morning I went to the library. I ran my fingers along the book spines as I paced up and down the rows, both hands reaching out, touching them all.
Vargas bridges two landscapes in her stories - the internal and personal, the young and old, the bonds of family and friendship - and the external landscape of the United States and Guatemala and El Salvador.
These short stories carry an emotional weight, poignant and heartbreaking in some, humorus and light in others. This was a great collection, and I hope to see more from Cyn Vargas.
January 27, 2016
I had no idea what to expect when I got this book. The cover is really cool and I need short stories in my reading sometimes. On the Way was an excellent collection of great stories. I loved almost all the stories, even though they don’t all have a happy ending.
On The Way is a collection of twelve stories. Anyone of these stories were captivating enough to make me a fan of the author. The characters are very well written, as are the scenes, the emotions involved. I really enjoy this writer’s style. Most of the stories were of youth, or the relationships of a child to family and friends. There were a few that were just adults, with children in the background. Even with all the adolescences, the subject matter was mature. Most of these stories talked about surviving tragedy of some sort; lose of love, losing a parent, lose of innocence, ending friendships. I can tell you that none of them made me cry, because surviving is the whole point. The author is careful to lead the reader back to a place of hope, or at least a way to deal with the events in the story, before moving on to another.
Some of the stories really stick out in my mind. Guate was such a great way to start this collection. It is a story about a girl and her mother visit their aunt in Guatemala. This story broke my heart, but then it reminded me to not give up hope. That Girl, which is all about being different and being honest with yourself. At This Moment which I unfortunately can relate to, I am sad about the secrets we have to keep. Next in Line was about a man who administers driving tests for licenses. His story was more of a day in the life of, but it was really entertaining.
Each of these stories is an experience. I am so glad I got a chance to read this book. The writing was so honest, and it made me feel for the characters. I would recommend this to someone who enjoys reading short stories, I would love to see a full length novel from this author.
On The Way is a collection of twelve stories. Anyone of these stories were captivating enough to make me a fan of the author. The characters are very well written, as are the scenes, the emotions involved. I really enjoy this writer’s style. Most of the stories were of youth, or the relationships of a child to family and friends. There were a few that were just adults, with children in the background. Even with all the adolescences, the subject matter was mature. Most of these stories talked about surviving tragedy of some sort; lose of love, losing a parent, lose of innocence, ending friendships. I can tell you that none of them made me cry, because surviving is the whole point. The author is careful to lead the reader back to a place of hope, or at least a way to deal with the events in the story, before moving on to another.
Some of the stories really stick out in my mind. Guate was such a great way to start this collection. It is a story about a girl and her mother visit their aunt in Guatemala. This story broke my heart, but then it reminded me to not give up hope. That Girl, which is all about being different and being honest with yourself. At This Moment which I unfortunately can relate to, I am sad about the secrets we have to keep. Next in Line was about a man who administers driving tests for licenses. His story was more of a day in the life of, but it was really entertaining.
Each of these stories is an experience. I am so glad I got a chance to read this book. The writing was so honest, and it made me feel for the characters. I would recommend this to someone who enjoys reading short stories, I would love to see a full length novel from this author.
April 9, 2015
I opened On the Way when I sat down for my four hour flight from Chicago to SF. Three hours in, I set the book down, took a deep breath, looked out the window, and tried not to cry.
This collection circles around intimate relationships, the familial and the carnal. People come together, people fall apart, and the collection bears witness to the darker and dangerous shades of love. Cyn's prose is smooth, like caramel, and the stories flow into each other with ease. At the end of the book, I was disappointed to not have any more stories to read, so instead I bought the in-flight Wi-Fi to tell you all that this book is the best and Cyn is awesome!
This collection circles around intimate relationships, the familial and the carnal. People come together, people fall apart, and the collection bears witness to the darker and dangerous shades of love. Cyn's prose is smooth, like caramel, and the stories flow into each other with ease. At the end of the book, I was disappointed to not have any more stories to read, so instead I bought the in-flight Wi-Fi to tell you all that this book is the best and Cyn is awesome!
April 20, 2015
I really am speechless after reading this book. It's a quick read but due to the powerful impact all of these stories will have on you, I often had to take a break after each read to collect myself. I was also a bit angry because I wanted more. I wanted to know how these characters grew past these horrific situations in their lives. I wanted to hug them, tell them things perhaps they longed but couldn't get.
Cyn Vargas is an excellent writer. Hands down. She will draw you in with beautiful scenery, likable characters, and then BAM will slap you in the face with the truth of how the world really runs and you are left a bit damaged but wiser.
I highly recommend this book, but remember to grab some tissue.
Cyn Vargas is an excellent writer. Hands down. She will draw you in with beautiful scenery, likable characters, and then BAM will slap you in the face with the truth of how the world really runs and you are left a bit damaged but wiser.
I highly recommend this book, but remember to grab some tissue.
December 17, 2015
On The Way is a collection of stories that I most appreciate for its diverse cast of characters and stories. The 14 stories in this book feature strong character development despite their short length.
Although I enjoyed this book, the stories became formulaic. Many of the stories felt rushed. I was left feeling like nothing really happened, or that all I was reading was summary. The retrospective voice in the stories became tiresome through repetition, and the ends of the stories began to feel like they were all being wrapped up in the same way. It often felt like the stories were starting with heavy introduction and rushing to the conclusion without giving the reader the time to enjoy the middle. Although I would be very willing to read more of Vargas' work, this collection did fall a little short for me.
Although I enjoyed this book, the stories became formulaic. Many of the stories felt rushed. I was left feeling like nothing really happened, or that all I was reading was summary. The retrospective voice in the stories became tiresome through repetition, and the ends of the stories began to feel like they were all being wrapped up in the same way. It often felt like the stories were starting with heavy introduction and rushing to the conclusion without giving the reader the time to enjoy the middle. Although I would be very willing to read more of Vargas' work, this collection did fall a little short for me.
May 9, 2015
I enjoyed all of these stories! Cyn Vargas is a wonderful storyteller and each of these short tales builds perfectly off of the one preceding it. It is very evident that some of these stories required an inconceivable amount of courage to tell; each one is quietly powerful and moving in a way that I can't quite describe. For example, I found myself getting choked up reading 'Next in Line,' a story not short on humor or light heartedness at all and yet, it's a testament to Cyn Vargas' writing that she is able to make her readers feel so many emotions in only a few paragraphs. Read this! You'll be a better person for it.
March 11, 2015
"on The Way" Stories by Cyn Vargas was a really nice quick read. It contains about 12 stories all of which were good. I enjoyed them all but my favorites had to be "Get On It" about Sebastian and Grace because I think many couples can relate. "Next In Line" was also a fun read about Lloyd and Melanie and DMV. I'd recommend this to everyone and will likely go back and read some of the stories again. I won this great book on GoodReads.com. Like I do with most my wins I will be paying it forward by loaning my autographed copy to a friend to read, and then it goes on my special AUTOGRAPHED shelf. Thanks for a great quick read Cyn.
March 31, 2015
This collection of beautifully raw stories was one that I'm glad to have won from Goodreads first-reads. Cyn Vargas has left me unable to pick a favorite among the stories, all are equally captivating in their own unique ways. Through the various insights, On the Way inspires a gentle reminder to be kinder because you never know what someone could be dealing with alone.
February 22, 2020
I appreciate the concept of each story and the overall theme, but every ending felt too tidy, too rushed. The author has a great skill at drawing you in with the first couple of pages, or even the first couple lines, but the endings would feel formulaic, underwhelming, and sometimes unrelated.
I would not recommend to someone, especially if they are a beginner with short story narratives. This one left a stale aftertaste.
I would not recommend to someone, especially if they are a beginner with short story narratives. This one left a stale aftertaste.
April 14, 2015
These are brief, poignant stories, each swiftly gathering speed as the main characters, setting, and/or the hint of a crisis are established in the first few sentences. As in the opening paragraph of "Myrna's Dad": "My younger cousin Myrna came out of the womb asking questions. Why does a dog bark? Why is the sun hot? Where is my daddy?" Vargas's prose is economical without being stingy, compassionate and vibrant without ever resorting to a cheap tug on the heartstrings. In a few short pages she creates memorable characters that the reader hates to leave behind--an issue may have come to some kind of resolution, but the protagonist is so vividly drawn that we feel more must lie in store for this person. In "Then It's Over," the last sentences intimate that Anna, the narrator, is finding a way to deal with her father's seemingly cruel and thoughtless act. This moment of transformation provides an evocative ending, but it makes Anna so remarkable that I want to know what she will do next. Instead, I could only turn the page and be drawn into a new scenario: a narrator named Sonia, her cousin Myrna (the one with all the questions), and a mystery about Myrna's absent father. This is a wonderful read.
August 3, 2015
Soulful.
I've never read a collection of short stories quite like this, but I took a chance. It more than paid off, and I feel reading this book has made me a better person.
'On The Way' is a stellar work of fiction, centered around family, relationships, and love for one another. It's powerful and reflective and deeply personal. In it, we glimpse the world through the eyes of both children and adults, seeing their troubles, fears, and desires. Though these tales are short, the writing is crisp and precise, and in a few paragraphs, the author, Cyn Vargas, is able to make us feel a whole range of emotions. We feel as if we've known these characters for a long time, as if we've developed secret handshakes and shared inside jokes.
It's a beautiful thing. 'On The Way' is a breath of pure, unfiltered humanity, and it's absolutely the very definition of that cathartic release we look for when we hunt for great fiction.
Cyn Vargas is a master, and I'll be on the lookout for what she writes next.
I've never read a collection of short stories quite like this, but I took a chance. It more than paid off, and I feel reading this book has made me a better person.
'On The Way' is a stellar work of fiction, centered around family, relationships, and love for one another. It's powerful and reflective and deeply personal. In it, we glimpse the world through the eyes of both children and adults, seeing their troubles, fears, and desires. Though these tales are short, the writing is crisp and precise, and in a few paragraphs, the author, Cyn Vargas, is able to make us feel a whole range of emotions. We feel as if we've known these characters for a long time, as if we've developed secret handshakes and shared inside jokes.
It's a beautiful thing. 'On The Way' is a breath of pure, unfiltered humanity, and it's absolutely the very definition of that cathartic release we look for when we hunt for great fiction.
Cyn Vargas is a master, and I'll be on the lookout for what she writes next.
July 12, 2015
Vargas has a knack for finding the perfect moments to explore her themes, which in this collection revolve myriad ways around: truth--keeping it from others or ourselves for bad or for good and all the in-betweens; absence--it's causes and effects; and strengths facing challenges the world puts on her characters. Her stories contain fathers who do the unspeakable and the unspoken, lovers who give up or find their way to finding their way, mothers who try, and people who don't stop trying, amidst the odds that maybe they shouldn't sometimes--but the times they should make the questions worth it.
All in all, it's a sold collection, full of vivid prose and characters and feelings well worth soaking in.
All in all, it's a sold collection, full of vivid prose and characters and feelings well worth soaking in.
March 18, 2015
On the Way had several (very) short stories, dealing with love, loss, and moving on with life. While some stories were better than others, I enjoyed the book overall. A nice quick weekend read to relax with.
April 18, 2019
What a powerful collection of short stories. Vargas captures a distinct voice in each of the 14 stories in this collection. I found myself wanting more of each character’s story, only turn the page to another poignant tale. If you’re in the mood for memorable short stories that are are truly short, grab On The Way.
May 6, 2021
I picked this up from the library without much thoughts. I borrowed it because it’s a compilation of short stories. Just with the first story, it made me very emotional. Good kind of emotional. All the stories in this book made me rethink of all the struggles that females go through.
I’m not good at writing reviews but this is a good book. I’m glad that I picked it up and read it!
I’m not good at writing reviews but this is a good book. I’m glad that I picked it up and read it!
July 4, 2020
The stories within these pages are as heart wrenching as they are heart warming. It gave me a new appreciation and consideration for how even the smallest of interactions can change someone else’s world as well as my own.
May 3, 2023
This is lovely little collection of short, engaging, emotionally resonant stories about broken homes, absent parents, and supposed role models behaving badly. Vargas' prose is spare, but her stories pack a punch.
December 2, 2018
More like 3 1/2 stars, the books is a quick, not unpleasant read.
February 19, 2019
I'll be honest, I binge read this for school and all I remember are there were lots of stories with grandparents. This is not the fault of the book, just my life and current attention span.
February 23, 2019
Surprisingly delightful stories. I'll be watching for more from Vargas.
August 3, 2019
Thoroughly enjoyed these heart-breaking stories. Can’t wait to see what other beauties Vargas delights us with in her novel.
October 20, 2021
A nice grouping of short stories, varying in length. So many can be used to foster a meaningful group discussion.
I recommend.
I recommend.
January 15, 2022
As a short story fan I was not disappointed in this collection. There is an overwhelming sense of loss in most of these stories. Fresh, blunt writing about hard topics.
September 3, 2022
Cyn Vargas is an absolutely amazing writer, and I loved these stories!
July 8, 2023
Easy to read, quick short stories. But lacked depth and originality.
October 7, 2023
A wonderful collection of short stories.
December 6, 2023
Picked up Cyn's lovely collection at Printer's Row this year. Favorites include "Myrna's Dad," "Flash. Then It's Over," and "The Keys."
January 2, 2016
Picked up this collection of short stories for my book club this month. It was selected by our club because Cyn Vargas is a local author who we reached out to and invited to our meeting. I've never read anything quite like this book and found it really interesting. It has 10 to 12 short stories that are around 5 pages each. Within such a short space, Cyn develops the characters and tells us a snippet of their lives. My favorite was the "Blind Guy" because it had some funny memorable parts to it. Cyn attended our meeting and shared with us that she wrote that story to read at a bar and wanted it to be more upbeat since people at bars are drinking and don't want to hear something that will bring them down. I enjoyed meeting Cyn and look forward to reading the novel that she's currently working on.
September 26, 2021
This is a beautiful collection of short stories, a wonderful array of pieces written as if by magic.
Ms. Vargas has unique gift for making it seem so effortless, with beautiful writing that engages and touches the reader so simply and completely. From stories of daughters and mothers, of families and marriages, to the struggles of the human spirit, Ms. Vargas' prose is engaging and immediate, (very) funny and enlightening.
The perfect size, both physically and in content, this book is such a joy, pure and simple.
Ms. Vargas has unique gift for making it seem so effortless, with beautiful writing that engages and touches the reader so simply and completely. From stories of daughters and mothers, of families and marriages, to the struggles of the human spirit, Ms. Vargas' prose is engaging and immediate, (very) funny and enlightening.
The perfect size, both physically and in content, this book is such a joy, pure and simple.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews