Made in L.A. Vol. 2: Chasing the Elusive Dream

by Cody Sisco (Editor), Allison Rose (Cover designer), Gabi Lorino (Editor)

While Made in L.A. Volume 1 was rooted in Los Angeles, this second volume focuses on goals, dreams, and the distant horizon. Chasing the Elusive Dream explores the fantasies people carry with them to L.A., as well as the dreams Angelenos dream while surrounded by this vast and evolving city.



This anthology series showcases a diverse range of voices and genres. Like the City of Angels where these stories were born, nothing is off-limits. Literary or contemporary, fantasy or science fiction, each story in this volume invites you to view this urban landscape through a different lens.



Made in L.A. Writers came into being because local readers expressed their desire, en masse, for stories about Los Angeles. As a collaborative of Los Angeles-based writers who are dedicated to nurturing and promoting indie fiction, our work is both influenced and illuminated by our hometown and underpinned by the extraordinary, multifaceted, and often surreal culture and life in L.A.

222 pages, Paperback

Published May 31, 2019

About the author

Cody Sisco is an author, editor, publisher, and literary community organizer. His LGBT psychological science fiction series includes two novels thus far, Broken Mirror and Tortured Echoes. He is a freelance editor specializing in genre-bending fiction and the acquisitions editor for RIZE Press. In 2017, he co-founded Made in L.A. Writers, an indie author co-op dedicated to the support and appreciation of independent authors. His startup, BookSwell, is a literary events and media production company dedicated to lifting up marginalized voices and connecting readers and writers in Southern California and beyond. He serves as a Co-Executive on the Board of Governors for the Editorial Freelancers Association and as a board member at APLA Health.

Reviews

[Lynn P · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are millions of stories to be told in this sprawling city of four million, and the slices of life in this volume represent the vastness that is LA. From Mariachi Plaza gangsta life to lessons to be learned about college life, this volume gives a well-rounded view of life in the big city. Surreal stories, like Serenade of The Gangsta, describe scenes that make the images reveal a living reality; colors, cockroaches, sounds of guitar strings all liven the imagination. Then we get taken to the ocean, in Luigi’s Song, where the narrator shares with us her passion, a world with whales. Communication never seemed so natural and meaningful, with songs and feelings expressed between woman and whale...with an important message about ecology. In College Lessons, Gabi Lorino has presented us with a guide for every college freshman out there. So many experiences...from dorm life, parties, and relationships, to sharing apartments and beginning new jobs...these are just a few of the life-changing events that the author addresses and brings out a cautionary tale through the wise eyes of Robin. These stories are thoughtful and through the serious themes of loss, addiction, and suicide, emphasize that knowing oneself and giving careful consideration to change and new emotions can help people move forward when in dark places. This collection is an excellent representation of life in LA.

[Gabi Lorino · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a contributor to this anthology but I really enjoyed the other stories, especially Nolan Knight's "Mouth Bay," which is unexpectedly funny, Nick Duretta's "Lucky and Carmela," which is quite surprising, and Sara Chisolm's "The Serenade of the Gangsta," which incorporates a lot of fantastical elements. Also, I've read "Luigi's Gift" by Jude-Marie Green several times and end up crying at the end every time! I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants glimpses into life in L.A. and Southern California.

[JMP · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic collection. I enjoyed all the stories - they're all were well written, particularly A.S. Youngless' "For Hire," which is sharp, vivid, funny and thrilling. Los Angeles is a strange city with a rich history of fiction written about it - I would add this collection to that canon.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this at my local used bookstore (Gatsby Books in Long Beach) and this is a perfect example of why we need physical bookstores and not just Amazon. I never would have found this online. Really entertaining short stories that all have LA as the canvas over which the stories are overlaid. As with any collection I liked some more than others but i enjoyed the variety in both topics and writing styles. Look forward to Volume 3 next year.

[Linda Rorex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fiction anthology featuring stories by various authors, all centered around the theme of dreams and aspirations in Los Angeles. This collection explores twelve captivating stories of the fantasies people bring to the city, as well as the dreams that Angelenos pursue while navigating the vibrant and ever-changing urban landscape. The anthology includes stories by Sara Chisolm - The Serenade of the Gangsta; Luigi's Song by Jude-Marie Green; Lucky and Carmela by Nick Duretta; Billboard Cowboy by Axel Milens; College Lessons & Letting Go by Gabi Lorino; Face by Cody Sisco; Two Kings by C. Gregory Thompson; Mouth Bay by Nolan Knight; For Hire by A.S. Youngless; Burning Man by James Ferry and Edition of Ten by Abigail Walthausen. It reflects on the allure of the City of Angels as a place of opportunity and reinvention. Some stories incorporate elements of fantasy and science fiction, adding a layer of surrealism to the exploration of dreams and the human experience. I really enjoyed this fantastic compilation of literary anthology collections. I had the opportunity to meet Cody Sisco at a book signing and I was truly impressed by his work and I am leaving an honest review.

[Robin Chappell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good selection of Short Stories, althouh some of them were hard for me to get through. Only one however, had me stopping halway through (sorry, Cody).

Al in all, a very diverse and fulfilling collection.