Crossing Limbo discussion

 Shane Joseph's latest book Crossing Limbo is a collection of short stories that explore the darker sides of being human with a raw honesty that keeps readers captive. It's rare to find a collection of short stories where each of the tales leave their mark. Joseph has used the world of limbo, being at odds with one's life path, to weave this stories into quick, live alone pieces. Each one completely different and yet hauntingly similar in scope. 

The first story, Waiting for the Train brings the torch of hope to two hopeless people, waiting to make a grand final exit. Joseph is able to bridge generational gaps smoothly, showing that age is not a factor when it comes to despair and wisdom comes to those who are willing to open up in times of sorrow.

Waiting for the Train is the perfect launch for this collection of the truths of modern life that at times get a little sinister. For instance, Chat Line has surprising twists about those chat lines that used to be so popular in the early days of Internet conversations. Who one is in real life often is not reflected in their online profile....and one never knows until it's to late who is the predator and who is the prey.

Shock and Awe proves that dog is man's best friend. Written from the canine vantage point this tale is inspirational in it's simple truths.

The collection as a whole is well worth the read, with many gems that will stick with you.  Many of the stories are Toronto based, with little pieces that resonate with readers from the city, you may even see yourself in a few of the tales.

Shane Joseph is a world traveller and author of four novels and three collections of short stories. His work After the Flood won the best fantasy novel award at Write Canada in 2010. His short fiction has appeared in international literary journals and anthologies.