Clare Lane says she had

ALT: a black and white photo of a man and woman holding a small child

From the opening paragraphs, it's obvious that this is a really, really strong read. Jim is the manager of a famous rock band and we join him as arrives at a small club venue to set-up for a show. At first, we're presented with what feels like it could be a straightforward rock 'n' roll story, as the set-up and venue and gig are described in rigorous, authentic detail.

Matthew ch.25 vs31-46 (New International Version) 31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

The Vertical Distance Between Us is a short tale, but no less powerful for it. Pasupathi writes beautifully and weaves a captivating world for the reader. Sights, sounds, smells... the world is vivid and evocative, creating an atmosphere that feels tangible. At the heart of The Vertical Distance, two young people who've grown up beside one another and are now approaching marriage, find that some obstacles cannot be overlooked and that the mistakes of the past need to be addressed before we can move forward.

ALT: a man in a white karate uniform is running and waving .

"In the place I used to live, my rusty top bunk rocked like a boat. Night after night, it carried me off towards a secret crevice. Some nights the crevice unfurled a tongue to lick me, and barked at me, sending jolts of excitement through my narrow little life. Other nights it snuck into my embryonic dreams and bared gleaming fangs, nipping at the nerves of my memory like a feisty lover..."