Unnatural Habitats & Other Stories

Unnatural Habitats and Other Stories is collection of connected stories set in the Ozarks that explores the relationships between people and place and the changing culture of the rural America. These stories show characters grappling with a growing crime culture in a place that had previously felt untouched by the world outside, forcing them to reevaluate their sense of right and wrong. A land of dying farms with an aging population—and little opportunity available for the young who remain—poverty is at the heart of many of the conflicts. But even those characters who enjoy a certain wealth and privilege find themselves at odds—and out of step—with parents, children, lovers, friends, and neighbors. This collection asks what it means to belong to a certain place.