Something a little different from novelist Lori L. Lake. Here is a book of short stories written about ordinary people with uncommon—and also universal—problems.

A mother and daughter having an age-old fight. Small children bullied on the playground taking back their power. A father trying to understand his lesbian daughters retreat from him. A frightened woman attempting to deal with an abusive partner. An athlete who misses her chance—or does she? An elderly couple stalked by an old woman. These stories and more are told in Jumping Over My Head & Other Stories.

The Bright Side . . . Vagabonds . . . A Letter From Father . . . Mouse . . . Afraid of the Dark . . . Everything You Learn in Kindergarten Can Ruin Your Life . . . The Jungle Garden . . . Busybody . . . Defending Angels . . . Propane . . . Strange Inclinations . . . The Big Eddy . . . My Lifesaving Journal . . . Jumping Over My Head

Fourteen stories about characters dealing with life, love, and loss. Lovingly crafted, the collection has been described as a series of mini-novels where themes of alienation and loss, particularly for characters who are gay or lesbian, are woven throughout. Lake is right on about the anguish and confusion of characters caught in the middle of circumstances, usually of someone elses making. Still, each character steps out with hope and determination.