Firebirds rising: an anthology of original science fiction and fantasy

edited by Sharyn November

"Charles de Lint. Alan Dean Foster. Diana Wynne Jones. Kelly Link. Patricia A. McKillip. Tamora Pierce. These are just a few of the acclaimed and bestselling authors who have contributed original stories to Firebirds Rising, the eagerly anticipated follow-up to the award-winning anthology Firebirds.

This collection takes readers from deep space to Faerie to just around the corner. It is full of magic, humor, adventure, and—best of all—the unexpected. The one thing readers can count on is marvelous writing. Firebirds Rising proves once again that Firebird is more than an imprint—it is a gathering place for writers and readers of speculative fiction from teenage to adult, from the United States to Europe, Asia, and beyond."

from the publisher's website

Wolf on the Fold

by Judith Clarke

"Fourteen-year-old Kenny's dad has just died, and now Kenny must become the breadwinner.
'Be careful going through the flatlands,' his mother warns him. 'Don't stop for anyone.' But Kenny does stop, and what happens next will define the man he becomes. These stories, which track the lives of Kenny, his family, and his friends over decades, are about the place where adolescence collides with adulthood. The second story involves Kenny's two daughters, who find they must rely on each other despite their differences. The third story is a snapshot of a school bully with a secret; years later, two of her victims meet her in a shop and are forced to reevaluate their feelings about her."

From the publisher; found on BN.com

Love, Football, and Other Contact Sports

by Alden R. Carter

"On 'Jersey Day' the artsy academic girl wonders suspiciously which football player could have possibly put his invitational jersey on her desk. In 'The Briefcase' the new kid reaps the consequences when his parents force him to carry an expensive briefcase with him to school. In 'Elvis' a brainy girl with this unfortunate nickname receives social aid from an unlikely benefactor--the school's football star. In these laugh-out-loud pieces, Alden R. Carter tells the stories of students from one end of the social spectrum to the other. Jock to loner, academic snob to outcast, Carter explores and shatters the stereotypes behind the relationships, friendships, rumors, peer pressure, sports, bullies, and other assorted forms of mental anguish that come with high school."

From Amazon.com