This debut collection by Nebula-nominated author P.A. Cornell brings together twenty-one tales of fantasy and science fiction that run the gamut from lighthearted to dark. The stories examine our connections to each other, to technology, to the world that surrounds us, and even to ourselves. Journey through circumstances that defy explanation, and explore events yet to come, that have come before, or that exist outside of time altogether. Included are Cornell's acclaimed story "Once Upon a Time at The Oakmont," as well as the award-winning "Splits," and two brand new works published here for the first time.

P.A. Cornell is an award-winning Chilean-Canadian speculative fiction author. In 2024, she became the first ever Chilean-born finalist for the Nebula Award for her story, "Once Upon a Time at The Oakmont," later receiving her second Nebula nomination for "Through the Machine" in 2026. Additionally, Cornell has been a finalist for the Aurora and World Fantasy Awards, and in 2022, her story "Splits" won Canada's Short Works Prize.Despite her early interest in fiction, Cornell's first publications were in non-fiction as a journalist and copy editor. Since 2015, she's dedicated herself to writing science fiction, fantasy, and horror full time, and her stories have appeared in over seventy magazines and anthologies, including multiple "Best of the Year" anthologies. In 2026, Cornell has published two books through Stars and Sabers Publishing: her novelette Shoeshine Boy & Cigarette Girl, as well as her debut collection, The Astronaut Among the Flowers and Other Stories.