Undercurrents

ISBN: 1599970090

Author: Smith, Paris

Condition: New

With insight, subtlety and wit, Paris Smith crafts themes of lust, avarice and revenge, while juxtaposing them with facets of love, sacrifice and the whimsical brevity of pleasure. The seedier aspects of existence are spotlighted through the narrative lens in this collection of stories. Daily battles to surpass reality clash in "Music in the Air" with the artistic need for expressive freedom. In "Crotch Shot," a paparazzo's determination to snap a coveted still of a brash starlet scrutinizes the infamy of fame. The dark side of sexuality, with near-fatal results, is explored when a young woman's greedy power trip in "Pussy Business" backlashes into devastating havoc. As a thug-life tough ventures beyond his comfort zone for a dollar, his life descends into a "Christmas Dick" hustle. The desire for revenge is wielded as a tool for urban terrorism in "Blood of Saints and Martyrs." "Miss Crown Jewel" captures an alcoholic's destructive life choices and self-realization in a tragic attempt to regain meaning. New love, passion and tender memories morph into undying embers and are vividly defined, as an elder, in his twilight years, recalls "Golden" days with his beloved wife. While on a "Date With Geneva," a couple's city frolic invites a few tangible - and intangible - thrills that will make their first outing together remarkable.