Realities: Stories from Our Times

About the Book

These short stories are meant to reflect issues affecting the lives of many in today’s society. Most of them have unexpected endings that, though sometimes shocking, are occasionally results of the situations depicted. These stories—such as “Retribution,” which focuses on elder abuse; “Revenge,” which explores the effects of sexual abuse; “Resolution,” which examines elder care issues; and “Dreamer,” which pinpoints issues with elder gambling—delve deep within the characters’ consciousness to discover sources of pain. The stories should not only start a dialogue about these issues but also help readers to examine solutions to them. Carmen Barclay Subryan, PhD

About the Author

The author was born in British Guiana (now Guyana), South America, where the roots of her ancestors run deep in the history of the country. Carmen’s education was rooted in the British system. After graduating from high school and attending teachers’ college, she left for the United States to attend Howard University. There she received her BA (magna cum laude), Phi Beta Kappa, her MA, and her PhD—all in English. In 1974, she joined the Howard faculty as an English teacher and remained until retiring in 2014. Always a writer, Carmen has self-published three novels and three books of poetry.