By Bina Nayak
An excerpt from Starfish Pickle reproduced with permission. Another tormenting night stretch ahead of Tara. The nagging pain caused by her tattoo bothers hers. Trying not to focus on it, she wishes, Balgo had stayed a bit longer to massage it away. Whatever he did for those few seconds seemed to work. She wonders if he’s sitting on a beach somewhere, laughing at the stars.
By Selma Carvalho
Issue no 23
A book excerpt and reading from A Sisterhood of Swans. She belongs to the sisterhood of swans seeking to pair for life, curving their necks to entwine with the perfect mate. Only, she has realized, her species is doomed to disappointment. Her disastrous choice in men is fuelled not just by a chaotic childhood but by a loss of sexual agency as she embarks on a series of doomed relationships.
