On "Snow, Falling" by Dan Moreau (2455 words) ***

A battle of wills is at the heart of the story, only the protagonist isn't yet aware of it. The premise is fairly simple--a man picking his son up from college after a disappointing year. The son has plans of his own. The man, by contrast, continues to think of his son as a kid, evidenced by small gestures such as patting the son's head. I can't say when my father last patted my head, but it certainly wasn't when I was in college. Read the story here at In Posse Review.

On "Raimundo" by Dan Moreau (2388 words) ***

Echoes of Gary Soto's Nickel and Dime here. This is a story about an Hispanic migrant who's settled down in a home in San Antonio and who dreams of a woman in his past. The neighborhood he lives in is one where even the cops litter and where calls to 911 are about as effective as take-out orders to that restaurant that went out of business fifteen years ago would be. And the woman he likes seems just as unobtainable. This is a story of dreams unfulfilled--of dreams impossible to fill. Read it here at Segue.