The special ability of a jellyfish may be one man's only hope to save his husband.
In a world where the gods have returned, their only folly was not expecting humanity to fight back.
When trauma disconnects someone's soul from their body, one person has the ability to reunite them.
A family gift of reading the spirits in flames has taken everything from her, but can it give her everything she needs?
In The Stars Will Guide Us Back, thirteen short stories encapsulating the elements of speculative fiction and magical realism travel the themes of mental health, loss, mortality, self-confidence, and finding hope through difficult circumstances. Explore the immersive worlds within, along with a range of peculiar, distinct, and queer characters.
Sometimes confidence comes from knowing we have no other choice, and the ones who rescue us come from the strangest places. Dark and light collide in this collection that highlights the liminal spaces of the human experience.
Praise for The Stars Will Guide Us Back:
"Rue Sparks uses their writing to do exactly what science fiction and fantasy is supposed to do โ hold up a mirror to our reality that startles us out of complacency and makes us see our world in new and profound ways. While only a few pages each, the stories in The Stars Will Guide Us Back are tender, terrifying, and at times heartbreaking. They will cling to you long after you finish reading."
- C. Vandyke, President and Editor-in-Chief of Skullgate Media, Author of Postcards From NeoTokyo
"This is a collection that dances between the sublime and wonder found in the mundane spectacularly. Sparks' characteristic poetic prose and ability to blend whimsy and reality frames the narratives perfectly, and lures the reader into always reading just a little more to indulge further in the rich imaginative tales they craft."
- Rory Michaelson, Author of Lesser Known Monsters
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Content Warnings:
Apocalypse/End of the World Scenario, Brief Mentions of Toxic Masculinity, Depression & Anxiety, Cosmic Events, Domestic Violence (Off-screen/Implied), Gaslighting, Grief & Loss, Homophobia (Verbal), Mentions of Unsupportive Parenting, Terminal Illness