Claire O'Dell—Living in an Alter­nate Future

A Handful of Pearls & Other Stories

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Apple | Smashwords

FINALIST for Best Indie Fantasy/Paranormal, 2011 RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards

A Handful of Pearls & Other Stories collects nine stories by award-winning author [Claire O’Dell], ranging from fantasy to SF to the unclassified. These tales include gender-bending aliens, escaped slaves in an alternate Haiti, a pre-teen arthropod and his dog, and a woman who might, nor might not, be Medusa.

“…this collection contains a genuinely lyrical, well-imagined, and complex assemblage of tales. It is the most compelling ever read by this reviewer.””   —Victoria Frerich, RT Book Reviews

“‘[O’Dell’s] lush prose focuses on scent, touch, and world building…it’s clear she’s a writer to watch.”  —Publishers Weekly

“Lyrical, touching and imaginative short fiction of the highest calibre… A Handful of Pearls & Other Stories stands out by its wonderful prose. If it has a theme, it is about strong people who are in a less than privileged position—mostly women in male dominated societies, but not only—it is also about regrets and (sometimes) second chances, with sense of wonder and great characters; the occasional lighter touches work well too.”   —Fantasy Book Critic

“In this collection of short stories, veteran sf author [O’Dell] delivers nine imaginative tales…These vivid tales can’t be pigeonholed or labeled, comprising an oddly exceptional read.”   —Booklist