This collection is a unique selection of short stories that reveal truths with sometimes unexpected endings. Athough many stories focus on interactions between people, the two title bears of the book show an uncanny ability to react with very human characteristics. Each pair of the fourteen stories in between share a perspective on life with a common theme, such as The Measure of Worth, Revelation, Fear's Fulfillment, or The Fruits of Labor. A young woman in "Grandma's Treasure" looks forward to inheriting the valuables in a tin box; the Ute Indians in "Wyoming Winter" come across an unusual little man in a blizzard; "White on Blue" shows the consequences of a man's unreasonable fear of flying; and Judith in "The Fig Tree" learns she doesn't need to revive her boyfriend's love as she nurtures the fig tree he gave her. There are numerous roads leading to happiness, contentment, or disappointment. The choices created by these opportunities are what make life so interesting. From weird to sad to delightful, these stories pull the reader along on that surprising journey of life.
About the Author: Alicia Stankay writes and publishes short stories, often using her visits at state parks and nearby cabins for her settings. As an amateur photographer, she displays her unique talent by decorating her kitchen and living room walls with a colorful array of mushroom photos. Her supportive husband (first proofreader) and resident computer expert offers his services and can answer such questions as "Honey, why did my computer just make my story disappear?" When not busy writing, taking pictures, or crashing the computer, Alicia spends quality time with her three grandchildren, who are the most adorable kids on earth. (Aren't they all wonderful when they go home at night?) Alicia is now hard at work on revising her first adult novel which she hopes to publish in the near future. Bruce Midkiff spent most of his youth in Upper Michigan, running the woods. Those adventures in exploration show up in many of his short stories. When he became a historical preservation professional, it lead to travels to Europe and Egypt and several locations in the United States. This wide variety of experiences provides plenty of fodder for his stories. The escapades of his three sons over the years also supplied him with many more story ideas. Bruce is presently at work on a book explaining how to replicate and utilize historic soft lime mortars.