Cast The Cards — Janine Ashbless

For over 250 years, the use of the tarot for divination has been a mainstay of mystical and occult practices. The themes and forces represented by the cards are said to govern our lives and our destinies. Whether you believe that or not, the story of the cards is nevertheless the story of our lives -- the accomplishments and the pitfalls, the path from soaring joy to crushing defeat and back again. Cast the Cards features all new short stories by Emily Moreton, Erik Moore, Janine Ashbless, K. Piet, Marie Carlson, and S.L. Armstrong, all of which explore snapshots of remarkable individuals trying to make their way along that path. Edith, a woman who has been burned too many times to play the Fool again. Until she meets Jo, a naval communications officer, and finds herself questioning all of her assumptions about life and love. Jason, a young man whose bisexuality has made him feel like a Hermit. When he's presented with an opportunity too good to be true, can he crawl out of his cave to accept happiness? Sjofn the witch, on a quest to free herself from the control of the Hanged Man. The pair of warriors she allies herself with have secrets of their own, but are they truly worth her trust? Aaron, a dominant soul stuck in an ivory Tower. A fellow top named Travis offers to show Aaron a side of life he's not experienced before and threatens to knock down Aaron's entire house of cards. Bea, a mindreader weary of battle, but still with the Star in her eyes. When her friend and lover Hope appears, needing sanctuary, Bea offers her more than just good food and a place to rest. Caleb, courted by a god beneath a dream of the Moon. But in the waking world, a chance for something real forces Caleb to choose between love and immortality. The path the tarot set before us is never easy, but by facing it with strength and determination, the rewards it promises are worth the risk.