HOW WILL YOU REMEMBER THE PANDEMIC?

40 authors from around the world set out to record their innermost feelings-- to offer inspiring, heartfelt, creative takes on the Covid-19 pandemic. Crime fiction, elegant and angry poetry, and gut-wrenching personal essays: all paint a picture of the year and help us make sense of the sacrifices we've made in 2020.

Thank you for your generous support: all profits donated to charity.

A brainchild of editor Lise McClendon, the anthology was shepherded by her with her co-editors— Taffy Cannon, Kate Flora, and Gary Phillips— to bear witness to the events taking place all around us, and especially within us, as we grapple with disease, isolation, death, and, yes, a healthy dose of chaos.

Some writers chose to mine their own psyches and experiences, whether the challenges of life in lockdown or their struggles with productivity and focus. Others felt called to wry, dark fiction or poetry. Across the globe the reactions portray a similar anger, pain, and struggle from writers from the US, Canada, Scotland, Ireland, France, Germany, Northern Ireland, Spain, Italy, and Romania.

Our lives have been forever changed by these times. Whether a chance encounter with a mural on a utility box, to the lockdown in New York City and dystopian fiction, these writers never stopped imagining and exploring their worlds. Stuck at home, watching the news in horror, helping others: these writers' imaginations kept clicking right along (although their productivity sometimes took a hit.)

As mystery writers the editors found many of their fellow crime writers willing to contribute, as was the well-known Romanian journalist and writer George Arion, true crime writer Caitlin Rother, German mystery writer Tatjana Kruse, thriller writer Robin Burcell, travel writer Tim Cahill, and many more.

Poetry by 92nd St. Y Literature Director Wendy Salinger, Irish poet Paul Jeffcutt, haiku poet Z.J. Czupor, and crime writers Jim Nisbet, Gerald So, and Keith Snyder adds its own special punch between essays and stories. Illustrations are included.

STOP THE WORLD Contributors:

George Arion

Meredith Blevins

Eoghan Egan

John Shepphird

Gary Phillips

Adriana Licio

Mike Monson

Merrilee Robson

John Clark

Piet Tiegeler

Travis Richardson

Richard Cass

Tim Cahill

Jody Jaffe

Caitlin Rother

Naomi Hirahara

Kate Flora

Donna Moore

Lise McClendon

Tatjana Kruse

Dan Fesperman

Tami Haaland

Taffy Cannon

Matt Coyle

Marian Stanley

John Rember

J. Madison Davis

Sarah M. Chen

Wendy Hornsby

Robin Burcell

Sharan Newman

Jacqui Brown

Craig Lancaster

Z.J. Czupor

Gerald So

Allen Morris Jones

Wendy Salinger

Jim Nisbet

Paul Jeffcutt

Keith Snyder