In this collection of twelve unforgettable short stories, Lara Stapleton writes from the same precarious emotional plane where her characters live. She writes about people living in a world that forces them to recreate daily their small corner of hope. These are people who don't quite fit; who often seem just a little out of step with their circumstances; who have a past to run from but no clear future to run to; who live in the present with the pure ache of longing. They are complex: defiant and helpless, isolated and exposed, sometimes painfully self-aware, sometimes lagging behind the curve.

A gutsy, emotionally astute collection of stories that walks the reader over the hot coals of unnamed desire. ― Ginu Kamani, author of Junglee Girl

Lara Stapleton takes us to a world in which everyone is intensely human and vulnerable, whether they are roaming the climate-controlled megamalls of Manila or the desolate streets of a Midwest town…With the precision of a microsurgeon, Stapleton dissects the subtle frustrations of the heart, picking out details and tell-tale cracks that make life seem so fragile, and therefore dear. The stories in The Lowest Blue Flame Before Nothing are an unflinching look into lives of quiet desperation, and an auspicious debut for its young author. ―Eric Gamalinda, editor, Flippin’: Filipinos on America

About the Author

Lara Stapleton was born and raised in East Lansing, Michigan and lived for some time in Manila, Philippines. She received her M.A. from New York University. She currently is a part-time faculty member in the English Department at Long Island University, Brooklyn Campus and is working on her first novel. Her work has appeared in numerous journals. Lara co-edited Juncture: 25 Very Good Stories and 12 Excellent Drawings with Veronica Gonzalez and edited Thirdest World: Stories and Essays by Three Filipino Writers. She is the recipient of the Ludwig Vogelstein Foundation Grant for writers and a two-time winner of the University of Michigan’s Hopwood Award for fiction. She is also the winner of the Columbia Journal fiction prize. The Lowest Blue Flame Before Nothing is her first collection of short stories.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Store Description

Thank you for visiting our profile. We are a home-based business have been selling books online since 2004 and joined AbeBooks in 2008. Feel free to e-mail us at BasementSeller101@gmail.com. We would be happy to assist you.

Visit Seller's Storefront

Seller's business information

Basement Seller 101
OH, U.S.A.

Sale & Shipping Terms

Terms of Sale

We guarantee the condition of every book as it's described on the Abebooks web sites. If you're dissatisfied with your purchase (Incorrect Book/Not as Described/Damaged) or if the order hasn't arrived, you're eligible for a refund within 30 days of the estimated delivery date. If you've changed your mind about a book that you've ordered, please use the Ask bookseller a question link to contact us and we'll respond within 2 business days.

Shipping Terms

Orders usually ship within 2 business days. Expected shipping times for "Standard" orders is 4 to 14 business days and for "Expedited" orders is 3 to 5 business days. We do accept international orders, although shipment times may vary, usually from 3 to 6 weeks.

If you have any questions about our shipment times and policies, if you need a book faster, or if you would like to check the status of your order, please e-mail us.

Please note that we ship all "Standard" items via US Postal Service Media Mail and all "Expedited" items via US Postal Service Priority Mail. Our international orders go via USPS First Class or Priority International Mail. If you would like us to ship an item via another carrier, please e-mail us and we will try to accommodate you.

We can overnight books domestically and send books expedited internationally for an additional charge.

The majority of our packages are shipped using Stamps.com NetStamps, a non-trackable method. Please note that all items ordered via the "Expedited" shipping method are automatically shipped with Delivery Confirmation. If you would like your item shipped with Delivery Confirmation, please e-mail us before making your purchase.

We ship orders every day, Monday through Friday, (excluding Postal Service holidays) usually by 12PM. If you need to cancel or make changes to an order, please do so as soon as possible -- many requests we get regarding orders are not fulfilled because we find, pack, and ship the book before the buyer contacts us. If you receive a confirmation e-mail from us, it means your order has been shipped and we can no longer make changes to it.

Please note that the majority of our orders ship out within 24 hours, many shipping out the same day they are ordered. Since we usually ship around 12PM, most orders received Friday after 10AM will not go out until Monday. In some cases, we will make a trip on Saturday to get more orders out.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.

Shipping rates within U.S.A.
Order quantity	5 to 14 business days	2 to 6 business days
First item	US$ 5.00	US$ 10.00

Delivery times are set by sellers and vary by carrier and location. Orders passing through Customs may face delays and buyers are responsible for any associated duties or fees. Sellers may contact you regarding additional charges to cover any increased costs to ship your items.