Speculative fiction is often about sense of wonder and escapism, but the realities of life and its traumas can make wonder elusive, and escape difficult to even imagine. Editors Mary Anne Mohanraj and JJ Pionke bring you stories of people who have endured serious emotional and physical challenges, and who have found new paths forward, learning to both survive and thrive. The authors featured in this anthology offer more than simple catharsis. These are stories that will evoke wonder, yes, but will also inspire us to look up, full of determination, seeing our spirits lifting higher than the stratosphere.