For some, Paris is home, for others, merely a dream. For Gaston, it is a bench, the anchor of his life. For Sue, a romantic city filled with scandalous, dark-eyed men, for Frank an all-consuming fire, for Mme Santinelli a ghost she'd hoped to forget. By turns humorous, bittersweet, historical or surreal, each of these carefully selected stories invites us to explore a different facet of Paris. BEST PARIS STORIES brings together the winning short stories of the 2011 Paris Short Story Contest with works by Jeannine Alter, Bob Levy, Lisa Burkitt, Nafkote Tamirat, Marie Houzelle, Jo Nguyen, Julia Mary Lichtblau, Mary Byrne, Jane M. Handel, and Jim Archibald. "Exciting new voices from the winners of the 2011 Paris Short Story Contest" - Paris Writers News SELECTED BY DISTINGUISHED JUDGES "Hortense on Tuesday Nights" had a sparse, mysterious quality which engaged me. The point of view was culturally ambiguous - and distinctly Un-American - which I found refreshing. (JUDGE ELIZABETH BARD, author of Lunch in Paris: a Love Story with Recipes) I chose "The Way You Looked at Me" for its graceful writing and general subject - our differing points of view - and for its powers of observation, and astute cross-cultural detail. (JUDGE DIANE JOHNSON, author of Le Divorce) I chose "My Sunday with God" because, in addition to being well written and having a strong voice, it felt very fresh to me. (JUDGE ANNE KORKEAKIVI, author of An Unexpected Guest) When reading this story, I was struck by the narrator's voice, which took me to other times and other places. I admired how the author shed light on the plight of immigrants who come to France and the harsh realities they encounter on the way. (JUDGE JANET SKESLIEN CHARLES, author of Moonlight in Odessa, on "Brazzaville - Belleville Express") This is a story whose characters emotionally hooked us and we wanted to keep reading. Set in an earlier era added intrigue and grounding while capturing the French primal relationship with food. (JUDGES CHARLES AND CLYDETTE DEGROOT, on "A Pinch of Tarragon") EARLY REVIEWS "Paris speaks to her each of her lovers with a different voice meant just for them.. Now in this rich compendium of stories, we get touching glimpses of those voices, one by one, reminding us that Paris remains true to herself" . --Frances Gendlin, author of Paris, Moi and the Gang "Funny or wrenching, get ready to be moved by this literary feast" - Lizzie Harwood, Paris writer and editor