My pulse is an earthquake

"The nine stories in My Pulse Is an Earthquake take place in the clutches of grief. Characters struggle to make sense of sudden losses of life, love, and community. From 1970 to the present day, children and young adults from the Rockies to the Appalachian Mountains guide readers through the valleys of their lives as dog breeders, immigrants, Catholic school delinquents, rookie policewomen, drummers, ballerinas, teenage brides, and even an accountant who keeps a careful inventory of losses. This collection explores how the unexpected harm to young, vibrant loved ones--from murder, kidnapping, battle, accident, natural disaster, swift illness, or stillbirth--can rupture families and how the most unlikely healers can bring together those who remain"--Back cover.