"He needed a new life"

"He needed a new life" - Ava's Apartment by Jonathan Lethem

"You need to find someplace to sleep tonight"

"You need to find someplace to sleep tonight" - Ava's Apartment by Jonathan Lethem

"I am very glad to see you again"

"I am very glad to see you again" - In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin

"The house smelled of dusty carpets"

"The house smelled of dusty carpets" - In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin

"In this world, some families rise and some fall"

"In this world, some families rise and some fall" - In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin

"Their hair piled high in the style of the fifties"

"Their hair piled high in the style of the fifties" - In Other Rooms, Other Wonders by Daniyal Mueenuddin

"If we knew how much time was left for us ... "

"If we knew how much time was left for us ... " - The Slows by Gail Hareven

"You've certainly come a long way"

"You've certainly come a long way" - The Slows by Gail Hareven

"No doubt the savages were a riddle"

"No doubt the savages were a riddle" - The Slows by Gail Hareven

"I discovered that the sugar jar was empty"

"I discovered that the sugar jar was empty" - The Slows by Gail Hareven

"I'd known for months that it was liable to happen"

"I'd known for months that it was liable to happen" - The Slows by Gail Hareven

"There's that pain again"

"There's that pain again" - Pearls Before Swine Calendar 2009 by Stephan Pastis

"And so he went and sat looking into space"

"And so he went and sat looking into space" - In the South by Salman Rushdie

"We are warm, slow, and sensual guys"

"We are warm, slow, and sensual guys" - In the South by Salman Rushdie

"The points of the compass are like money, which has value only because men say that it does"

"The points of the compass are like money, which has value only because men say that it does" - In the South by Salman Rushdie

"The universe does not understand up and down"

"The universe does not understand up and down" - In the South by Salman Rushdie

"As for the old, they had rites of their own"

"As for the old, they had rites of their own" - In the South by Salman Rushdie

"Most of the time he felt as if he were drowning"

"Most of the time he felt as if he were drowning" - Visitation by Brad Watson

"But you don't know how to surf"

"But you don't know how to surf" - Visitation by Brad Watson

"He was having a hard time keeping her on his mind"

"He was having a hard time keeping her on his mind" - Visitation by Brad Watson

"The roar and rush of it never stopped"

"The roar and rush of it never stopped" - Visitation by Brad Watson

"At first the place wasn't so bad"

"At first the place wasn't so bad" - Visitation by Brad Watson

"The syrup came in small plastic containers"

"The syrup came in small plastic containers" - Visitation by Brad Watson

"It followed the same architectural model as a prison"

"It followed the same architectural model as a prison" - Visitation by Brad Watson

"There was juice and decent coffee"

"There was juice and decent coffee" - Visitation by Brad Watson

"Titania leaned close to listen to the songs"

"Titania leaned close to listen to the songs" - A Tiny Feast by Chris Adrian

"The dozen faeries hidden around the room gave a cheer"

"The dozen faeries hidden around the room gave a cheer" - A Tiny Feast by Chris Adrian

"Or would you rather be a cat entirely?"

"Or would you rather be a cat entirely?" - A Tiny Feast by Chris Adrian

"You need to take care of yourself"

"You need to take care of yourself" - A Tiny Feast by Chris Adrian

"They had been quarrelling for as long as they had been in love"

"They had been quarrelling for as long as they had been in love" - A Tiny Feast by Chris Adrian

"She closed her eyes, then looked again"

"She closed her eyes, then looked again" - A History of Insects by Yvonne Roberts

"Her knees were grubby and she looked even thinner than usual"

"Her knees were grubby and she looked even thinner than usual" - A History of Insects by Yvonne Roberts

"No steam rose from the surface of the water"

"No steam rose from the surface of the water" - A History of Insects by Yvonne Roberts