Christianson forced himself to keep walking. He had no recollection of where he was going and only a vague comprehension of what he was doing there in the first place. He had a pounding headache, his legs were quivering, and he could hardly breathe from all the dust, but he continued. All he knew was that to keep living, he had to keep moving.

Moving freely between literal events and metaphors, 9 Acts of Cowardice: And Other Urban Folktales is a short-story collection about survival, love, drug abuse and murder. Author Kevin Stricke-9 offers an intriguing compilation of twelve urban folktales each presenting an unexpected glimpse of city life. The title story "9 Acts of Cowardice" focuses on seemingly random events that lead to glittery dreams of stardom while "Brentmont" shares a tragic warning tale of addiction, affluence, and murder.

Dissatisfied heroes fill the pages of this anthology. Misunderstood artists, hitchhikers with nowhere to go, and journalists who can't get a break are all driven by a burning desire to make a difference in the world. In 9 Acts of Cowardice, they get that chance- but most of them fail spectacularly.

Vividly executed, the writer confronts us with a startling yet familiar reality of just how much our daily decisions can affect our future.