AustLit

'Carol Patterson deserves much wider recognition for her brilliant mastery of the short story form. Each story immerses the reader in an entirely different, vividly depicted setting with complex and contrasting characters. Patterson brings these characters to life as they confront a range of human dilemmas and emotional challenges. Her work is superbly crafted with control of syntax, voice and style.’ - Dr Janet Upcher

'‘In these stories, there is a voice of wisdom, a voice of experience, a voice of clarity. The author has tremendous sensitivity to the characters, which allows her to breathe true insight into every scenario. They are the kind of people one may meet in day-to-day life and often encourage us to pause and reflect on our own experiences in comparable scenarios. There is a dynamic interplay between the physical surroundings and history of each narrative with the impact on the characters’ thoughts and reflections. Above all, the writing has grace and elegance.’ - Dr Paul Goodey-Adevisyan'  (Publication summary)

'These stories draw us into the many worlds of Carol Patterson's imagination and experience, and we immediately become invested, as readers, in the characters and the dilemmas they face. The narrative thrust, along with skilfully constructed dialogue, lead us through the underbrush of human emotions, make us scale the dangerous slopes of risk and loss, hope and abandonment, and take us through torrents toward still waters, or beckon us to further reaches beyond.' - Dr Terry Whitebeach

'What a wealth of lived experience and imagination Carol brings to her writing. And lovely, compelling imagery. She has the ability to transform her experience into something unique and beautiful.' - Jianna Miller

'Carol Patterson writes with consummate subtlety of the vast submerged inner lives of ordinary people. With her careful craft and sensitive touch, Patterson deserves our recognition as one of our most outstanding short fiction writers.' - Robyn Friend'   (Publication summary)