Book excerpt: A diverse collection of stories, fictional but based on reality: The riveting story of a young Japanese girl in search of her American marine father; The hazards, rewards and the comical side of online dating; The world of a high-stakes poker player; A futuristic story of a scary and very realistic virus pandemic; A father’s shocking story about his schizophrenic son, and finally the revelations of a professor with a unique philosophical perspective that will make you think about life and death in a very different way.