Book excerpt: Fiction. Short Stories. African & African American Studies. THESE BODIES, a collection of eleven stories by Morgan Christie, explores the complexities of relationships, specifically those of people of color. Each story highlights the subtleties and undercurrents of the life of a unique protagonist. Championing underrepresented stories, loves, trials, and bodies, Christie's debut full-length book is one of depth, of passion, of fear, and of joy. "Reading Morgan Christie's debut collection is like falling into a dream, animal life and the occasional fantastical element peeking through a curtain of painful human reality. Christie's voice is precise throughout, modern and emotionally astute, her characters filled with longing, forced while at various crossroads to reconcile vices and failings--large and small--with their hopes for a better world."--Karen Palmer "THESE BODIES serves as an almost unnerving reflection of what it means to be human, to the point that every reader will be able to recognize some part of themselves within these pages, whether it's the need for understanding, the desperation of a second chance, or the lies we acknowledge but rarely have the courage to truly face. Written with empathy, subtlety, and just a little bit of magic, Christie is one of those writers whose stories will randomly pop into your head, seemingly unprovoked, for years to come."--MK Roney "One of the best short story collections I've read in a while. Christie skillfully crafts characters so real, you can feel their hearts beating through the pages. The stories in THESE BODIES are an honest and relatable look at the multifaceted human experience, something we need in the world now more than ever."--Racquel Henry