Recommended by Susan Middaugh

Two sets of parents devastated by the deaths of their son and daughter blame each other for their respective losses. Nearly two years later, no closure, no empathy for each other. Lean prose that packs a wallop. Well done!

Intriguing, a real page turner. A bit of a morality play -- be careful what you wish for and remember to ask about the fine print and possible side effects if you get your wish especially if it's free. Good job!

This is a morality play for all mostly young women to take note of -- a horror story about male domination that would make any feminist tear her hair out. Well done.

A gentle and uplifting tale of an aunt whose young niece helps her to work through her grief over suffering a miscarriage. She gives new meaning to the word "ouchie." Laura weaves in West Side Story as well as fairies. Good job!

Very very clever perspective on how folks in the future might react to a rotary phone. They painstakingly try to figure out how to operate the thing and why it works that way. I loved the reference to the Suntrust Museum of Archaic Technology in connection with push button phones. How did Ruthie come 80 years into the future and startle them? It's magic, Bawana. Well done!

Donna reeled me in with the first line of the play: "Me, nervous? I tinkle ice water." The snappy dialogue continues in this clever play about an egotistical insurrectionist who believes everything a female hottie tells him on Zoom. Donna has my vote!

Ashley pretends to be stupid about Annabeth's plan to seek revenge on Spencer. But by pitting Almyria against Annabeth, she foils the plot. Mean girls all three. Well done!

A couple of seniors intent on creating a last hurrah in the form of pranks get an education in what not to do from a fellow classmate and their high school principal. A modern day morality play that features PETA, bird feeders, and poop.

Intriguing play. The writer makes us work and lean in to figure out what's going on between these two sisters who appear to be in an art gallery (they're very critical of what's on the walls), but aren't. Louise vows to return as long as necessary until her sister Carrie can fulfill her desire to go to Moscow. Well done.

Much subtext here so it's hard to clearly identify what happened to these high school students. But there's a feeling of dread on the part of Caroline that whatever did happen could happen again. In contrast Mackenzie urges her friend to let the recipients of the postcards know they are not alone, someone cares and has reached out to them. Well done.