My mother taught me that whatever one says or does it affects others . . . It has a ripple effect . . .

A man infatuated with ivy. A woman pining for lost love. In a Turkish square, ancient buildings lament a devastating explosion. An unlikely friendship struck up with a homeless person. A journey to a magical place that once visited can never be found again. The camaraderie between the patients in a cancer ward. A writer who has lost his muse. A tragedy that leads to dementia. These are just a few of seventy individual tales set in locations straddling continents, which portray war, love, hate, hope, greed, revenge, despair, humour, mystical happenings, fantasy, and so much more. Like ripples expanding on the surface of a pond to reach its banks, they converge in this anthology of flash fiction and short stories by Sebnem E. Sanders in her debut release.

Even the smallest acts of kindness can make a difference. Ripples in the Water is a heartwarming story about a loving grandfather who shares a valuable lesson of kindness with his grandson. The grandson takes this lesson to heart, living a life full of kindness. Years later, he shares the wisdom his grandfather instilled in him with his own son. This story illuminates the importance of inspiring kindness in each generation. We don't always see the effects of our actions, but every action has a ripple effect. "Always be the kindest person you can be, and watch as your kindness spreads to others like ripples in the water."

Identical twins Dorian and Daniel Sloane grow up inseparable, sharing the same tubes of toothpaste as children and their lives as adults. Loyalty proven many times, they have been saving each other since the day Dorian rescued Daniel from drowning in Opperman's Pond. Now, with Dorian as head of a multinational pharmaceutical company and Daniel as an innovative cardiologist volunteering in Africa, the brothers come together once again. A devastating midair collision on the basketball court during a Celtics/Pacers game sets falling dominoes in motion. After NBA legend Randy Jackson sustains a career-changing ankle injury, Daniel and Dorian partner together to try and heal him. A brilliant chemist has created a miracle arthritis drug that they hope will cure the star and also save Dorian's pharmaceutical company teetering on the verge of bankruptcy. Celebrations ensue when the Pacers' star returns to full glory-and then tragedy suddenly strikes during a casual pickup game, threatening to destroy Daniel's career as he faces a devastating malpractice suit, the possible loss of his medical license, and even a voodoo curse by the athlete's widow. In this high-stakes thriller set in the world of big-money medicine, a chain of unanticipated events culminates in a life-or-death decision two brothers never thought they would have to make.

Garrett Willis shares a series of short stories and poems about love and loss in this introspective new collection. As his characters encounter trauma, heartache, and harsh realities, they reveal important truths about the moments that matter in life. In the first of eight short stories, a young man experiences a heartbreaking coming-of-age when he attempts to reach out to the girl of his dreams. She remains a distance away, and the boy tries to connect with her without revealing himself. As he daydreams and reflects on past mistakes, he will have to decide whether to take this chance encounter as a sign from the universe. Another story follows a pair of unlikely traveling companions on a transatlantic flight. As a melancholic author gets to know his older seatmate, a conversation turns into a connection. Each of the two men has something to teach the other about the nature of love. In addition to stories full of these surprising connections and deeper meanings, Willis also includes a collection of poems and short prose pieces that further illustrate his main themes and go beyond personal moments to explore universal truths.

It's the 9th of August 1990. The sky is clear, and the view from Mount Agassiz East Ridge in Utah's High Uintah Mountains is stunning, several lake-filled basins were in full view. Suddenly the air explodes. A bolt of lightning struck Layne Oliver in the back of the head, hurtling him twenty feet down the two hundred-foot cliff face of Agassiz's East Ridge. Pebble in a Pond is about the ripples, "good and bad," created by the decisions we make, the actions we take, even the words we say. The day Layne was struck by the lightning bolt he went against his own rule of always following his gut instinct and didn't leave the area. His life seemed to have always been full of struggle. Reflecting back, he realized that each challenge prepared him for the next one, that there were always good things to learn from the bad experiences. Life is full of challenges; however, you gotta have a reason to survive that is more powerful than the reasons you may have to give up.