The stories in this collection are all set in the fictional town of Brickton, West Virginia, and written by a native of North Central West Virginia. The author, Laura Leigh Morris, worked for five years at a Texas Prison and now teaches creative writing and literature at Furman University in Greenville, South Carolina. “’Look for something no one else sees,’ says one character in this fine debut, in which the people of Brickton lose many things – loved ones, their tempers, a good night’s sleep, five years of freedom, but never their power.” Jonis Tevis. A very fine work with plenty of surprises, clever setups, satisfying payoff, and vivid characters.” – Robert Gipe. “Jaws of Life surges beyond Appalachian literature, or regional literature, straight into the heart of what matters on the universal level.” – George Singleton. “Laura Leigh Morris proves to us that stories are, indeed, everywhere. She tells them with the sharp eye and wit of a master storyteller.” Larry Heinemann.
Jaws of Life: Stories by Laura Leigh Morris. Morgantown: Vandalia/West Virginia University Press, 2018. 155 pages. Trade paperback,