The Cake is a Lie

"The Cake is a Lie" is a collection of seven original stories. Just as the title suggests that the expected rewards for one's efforts are false, the protagonists discover that who they want to be and what the world will allow them be are not always the same thing. In these stories, a gay couple unsuccessfully attempts to assimilate into their suburban community; two men clash over their involvement in a body-modification ritual; a group of gainers find they are unwelcome in an upscale mountain resort. Through these stories, the collection examines the role of social norms and values on self proclaimed outsiders and their attempts to distinguish themselves from within the suburban landscape.