Empty Nest’s central themes are loss and resistance while teetering over the precipice of change. This collection hugs the line, each story taking its turn accepting untidy realities. Several address loss by death. In “God’s Graffiti,” a child is floundering and confused after the death of a parent; in “Fixing the Phoenix,” a widow lets go of grief and glimpses new romantic and sexual possibilities.
Other stories describe what happens in the family when children leave home. Veronica’s children have left the nest. Her new job as a waitress provides her with a fresh identity. She rejects her old life when she finds herself "In the Hole." In "First Marriage," we understand what it's like to be pushed out of the nest and into marriage too soon.
“Caught,” traces how the tragic aftermath of a car accident is followed by a surprising friendship, forgiveness and acceptance. The emptying hasn’t happened yet in “The Mother-in-Law,” but we sense the protagonist’s panic and need to flee from his unhappy marriage. The prose in “New Bird” offers us awe at nature’s renewal of life.
Authors include Jessica Barksdale, Marian Brooks, Hamish Filmer, Charles Hayes, Catherine Leggett, Rebecca Keller, and Darlene Taylor.