By Kathryn Reed

From the cover I should have known I was not in for light, happy reading. For some reason the toy outlined in chalk as though one of the two standing wooden figurines shot the other didn’t deter me – or rather, it didn’t occur to me what might loom inside.

“EDGE – 2010” is more dark than it is edgy. Finishing it on a gloomy New England day while on vacation earlier this month seemed like a perfect setting.

Published by Tahoe Writers Works, it is a compilation of fiction, poetry and artwork from people throughout the United States. Their brief biographies in the back of the 125-page paperback are impressive.

The overwhelming feeling I was left with is the ominous cloud that seems to hover over Lake Tahoe apparently has been visiting much of the country. Perhaps these bleak economic times have put these writers in a dark mood. It’s not that their stories are about finances. Most are relationships.

But happy they are not.

Armine Iknadossian’s “Color Theory” paints a bleak picture in poetic form of love gone awry. It’s a glimpse into how the simplest of words and definitions wreak havoc on a relationship.

Dave Murcar’s “I Was Destroyed by God” grabbed me the most. The short story is about what happens when God allows the main character to take a bite of Adam and Eve’s apple.

It’s well written, gripping and a bit thought provoking.

“Lights Out” by Donald Levering reads like a true story of a parent concerned about his daughter’s obsession with animal bones.

Some entries I didn’t want to read, and one I just couldn’t for personal reasons. That was Paria Kooklan’s “Burial” which starts, “Today is my father’s funeral …”

It was the reprints of the original oil on canvas by Kit Night that were the brightest spots in the book. A bit of happiness and color among the dark, black letters.

Perhaps if I had read “EDGE” at a time when I was immersed in the chaos of my every day life instead of escaping on vacation to a land of marvelous beauty with its fall foliage, I would have connected more with the book. Or maybe it’s just that poetry and fiction are not what I usually pick up to read.

Still, the work is good, and those who prefer this genre are apt to find the selections captivating.

“EDGE” is available online through Tahoe Writers Works.