The Writers Anthology Group, based in Pine Rivers, Australia, presents the 2019 anthology, From the Edge. This is the eighth anthology in the series begun by the Arts Alliance Pine Rivers in conjunction with WAG.

This edition includes a retrospective. Along with more than 20 new stories and poems, included are at least one story from each of our previous volumes. The full complement of WAG editors is back with past editors Anne Olsson and Lorraine Noscova providing retrospective stories. We acknowledge the work of our current editorial panel: Bernie Dowling, Ronald Holt, Raelene Purtill, David MacLaughlin, Vera Murray, and Jenny Woolsey. as well as cover designer Ken Armstrong.

Some writers, cover artist, Ken Armstrong, and editors have been with us from volume one; others are newbies; we thank all for their contributions. Authors range from people who earn or have earned a living from writing to those being published for the first time.

Our winners in the Peter Campbell Memorial/ WAG Literary Awards for local high school students are Sonya Simonds and Amy Capstick.

It was more than 12 months ago that we chose our title From the Edge, and it was predictive of the zeitgeist, the spirit of our times, the evil soul of which, like a vampire, has no reflection in a mirror, paradoxically revealing its true character to the world. When short stories went out of fashion, we lost great artists holding up a mirror to evil souls, and beautiful souls, and funny ones, and fantastic ones, and mysterious ones. Lost souls, too, to be mourned or comforted or redeemed. In their humble ways, our authors bring us their sometimes unpolished and cracked mirrors.

So, hang on to a life-giving tree as you view the world From the Edge.