title: Personals: Dreams and Nightmares from the Lives of 20 Young Writers
author:  Thomas Beller 
description: Despite what one might surmise from the subtitle of <i>Personals</i>, it is not a collection of dreams and nightmares but of personal essays by 20 variously gifted young writers. Editor Thomas Beller's mandate to his contributors, most of whom are under 30, was to "find something that matters to you and write a story about it." Too many of these writers live in New York City and too many are annoyingly self-indulgent (and editorially indulged). But much of what they write about--desperately seeking to lose one's virginity, life during and after a heroin addiction, dating in the electronic age, dropping out of Wesleyan, the effects of a rootless childhood, straddling two cultures, working as an overeducated bagel-store employee--is interesting because of what it reveals about our times. And several of the essays--in particular Bliss Broyard's "My Father's Daughter"--are genuinely thoughtful and affecting. <i>--Jane Steinberg</i>
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  # Elevation of the Marked
  
  
  ### Book Two of the Marked Series
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ## March McCarron
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and
  incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a
  fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or
  actual events is purely coincidental.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ELEVATION OF THE MARKED
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Copyright © 2014 by March McCarron
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or
  used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the
  publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Cover art by March McCarron
  
  
  Edited by Alexis Arendt
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  [email](http://marchmccarron@gmail.com)
  
  
  [website](http://www.marchmccarron.com)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  _For my husband,_
  
  
  _who has supported my dream in every way._
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  