mˈɛni kˈæɹɪktɚz ɪn ðiːz stˈoːɹiz ˈiːðɚ tˈɜːn ˌʌp æɾ ˈʌðɚ pˈɔɪnts ɪn ðɛɹ lˈaɪvz ɪn fˈɪlɪps nˈɑːvəlz, ɔːɹ ɑːɹ ɹᵻlˈeɪɾᵻd tə kˈæɹɪktɚz ɪn ðoʊz vˈɑːljuːmz, ðɛɹbˈaɪ mˌeɪkɪŋ mˈʌtʃ ʌv fˈɪlɪps ˈaʊtpʊt tə dˈeɪt ɐn ɪvˈɑːlvɪŋ tˈæpᵻstɹi ʌv kɹˈɔsdʒˌɛnɚɹˈeɪʃənəl fæmˈɪlɪəl kənˈɛkʃənz.
Many characters in these stories either turn up at other points in their lives in Phillips' novels, or are related to characters in those volumes, thereby making much of Phillips' output to date an evolving tapestry of cross-generational familial connections.