Meeting the Master

A subtle, beautifully crafted collection, Meeting the Master introduces an accomplished new author whose lyrical economy and ability to see the erotic in everyday life make her a true pleasure to read. A young girl dreams of submitting to a boy who has no interest in controlling her; an ex-convict is so accustomed to servicing his cellmate that he cannot adjust to the outside world; a professional dominatrix explores her life with a psychiatrist; a student lies his way into the home of a stern older man in order to become his houseboy: Elissa Wald's characters embody a wide variety of voices - children, adults, gay, men, bi- and heterosexual women - and she presents them all with precision and an unusual clarity of vision.