Three of the novellas that appear in Outsiders are definitely four and a half stars. Lynn Ames, Georgia Beers and Susan Smith all contribute strong and heartfelt stories that are also unique.

Of the three I really liked, "Billy Boy" is the one that got to me the most, with its amazing writing and passages I just had to jot down because they truly spoke to me.

One of them, for instance:

‘…When two people meet, and for reason neither of them might be able to explain, there might spring up an instaneous reaction light years ahead of rational though, where liking or not liking is sealed.’

I hope Susan Smith writes more. I like how different her work is in style and plot.

I wanted to like all the pieces included, but J.D. Glass's read as if it were picking up from another story and I just couldn't make sense of what was going on. Susan X. Meagher is also a pleasant writer but her story just didn't move me. ( )