Her cast of quirky characters live in near and far places, including the western mountains of North Carolina, Nevada’s heat-baked Valley of Fire, and New Zealand. At first, the stories appear to be straightforward, but readers discover that nothing in Muir’s world is ever as it seems. In “What Remains,” a grieving widow finds closure in her husband’s secret life, taking a familiar plot to an altogether different territory. “You Can’t Collect Time” tells the unusual tale of a young woman, her suitor and her birds, who fly freely in her house. 

The stories range from magic to tragic, with doses of insightful humor and themes of adventure, independence and loss blended in. Muir teaches English at Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro. She lives in Boone and is a member of Blue Ridge Energy.

Published by 67 Press of Winston-Salem. Softcover, $9.99, e-book $3.99.