In Chelem Papers, Grant Spradling steps out of his quiet writing retreat on the Yucat n peninsula and invites us into graceful face-off with the inevitable. Not simply an old man's reverie, the stories in Chelem Papers are an exploration of the issues we all face: the need for intimacy, the search for purpose, the call to love, the frailty of the body, the dazzling possibilities of the divine in us. Spradling grabs us happily by the hand and pulls us into his extensive travels as a young man, his years as a pastor, his stint in New York as a professional singer and more. He dares to ask what the meaning of a life might be. Working often at the intersections of religion, art, and sexuality, Spradling's stories have a clear message for readers of any age: In the end, it's about love. -Chris Strickland, PhD.
