Welcome to the Monterey Peninsula you thought you knew, or imagined you did.

Where skin divers, burned out businessmen, Carmel Valley farm kids and middle class families rub shoulders with ghosts, Russian fugitives, homicidal maniacs and doppelgangers. Where Dinosaur Town is just a midnight ride away. Where the hot tubs talk to each other. Where aliens threaten to overrun the human populace-in the future, at least.   Yeah. That Monterey Peninsula.

Ten local authors-writing stories set in or around this magical area- have scoured their imaginations, pooled their talents and scrupulously critiqued each other's work to come up with the book you now hold in your hands. Known collectively as the Fiction Writers of the Monterey Peninsula (FWOMP), their approach is as staggeringly diverse as it is unique, making Monterey Shorts a volume with something for everyone.

Don't take our word for it, though. Taste and see for yourself. Like peanuts or chocolate drops, if you sample one story, you won't be able to stop. These are the Monterey area's newest voices, with a vision that is compelling, entertaining and profound. Whether you are lucky enough to live on the Peninsula, or are one of the thousands who come to soak up its beauty, serenity, and history, Monterey Shorts is for you. Just understand that you may never view the Peninsula the same way again.

- Chris Kemp Pacific Grove, California September 2002