The Elsewhere Oracle

by Michele Battiste

The town of Elsewhere has been lost to time. Hidden by a remote mountain, Elsewhere is unreachable to the outside world. Its history and townspeople have become subjects of ghost stories and cautionary bedtime tales. The possibilities and potential of Elsewhere-- whether hopeful or tragic-- live in shadows of the mountain, out of the corner of our eyes, and at the edge of dreams. Each of the 50 cards and poems of The Elsewhere Oracle represents a person, place, or artifact from Elsewhere. Together they tell the story of the forgotten town: the history of its disappearance, the ghosts that haunt its streets, and the monsters that linger in the woods and the lake. Here we encounter an inept town council, a perceptive orphan, a yearning torch singer, the robber baron who holds the town in his lunatic hands, and a whole host of characters embodying the best and worst of a community. Explore the town's landscape and history in the archive and woods, at the lake's edge, on the mountain and on a barstool, through farms and the factory, and along the High Street. Looking to Elsewhere, we can discover our own strengths and fears, ambitions and dreams, and the dark places that hold us back.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1625571933
• ISBN13: 9781625571939
• Release Date: August 2025
• Publisher: Black Lawrence Press
• Length: 80 Pages