The Last Analog Teenagers

Over the course of nine stories, the teens of Carvel, Pennsylvania, slip in and out of each other's lives during the final days of the 1990s. Rachel, struggling to come to terms with a crush while longing for ever-bigger stages, incites a showdown between the prom queen and an old rival. Shannon's fury at Evie's trivial betrayal has its roots in more serious deception. Wes accepts an invitation to Melinda's birthday party, only to be confronted with the ramifications of his choices. And Irene, often on the fringe because of strict parents, steps into the spotlight during a humdrum night at work that turns anything but ordinary.

Together, we find young people on the cusp of adulthood and the edge of a new century as they leverage the possibilities of AIM, and rely on answering machines and Post-it notes, all while hiding their landline phone calls from nosy siblings. As the stories unfold, they all prepare to outgrow a hometown where the cracks have begun to show. Will they also outgrow each other?