title: The Language of Ice Cubes
author: Frost, Spider
description: Sawadii krap. This is a collection of six stories of magical realism set in Thailand and centered on Alan, a foreigner…but in what land is he foreign? Sometimes the answer is easier than other times, but whatever time it is, expect romance, drama, revenge, blood, memory, sex, life, death…magic. Spirits and ghosts, culture and relationships, drinking and fun and pain. Alan’s got a lot going on, and he’s not restricted to one timeline to get it all done. Of course, neither are we. The difference? Alan actually believes it.
  There are two spoken languages besides English transliterated (and translated as necessary) throughout these stories: Thai and Lao, the two languages often combined into a dialect in the region of Thailand where most of these stories take place. There is also a sprinkling of Pali, the religious language of Buddhism. The three spoken languages have been arranged, mingled, mangled and separated to reflect the speaker’s background, class, and level of education, nevertheless everybody pretty much understands what is said, regardless of language. The only true barrier between the characters in these stories is culture and personality. It doesn’t matter what you say when everybody speaks The Language of Ice Cubes.