Kate Folk makes her fiction debut with OUT THERE, a collection of 15 weird, eerie short stories that are truly out there. Each is focused on different aspects of modern romance, the digital age, our contemporary moment of paranoia and our limitless access to information.

Right from the start, Folk lets her readers know what they’re in for in the title story, which is about a bored, lonely woman putting herself “out there” by entering the world of online dating. In Folk’s world, however, dating apps and websites are overrun by “blots,” attractive, boring robotic men who charm (quite literally) the pants off women only to hack into their digital lives and assume control of their Facebook feeds, bank accounts and emails. While the main character is aware of the pitfalls of these digital traps, she also knows that the attention and validation are not only tempting but life-changing. She eventually gives herself over to the blots, but that’s not the most disturbing part; the worst thing is that you agree with her decision.

"Prescient and clever, the stories in OUT THERE are uncomfortable and disturbing, but present a sharp and incisive mirror to our deepest fears and desires as inhabitants of the digital age, partakers in intimacy and flawed beings."

The premise is horrifying, if not a bit goofy. Yet, as Folk demonstrates, what is truly terrifying is how close we are to this reality, and how much of ourselves we give away online and through romantic interactions. This opening tale sets the stage for the rest of her antics: sharp, biting and eerily prescient.

In the second story, “The Last Woman on Earth,” Folk expands upon this idea, while laser-focusing on the roles of women and the ways that men critique the very same ideals they promote. Here, the last woman on earth has her own television program, and even though the men of the world are primed into wanting her, they cannot help but wonder how much better the show would be if one of them was the star. Paired together, these first two stories tell readers all they need to know about Folk’s short fiction: it is biting, sharp and creepy, but only in the same ways that we all are.

In the following story, “Heart Seeks Brain,” Folk dives deep into the world of dating, sexual preferences and kink, examining how far we push ourselves when we admit our pleasures, and how much we are willing to take from others. In every iteration, the themes here are heavily informed by science fiction but are written with just enough realism that they transcend the genre --- something that can be kept at bay --- and become meticulously investigated speculative fiction. The realities Folk explores are therefore far more terrifying because they are that much closer to becoming reality.

In OUT THERE, every story, no matter how strong or affecting, is written with a singular, striking voice. Folk is able not only to embody her characters and present them to her readers in a plainspoken, accessible way, but to access their vernaculars, patterns and rhythms in a way that makes each story stand on its own. In my two favorites, “Shelter” and “The Bone Ward,” two different women with two drastically different goals share a strikingly similar approach to life.

In “Shelter,” Reese realizes that a neglected bomb shelter in her and her boyfriend Mark’s rented home has become locked from the inside, which turns Reese's focus to Mark and forces her to question how much of herself is locked away from him. Later, in “The Bone Ward,” a female patient whose bones disappear every night becomes disenchanted and jealous when an even sicker woman appears on her hospital ward and threatens her standing with the men around her. Similarly dark and informed by science fiction and horror, these stories stood out for me as some of Folk’s strongest character writing. The voices were memorable, instantly accessible and just a bit too far off center.

I cannot say that OUT THERE will work for everyone. The title alone lets readers know that these stories are strange and often disturbing. But at the same time, they tap into deeply human emotions. In combining outlandish science fiction elements with sobering human truths, this collection becomes just credible enough to confront our dealings with intimacy, technology and gender roles in stark, poignant ways. On top of that, Folk is funny, biting and sarcastic enough to make readers laugh (albeit uncomfortably) when everything in her characters’ worlds goes amiss and they are left with nothing but their flawed perspectives and bad decisions. Even if you don’t like these stories (and there were a few that did not quite work for me), you cannot help but marvel at her talent and weird, courageous mind.

Prescient and clever, the stories in OUT THERE are uncomfortable and disturbing, but present a sharp and incisive mirror to our deepest fears and desires as inhabitants of the digital age, partakers in intimacy and flawed beings. Folk writes voice like few other short story writers working today, and her understanding of our digital moment is unparalleled. Whether you like every story or not, these feminist, magical and eerie tales are sure to change the way you approach life, romance and fiction (and are more than likely to keep you up at night, either refreshing or deleting your social media feeds).