Jim Musgrave 
Mayan Magician and Other Stories 

The first woman signed to the San Diego Padres is a Mayan Indian. She has a mysterious control over her knuckleball. Does she pitch for her god, Kulkulcan, the Warrior Serpent of the End of Times in 2012? Or, is she controlled by the N.A.S.A. scientist hired by her owner? Jim Musgrave’s latest collection of short fiction includes this novelette, along with 22 other remarkable stories, ranging from contemporary to science fiction and even a few horror tales. Award-winning short fiction author, Jacob Appel says, "With the publication of The Mayan Magician and Other Stories, Jim Musgrave joins the ranks of the George Saunders, Steven Millhauser and Kevin Brockmeier at the heart of the modern American short story’s second great renaissance."