In this surreal series of dreamscapes, bears roam the subway and fathers become fish. But for all of the fantastic imagery in this stunning debut poetry collection there are equally memorable explorations of more familiar terrain: the landscapes of our lives and relationships.

"The poems and prose poems in Rachel Slotnick's nimble and dreamy In Lieu of Flowers possess the intimacy of letters - not ones written to you, but rather intercepted: secret and vulnerable, honest and true, reflecting unsparingly on love and aging, family and longing. Like the private to-do lists of someone you don't know, but would like very much to meet, these poems are urgent, intriguing, and strange." - Kathleen Rooney, author of Robinson Alone

"Rachel Slotnick spins magic with her poems and prose. The enchanting yet earnest voice belies the seemingly skittery style, as it manifests itself as a daughter and a grandchild wrapped in the embrace of remembrance. It was just the company I needed while stranded for almost two hours in a line to get a free car wash on a wintry day.  The warm,feel-good memory of a father-turned-fish lingers past the first splatter of cold dirty slush on a shiny fender." - Lani T. Montreal, Writer & educator,English Department Chair, Malcolm X College

"With a lyrical musicality that is as fresh and natural as a cool river stream, Rachel Slotnick presents rich imagery that blends the real and the fantastical in ways that are striking and simply beautiful. This generous collection of poetry, prose and all forms that lie between is contemplative, sometimes sad, often funny, always true to a sweet longing and a wonder for self-discovery. In her own touching way, Slotnick celebrates the men of her life and considers what's more tangible, the people that happen to us or the way in which we remember them." - James Berg