The aspects of Nancy Ginzer's "Survival Traits" that caught me were her usage of visiting hours, of Nora visiting her stroke-inflicted mother in the hospital, to get to the heart of Nora's failing marriage, as well as that of her parents,
as well as her attention to small details.
Her own marriage beyond repair, divorce proceedings ongoing, when she visits her mother, that doctors believe can hear what's being said, but is otherwise coma-like (but for the occasional spilling of childlike vowely language) she's forced to deal with her father's marital indiscretions. And compare them with her husband's, and listen to her dad tell her not to just sit and take whatever Martin, her soon to be ex, says. That is, don't be like her mother. A slyly entered conversation to state that it's already too late for that.
There's a nice bit with an old canoe that Ginzer worked hard to make fit in without at all feeling "writerly" and it adds a really nice punch to the story. Add in the bonus that both the author and the setting for the story are Canadian - this being Stanley Cup time - and you can certainly understand my excitement in including it!
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