Award-winning author Bill VanPatten tends to capture all those acts and emotions in his characters, drawing heavily on gay themes and Latino heritage in and around the small, fictitious town of Mañana, situated in California, which he describes as “a patchwork quilt of cities and small towns, urban areas and vast agricultural lands, foggy winters and triple-digit summers, and people of all stripes.”

His latest collection of short stories, "The Art of Martinis," is true to his vision and his brand, with 15 new narratives that once again focus on the struggles of people trying to come to terms with their inner selves, often questioning and seeking their identity, or at least gaining enough understanding to navigate the next steps in their journeys.

The title story, “The Art of Martinis,” provides the perfect opening, bringing two disparate personalities together. Young Jeremy works the counter at a Rite-Aid and gets the attention of Randy, a mid-forties customer who points out to the boy that he never smiles. Such a random comment, yet it leads to a relationship that gives Jeremy a new appreciation for life and sets him on a meaningful course.

VanPatten takes his characters to the therapy couch in “Penguins,” in which a gay couple tries to cope with the “tidal drifts and ocean storms” that confront all couples. As readers learn the backstories, the author throws us an unexpected curve ball at the end.

Or how about the middle-aged comedian in “Applause” who chose his vocation after a childhood of suffering in a disruptive home. VanPatten eloquently writes, “Laughter is a survivor’s tool — the hammer that lets you pound your way through life’s obstacles.”

The author touches all ages, in one story focusing on a senior, Henry, in a nursing home recounting his days with Sam, a special partner. His young aide is moved to tears.

While "The Art of Martinis" provides an array of touching, thought-provoking stories, the author’s ability to turn a phase should not be lost. He refers to a middle child with younger and older siblings garnering all the attention as “the rogue planet left in the dark to spin alone.” Or the insecurities building up inside a relationship partner as “a slow-moving mental tsunami until it tumbled out of his head and flooded our home.”

"The Art of Martinis" is about reflection and discovery — looking back at the tipping points that shape characters’ lives, and better understanding who they are and getting comfortable with that. But there’s plenty of discomfort to sort through. That’s where VanPatten’s work serves as a beacon of truth for many who have difficulty recognizing it — and finding it.

What makes this collection of stories so powerful is that VanPatten does not create super characters that do extraordinary things. He lives and writes in the world of everyman, focusing on the types of people you’d find at libraries or grocery stores, watching a Little League game, or parked in front of a TV set. Doing their jobs. Collecting their pay. Eating Mom’s pies. Those are VanPatten’s heroes — and he is able to dissect them brilliantly.

As he writes in his Prologue, “No matter where you live, no matter your background, no matter your politics, you will recognize the characters on these pages. Although it is a geographic space in my fiction, Mañana transcends such boundaries. I invite you to turn the page — and I challenge you not to see someone you know.”

And you just might learn how to make the perfect martini along the way.