Memories of the Body

This short story collection, which defies genre categories with its innovative blend of science fiction and the supernatural, explores the myriad ways in which love can go wrong. In ``Riding the Nightmare,'' Tess discovers that her ability to dispose of rivals through her dreams has been inherited by her daughter, who views her as a rival. When the Jamie of ``Jamie's Grave'' grows older and less dependent, his mother finds something else that needs her nurturing. ``The Wound'' and ``Lizard Lust'' put a new spin on the age-old battle between the sexes by showing lovers able to cross fluid gender lines. ``A Mother's Heart'' profiles a decidedly different kind of maternal love. The title story reveals a wealthy man's chillingly high-tech revenge on his ex-wife. On a different tack, ``The Spirit Cabinet'' takes its protagonist back into the past to visit a Victorian seance, while ``Dead Television'' considers an electronic future for those who have passed over. A skilled wordsmith, Tuttle ( Gabriel ) provides 15 tales that are both entertaining and thought-provoking. ( July )