An Emporium -- a place where ancient traders conducted business in territories not their own. Whether it was the Hittites, the Egyptians, or the Phoenicians, an emporium was a market of mystery -- a casbah of conundrums if you will -- offering its veiled treasures at prices ever negotiable.The moment Xavier opens his shop on a side street in Rosslyn, Virginia, ordinary lives begin to change. But could they possibly be prepared for how the world around them is about to change? Russ Jarvis has been writing novels, stories, essays, and articles for over thirty years. He has won Honorable Mention Awards from Writers' Digest Magazine (2008) and the Carmel, Indiana Writers Workshop (2009). His travels have taken him around the world and back again collecting stories. He currently lives in Central Indiana with his wife and three cats. Xavier's Emporium is his first release of a short story collection.