Going Where They Belong is a collection of nine stories from late 20th- and early 21st-century America that voice the peculiarities and perceptions of ordinary, sometimes eccentric, people. A woman runs away after killing another woman; a homeless teenager takes care of his younger brother after their father disappears; an aging lesbian faces the disordered personality of her longtime partner.

Most of the characters are plagued with inner instability and social marginality; all of them discover in themselves and others a caring humanity. By turns troubling, poignant, and whimsical, showing lives stricken by grief, turbulence, longing, and unfulfilled hopes, the book is ultimately uplifting and provides original, engaging storytelling.