Tale Spinner

by David Donaghe

Brandon Merryweather is a young man with two passions in numbers and the written word. Brandon makes his living crunching numbers and unwinds by reading a good book.

One morning, when Brandon steps out of the front door of his Manhattan apartment building, he hears a clap of thunder and sees a flash of blue light. Brandon closes his eyes in fear and when he opens them, he finds himself in Greedy Gulch, the 1880s boomtown from the novel he is reading. The people of that world call him the new Tale Spinner and expect him to finish the tale because the author of the Mojave Kid Series died before finishing the work.

The lines separating fiction and reality blur as Brandon is teleported back and forth between New York City, outer space, and Los Angeles of the 1940s. Finally, too terrified to leave his apartment in New York City, the characters from the land of fiction pay Brandon a visit.

Audible Audio

First published April 19, 2011

About the author

David Donaghe lives in the high desert of Southern California with his wife and family. In his spare time, David writes short stories and novels. When not reading or writing, David enjoys riding his motorcycle. He rides his brothers and sisters in the American Cruisers motorcycle club. This is where he gets some of his ideas for his writing. With the club, David sometimes volunteers at the local veteran’s home. He helps the police and fire department deliver toys to children in town at Christmas. When not reading, writing, or riding his motorcycle, David enjoys practicing martial arts. Above all David loves hearing from his readers.

mailto:dhdonaghe@earthlink.net

Reviews

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

The rather downbeat beginning to David Donaghe’s The Tale Spinner suddenly rises to a fascinating mix of surreal alternate universes, science fiction, the wild Wild West, and more. There’s an old-fashioned noir-ish feel to the narrator’s voice, especially in its attitude to women, though he beds them, after eyeing their anatomy, in suitably modern style. Enjoyable humor and well-told dialog fit the characters perfectly. And the protagonist’s eye for detail brings past and future quickly into focus.

The Tale Spinner is enjoyably unsettling too. Just as the reader guesses where the story’s heading—a lesson in the value of guns and patience perhaps—it changes direction. Exciting Western chases twist into races against time in outer space. Dreams become reality. And a keyboard sets the pace.

There’s lots of coffee (I like coffee). There’s “something” stirring inside the protagonist’s “britches.” And there’s a rollicking good read waiting in the pages of a book-full of books. I love the premise. The characters are great. And my only complaint is it took me a few pages to get into it. Great book. Great plot. Great fun!

Disclosure: I can’t remember how I got this book, but I’m really glad I did.

[David Donaghe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my science fiction novel, The Tale Spinner. It is available now on Amazon.com, Barns and Noble, and Otherworld Publications.