Shorter Journeys

by David Calder

Nine short pieces that transport the reader from the crests of the Andes to the streets of Sydney. Across prairies on the steel steeds of the new cowboys of the American West, to the terrible frozen wastes of a Europe torn by evil and war. Through the looking glass into the angst-filled mind of youth and back through time to the pondering of the father of modern thinking.

97 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 6, 2016

About the author

I'm a Kiwi-American author of numerous stories and articles as well as two novels. I was a soldier during the Vietnam era and had two terrific engineering careers in the US automotive and software business, before transitioning to full time writing.

I divide my time between a small horse ranch in the beautiful Waitakere Ranges north of Auckland New Zealand, and a base in Long Beach, Southern California.

I'm presently working on a followup to Redemption Cove, set in southern France, and another Israeli terrorism novel.

Thanks for reading and look for more of my work here soon.

Reviews

[Scott Skipper · Rating 5 out of 5]

What short strange trips these are! God pays a cash reward for attempting to prevent John Denver from crashing. A backpacking chemist finds the fountain of youth at Machu Picchu. Skeletons in a family’s closet, the historic tale of the plight of some Russian Jews in wartime Poland, a story of the road not taken, throw in some time travel and a beer delivery driver who is haunted on the highway and you have an idea what lies within this diverse anthology.

There is humor, history, mystery, heart and depth. David Calder writes with clean flowing prose and plumbs his fertile imagination to exploit his vast knowledge base to his readers’ delight. These nine stories cover the entire spectrum of genres, and geography from Australia to Utah by way of Peru. It is clear that Kiwi/American, David Calder, has both a great data base of experience to call upon, and the skill to express it in an entertaining way. Do yourself a favor and take these Shorter Journeys.

[Dave Edlund · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful collection of short stories told by a master of the craft. I had previously read THE CHILDREN OF THE NAKBA, a powerful and superbly written historical fiction about a particular terrorist action in Israel, and so was familiar with Mr. Calder’s writing. This compilation did not disappoint. The range of stories is varied—from a phone conversation with God, to a miraculous discovery and the awful dilemma presented by this newfound knowledge, to a pair of savant teenagers having the time of their lives, to a true story retelling the darkest deeds of humankind. Highly entertaining and positively memorable, Calder displays his talents equally well over humorous, dramatic, and historical pieces.