A Visitation and Other Stories

A short story or two with a cup of tea is an ideal way to relax and escape from the cares of the world. None of the stories in this book are overlong, and all make for easy reading. The subjects are varied, ranging from ghost stories to little slices of life, with at least one drawn from the author’s own experience. He hopes the reader derives as much pleasure from reading them as he did from writing them.

The Dog That Ate Its Tail

A journey beyond the heart of dullness, beyond the mundane and frivolous cries of everyday drama. The essentials ingredients of love, hate, betrayal, and vengeance are present, but do not digress and imagine what these sprightly tales mean cliches, for these Shakespearean diving boards are the foundations for all art. It is a piece of work inspired by the modern life; life that is lived at such a speed that it has become perilous to stop. A life loaded with eccentricities and demands for perfection.

The civilisation that has conjured such divine torment has been sent up the river, beyond the heart of darkness and into the light that is reflected in the eyes mirror. It searches the mechanism of existence and measures the speed at which hope moves through the heart. The tragic humour of insight has been twisted into stories that can be carried about in the head and snacked upon at random.

Good Grazing and Other Stories

This collection presents ten short stories, bound together by their connection to New Zealand, whether set within its shores or following the experiences of a New Zealander abroad. Spanning past, present, and even the future (as in the story ‘Good Grazing’), these tales explore a range of moods and themes, from the light-hearted to the thought-provoking.

In the tradition of Shakespearean comedies, most stories here find their way to a satisfying end, though ‘The Magpie’ and ‘Walk a Mile’ venture into darker territories, offering readers food for thought. Fans of ‘The Cone Man’ will be delighted by the return of Norman Humbolt, now grappling with the entanglements of modern politics and social media – with unexpected results.

Two of the stories, ‘Good Grazing’ and ‘As a New Zealander Might Regard Rome’, touch on contemporary social issues related to Māori culture, portraying a hopeful future with a touch of humour. At its heart, this collection is a lighthearted journey into the world as a New Zealander might see it: full of humour, insight, and occasional kernels of truth. Readers planning a trip to New Zealand may even find a glimpse of what awaits, as the real locations described are easily discoverable.