The Taste of Rain and Other Stories: A miscellany of modern fictionPaperback, 4 February 2022

This collection of modern fiction spans many decades and celebrates a diversity of authors, nationalities and locations. The stories are inhabited by characters who are at times naturalistic and at others an embodiment of the imaginary world they inhabit. From the mystical elements of the title story to the mythical dancers in Ghostly Laughter and the quirky characters of Dotty and Blacky, these stories draw the reader into a world of shifting realities, questioning relationships and morally diverse individuals inhabiting a whole range of worlds from the mundane to the fantastic. The key to gripping fiction is a keen observation of human nature, not always manifested in broad, sweeping landscapes of emotion, but often in the minutiae of human life and spaces in between our existence. Above all, these stories offer variety, pathos and contemplation, combined with an occasional surprise and a touch of humour. 'A triumph of emotion and imagination'