Close to Heaven

Thirty-three contemporary, award-winning short stories from the Stringybark Short Story Awards will challenge, amuse and entertain you in this anthology of Australian-themed tales by Australian and international authors. From the beach to the mountains and the city to the country, each tale is a gem in its own right.

“It’s clear I am the good guy in all of this. I am a sensitive person and arguments upset me. I have loved and lost, and it cuts deep. But enough hurt, this trip is all about saying hello, how are you and I miss you. I don’t want anything from you, we both know it’s too late for that. We’ll be friends forever because we have a secret between us.”
— from ‘The Secrets that We Keep’ by Jon Presswell

“Fifteen pairs of glazed eyes – several of them hungover – watched with bored disdain as Eric bounced enthusiastically around the dining area of what he extravagantly called his ‘restaurant’. Only his wife and franchise partner Lauren looked on approvingly, just as unaware of the contempt Eric’s ebullience was producing as he was.”
— from ‘Employee of the Month’ by Regan Rist

“Why did I take the short cut? Why? Because it cuts off thirty minutes, that’s why. But not if you blow a tyre. I do know how to change one. In theory. But I’m not young anymore. I couldn’t manage that off-road monster by myself. And no one came past. No one. Just the gentle wallabies as the sun sank. Inquisitive, alert, nibbling in the verges. Corellas chattered in the eucalypts, raucous, mocking. They seemed to know how stupid I’d been.”
— from ‘A Light in the Window’ by Rosemary Stride