'Write about what you know' is the famous advice to new writers, and this author has taken those words to heart. This is a collection of short stories in which the writer is truly at home, displaying inside knowledge of the families, jobs and social milieu portrayed. The stories take us into familiar situations and we share the characters' thoughts, fears and decisions, but what we thought were commonplace circumstances often bring us up short with a surprise twist. The innate fears of the elderly retired, the doubts and insecurities of the young and single, and the courage of the entrepreneur, are explored in depth with descriptive powers that bring the characters to life in a succinct style that nevertheless conveys a rounded picture of society today. Family relationships are conveyed warmly, convincingly and recognizably in this collection, which is truly a reflection of real life.