This collection of prize-winning stories represent major high-points from Alex Keegan's early years as a short-story writer. These stories will stay with you, make you return and look behind the words, for what is quietly waiting.

A father knowing he has little time left, takes his children to Disney; a writer sits and drinks tea with a bastard relation; a family tries to recover from a daughter's mutilation; a proud Welshman faces death to watch three grandsons at the game; a terrorist and his victim are trapped underground, talking in the dark; a too-beautiful young man tries to understand his life; an ageing teacher meets his protege and aches for what was missed; a band of limbless soldiers run a marathon for charity; a hopelessly unlucky cuckold has one more try; a barwoman is romanced over ten years; all these stories and more, some uplifting, some painful, all delivered with often brilliant touches of language, will enchant and educate.

A superb resource for teaching creative writing, this collection illustrates exactly what is required to win writing competitions in the UK and overseas.