All’s Fair and Other California Stories
In this rich collection of thirteen short stories, a diverse group of characters seek the fulfillment and connection this sunny state has always promised. They come with hopes for a better lifestyle, for a change of perspective, or for the dry, mild West Coast weather. A couple moves to Palm Desert from New York for the climate a doctor prescribes, and the wife makes an unlikely friendship to manage feelings of loss and homesickness. A young Mexican woman migrates to California only to marry an American man who deserts her. A young man is disqualified from the Naval Aeronautical program and returns to his sister’s home where he struggles with his identity and sexuality. A teenage girl travels to California from New York to spend the summer with the father she hasn’t seen for many years. The stories take place under the glare of the Southern California sun, a western desert light so clear and unfiltered that it reveals everything. All’s Fair and Other California Stories offers a deeply immersive experience into the lives of various characters and will leave readers feeling thoughtful and transported.
Author & Psychotherapist
My collection of short stories explores a variety of characters at a specific time in their lives. Each story provides a glimpse into another’s world and offers the reader a chance to step into someone else’s shoes for a moment and perhaps discover something meaningful. Reading and writing fiction come from the same passion for human discovery as psychotherapy. The characters we love often mirror aspects of ourselves and the emotions we hold, which is why the experience of reading about them lingers long after the book is closed.
Ultimately, a good storyteller must also be a good listener.
What People Are Saying
“Linda Feyder is a remarkably attentive and subtle storyteller whose understanding of her characters allows her to honor their complexity in a few deft and graceful strokes.”
-Rosellen Brown, author (Before and After, Half a Heart & other novels)
“Ms. Feyder has a first-rate ear, a noticing eye, and a wide-ranging sympathy; this is a book to savor and a very welcome new voice.”
-Nicholas Delbanco, author (It is Enough & non-fiction text Why Writing Matters)