Lost Horses

Seven compelling American tales. “Every story was a jewel ... from the very poignant Wide River and Whiskey Creek to the hilarious Why Men Cheat in August.” “Storyteller Saha gets it just right.” – Goodreads

“The Blind Horse” > Johnny Wexler’s old gray gelding may be blind and useless but is aggravatingly intent on living out its time on this earth like anybody else.

"The Getaway of Eddie Lee Jessup" > Seventeen-year-old Nathan Osterhaus joins Sheriff Holloway's posse on the trail of a murderer, and learns about love from the daughter of a river ferry operator.

"Why Men Cheat in August" > A middle-aged married man terrified of teenaged girls since adolescence is drafted to investigate the morals of a young cutting horse rider.

"Whiskey Creek" > Gus Harlan lost everything to the bottle except his beloved horse Misty and is now sued by activists who deem him unfit to possess an animal companion.

“Wide River” > A young college student seeking summer work is persuaded to front for a kill buyer, and meets a girl who thinks he finds loving homes for horses whose owners can no longer afford them.

"Grandpa Goes to Mexico" > A quixotic old man sets out for Mexico on horseback in search of the young Hispanic girl who was smitten with him in his youth.

"Lost Horses"> A country crossroads store owner refuses to remove a horse trough, considered a public nuisance and safety hazard, because he believes the horse is going to make a comeback.

- * * * * -

READERS SAY:

-- “… the narrator’s voice, admirably, advocates nothing, takes no sides and passes no judgment upon the various flawed characters. The reader is thus left with something to ponder, and will want to pass his or her own judgment. Above all, and in a thoughtful way, Saha encourages the reader to think.” – Jack Neworth, Santa Monica Daily Press

Readers’ reviews from Goodreads and Amazon --

-- “Well written short stories. The book is not about horses but more about human nature. This book would be excellent in a high school classroom teaching about characters and looking for more meaning in stories.” – Goodreads

-- “My favorite is ‘Wide River’, about the enormous consequences that ripple out over time from one dubious choice. Horses don’t make that kind of mistake; people do.” – Amazon

-- “What struck me most about this book was its authenticity. Each story established a world that was clearly drawn through the precise details, and the natural sounding dialogue.” – Amazon

-- “The characters and scenes are well drawn … I felt I was in [each] story, not an outside observer.” – Amazon

-- “These stories grab your interest in the very first sentence or two and you are compelled to read on to find out what happens. Most of them are comic with a fine sense of irony.” – Amazon

-- “I thoroughly enjoyed reading every story! There is a great variety of characters and situations, and the writer knew exactly how to bring them to life.” – Goodreads

--“’Grandpa Goes to Mexico' was a treat!” – Goodreads

-- “Mark Saha’s simple, straightforward prose reveals difficult, complicated people in a changing world.” – Goodreads

-- “Seven tales told in great fashion of the American Heartland.” – Goodreads

-- “Just one of those stories could become a standalone novel.” – Goodreads

-- “This book felt like a treasure chest of characters that were at once unique and familiar.” – Amazon

-- “Saha's Texas roots show through as he deftly paints a picture so true, my eyes were watering from the dust, cedar and woodsmoke from the nearest bbq.” – Amazon

“Loved this book! 7 stories that got me thinking on how I wanted them to end. 1 story per night!” – Amazon