Journeys Within: Stories

Journeys Within: Stories by Don Tassone is a collection of 30 short stories that explore the inner journeys of its characters as they face various challenges and find their paths in life. In “The Hope,” Gabe is a young boy growing up near war-torn Gaza, where his family lives modestly and faces the constant threat of violence; he is anxious and constantly uncertain about what can happen next to his life. He finds strength in the beautiful music of an old man named Rueben, who plays the violin. The violin's sound becomes a source of comfort and peace for Gabe, and eventually, he begins to learn how to play himself. How will he use this gift to connect meaningfully with others?

A barista, Cassidy, is immediately drawn to a handsome stranger named Alex, who enters her coffee shop. What awaits them at the end of the road? Chase Asbury, a driven and ambitious executive, has spent 30 years climbing the corporate ladder at Evo. However, his dream of becoming CEO is shattered when the board selects a younger candidate. He retreats to his hometown of Morgantown, West Virginia, to reevaluate his life and find a new purpose. Dylan has spent his life hiding from his troubles. As a boy, he'd escape to his treehouse after fights with his parents, and as an adult, he would retreat to his bedroom or drive around to cope. Erin, his stepmother, is the one person who understands and offers comfort. Can he find normalcy? Such are the stories in this gorgeous collection: characters awakened by something unique and compelled to dig deeper into their lives.

Don Tassone is a great storyteller with a unique gift for the economy of words. His writing is measured and descriptive, with occasional dialogues that reveal character authenticity and infuse the writing with realism. The characters are finely drawn, and the author creates focused and intelligently crafted scenes against the backdrops of elaborately developed social, cultural, and physical settings. These short stories are moving and explore themes of humanity, purpose, hope, and resilience. Reading Journeys Within: Stories was like opening a box of cookies, each story offering a unique flavor and an aftertaste that lingers.