The Stories That Make Us There is something for everyone in this debut collection of nine compelling short stories. With a myriad of universal themes, Shawn Gale demonstrates that he knows a thing or two--or maybe three or four--about the art of storytelling. Offering a lineup of varied, colourful characters, The Stories That Make Us spans from World War II to the present, from love to hate, and from joy to anguish--and everything in between. In this rare gem of a collection, you feel as if you're living in the skin of its characters. And when the epiphanies come--for better or for worse--they ring like hammer blows upon the forge of life. Gutsy, nuanced, and thought-provoking writing by an author who's been to those dark places from which few seldom return. The Stories That Make Us is literary writing at its finest. It's a contemporary collection sure to become a classic. There is so very much... "Shawn's writing brings the reader into his world substantially and sensually, through his use of lingo, emotions, tangible textures and imagery." -Whistler Independent Book Awards 92/100