Leaving for Detroit

About the Book

Leaving for Detroit is a three part novella that takes place in the years 1937, 1943, and 1952. The stories are about sexual promiscuity, loyalty to friends, and ideological differences. But in every case, there is a common thread that binds the stories together. They are stories of survival and the choices that the characters make in order to ensure that survival, or the loss of everything, the death of someone. Death is a common theme throughout the book, in all the stories, from The Oasis in 1934 to The Letter in 2008. The fi nal act in life is death, which takes on many different faces in these stories, from the loss of an unborn child to suicide, and to murder; and it is invariably caused by the choices people make at different times in their lives. Some characters are the victims of someone else’s choice, though it can be argued that the hand of death itself is a victim. These are stories of ordinary people making choices that may be ordinary, or in some cases, extraordinary. Circumstances occur that allow people to live a long life, but in almost every circumstance there is a choice to be made. And in every choice, there lies the ever present specter of death.

About the Author

Roger lives in Austin, Texas where he continues to work on other upcoming projects, Steam from the Teacup, a book of verse, and The Journey of Master Chang, a book for children of all ages.