They each have a place in Diana Comet’s fantastical reality.

Diana Comet and Other Improbable Stories draws together some of Sandra’s McDonald’s most engaging short stories into a wondrous tapestry that will touch your heart and delight your mind. While many of the stories can stand alone, Sandra weaves them together as a collection of dangerous tales from a world where the beautiful Diana Comet can sail from the exotic city of New Dali to find her true love, firemen have living mythical creatures as mascots, and a tiny collapsible orchestra is peopled by living musicians.

The stories might be deemed “dangerous” because they attempt to open minds on the subject of gender, love, and sexuality—always in the midst of good story telling. Miss Comet, herself, is no traditional heroine. She has the courage, spirit, and kindness requisite to the role, but she also has less expected things hidden under her skirts. It is a wonderful book for anyone struggling with these issues, but regardless of where you stand on such things, Sandra’s expert craftsmanship will have you feeling the longing of a wooden statue for the taste of the sea and suffering along with a lovesick cowboy. My personal favorite from this collection is the Fireman’s Fairy, but there are no mediocre stories in the bunch.

In addition to her award-winning short story career, Sandra McDonald is also the author of the great space adventure stories: the Outback Stars, The Stars Down Under, and The Stars Blue Yonder. I had the great good fortune to participate in a critique group with her in years past and can attest that she is also an author who generously gives back to the writing community and her fellow authors.