Showing results by author "Jeremy Daniel" in All Categories

Percy Tau grew up with seven siblings and a single mom in the mining town of Witbank. For Percy and his family, life is tough, as their mother struggles to make ends meet. But there is one thing that brings the Tau boys together: soccer. At the Mmagobana Primary School, they quickly make a name for themselves on the soccer team. Despite the boys’ enthusiasm for the game, Percy’s mom is against him playing soccer. She wants him to get a ‘real job’ - after all, she doesn’t want to see her son struggle in life.

This is the story of Chad le Clos, Olympic gold medallist and record breaker, the swimmer with the never-say-die attitude. It all started on a beach in Durban: every Sunday, Bert and Geraldine le Clos would take their family to the seaside to spend a lazy afternoon at the beach. They soon realised that there was something special about their son: Chad, only eight years old, was a natural in the water. They couldn’t take their eyes off him as he kicked his little legs and fought off the giant waves that came crashing down.

Growing up in poverty in Limpopo, Caster’s early experiences at school are marked by many ups and downs: while her friends and family accept her for who she is, she is constantly bullied for her appearance. But she discovers soccer and immerses herself in the game - even making the boys’ team. It is only after she enrols at the University of Pretoria that her life changes completely.

This 30th issue of Tales from the Canyons of the Damned consists of five sharp, suspenseful, thought provoking short stories - each from a different featured master of speculative fiction. This issue includes the short stories: "Something Bad" by Jeremy Essex, "On a Front Porch on a November Afternoon" by M. Regan, "The End of the World and a Super 88" by Michael Ezell, "Winning in Real Estate" by Lara Frater, and "The Lost Tapes - Shane Starr" by Daniel Arthur Smith.