James Wallace

Tales From The River James Wallace

Tales From The River is a collection of 33 short stories inspired by the author's sunrise walks through a 300-year old Southern town on the Mississippi River.

"Every tale lures you to the next, from the fanciful, to the historical, to the other worldly. Are they real or are they imagined? You'll wonder.

I loved it . . . It stirs the imagination.

Tales From The River reminded me of Marjorie Rawlings who wrote the Pulitzer-Prize-winning The Yearling. Marjorie's editor, Maxwell Perkins, suggested she write a book appealing to both young and old. Marjorie thought a moment and replied, 'You sit there at your desk and ask me to write a classic.' Which Marjorie did. [Tales From The River] is that kind of book."

- Review published in the Commercial Dispatch (Columbus, MS)

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Tales From The River is divided into four parts, with stories for all ages.

Part One (children+) Become friends with elves, trolls, sproots, and a pocket mouse!

Part Two (middle school+) Discover a magic wishing well . . . meet a special sparrow . . . learn the secret of the Last Leaf . . . eavesdrop on the CIA . . . sneak into an abandoned building at night . . . battle on the high seas . . . ride a fire-breathing dragon . . . survive an alien encounter . . . and dare to enter Dead Man's Cave.

Part Three (teens+) Fight in a foggy, dawn skirmish between Union and Confederate soldiers . . . befriend a mysterious old man and his forest creatures . . . join a SEAL team on a dangerous, highly-classified mission . . . and come face to face with ghosts (not all friendly).

Part Four (the rest of us) Experience the vibrancy of the world around us . . . read stories that will make you laugh . . . cry . . . and reflect on the importance of family and friendship, the joy and pain of love, and the wonderment of life and what we make of it.



Tales From The River will delight and entertain both adult and younger readers.

At the end of each story, the author adds a note to the reader, explaining the "idea spark" for the fantastical, haunting, humorous, thrilling, mysterious, or bittersweet tale. Sometimes a fleeting observation can be the catalyst for an amazing story. We need only unleash our imaginations.