Go west. That’s the phrase that’s been drumming in my chest ever since my brother died. We spent years planning our way out of this West Virginia town. I can’t get my brother back, but I can follow through on his dream. So, here I am, driving a car older than I am, making my way to California. My trip is going more or less to plan until catastrophic engine failure—and a small-town Texas mechanic—change everything. Sometimes life is what happens when you’re making other plans. Texas Detour is a 23k word novella that starts as an American road trip and ends up in Elgin, Texas, where the sausages are delicious, and the mechanics know a thing or two about fixing what’s broken.