How Far the Mountain

by Robert K. Swisher Jr.

How Far The Mountain is the story of a man, a woman, and a mountain. The woman, from the city, must go to the mountain to discover who she is after her husband's death from cancer. The man, a cowboy, must force himself to go to the mountain and make a shrine from the bones of 'Texas Lady,' the horse his wife was riding when she was killed by lightning. The mountain is only a mountain but, in itself, is the creator of stories more profound than any two people's needs. The woman, after her husband's death, is thrown into a world she does not understand. She forces herself to go alone to the mountain in an attempt to chase away the loneliness that tugs at the corners of her heart. The man has spent his life guiding people into the mountains. Now lost, after the mountain has killed his wife, and accompanied by his dog, Gypsy, he returns to the mountain to try and rid himself of the demons that control his every moment. The man and woman both have needs and desires, but life has destroyed their dreams. They both are desperately seeking love but they are afraid to reach out, fearing if they find love it will only end in another tragedy. The man and woman, unknown to each other, start from opposite sides of the mountain toward the same meadow. It is only by chance they see each other in the distance--one waves but one ignores it, afraid of the warmth from a wave. During the man and woman's exodus the mountain spins its history: stories of its beginning, tales of miners, trees so large they touch the heavens, Indians, outlaws, gamblers, dreamers, great bears, thundering storms, bones and circling ravens. How Far The Mountain is a quest for the human spirit and a tribute to the earth s healing magic. A novel that will leave you warm and knowing that no matter what tragedy life brings, there is always hope.

140 pages, Paperback

First published April 25, 2007

About the author

I have been writing since 1967. To date I have placed twelve novels with traditional publishers ranging from young adult to historical fiction. My novels received good reviews from Publishers Weekly and others. Over the past eight years I have indied eleven novels ranging from mysteries, humor, zanny love stories, literary, and an off the wall creative writing book based on a course I taught. I have worked for newspapers, outdoor magazines, and placed many short stories and poems with literary magazines.

Reviews

[P.S. Winn · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story that seems to take the reader away from the busy hectic life we live for awhile and drops us in the middle of a heart touching story. Readers get to take a peek into two lives. Bill Johnson is a man who has suffered loss. Sheila Abrams has had her own sorrows. The mountain draws the two people to it for different reasons. Not far from each other as they spend time in their own separate sorrows, they still have a lot in common. The author did a great job creating a vision of beauty in this tale of remembrance, living with the past and trying to move on into the future.Really wonderful job.

[Ginger Myrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple yet profound …

A magical yarn spun by a real-life cowboy, How Far the Mountain is a love story pervaded with spirituality and quiet mysticism. Homey and hypnotic, Swisher’s voice is clear throughout as he weaves many separate tales into one engrossing narrative with his protagonist—the mountain—bearing witness to the folly of human machinations. The romance between the author and his subject is a connection on the most basic and visceral level, and Swisher’s love of the mountain shines clearly through.

The most beautiful parts of the book are not those related but the ideas that remain unvoiced, the moments in which the reader’s thoughts switch off and allow her to simply feel as opposed to contemplating how the story makes her feel. To me, this is the mark of a consummate storyteller, and I recommend this book to anyone needing an escape from the ho-hum of the daily grind.

[bex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually don't feel like I can come up with words that are good enough to do justice to the beauty of this story. It is clearly in this type of writing that Swisher's strengths as an author lie. Not only could I see the scenes at the mountain and on the ranch, but I felt echoes of each character's emotions as I read. The addition of scenes from the mountain's perspective adds a nice balance.

I am left longing for more work in this style.