In The Dad Who Stayed (a novella) Joey Robinson and his mom live in part of a house, in an early-1970s progressive university town. He never met his dad, who left before Joey was born. When he was old enough to wonder about not having a dad, his mom said it was okay.

But when his kindergarten teacher disapproves, and Joey uses his dad as an excuse to run away too, his mom invites a man named Jack into their life. Now Joey wonders: Will he have to start calling this man Dad—and does he even want to?

Other Stories in this collection explore friendship, family, love, memory, and loss in ordinary lives scattered from middle school to old age.

The Dad Who Stayed and other stories won a 2024 Silver Quill Award for Collections from the League of Utah Writers.