Brief Encounters is a very interesting work at a number of levels. The author had the opportunity to work in a nationwide capacity as an Apple Education Trainer for a two-year period between 2013 and 2015. This work involved a lot of travel, with time spent in airports and hotels. Over the period, he was able to undertake several observations that he would then mould to create Brief Encounters, which would then be written when he was travelling. This book has been written when travelling over 50,000 miles! The ten short stories cover a wide range of modern life, and explore a range of themes that are pertinent to Christian life, including mental health, homelessness, unemployment, grief and loss. They provide unique insights that would be difficult to find in any other literary genre. About the Author The majority of David Ryan’s professional life has been spent in the field of education, focussing mainly on special educational needs and gifted and talented education. He has published a number of papers and professional titles in these fields. This is David’s first adventure into publishing a Christian book and one that has something meaningful to say about modern life and the challenges faced by real people that he encountered during his travels. David lives in County Tyrone in Northern Ireland with his wife Ruth, and three children, Josh (21), Becky (18) and Rachel (14). He now works in the Education Authority in Northern Ireland. A kaleidoscope of refreshingly honest glimpses into real lives across the length and breadth of the UK. These reflections provide a rich miscellany of the shocking, humorous, poignant and challenging. Dr Noel Purdy, Stranmillis University College, Belfast