Balloon Animals READ BY THE AUTHOR.

BALLOON ANIMALS is a pilgrimage and road-trip of unusual dimensions.

Follow me, Jonny Rowe, on a wild goose chase from Ireland to the USA with my American grandfather's remains in my red birthday balloon. I use 'remains' in the loosest sense of the word: my grandfather, 45, puffed his last breaths of air into my birthday balloon before suffering a massive heart attack right there at my birthday party which becomes his deathday party.

Feeling responsible for 45's death, and as a thank-you for filling Clinical Dad's void after leaving that questionable suicide note, I make it my quest to return 45 to his birthplace amongst the corn of Iowa, USA, suspended inside his soul-bubble. This journey might also help me with my identity crisis... I'm a genealogy student, by the way. And who knows, maybe I'll find love - I tend to find things when I'm not looking for them. Join me on a desperate race against time to unveil the truth as my birthday balloon begins to deflate and loose 45 forever to the wind.