Todd and Bristol ran through the backyard, the puppy right on their heels. Their six-year-old voices squealed through the evening air, accented by the sharp barking of the terrier with them. They were in a make-believe world that would be incomprehensible to an adult, but made perfect sense to the twins and to Yip, their … More “A Dog’s Best Friend”
The phrase “seeing the elephant” or “he saw the elephant” makes me think of old war movies, especially ones with the British Army bivouacked in a remote area, with references to first combat. But as I research it, it actually originates in Georgia (United States) in 1835. The phrase “seeing the elephant” was originally tied … More Seeing the Elephant
When I close my eyes, I still see it standing there. It was a baby carriage, traditional looking, covered in wicker, framed in oak, trimmed in ribbon. One could tell that it was a girl from the pink blanket that hung over the side. It was the kind of baby carriage that someone in the … More “When the Bough Breaks”
“Never let the facts get in the way of a good story.” –-J. Frank Dobie, American folklorist I deal with students and student writers everyday. Most of them are interested in writing fiction; many of them want and do write fantasy. In the mind of the common reader, fantasy is one of those genres that … More Truth and Fiction
The following is the result of an exercise on intimacy that my Narrative Writing class did this morning. I felt it was only fair that I participate in it as well. We sit on the back porch, he and I, facing the setting sun. And the irony of it does not escape me. His face … More “Sunset”
It is my privilege to teach writing in a university, something I thoroughly enjoy. This semester I am teaching a class called Narrative Writing, which is a lot of fun. We have 10 students who take turns submitting their short stories (at this point; novel pages later) for critique by the class. It’s tough to … More In Search of Intimacy
A hot cup of coffee cures a lot of ills, but not everything. It can start your day, it can calm your nerves, it can wake you up. But it can’t make you any more attractive than God created you. I thought about that as I stared at the ugly, old man sitting handcuffed in … More “Rules of Engagement”
Here’s another take on my Vampires vs. Amish story that I hope to write someday soon. Vampires are not sexy. Yes, I know. The movie that came out a few years ago had the actor with the doe eyes going all sparkly when sunlight hit his vampire skin. All of the actors in that … More “A Baptism In Blood”
In his immortal book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, William Pirsig tells of an incident he experienced as a high school composition teacher. He told a classroom full of students to begin writing–something, anything. They couldn’t think of anything to write. He then suggested they write about something in the room. They still … More Why I don’t believe in magic
Banri L’Chandra stood on the edge of the sky island known as Alash-la and cried. She held the one thing that mattered more to her than life itself close to her breast. The bundle of white cooed quietly, oblivious to her mother’s tears, the threat of violence that surrounded her or even the whipping wind … More Short Story: “A Hole In the Sky”
The Great Adventure 