When we think of a war story, we usually think of fighting. However, there are a lot of stories that take place in a time of war that are far away from any battlefield. Here are some ways: How much the war overshadows the story depends on how much the characters or the people they…
The Lexipals Program
The Lexipals Program The good news was that Derek was heading to Spain for a dream vacation in a little over a week. The bad news was that he couldn’t remember any of his high school Spanish except the word bufanda, for some reason. Sure, there were lots of language learning apps, but they seemed…
Muse on Monday – April 8, 2024
If you were in certain parts of North America today, you could have seen a total eclipse. I am lucky enough to be in Erie, Pennsylvania, which is right in the path of totality, so we got a good view of it here. We all knew long in advance the exact minute that it was…
The Phoenix
The Phoenix Through the salt-grimed asylum windows, I watch the Phoenix enter the harbor to cheering crowds, back from miraculous wartime exploits. I launched that ship. The crowd cheered me then, right up until they stole my crown and transformed it into a ballot box. And imprisoned me here. The door opens. “Supper time, your…
Muse on Monday – April 1, 2024
Happy Easter everyone, plus April Fools Day and the beginning of a new month. Do you like April Fools Day? I didn’t do any pranks, although I have in the past a few times. Pranks work in fiction, although because fiction runs on conflict, it is much more likely for a prank to go horribly…
Audition
Audition I showed up early for the Musikour audition at the dance studio. Parkour with music, they said. The door was barred by a high metal barrier. Fair enough; I’d expect nothing less. Humming a happy tune, I scaled the fence, hoping this was being recorded. The door was locked. This was getting more intense….
Muse on Monday – March 25, 2024
Every city has its own personality. Part of that is based on where it is—if it has mountains or lakes or is by the ocean or is on an island—but it goes beyond that. Even cities that seem very similar have subtle differences based on their culture and their “feel”. You may have to live…
Muse on Monday – March 18, 2024
Happy Monday, everyone! Welcome back to the Treehouse for a new writing prompt. If you know someone very well, you might be able to tell what they are thinking just by seeing their facial expressions. That’s because we can convey a lot through our expressions even if we don’t say anything out loud. Facial expressions…
Muse on Monday – March 11, 2024
Welcome to the beginning of a brand new week. I don’t know what the weather there is like, but here it is sometimes cold and snowy and sometimes warm. That is the normal craziness of March in this area. Story Prompt: March 11, 2024 Write a story based on the picture below. This is a…
Bẻn Lẻn (Shy)
Bẻn Lẻn (Shy) “Don’t be shy.” I know that word, shy. It means I’m not trying hard enough. I smile at the American girl, pushing down my anxiety. “Where . . . you from?” I don’t understand her answer, but I nod, smiling. Everyone at the dorm mixer is chatting, even the other Vietnamese girl…
The Green-Walled Treehouse 