Although it’s an October Evening… “Take a deep breath. In this uneventful wonderland, you’ll forget everything: family’s quarrels, school, bad days, exhaustion, and everything you’ve been struggling with. Just go to your kitchen and knock on the table three times. You will not regret it, I promise!” Olivia just read that on a green piece…
Beyond Macaroni Art
Beyond Macaroni Art My ten-year-old 3D-printed me a car for my birthday. He downloaded the plans from the Internet, he said. I was still making macaroni art at that age. “You like it?” “Yeah. It’s . . . something.” His eyes are shining and I’m wondering if this green monstrosity actually runs, what kind of…
Muse on Monday – October 31, 2022
Today is Halloween and it’s the time when people often watch scary movies or read scary stories. However, what is actually scary is different from person to person. In our culture, most scary stories are about monsters, ghosts, evil people, aliens or technology gone wrong. Still, what is most terrifying is the atmosphere that the…
Hidden Miracles
Hidden Miracles We have the worst traveling miracle-woman ever. First of all, Aurora charges eighty bucks a miracle, and then she ruins your life. Jerry asked for love and Aurora poked his eye out. Kevin asked to get into shape and she killed his dog. Seriously. I asked them if they wanted to get even,…
On Monday I Woke Up as a Dog
On Monday I Woke Up as a Dog On Monday I woke up as a dog—a sloppy, tangle-furred St. Bernard who had grown up on the streets. As the sun peeked between the brownstone houses that lined the east side of the street, I set out to discover breakfast. A few people called out to…
Muse on Monday – October 24, 2022
If you want to be a writer, it is good to read a lot, not only the kinds of stories you want to write, but a wide variety of stories. Reading a lot of different kinds of stories will help you get experience with how other authors write and the different techniques and styles they…
Insert Story Here
Insert Story Here My first job was at a secondhand shop where nothing ever sold. “Where’s this from?” I asked my boss, pointing at a brass flowerpot. “No idea.” I had some ideas, even if they were all lies. That night, I wrote a history of that flowerpot. It started with murder and became more…
My Father is Dying in the Desert
My Father is Dying in the Desert The Stone Emperor is dying. It was just the two of us now, wandering across the burning expanse of desert, towards the far-off dream of the ocean. I stagger along in his shadow as he towers over me. The sand trembles as he walked—one step for every fifty…
Muse on Monday – October 17, 2022
There is a type of novel called a roman à clef, which is French for a “novel with a key”. It is a story based on real events or real people where the names or other details are changed. You can do this with short stories too. It is a good way not only to…
The Other Side Boy
The Other Side Boy The playground was water-logged. Sidney stepped carefully. “Hey down there!” Sidney looked up, then down. His reflection looked up from the puddle. Then it waved. “Come up here with me,” the reflection boy said. “Come play.” * * * Clint looked up. The playground was empty. “Lily!” His wife came running….
The Green-Walled Treehouse 