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….
Muse on Monday – October 10, 2022
Hello all, I hope you had a good weekend. Happy Thanksgiving to all the Canadians out there. The prompt for this week is the picture below. Story Prompt: October 10, 2022 If you want to share your story, you can either email me at info@greenwalledtreehouse.com or submit it at the link here. I’d love to…
Muse on Monday – October 3, 2022
Sometimes a story is right on the surface of the words: a story of a bank robbery is just that and nothing more. However, a story could also be about something underneath the main story. For example, a story of a boy doing his homework could really be about his stress at living in a…
The Ritual
The Ritual Lantern light glinted on stainless steel as the robed figures entered the kitchen. These figures had been my female relatives earlier that day, but now they were keepers of sacred knowledge. “Flour,” I began. “3 cups,” they chanted. I added it to the bowl. “Eggs.” “Four.” I recited the ingredients my mother had…
The Green-Walled Treehouse 