November 5, 2015 · 10:10 pm

So it turns out I’m a poet and didn’t even yada yada yada…

So I learned of a poetry project last month and was intrigued by the concept to say the least.  The idea, aptly named Project 411, was to take contributions from as many poets/writers as possible, and compile a 411 line poem to represent the 411 miles of free-flowing freedom that is the Wabash River, an Indiana geographic icon.  I whipped up my 5 best attempts at poetry and clicked on the submit button.

Well, the final product was released this week and I was excited to see my name listed in the participant’s section!  The finished poem is filled with truly inspiring words, so I strongly encourage you to check it out when you have a few minutes.  Make your guesses in the comments and see if you can single out my efforts!

 

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Filed under Poetry, Projects

October 27, 2015 · 6:30 pm

Road Trip

Compendium (noun): a collection of things that have been gathered together and presented as a group especially in the form of a book.

The following short story is in collaboration with Adam K. Moore and is set in the world he created with his first novel, COMPENDIUM TWENTY-THREE: PART I, Through the Valley.

The subsequent companion short stories are meant to enhance and expand that universe in and beyond Independence, Indiana.  I strongly encourage you to check out the original story and fully immerse yourself in the battle for good and evil.

“Wake up,” she whispered frantically, shaking her son awake from a deep sleep.

“Mom, what’s wrong?” asked her son, Tommy.

“We have to go.  I need you to be a big helper and grab some clothes, okay?”  This is not how Caroline anticipated her day starting.

“Why?  I don’t want to,” Tommy whined.  “I wanna go back to sleep.”

Realistically, nobody expects their day to start this way.  The difference is that most people don’t see the movements in the shadows.  Most people don’t hear the hushed tones of plans for terror being formulated.  However, Caroline is not most people. Continue reading →

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Filed under Compendium Twenty-Three, Fiction

October 7, 2015 · 12:00 pm

Haunted

Compendium (noun): a collection of things that have been gathered together and presented as a group especially in the form of a book.

The following short story is in collaboration with Adam K. Moore and is set in the world he created with his first novel, COMPENDIUM TWENTY-THREE: PART I, Through the Valley.

The subsequent companion short stories are meant to enhance and expand that universe in and beyond Independence, Indiana.  I strongly encourage you to check out the original story and fully immerse yourself in the battle for good and evil.

Saturday, October 30th – Devil’s Night

“Did you turn the porch light on?” she called from the other room.

“Yeah, I think so.  I’ll double check,” he said as he stood up from the couch and meandered toward the front door.  “Hmm, I guess not,” he commented to himself, flipping the light switch before returning to his spot in the living room.

“I thought you said this was on?” she asked moments later when she entered the room.  She stopped by the door and peeked out the small window, noticing the absence of light that should be guarding their front porch. Continue reading →

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Filed under Compendium Twenty-Three, Fiction

September 23, 2015 · 11:45 am

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!

Big news today.  I have several updates to share with you about upcoming projects and revisiting an old one even!  Recently, a close friend and I have formed a writing partnership to help encourage, motivate, and assist each other.  That partnership has spawned a renewed interest within me about writing.  I have created a writing profile on Facebook to make it easier to keep up with news and updates.  Check that out, as I will probably use that a little more often and leave this site more for my short stories. Continue reading →

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September 7, 2015 · 12:20 pm

Gimme Three Steps

It’s a familiar story and it starts out with me sitting in my usual spot; the dark corner down at the end of the bar.  It was a pretty typical night.  The Van Zant brothers being belted out of the jukebox, the mill worker “usuals” posted up at the opposite end of the bar, and a group of big burly gents in leather vests and some of their female companions occupying the pool tables and the tables surrounding them.  That’s when things took a turn away from normal. Continue reading →

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August 7, 2015 · 7:49 am

Friendly Rivalry

The hum of the amplifiers creates an electrifying atmosphere as the arena explodes with applause, cheers, and chants of “Encore! Encore!”  The final chord resonates while the band members energetically strut off stage, graciously thanking their fans for their support.  Once the group was safely backstage and out of the view of the crowd, they grabbed towels and vigorously wiped the sweat from their faces, chests, and backs.  But first, the lead guitarist, Chester, was compelled to reach for his infamous bottle of whiskey.

He downed a few swigs straight from the bottle, just to get the tremors to calm so he could hold the bottle steady and think straight.  The other members noticed, but had long ago decided to avoid the confrontation.  After all, until recently, Chester’s performances were never affected.  Until recently. Continue reading →

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September 3, 2013 · 1:10 pm

“Warriors, come out to play…”

Author’s note: The events in this story took place in August 2012, when I was approached to write a non-fiction short story for a collection that was to be published highlighting good people doing good things. Admittedly intimidated by the idea of writing a non-fiction piece for the first time, I jumped at the opportunity none-the-less. After completing the first draft I was informed that the project had unfortunately been cancelled. I sat on this story for far too long knowing that the experience was too great not to share so here it is for your reading enjoyment, without further delay.

Sergeant Eddie Stow was a soldier in the infantry for the United States Army for 9 months before his first deployment landed him in Baqubah, Iraq for 13 ½ months. It didn’t take long after his return before a second deployment found him stationed in Mosul, Iraq for another 15 months. However, when Eddie returned from his deployment in late 2007, things weren’t quite the same for him as they were before he left. He continued his service until early 2011, but was discharged due to the chilling side effects from his time spent abroad. Eddie returned home suffering from chronic Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and traumatic brain injury. Participating in, and bearing witness to the mortal drama of gun battles took their toll on his psyche.

Meanwhile, halfway around the world, the toughest thing motorcycle racer Pete Cline was going through was what to watch on television when he was struck by a moment of inspiration. Typically, good ideas do not come from watching TV. However, every once in a while, a stroke of genius is inspired directly from the boob tube, and that is exactly what happened. Early in 2012, as Pete tuned into an episode of the hit show Top Gear, he was mesmerized by a segment that featured off-road rally racing trucks. The story focused on a team of wounded British military veterans preparing to qualify for a grueling race that takes place over nearly-impassable terrain, the Dakar Rally. The inspiration behind the team got the motorcycle racer in Pete thinking. As he kicked back in his recliner a moment of clarity broad-sided Pete; he witnessed precision training and natural instincts being put to the test by the veterans testing their knowledge and physical limits. Continue reading →

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