Reading time: 1 minute Elmore Leonard fans who miss his work might be happy to turn the pages of Lou Berney’s debut crime caper, Gutshot Straight. I write from experience, of course. I’d enjoy a seven-course meal of Elmore Leonard novels with a short story (3:10 to Yuma anyone?) for dessert. Berney took advantage of the […]
For You: A Ground Floor Opportunity! — Reading time: 1 minute Who’s your favorite author? Grisham or Grafton? Lehane, Le Carre, Lansdale or Leonard? Even if your favorite author isn’t a “G” or an “L”, I have the same question for you: Did you read the very first piece of fiction they were paid to write? […]
Reading time: 1 ½ minutes – Get ready to fall in love with Dixie Dupree. It won’t be love at first sight. She’s turning over her diary as key evidence against her uncle when we first meet her in chapter one. But along the way toward the story’s conclusion, as you discover why she releases her […]
Elves are just funny, by nature. So, naturally, some screw it up. Reading time: 1 minute — Marcus from Bad Santa – Yes, the feel-good family flick for the youngest kids in the family features a sullen, drunk and disorderly Billie Bob Thornton as Santa along with his sidekick Marcus (Tony Cox) who […]
Success for National Novel Writing Month (NANO) November hurled plenty my way to try and stop me from hitting the goal of writing 50,000 words during the month. From the bad – my daughter spending four days in the hospital, to the good – thirty-two people showing up for Thanksgiving at our house. My daughter […]
Looking for something? Here’s help! Since it’s November, I am… A. Checking out like a library book. B. Going dark like a shuttered theater C. Lost somewhere like my protagonist in Act II D. Searching for a new metaphor None of the above! Trick question. November is National Novel Writing Month, and I’m playing. The goal […]
Today’s entry is a special inside joke to my mom. Anyone is welcome to read, but only Mom will truly understand. Also, please note that my mother is neither a witch nor named Melinda Widebottom – those were only story elements. Final spooktacular flash fiction will appear here on Halloween morning. See you then… WITCH […]
SECRETS My boyfriend leered at me. “Sit,” he said. Ooooh! I obeyed. I sat. And tingled with anticipation. My new man has a fetish! Does he have a leash and collar? “Last night was our anniversary,” he barked. I blink. “Anniv –” “No talking! One month anniversary! And you canceled our date.” Uh-oh. He knows. “Baby, […]
WITH MUSTARD, PLEASE He asked me to come and I did. Full disclosure, I came like a contractor who’s called for a bid. That is, I made him ask me three times. But I came. On occasion, I’ll even sit if asked politely. Usually when food is involved. Heck, I’ll roll over for food, to […]
ZOMBIE (Editor’s note: Okay, inspired by the zombie costume, but this really isn’t about a zombie.) I’d been dead a month when I met Corinne, my intake interviewer. She had ligature marks too, so natural curiosity. Hers were from someone’s hands, so I lied about my rope of guilt. “They never fade away,” she warned. […]
JD Frain 