Memoirous

Freeze Frame: How to Write Flash Memoir, will inspire you and keep you writing. *The link takes you to Amazon, but also available through Apple Baker & Taylor Blio Baker-Taylor Axis360 Barnes & Noble Diesel Flipkart Gardners Extended Retail Gardners Library Inktera (formerly Page Foundry) Kobo Library Direct Odilo OverDrive Oyster Scribd Sony Tolino txtr Yuzu

Cloud of Witnesses By Jane Hertenstein “The stars and black sky closed over me. I was not Pip with the hope of great expectations, just an eighth grader looking for a lucky break.” Book cover Clouds of Witnesses by author Jane HertensteinRoland Tanner is looking for a benefactor, someone to rescue him from his family, the sorriest characters he’s ever met: a sister who works at the Curl Up and Dye salon, a brother who takes motors apart in their front yard, a grandmother who flashes him the evil eye from her ragged vinyl armchair, and a father who keeps him at arm’s length. Tested as gifted, Roland gets bused from his poor, rural home to the middle school in town, where his new classmates only see him as a hillbilly. He is desperate to reach out beyond the power lines that crisscross the hills surrounding the family’s trailer in southeastern Ohio. Yet he’s afraid to step outside of himself to ask Patty to the dance, to stand up for his friend Hassan, to see that his ...

Flash Memoir: Writing Prompts to get you Flashing available EVERYWHERE.  Oder it today .* *The link takes you to Amazon, but also available through Apple Baker & Taylor Blio Baker-Taylor Axis360 Barnes & Noble Diesel Flipkart Gardners Extended Retail Gardners Library Inktera (formerly Page Foundry) Kobo Library Direct Odilo OverDrive Oyster Scribd Sony Tolino txtr Yuzu

I have a short short in the Vassar Review that I’d originally titled A Celebration of Life. Since the editors requested a name change and we couldn’t come to a consensus, it’s simply Untitled. Anyway, click on the link to get connected to an issue of the Vassar Review.

Did you watch the royal wedding? I did. I woke up at 4 a.m. to catch the pomp and pageantry. I wouldn’t have missed it for the world. Not sure how I feel about the monarchy and its place in politics. Let’s just say with their track record for Empire that they wouldn’t have voted to leave the EU. Wasn’t there a motto to make the world England? Now England will be mostly—England. No one is sure if Scotland or even Northern Ireland will land back on the side of the EU. In a world of complex global alliances, to go it alone leaves very little wiggle room. Especially with a vacillating US who from one day to the next wants to impose tariffs, start a trade war, or tear up deals/treaties/agreements. Suddenly having a trading partner is raised to a whole new level. But for now our greatest export has been Meghan Markle. She was a radiant gem on Saturday. A delight. The wedding commentators kept saying over and over—this is modern. I had the impression that Rev. Bishop Curry was the...

Cloud of Witnesses By Jane Hertenstein “The stars and black sky closed over me. I was not Pip with the hope of great expectations, just an eighth grader looking for a lucky break.” Book cover Clouds of Witnesses by author Jane HertensteinRoland Tanner is looking for a benefactor, someone to rescue him from his family, the sorriest characters he’s ever met: a sister who works at the Curl Up and Dye salon, a brother who takes motors apart in their front yard, a grandmother who flashes him the evil eye from her ragged vinyl armchair, and a father who keeps him at arm’s length. Tested as gifted, Roland gets bused from his poor, rural home to the middle school in town, where his new classmates only see him as a hillbilly. He is desperate to reach out beyond the power lines that crisscross the hills surrounding the family’s trailer in southeastern Ohio. Yet he’s afraid to step outside of himself to ask Patty to the dance, to stand up for his friend Hassan, to see that hi...

Who made the world? Who made the swan, and the black bear? Who made the grasshopper? This grasshopper, I mean-- the one who has flung herself out of the grass, the one who is eating sugar out of my hand, who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down -- who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes. Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face. Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away. I don't know exactly what a prayer is. I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down into the grass, how to kneel in the grass, how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields which is what I have been doing all day. Tell me, what else should I have done? Doesn't everything die at last, and too soon? Tell me, what is it you plan to do With your one wild and precious life?             Mary Oliver The Summer Day This is the time of year w...

Remember those? Doorstoppers. Booster seats at Thanksgiving. Ten pound slabs of paper delivered every year. If we went on holiday to another town, we’d look up our name in the town phone book—out of curiosity, to see how many other Feebacks there were. Usually none. It was a name from the hoots and hollers of Kentucky. Yet every now and then we’d come across a stray one in North or South Carolina, or Virginia Beach. I was reminded of the phone book last night while watching a TV show set n the 1970s. THIS IS US, the part about the parents is a time period I’m totally familiar with. I recognize the dishes she uses, the hair styles, and clothes. Then there was the phone book. I remember having a crush on a boy and looking his name up I the phone book. His parent’s surname. Then I’d guess which one might be him, since there might be two or three with the same last name. Then I’d hop on my bike and ride past his house. I’d make several passes. I guess today you’d just st...

Hawaii had been in the news lately. There was the unfortunate alert sent out that the island was in imminent danger of attack that proved to be false. And now Kilauea looks to be erupting. The latest report is that 18 fissures have opened up and lava bombs the size of refrigerators might come flying down upon people living in subdivisions in the volcano’s shadow. So this threat is real. There is speculation from pressure building inside that the whole thing might blow. Which leads me to the thought: perhaps Harvey Weinstein could push a virgin into the volcano’s mouth and appease the fire gods. I read that Pele the mythical fire goddess was both a protector and feared. Either way she was a continual presence among the natives. It was actually television that introduced the idea of indigenous Hawaiians sacrificing virgins to Pele. It wasn’t originally part of the religion. So putting the two ideas together I came up with a plan: Harvey Weinstein pushing a young woman into...

  First off, I ordered covers for my shoes for when it rains like crazy—and believe me it will. I discovered on my Nova Scotia tour that once my shoes get wet it takes ages to dry. There’s nothing worse than wearing shoes two days in a row that go squish. No amount of wool socks will keep my feet dry if the shoes are soaking. After the Grand Rapids cancellation because of ice and snow, I realized I need a somewhat more water resistant jacket. I ordered a Sugoibright yellow jacket off eBay for $11 It’s not waterproof, nothing really is, but it will go a long way in helping to keep me somewhat dry. And, the neon yellow is eye-catching—as in no driver could ever say I didn’t see her! I’m also thinking about other clothes for cold and warm conditions. I’ll probably experience it all. Plus mosquitoes and mid-night sun. Also NEW this year is the back wheel. After my past trips where I broke spokes I knew I needed something with better reinforcement. This new wheel has 36...

I’m about to jump off a cliff. After my mind-boggling JOGLE in September of 2016 I’ve been thinking of another trip across the big pond with my bicycle—and what better place to begin than Amsterdam. Holland the land of windmills, dykes, and bikes. Also I knew I wanted to take more time (though, once again, I’ve come up with a mile-intense itinerary). So beginning June 5, I fly to Amsterdam for a tour of the countries bordering the North Sea. Namely, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Along the way I will hopefully meet up with old friends and make new acquaintances. Am I nervous, freaked out, tortured by self-doubt? Cha! But I also know that it will be amazing no matter what. On a scale of 1 being dying and 10 being easy rides everyday in sunshine and no rain, then, yeah, I think I’ll find a middle road. Concerns right now are that I haven’t trained as much as I’d hoped to—what with the COLDEST APRIL in 137 years. But I was able to ride my bike ...

Force Majeure: a great and unexpected power. We're looking for the best small things, any form, any content, any fine and wonderful creation. CONTEST GUIDELINES Top prize for a single flash $300 Two second prizes $100 each Deadline EXTENDED: May 16th. Two ways to enter: Upload 1 flash (you'll receive an ebook of the prize issue) - $5 Upload 1–3 flashes in a single file (receive a print copy of the prize issue) - $12 Multiple entries are great. Simultaneous submissions are just fine; if a flash is accepted elsewhere, please notify us via a note on the submission within Submittable. Winning flash must not be (scheduled to be) published in print, ebook, or website before August 2018. All entries considered for publication in Storm Cellar . Contest entries in any number do not violate our one-at-a-time general submissions policy. What is a flash? Shorter than 1000 words Not more than 5 pages May contain fiction, nonfiction, marks, or ...

A little story with elements of fantasy entitled Missed Connections was just accepted by Eyedrum Periodically I'll let you know when it appears. So far 4 acceptances in 2018. If you are curious about where to submit your work go to Places to Submit. also check out rejection letters to famous authors, The Atlantic

In a world filled with bad news stories, let me offer you something different: A story that will remind you of the circle of life—and resilience. For the past 4 years a goose couple have been making their nest on the rooftop of Weiss Hospital Parking Garage. This is not so unusual. Geese mate for life and have very good memories. If something has worked once they’ll come back to it. I have several friends who do urban gardening on the Weiss rooftop. The administrator for the program has a window that looks out onto the rooftop garden. She and Wally and Linda have gotten to know each other through the years. Wally is literally a goose whisperer. And, of course, the animals all love Wally because he feeds them. Often I’ll see him returning from Weiss with the most beautiful chicken eggs and Linda offers up produce from her garden starting   . . . soon, I hope. The geese remember Wally from previous years as he and Linda have helped the family get back down to the ...