Highlight
Time of the Long Shadows
August air
thick enough to drink
surrounds us as we sit in the sun
waiting for the distant shadows
to overtake us
We cool ourselves with lemonade
and fan our faces
aware that just behind us
our own shadows fall across the grass
Not caring if we notice them
they mock our gestures
exaggerating every motion
in a grotesque ballet
The sun burns on
and we begin to melt
Our shadows deepen
looking less and less like us
and more like clouds of
living darkness
that spread across the landscape
moving with us as we move
growing longer while we wait
Fiction
The Gift of the Magpie
"I'm like a magpie," she told him when he first asked what she wanted for her birthday. "You know, those birds that collect shiny things? If it glitters, I'll like it." But he never seemed to understand that she meant it literally. Download the story
Finishing it Off on Green Street
It was the late 1950s, a time when a man’s home was his castle and a woman was mainly the castle’s keeper. But on Green Street, some things were different. "Finishing it Off on Green Street" leads this collection of four short stories that explore relationships, problems, hopes, and a few fantasies. Visit my Author Page and watch for free promotions.
The Orphans of Avon
Five short stories highlight the lives of children during a life-changing summer, a divorced man's journey of discovery, a mother and daughter's memories of a long-ago train trip, a sheltered girl seeking to break away from her routine life, and a brother and sister hoping to end a lifetime of rivalry. Visit my Author Page and watch for free promotions.
Marilyn's Last Summer
Two young girls meet and bond in the days following the death of Marilyn Monroe in the novella that leads this collection. Four more stories explore life's big and little challenges...from facing domestic upheaval to choosing just the right birthday gift. Visit my Author Page and watch for free promotions.
The Unbearable Likeness of Bean
Four short stories take a light look at romantic meetings and mishaps. Available on Amazon kindle. Visit my Author Page and watch for free promotions.
The Riches of Crummy Street
"The Riches of Crummy Street" leads a trio of stories about friendships, problems, and secrets. Visit my Author Page and watch for free promotions.
The Luck of the One-Sixteenth Irish
A trio of short stories about luck, dreams, and the magic that can find its way into any life. Available on Amazon kindle. Visit my Author Page and watch for free promotions.