Spring 2011

Things are great and I'm looking forward to a great Spring and Summer.
I have two classes left for my Fiction Writing class and will miss the people I have been working with over the past semester.  There are some really great writers in my class and I look forward to keeping in touch with them and reading more of their work.

So my next goal is to travel!  At least once a month I want to go somewhere fun and do something I enjoy... which will probably all involve my camera.


So far there will be Chicago in May - to see my son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter, Isabelle!  June I will be Dallas for a conference but I know I'll manage to have some fun there anyway.  July looks like it will bring New Orleans into my life again with Jim and Ruthi.  So much to do......... so little time :-)

Speaking of Fiction, below is a Flash Fiction piece I did for my final assignment.  The goal was in 500 words or less, write a fiction story that actually tells an entire story....

The Witch

“Come on Michael!  If the witch sees us we’re all in trouble.”

I still didn’t understand why they didn’t like her.  Ms. Jackie seemed like a nice lady. My brother and his friends all said she was a witch though and would cast a spell on us if she saw us.   We didn’t mean for the ball to go through her window. 

“Wait guys.”   It came out more as a whisper than a yell but it was no use anyway. They were out of sight. 

My shirt was wet with sweat and I was panting. I couldn’t run any more.  I stopped and doubled over trying to catch my breath. My side hurt.  I looked back toward her house.  No sign of her.  

Maybe if I just sit here behind this tree for a minute…

My head was spinning.  I could feel my lungs shrinking and my throat tightening.  I reached into my jacket to get my inhaler.  It wasn’t there.  

Did I drop it when I was running?

“Johnny?”  I tried to call for my brother but got no response.  I thought about Ms. Jackie.  She was so pretty.  Her long red hair was so long and her curls bounced when she walked.  She always smiled and waved to me when I was walking home from school.  How could she be a witch?  Maybe if I just went back and apologized.

Then I remembered my brother’s words. “Come on Michael.  She lives alone, she has a black cat and she grows all of those weird spices in her yard. And have you seen the clothes she wears?”

Then his friend Billy chiming in. “I heard she cast a spell on Mr. Stevens when his dog got in her yard and ran through her flowers.  That’s why he got cancer.”

I closed my eyes and tried to slow my breathing like my mom had told me to do. I could hear the cars going down my street and hoped someone would stop to give me a ride even though it was only two blocks to my house.  I was so tired and couldn’t seem to keep my eyes open.  I lay down on the grass and wondered if anyone would come looking for me.  

Then the silent footsteps were coming toward me in the grass.  I could feel them getting closer. Johnny had come back for me!  I lay there waiting but couldn’t open my eyes.  Johnny would take care of me.  He was a good big brother. 

I felt the gentle hands reach down and touch my forehead.  I felt those same gentle hands trying to get me to stand.  I opened my eyes expecting to see Johnny.  Instead I looked into the prettiest green eyes I had ever seen.

“Ms. Jackie?”