Category: Fiction

The Weird Magic of Short Story Writing

I woke up at five this morning trying to untie the knot of a short story I am writing. It’s a surreal story, probably about dementia or mental illness or some inability to sort out the real from imagined. Of course, the central character… Continue Reading “The Weird Magic of Short Story Writing”

Rennie’s Log Slide Dream (What Happens Next): Part Three

The day she picked was cold and clear. Thin plumes of clouds floated over a Lake Superior that was spring blue, indigo blue, like the massive lake had rested all winter to flower on this day. The wind came from the northwest, swooping its… Continue Reading “Rennie’s Log Slide Dream (What Happens Next): Part Three”

Rennie’s Log Slide Dream (What Happens Next): Part Two

Her daughter came in April for Rennie’s birthday. They drove to Marquette and had dinner in a restaurant on the top floor of the big hotel there. Rennie felt like she had been brought to New York City, the place was that thick with… Continue Reading “Rennie’s Log Slide Dream (What Happens Next): Part Two”

Rennie’s Log Slide Dream (What Happens Next): Part One

November came. Rennie’s daughter invited her to come down to Lansing for Thanksgiving, but Rennie said no. She’d met a man. “What man?” her daughter asked, and then said, “Bring him, Mom! He can meet all our crazy relatives.”             Rennie said no, that… Continue Reading “Rennie’s Log Slide Dream (What Happens Next): Part One”

Rennie’s Log Slide Dream: Part Three

Rennie broke her gaze at him to stoop over and open her backpack. She felt tears welling up. “How about a granola bar? I have two. And trail mix. With M & M’s.”             “Who could resist that offer? I’m Peter, by the way.”… Continue Reading “Rennie’s Log Slide Dream: Part Three”

Rennie’s Log Slide Dream: Part Two

The shock of hearing a voice shot through her. She jumped up as if ready to fight off a carjacker.             “Take it easy. I’m just a fellow Log Slider.” He was an older guy, probably close to eighty, thin with deep vertical lines… Continue Reading “Rennie’s Log Slide Dream: Part Two”

Rennie’s Log Slide Dream: Part One

Going down Log Slide and coming back up on her own had been on Rennie’s bucket list for years. She considered it every summer, but the dune was always thick with kids on vacation running down the 500 foot, nearly vertical, sand cliff to… Continue Reading “Rennie’s Log Slide Dream: Part One”

Night Swim: A Story

She’d dreamt of swimming across the lake a thousand times. The dreams were always the same. There was a full moon that shone on the water like a spotlight, soft, though, sweet and rolling with the waves. She saw herself swimming, always in a… Continue Reading “Night Swim: A Story”

100 Word Story: Aerial View

Danny kept cigarettes and a lighter in the crook of the tree. This was so when he climbed up high to watch Mr. Framer making dinner in his kitchen, he could have a nice smoke. It was relaxing. Mr. Framer made a lot of… Continue Reading “100 Word Story: Aerial View”

Vernon’s Workbench in the Garage

The lights in the garage flicked on and off three times. That was the signal that Greta was going to bed. He could feel her looking at him through the window of the kitchen door. He didn’t look up. Vernon flicked the light over… Continue Reading “Vernon’s Workbench in the Garage”