Upon my return from spending several days in Ireland and the United Kingdom—a birthday gift from my son, Ian, and his wife, Sandra in June, 2016, it took a long time for me to realize I had not been dreaming. … Continue reading →
I picked up a mirror the other day to check my make-up. It looked flawless. I was satisfied. A little bit of cream, a little bit of color and I looked ten years younger. It made me feel good inside. … Continue reading →
Several years ago I found two new friends who, with me, decided we could be a good critique group. All of us were neophytes in the writing world, so it was probably a case of two blinds leading a … Continue reading →
How many days are in the school year? I know a teacher who begins counting those days on the first day of classes. There are about 176 days for students. Actually, I start counting after the first week of … Continue reading →
A few years ago East Texas Writers Guild announced a short short story contest. The complete story could not exceed 150 words. The contest is blind—judges nor the moderator can identify the authors. It was a fun project. I’m not … Continue reading →
Several years ago I acquired a copy of Snoopy’s Guide to the Writing Life from Writer’s Digest. Now what can a beagle tell you about the writing life, especially when he begins most of his stories with, “It was a … Continue reading →
“Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.” We know that quote from Sacred Scripture, but how does that apply to writers? It doesn’t really, but I’d like to use it as an analogy. Before the fishing rod, … Continue reading →
In “The Writer” magazine for August, 2016, I found articles about writing short stories. You say, “So what? Short stories can roll right off my computer keyboard in nothing flat.” Maybe so, but think again. When you write a … Continue reading →
How do you type a blog when your pet cat insists on lying on the arm of your chair while you are working on your laptop? His head nuzzles against your left hand—the one that needs to hit the A-S-D-F … Continue reading →
A few years ago I penned a short story based on Edward Hopper’s famous painting called, “Nighthawks.” Those who read the work liked it. One friend offered a suggestion for getting maximum benefit from my efforts. Caleb Pirtle III said … Continue reading →
