The story of the week for March 27 to 31 is…
My Father, the Strongman by Bob Thurber
I’ve never seen another author build up character and backstory as efficiently and consistently as Bob Thurber. Another great piece.
BOB THURBER: My Father, the Strongman
Naturally, he insisted on digging his own grave. He barely had the strength. I brought wine. We ended up drinking it out of the bottle after he pushed the cork through with his thumb. Each time I chugged I watched that cork drifting around like a boat in a storm.
Over the years Bob Thurber’s work has received a long list of awards and prizes. His most recent book is a collection of brief stories titled “Nothing But Trouble.” His first novel, “Paperboy: A Dysfunctional Novel,” was recently rereleased. Visit BobThurber.net.
GORDON LYSEN: Casualty
Davie survived the Middle East conflicts, where he witnessed the atrocities he thought he had handled.
Returning home, full in body but mentally adrift, he found an unscalable wall around all he had loved. He drifted, with doorways becoming his refuge. He froze to death last winter.
Lest we forget.
Gordon Lysen is a fledgling writer.
MARK KONIK: Cuffs
Kellie figured that she should probably be put away for the safety of everyone.
She noticed how cheap the lawyer’s tie looked.
As the judge turned to read her judgment, Kellie undid the lock on her handcuffs. She eyed the guard’s pistol in the holster,
and moved to grab it.
Mark Konik is from Newcastle, Australia. He write short stories and plays.
TYLER HAHN: On Editing
He told me his secret to writing was that after he finished he would lock his manuscript away in the bottom of his desk drawer for three days. No more or less.
“Why three days instead of a day or a week?” I asked.
“It was good enough for Jesus.”
Tyler Hahn currently resides in the loess hills area of Iowa. Throughout his life, he has been an archaeological technician, soda jerk, and currently works as a college librarian where to his surprise he never has enough time to read.
JOHN FOWLER: One cold winter’s morning
One cold winter’s morning,
not so long ago,
the knights grumbled and complained,
as they strapped on their protective armor.
Boots, gloves, chest protectors, and hats.
They mustered by the door, reluctantly ready.
The trumpet sounded,
dad opened the door,
and watched the kids race to catch the school bus.
John Fowler served twenty years in the US Air Force before retiring and starting a second career in the IT field. He is also a Lay Pastor serving a small church near his home in Texas. His hobbies include reading, golfing, writing, and now oil painting.
MARC D AVECILLA: He Came Back
The girl wiped her face with the red jacket she was wearing. He’d kicked her out and didn’t let her explain why. Through the cab window, she lipped the word please to him.
He sighed and opened the door.
Finally, he’ll listen.
He stuck his hand out. “My jacket please.”
Marc D. Avecilla stares in front of a T.V screen as the rows of coffee cups next to him grow. He’s focusing on trying to beat the famous video game Dark Souls. He’s placed honorable mention for a reflection contest and has been published at Eskimo Pie.
CANDACE KUBINEC: Missing You
I searched for you among the tumbled, crumbled tombstones in the cemetery.
I sat quietly in the vaulted cathedral watching candles flicker in the gloom.
You did not appear. No apparition. No sound of your voice.
The air turned icy and I pulled my sweater tighter as I walked away.
Candace Kubinec wrote this story.
VIJAI PANT: The Past
Jai had decided to be completely honest with his wife. He shared his past with an understanding Nisha. When Vandana came wanting her letters back, he unhesitatingly returned these, while Nisha dreamingly looked on.
That night, Nisha snuggled up to Jai and whispered, “I also want to tell you something.”
Vijai Pant is a language teacher in a school in India. He is also a freelance writer.
STORY OF THE WEEK: March 26
The story of the week for March 20 to 24 is…
Faster Than Life by James P. Spitznogle
Well-delivered sci fi with a powerful kicker.