Appalachian Apprehension Heather's feet were killing her. Sixteen miles yesterday, tracking to do twenty today. When she and her fiance decided to thru-hike the Appalachian trail, it was all so romantic. She envisioned them holding hands on an exciting and energetic ramble through the wild and untouched woodlands, refreshed by the aroma of azaleas and …
Category: fiction
MTO Diane Decaprio
Dream On 2 AM. Mom hustled five-year-old Diane awake for her roller skating competition. Normally, Diane was a bear on those mornings, but today she was relieved. Waking released her from the nightmare. Sort of. On the long car ride, Diane tried to review her routine, but each time she imagined roller skating, the clearer …
Announcing Made-to-Order Horror Stories
I'd like to bring YOU into my writing journey. And I enjoy a challenge. Here's the deal: you send me a fact about your life. Any fact-- good, bad, or indifferent. I'll take that piece of information and turn it into a horror vignette. Each Wednesday, I'll publish one MTO Horror. If you send a …
My Latest Horror: A Repurposed Church Sermon
I had heard the sermon on at least two occassions. My pastor came from a large (and I mean large, < Brady Bunch) family. So many I can't recall the number. Enough that, were they chickens, you'd not know who was who when you ate one. This is my daughter's formula, by the way, for …
Continue reading My Latest Horror: A Repurposed Church Sermon
How to Make a Muscle
When I was little my dad would say, "Hey Kelly, make a muscle." Proud of my gymnastics guns, I'd cock my arm. "Make a muscle," he'd say again. I'd squeeze harder, tremble with effort, get red in the face from holding my breath. "Make a muscle." "I...(gasp)...am!" "C'mon, Kelly. Make a muscle. I want to …
Post from the Past: a Mystery
Howdy friends. Or shall I say, friend? I have a mystery one of you can help me solve. In order for me to explain this mystery, I'll be revealing some author-underbelly. Specifically, as it relates to blogging. See, we bloggers have a dashboard, and like a car's, it tells us all sorts of things. I …
Divine Dissatisfaction, Blessed Unrest
Artists, that's what we sign up for. And I thought it was just cynical-me. Nope. Add divinely distracted and blessedly unrested to the list of writer traits that includes extreme introversion, militant self-discipline, infinite grit, and owning a cat. Here's how unrest plays out. I think: I should see Friend X. Then I think: I …
What We’re All Thankful For
I asked my students to write about something or someone they're thankful for. One thing. But then they asked if they could list more. Of course I told them they could. Olivia Johnson (Age 15): Food and Drinks. I am very thankful to have the ability to eat whenever I want and to drink clean …
Rescue the Table Fancy Like
This Thanksgiving, stop. Halt the cooking, put your flour-dusted, pumpkin-splattered ear up to the knobby pink mountain of meat and listen. When your uncle walks in wearing a Let's Go Brandon shirt and you’re tempted to rip it from his body, bend him over the table, and flay him right there, pause. When they’re late. Again. And …
My Mother in Heaven & My Children on Earth
My mom died. There. I said it. It still doesn't feel real to me, even though I held her hand and looked into her eyes as she left this earth. God's gift to me was that she not go alone, in a strange bed in a strange place. Abandoned. My heart could not bear the …
KL Griffiths 