Tag Archives: creative non-fiction

“The only way for human beings/is to choose”*

Posted on by

0

Instagram montage

It rained all day. A perfect day for reading books and drinking tea. By the opened window I listened to the rain and struggled with a dozen pages of one of Thomas Carlyle’s lectures. That afternoon I turned to Epstein for consolation. If he found it difficult to read Carlyle’s prose about the French Revolution, I may be in good company. Not that I should be compared to such a man of letters.

Many years ago I aspired to a career in letters. A local independent newspaper published my work. Then a few national and international literary journals picked up my work. Surrounded by writers who supported me and encouraged me to continue along that path, I composed a series of narrative non-fiction pieces. Sketches for a full-length book. Searching through this site’s archives, ten years ago (almost to the date), I teased these efforts. Writers had reviewed the three or four of the chapter sketches. An editor was sought to help finish the process. And publications were selected for submission to publication. And then. . .

These stories remain unpublished to date.

NOTES:
*The title of the post is a line from “In Rainy September” by Robert Bly.

Apparently I was so tired that I forgot to click the button marked “publish” on Sunday, September 11, 2022 at 9:48PM.

These were posted ten years ago:
Yes, it is true, September 7, 2012: https://coffeehousejunkie.net/2012/09/07/yes-it-is-true/
There is a story behind this photo, July, 10, 2012: https://coffeehousejunkie.net/2012/07/10/11796/
What hides behind this foggy morning photograph?, July 11, 2012: https://coffeehousejunkie.net/2012/07/11/11798/
Sisyphus tears down the mountain in a Chevy, July 12, 2012: https://coffeehousejunkie.net/2012/07/12/11802/
There’s a story… about double red doors…, September 5, 2012: https://coffeehousejunkie.net/2012/09/05/doublereddoors/

Book bundles available at the book fair

Posted on by

0

 

DSCN3144web

Who doesn’t like a deal? This weekend only at the Racine & Kenosha Authors Book Fair (Saturday, May 23, 2015, 2-5 p.m., Rhode Center for The Arts), you can purchase copies of my books for special book fair price: four books for $16. Limited quantities are available. So come early. See you there.

Next week: authors reading open house

Posted on by

0

20150403-151950.jpg

You are invited to the Village Ink Creative Writers Guild authors reading open house at

Graham Public Library
Union Grove, Wisconsin
Tuesday, April 7, 2015
6:30 pm

Five local writers (including myself) present selections of their work. The Village Ink Creative Writers Guild meets every Tuesday at the Graham Public Library and is open to writers of all genres and disciplines. The open house is a great way to celebrate National Poetry month and the event will highlight the last six months of creative energy and writing endeavors. Selected works include children’s literature, fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction.

For more details, please leave a comment. Thanks!

The open house is FREE to the public. Light refreshments will be served.

Shuffling through the ruins of a summer

Posted on by

0

In this scene, the main character stands on a busy sidewalk beside a slender tree. He looks down at the scattered ruins of a summer of expectations. “How should I have prepared for this?” he asks himself. “What do I do now?” He feels relief and that surprises him. This is a new beginning. A fresh start. Unlimited opportunities. However, this is also the first time in his adult life he is unemployed. And without an automobile. Adjusting the strap of his laptop attache, he walks up Lexington Avenue to catch a bus. The feeling of relief is quickly replaced with a deep, consuming despair. In this scene, the crowds of tourists walking down College Street talk loudly and trample the gathering leaves under their shoes as the main character weaves his way toward Pritchard Park. He doesn’t hear them, only hears the sound of his own boots on the sidewalk and wonders where will he be a year from now.

Ma Rainey, don’t sing them blues no more

Posted on by

0

There’s a story behind this image that wants to be told. It’s a reminder that seasons and people transition. Loyalty tested against the panes of transparency. Everything goes sideways when turning the corner and down the street of uncertainty, when faith and doubt pressed up against a steamy autumn window and all they see is loss. It’s a story still worrying the line. Still blue enough, blue enough, still bluer than Ma Rainey singing “Bo Weevil Blues.” It’s a story where the clarinet sweeps back and forth, sweeps low and easy, sweeps in a song looking for a place to stay, sweeps in a song saying “don’t sing them blues no more…” Don’t tell me ’bout the job you lost. Don’t tell me ’bout your broken down car. Ma Rainey, Ma Rainey, “don’t sing them blues no more…”

Yes, it is true

Posted on by

3

Instagram montage

Scenes from a story unfinished

A very observant reader and friend asked of this week’s post: “Is this story related to the teases from other photos?” Yes, they are all teasers for scenes from a narrative non-fiction book I’m writing. Some of the chapters have either been sent or are in the process of being sent to journals and magazines for publication. I am waiting on editors at this phase in the process.

For those who missed it, here’s the sequence so far: There is a story behind this photo, What hides behind this foggy morning photograph?, Sisyphus tears down the mountain in a Chevy, and this week’s There’s a story… about double red doors….

Narrative Non-Fiction Comics: UPDATE

Posted on by

0

The Indie features part one of my creative non-fiction comic, Strange Familiar Place, this month. It has been a year of trying to find a place courageous enough to take the risk on a no-name amateur artist.

So I am excited and disappointed at the same time. Excited because it is finally printed. Disappointed because the publisher enlarged the art almost double the size. This may not be a big deal for most of you, but fellow artists (especially those lacking confidence) realize enlarging one’s artwork reveals all the naked mistakes. Nothing worse than being naked in a December issue.

The Indie is available at: Malaprops, True Blue Arts, Pack Library, Woolworth Walk, Rosetta’s Kitchen, Mellow Mushroom, Hannah Flannagan’s, Fine Arts Theater, Early Girl Eatery, Port City Java, Burgermeisters, Lucky Otter, West End Bakery and many other locations.

Previous thoughts and intimations on creative non-fiction comics: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6]