This is part 3 of a 6-part short story I wrote a while back. It’s written from the perspective of Bala Davies, a fictional woman living in the Welsh town of Y Gelli. Please read part 1 and part 2 first. *** There wasn’t always a River Wye in Hay. The story, as told to me … Read more
Every 2 years, my high school has an “Alumni Showcase” day when they invite graduates to return to the school to share their infinite wisdom with the students. I regretted not going 2 years ago, so I decided for sure I would go this year. Even though I was speaking to 14-18 year olds, I … Read more
I spent the last 5 days traveling to and from Virginia to be a part of an alumni showcase at my high school and spend quality time with my family, especially my adorable niece and nephew. I was on a very different sleep schedule when I was home (as I write this, it’s an hour … Read more
A few months ago, I wrote about a new food delivery service in St. Louis called Postmates. It’s Uber for restaurant food–you can order from any restaurant, and Postmates will pick it up and deliver it to you for a fee. I continue to use Postmates from time to time, but the delivery fee usually makes the … Read more
This is part 2 of a 6-part short story I wrote a while back. It’s written from the perspective of Bala Davies, a fictional woman living in the Welsh town of Y Gelli. Please read part 1 first. *** Years ago, I fell in love with a man who harvested wind. Growing up, I knew little … Read more
I will soon get to see my 3-year-old niece for the first time since Christmas. She’s actually just 2 years old right now, but her birthday is coming up in a week, and it has me thinking about love languages. Here’s a primer on love languages if you’re not familiar with the concept. The basic … Read more
On Saturday I ate the best fried chicken this side of the Mississippi. Sidenote: Why is it a thing that the Mississippi still delineates the US for comparisons? Is it relevant? Does something happen when you cross over the river? It’s not like there are any competitions between people on one side of the river … Read more
A little over a year ago, I shared a short story called “Hindsight” broken up into weekly installments among the other entries on this blog. The experiment went over well, and I’d like to try it again. This story is called “A Stranger in Y Gelli.” I wrote it a few years ago after going … Read more
Pretend you’re in a gritty movie or television show. You have a gun. It’s that kind of show. The kind where violence happens, but it’s in no way celebrated. It’s simply a part of life in the apocalyptic world in which you live. Ten feet away stands one of your mortal enemies. If they had … Read more
When was the last time a book caught you completely by surprise? I can’t remember how I heard about The Girl with All the Gifts, a speculative novel by M.R. Carey. I had a sample on my Kindle, and I started reading and couldn’t stop (until I fell asleep). I’ve looked forward to reading it every … Read more