And this is a good thing. My wife and I desperately needed to get out of town, so we did just that, rambling through beautiful locations in Utah, Arizona, and Colorado. For some of this time, I didn't read any fiction, didn't watch any TV, or really consume stories beyond chattin...

Jack looked small for his age, which was fine by him. Looking like he was ten when he was twelve was a competitive advantage. He had more experience, he knew more. When you’re competing for scraps from tourists, or the proceeds of an occasional lift, you took what you could get....

Time has a way of changing the game on you. My initial goal for this challenge was not to read a story every day, but to read 365 short stories this year (subtle difference). But, through July, I managed to not miss any days and to read at least one story a day (I can be...

(Excerpt) The ringing of the phone is like a dentist’s drill to my sodden consciousness. I groan, realizing I hadn’t managed to get undressed when I tumbled into bed. Again. I feel for my cell phone on the nightstand, my hand connecting with a half-eaten microwave burrito be...

This whole free thing is a “thank you” to all of you that follow along here or on facebook or twitter.