Writings

NEWS, FEATURES AND FICTION

After earning my degree in communication with an emphasis in print journalism, I never intended to do anything with my career but write.

Well...best laid plans and everything...

As times and the publishing world changed, so did my career path. Now writing is more of a rare personal enjoyment rather than a daily professional task. That said, here is a collection of my early professional writings, as well as some more recent personal projects.

Below are a few links to and excerpts from selected pieces.

NEWS AND COLUMN

The Sweetbriar Murders - Series

...In the cool morning air, neighbors mill around a corner house surrounded by bright orange police tape.
The scene is one of confusion and speculation this morning as officers from the Jackson County Sheriff's Department and neighbors try to put together pieces of the death of four members of a family at 7101 Dewberry Drive...

They gave their souls for our freedom

...In front of the V.A. hospital, eyes from 30 or more men in wheelchairs or with walkers watched me peddle past underneath the shade of ancient oaks dripping with soft moss. Many of the men were worn and tired looking. More than half held some sort of "smoke" between their lips and all were quiet...

FEATURES

A Saint to the Needy

...He begins his holiday work when most people are taking down the tree and putting away the tinsel.
Taking a few hours here and there in his cluttered workshop through the year and using scraps of wood donated by the community, Monsignor James Hannon of Ocean Springs creates hand-crafted joy for needed children...

Soothing the Savage Beast

...Sitting in the front room of his home, which is saturated with ancient cigarette smoke and cologne, Dr. Oden reminisces on his work and his life. While he talks, an unusually large calico cat meanders around the legs of his chair.
Dr. Oden, dressed in a dark tie, gray slacks, and a slightly oversized striped shirt with the sleeves rolled up, lights cigarette after cigarette as he tells stories of his past. At times, he gets so lost in thought that he forgets to tap away the ashes and they spill down his front and onto his tie and pants...

FICTION

The Hatred of Minutiae

...I hate Dianne with every fiber of my being. I hate her bright red hair. I hate her gratingly sappy voice. I hate hearing her breathe through her unusually tiny nostrils. I hate the way she keeps all of her Bic fine ball-point pens in an old coffee mug that reads, “I’m always half full!”.
But mostly, I hate how damn nice she acts...

Counting the Steps

...“I’d like as many daisies as $48 can buy. Fix them up with a big yellow bow, some greenery, and a pretty glass vase.”
It didn’t long for the shopkeeper to put together the order and place it before her on the counter. She couldn’t help but smile at the bright yellow eyes gazing at her from their beds of blonde lashes. Big, wide eyes, like those of a child. She paid for her purchase with her remaining money then took her gloves from the side pocket of her purse and put them on.
Carefully, she nestled the vase in her left arm, leaving her right hand free to carry her purse. The arrangement was almost as big as her, but she knew she could manage it...

Larry and the Window Lizards

...“Your king is chosen through a contest?”
“Oh, yeah. Frogs love to compete. That’s why we croak so loud and jump so far. We used to pick a king with a beetle-chili cook-off, but King Fernando won that contest five years in a row—boy, his chili was good. Anyway, we had to change competitions to keep things fair. After all, how can you have a real competition if no one else has a chance of winning? Next year, we’re planning a big Croak-for-the-Crown challenge. You’ll hear about it for miles."...

Princess Doughnut and the Grassy Clothes

...The princess threw off her covers and swung her legs over the side of her bed. She slid her feet into her pair of fuzzy bunny slippers, but as soon as she did, the slippers began to hop!
Princess Doughnut could not stop herself from hopping, too!
Hop. Hop. Hop. The princess hopped on top of her bed.
Hop. Hop. Hop. She hopped to the top of her dresser.
Hop. Hop. Hop. She hopped so high that her head hit the ceiling.
“Ouch!” she said.
She hopped back to her bed and fell backward on top of the covers. Then the slippers hopped right off her feet and turned into two real bunnies!...