THE LAST THING I NEED IS ANOTHER INTERN "You've gotta be kidding me. No! I put up with that for four months last year." My voice was somewhat stern, almost belligerent as the words spilled out of my mouth. Without even realizing it, I had slammed my hand down on the top of the desk. It's not the way most people would talk to their direct report on the job s...
A BLUE CHRISTMAS In July ChloeTzang created an event "In a Sunburned Country" and invited writers to write a story based in Australia timed to coincide with the Melbourne Cup, which is about as important to Aussies as New Year's Eve is to Scots, St Patrick's Day ... etc etc. This is my rather irreverent but affectionate offering in my attempt at narrating...
By Adrian Hunter and Chelsea Shepard PROLOGUE International Fashion Council Memorandum Extract from the minutes of the monthly board meeting Point 35-c: Cover for Annual Report The Executive Director motioned to discuss the cover for the association's annual report. The ensuing discussion resulted in general agreement that the theme should focus on the I...
This is my entry for "On The Job" 2020. I decided to challenge myself after a conversation with an online acquaintance, and write a story completely devoid of the verb "to be" and any of its conjugates. As such, I only use this verb when characters speak or think, to keep dialect as accurate as possible. This is a very long story with a lot of character and...
MIKE CLAYMORE MYSTERY #3: PAULINE ***** Chapter 1 "I am Richard, son of Michael, son of Mary Morris and Duncan Claymore. I don't understand, Dad. Why is Grandma as important in my lineage as Grandpa? Why is Grandma Claymore more important than Mom or her parents?" Father and son are bonding in a way they seldom have time to do daily. "Because your Gr...
Chapter 1 The drive back was long and tedious. Texas had been filled with excitement, adventure, and some scary ass shit, but the drive back to the frozen north sucked. Absolutely, without a doubt sucked. In Texas the weather had been cool, not fucking freezing. In Texas, spring was beginning to bloom. Up here, winter dug in her heels and refused to give it...