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The Recluse: Another rewrite…
A small cedar cabin sat nestled behind majestic pine and oak trees, a green steel gate blocked the drive. An ancient stone fence surrounded the property, locals claimed the fence was a historical marker from the Civil War, but the owner hadn’t properly maintained the fence, because time had worn down the structure and collapsed…
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Freedom?
Freedom?! Over a decade ago, I could have answered this without hesitation. However, in the ensuing years since my retirement, I can’t answer this. I’ve traveled the breadth of combat zones, and I’ve seen the cost of freedom up close and personal. And I have questions that will never receive answers. After twenty years of…
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NaNoWriMo Update…
Well, I put 50,000 words on paper for NaNoWriMo Spring Camp 2023. Huzzah! For all the elation that comes with finishing a project, I’m not overjoyed. There’s still more to do with The Rainy Ripper. I have finally penned an ending that I think fits the story, and I also wrote my very first prologue…
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Good evening…
Hello! I pray this finds you all doing well. NaNoWriMo Camp is winding down, and I want to to update you all. At the moment, I sit at a bit over 41,000 words on my current project. It looks as if I might finish after all. I’m 21 chapters into The Rainy Ripper. Rewriting is…
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A few words…
I read a book titled All Over but the Shoutin’ this week, and it hit me hard in the heart. The story was authored by Rick Bragg, a celebrated journalist who won the Pulitzer Prize. It’s a memoir of his mother and in some ways, his grandmother. He writes about the South, and the ugliness…
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A snippet of the rewrite of The Rainy Ripper…
The sun peeked from behind thick, black thunderheads briefly, as Lilly sped toward the abandoned factory Rasheed had made a home. The humidity rose quickly between the rain-soaked asphalt and the sweltering sun. “It’s like someone threw a wet wool blanket over our heads and are trying to smother us with it,” Konan grumbled. Lilly…
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The Rainy Ripper…a fresh writing from the desk of Jayce Wellspring…The rewrite continues…
After a few more questions, all which Rasheed answered without reservation, Konan and Lilly had no more insight into the murders than when they first arrived. “Don’t leave town,” Lilly snapped at Rasheed as they departed. The detectives walked out into a warm blanket of humidity left in the wake of the storm. Across town,…
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The Rainy Ripper…the beginning of rewrite #3…unedited..
“Mama always said there’d be days like dis,” Job muttered as he walked through the torrential rain toward The One Stop Shop. “But I bet she never thought her oldest son would wind up on the streets, walking through a hurricane to get a Raspberry Iced Tea. Some things you can’t see, no matter how…
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Hekla the Brave…story continues…unedited/incomplete…
The wind kicked up as Tomaz the Shadow slipped through the glade below Mt. Fakir. An elven hunter, he belonged to the nomadic people called The Shaheid. Hunters and rogues, The Shaheid served no one but their own interest, but Tomaz was different. Daybreak played across the fields and scattered trees, and in the distance…
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Hekla the Brave…the beginning…unedited/incomplete…
“She’s no daughter of mine!” Valgoth roared. “I have no daughter, and she’s no place in my clan!” Hylda cried out in a loud voice, “No! I won’t leave her to the wolves. She’s yours, not some filthy welp you sent to try to seduce me. I’ve been faithful to you! Only to you!” “Begone,…
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Good afternoon…again…a brief update on today’s going-ons…
Howdy! It’s 1500, and I’m just sitting down to write. Mom and I got out in my yard this morning and went to work on removing the stump of a mature Azalea bush from one of the front flowerbeds. It’s not as easy as it seems, especially when you’re using picks, shovels, an axe or…
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Good afternoon…an update about today, from the desk of Jayce Wellspring…
Today has been a day. I got started early and began by drinking a cup of coffee, followed by yard work, and it culminated in loading up some things at our cabin. Now, I am home and sipping coffee. I’ve not accomplished much writing recently, and I’m worse off for it. I did finish A…
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A Joyful Life…a bit of my personal testimony…unedited and incomplete…
For His anger endureth but a moment; in His favor is life: Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalms 30:5 I’m often asked, “Why are you such a curmudgeon?” That question bothers me, if for no other reason than for the sheer audacity of people thinking they know me. …
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Clubber…fresh writing, straight from the desk of Jayce Wellspring…unedited, incomplete…
Konan studied his new partner, his eyes taking in the woman known as Detective Katlyn Prescott. She stood a flat-footed 5’8 and in heels she stood near 6’0. Her red hair, styled in a pixie cut, meshed well with her blue-grey eyes. Katlyn was toned, at least from what Konan could observe, and she carried…
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Clubber…A Thermopolis Konan and Dr. Katlyn Prescott Mystery…The beginning…unedited…
The screams of Tara A. Nikita echoed off the walls of the abandoned workshop that housed her. “No one can hear you,” a masked figure said to her. “You’re all alone here. Well, except for me of course.” “Who are you? Why do this to me?” Tara sobbed, frantically trying to get out of the…
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The next part of Goldilocks and the TTB…unedited…
The heavy stomp of muddy boots sounded on the wooden plank sidewalk outside of the General Store, and Goldilocks peeked out the window from the second floor. Abel Grimley and two others stood outside the door. One of the men, the tallest of the trio, shoved the door in and it banged off a barrel…
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Burn…an old short story gets rewritten…
Red trails of light glinted in the surface of the puddles of water outside of the bus terminal. Normally, tires whined on the dry pavement, but on this dreary day they made a sloosh sound. I sat on a damp bench underneath an overhang and paid little attention to the hum of life that went on…
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Good afternoon!
Howdy from North Mississippi! I’m just sitting down to write a post for my blog. This morning was full tilt. My wife and I went down to the VA first thing this morning for some lab work. Then, we made our way toward home, making intermittent stops along the way. Last night, I rewrote and…
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Prompt Answer…
What is the last thing you learned? Man, this thing doesn’t ask the easy questions, does it? Once again, I will assume its referencing writing. I’ve learned the importance of rewriting recently. For instance, my current project is Rhianna’s Tearful Chalice. I’m only ten pages into the rewrite, but the scenes seem much fuller, more…
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Good morning…
Howdy. I’m sitting at my kitchen table and sipping on my first cup of coffee. My wife, Chassidy and I have walked Casanova and Chunk this morning. Both dogs play underneath my feet as I write this. Play is the wrong word. Act out rambunctiously is a more apt description. Chunk’s bigger than Casanova, so…
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Daily Prompt Answer:
Who are your favorite people to be around? I happen to enjoy being around people who are smart, intelligent, and witty. As such, I like people who don’t take themselves to seriously. Also, I like people who can return my sarcasm with some of their own. I can’t be friends with humorless folks. I’m usually…
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Clown World: Book Two continues…unedited rough draft…
The conference room, it was an empty tan tent that served as a conference room, held only a large table. A table that Rae and her boogaloo bandits had acquired from a local furniture store, along with a dozen chairs. Francis stood at the head of the table, stogie in her mouth, and a hard…
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A Walk in Darkness…the rewrite continues…unedited…
In the beginning… What a way to start any story. You can feel the goosebumps, right? Something’s going to happen, a change or choice will be made, and you caught it at the very start. Every time I’ve ever cracked open my Bible, those words soaked in. There was nothing, but then…bam…there was light. In…
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A Walk in Darkness…the rewrite continues…unedited/incomplete….
Do you like camping? I did prior to my time in the military. Upon arrival in Kuwait, we stood on the tarmac and waited to board the buses that would carry us to our destination. “Load up,” a senior NCO barked, and we moved forward and began to load the bus from the rear. I ended…
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Clown World: Book Two continues…unedited…
Camp Charlie: 23:04 Issac Smith and Jayson Rodriguez stand watching for signs of enemy movement from Tower 6. From their position, they keep a lonely vigil on the southernmost point of the camp. Through the thermal optic, Smith can see that two hundred yards of open terrain that runs into a sheer rock face of…
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Clown World: Book Two…unedited, incomplete…
Welcome to Clown World. The Lurkers are winning. Across America, thousands of college campuses are vacant, the athletic facilities no longer have crowds, and throngs of angry students no longer litter the streets. Now, instead of screeching voices and students lifting their fists above their heads, only the guttural groaning of the Lurkers with their…
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A Walk in Darkness: Rewrite #2…unedited…incomplete….
My mind felt fractured, like shavings of wood gathered about the feet of a sawhorse. It seemed I had lost the ability to form full sentences and make coherent sense. At least that’s what registered on the faces of my family. They stared at me with wide eyes, their mouths dropped open. I would close…
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The start of Book Three of Clown World…unedited…
For as long as I can remember, man has always been man. The thirst for power has always dragged man under the waves for as long as humankind has walked on two legs. Man is the most vicious animal in the world, far exceeding bloodthirsty lions, or even the gigantic dinosaurs that roamed earth and…
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A Re-worked version of Holes…unedited/complete…
I am trapped in a hole. The sun hadn’t risen fully from its bed when I walked across the porch with a warm mug of coffee in hand. I sat in my favorite rocker, a faded hickory chair that had a reversed back that supported my lower lumbar system. Birds sang, and somewhere down in the…
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Good morning…unedited…
Howdy! It’s a cold day here in North Mississippi. The wind is howling and I have the beginnings of sinus pressure. ‘Tis the season to have colds and flu-like symptoms. I am sitting on the couch with Chunk. He’s made it clear that he prefers the warmth of the propane heater to the chilly temp…
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Weekly update #2…Let’s catch up!
Good morning. Happy Sunday! It’s time for my weekly update. Things were hectic this week. I spent many hours on the road, traveling to and fro to various appointments and what have you. Thursday evening, I drove to Memphis to visit an old friend who I had not seen in fifteen years. We laughed, caught…
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The Murder Business…The beginning of the rewrite…unedited…
The abandoned warehouses stood as a silent witness, along with the full moon that hung precariously in the sky, as two black Chevrolet pickups pulled into an overgrown parking lot. Fifteen minutes ticked by before another black Tahoe joined them. Tia Mathers, Chief of Police for the town of Fredericksburg, stepped out. Mayor Tim Smith…
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Another small part of AHDDS…unedited…
Bray Farkin and Sara M. Templeton sat in the office, the awkward silence bordering on outright hostility. Sara refused to meet Farkin’s eyes. Bray kept his eyes on Sara. His had managed his anger and kept it veiled from the officers, but Sara’s inability to keep her mouth shut had almost led to more mistakes.“When…
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Good morning! A recounting of yesterday’s experience at the VA…unedited…
Good morning! May you all have a blessed day!
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The reconstruction continues…A Hot Day Down South…unedited…
We’re finally getting somewhere now, Konan thought as he drove through the quiet streets. We now know the weapon used to mark the victims is a double-edged fleshing knife. Konan pulled his phone out and called Lilly. “Hey,” she said. “Where are you?” “I’m headed out to Donne’s Funeral Home to make arrangements for Amber.” “That’s…
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Non-Fiction writing on a Monday morning…unedited…
This morning’s post is about my struggle to lose weight, and the benefits of said weight loss.
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A Walk among the Trees…unedited…
There’s this area I walk from time to time. To get away, to reset my mind and body, to hear something other than the screeching of modern life. In this vast park, I find my soul. I’m overdue for a walk among the trees. The serene bubbling of rushing water is calming to my harried…
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Thermopolis Konan and The 112th Files…unedited…
I drove us back to the parking garage and killed my truck. Ashley leaned over and gave me a peck on the cheek. I grinned like an idiot, but dang if it didn’t feel good. “I’ll see you later, Thermopolis,” Ashley said as she climbed out of my truck. “Take care of yourself, and thanks…
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Snatched…the conclusion…unedited…
Captain Walters led Titus to his quarters. A splendid meal was placed on the dining table. Walters sat at the head of the table and gestured for Titus to sit at the end. “When will we arrive in Havana, Captain Walters?” Walters smiled and cut into the tender meat. He shoved a forkful of it…
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Snatched…new writing, incomplete…unedited…
Rankin helped the kid up, and led him to one of the ambulances. I walked up to Manson. “Where’s Lilly? Rankin said she’s okay.” Manson wrapped her arm around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze. “She was conscious when the paramedics whisked her away. They took her to Memorial Hospital to get checked out.…
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Snatched…today’s writing…unedited…
Jeremiah stood in the living room and watched the thieves disappear in the wee hours of the morning. “How odd,” he thought to himself, “they didn’t even seem concerned that I would call the cops. That’s the strangest robbery ever…” A noise sounded from the library, and Jeremiah turned. A small smile crept across his…
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Snatched…new writing, unedited, incomplete…
At 0830, Lilly walked into the police precinct and made her a cup of coffee. Konan walked in just as she sat down. She blew on the coffee and watched as he poured himself a cup. After taking a sip, she called down to holding and had Bronowski brought up to an empty interview room.…
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Faithless…another new piece of writing…unedited…
We walked out of the Fredericks Building into the warm sunshine. Lilly got in on the passenger side, and I drove us toward the police precinct. “Do you think the board members know where the missing Trinity folks are hiding?” “I think they’re dead.” Lilly looked over at me and frowned. I gave her my…
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Faithless…new writing, unedited…
“Travis Franks. You remember him?” “Um, no. I remember Yvonne,” Konan said. Lilly rolled her eyes. “How could you forget her? You panted after like a dog in heat.” Ashley laughed, while Konan blushed red. He shook his head no but kept his mouth shut. “Okay, I guess we should go let Yvonne know that…
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You’re what you do…unedited…
It’s funny how writing is sometimes free and flowing, and other times it’s like having all your teeth ripped out without any meds to deaden the pain. Today is like the latter. My eye is drawn to a white envelope upon which I scrawled these words: “You are not what you say you are, you…
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A few words of encouragement…unedited…
I woke to this thought this a.m. “We all tried harder when scraps were all we had to offer, but all too often our best efforts ended in failure.” For some reason, I seem stuck in this point of ‘doing your best.’ This is not the first time I’ve sat at my computer and typed something…
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My trip to the library….unedited…
Good afternoon. Earlier today, I posted a piece of a writing about rewriting AWID. Apparently, as I was writing, I received a message on my phone from my local library. “Larry,” Mrs. Beverly drawled into my voicemail. “Those Civil War books you wanted are now available. We’re closing at three this afternoon, swing by if…
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A piece of writing as I take a break from AWID…unedited…
I am in my library trying to rewrite A Walk in Darkness. I’m trying, I really am. The memory of my war is still fresh after all this time. I write some, cry, and write some more. Even as I write this story, again, for not the first time either, people are dying in Ukraine. The…
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“Having it all?!”
I don’t know what it means and don’t care to ‘attain’ it. I’m at the age where I am satisfied with where I am in my life. I have a tremendous wife, great kids, a great church family, and I’m happy. I’m not content with where I am as a writer, but that’s just par…
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Talk?!
I’m assuming this means in person and transcends the bonds of death, so I would like to visit and speak with Jesus, for several reasons, the main being to thank Him for dying for my sins. Now, I know that’s not what everyone wishes for, and some may even mock and ridicule my answer. If…
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Personal belongings?
None. I’m not materialistic in the least.
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The novella of The Recluse continues…unedited.
Wilma, newly widowed at 26, began the tedious process of finding a job that would allow her to work during the day and be off at night. She also searched for a babysitter for Annabelle. Her husband had insisted on her staying at home to raise their daughter. “Ain’t no stranger gonna raise our little…
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The Recluse…the beginning of the novella…unedited…
The American flag draped over the casket ruffled briefly as the wind kicked up. Wilma Waters, ne’ Franks, wife of Officer Jace Waters, held tiny Annabelle in her arms and stared at the casket. Wilma’s tears flowed freely; her chest convulsed with every sob. How am I going to make it without Jace? How will…
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Legacy…?! Prompt Answer…
Oh boy. I detest people who worry about ‘their legacy.’ If I were to leave a legacy, I would hope people would remember me for my kindness and willingness to be of help. I pray my children rise to the occasion and become kind, gentle, solid citizens. That’s it. No money, or fame, no accolades…
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Cold weather?!?
How do you feel about cold weather? I do not care for bitterly cold weather, but I do like a good chill.
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Broken bones?!
Have you ever broken a bone? Yes, I broke my ankle on both sides in 2020.
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Balance…prompt answer….
I’m retired, but back when I was employed, I had a hard time finding a sense of balance. Furthermore, I was as married to my career as I was my ex-wife. This time around, I try to make sure that I am ‘present’ in my marriage, not just physically taking up space. I try to…
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Freeman's Front Porch Musings 