Content: family

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Perry came into this world a mystery. His unique anatomy left doctors scratching their heads as Perry grew into adulthood, using his differences to his advantage against the nasty creatures in the bayou. The townsfolk of Lockport, Louisiana wondered which the scarier monster was: the scaly, cold-blooded kind that wound up in their kiddy pools every summer, or the misshapen, warm-blooded one they called to fish them out. His nephew, Jonathan Preen, just wanted to know where his uncle learned to play, not the violin like him, but that jangly old fiddle. Greater mysteries follow as Jonathan’s trip to lay his uncle to rest turns into an extended stay. Far from his home in Chicago, Jonathan adapts to life in a small town on the edge of the Louisiana wilderness where he dodges the advances of overly-hospitable Southern belles, learns that the best music comes from the heart, and wonders if the songs he plays in the bayou will be his last as he confronts his late uncle’s arch nemesis—a monstrous alligator known to the locals as Vaurien de Lafourche.

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A tribute to my Dad. Republishing this for Father's Day and because I miss him more than mere words can say.

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Phyl Manning is hosting a short story contest for an anthology with elephants as the theme (see http://phylsbooks.com/?page_id=65 for details). I couldn’t decide if I should go with a family friendly story, or something a little darker. So, after a little research, I did both. Any and all nits/direction/help will be greatly appreciated.

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Fate has a funny way of unfolding, especially for those who try to escape it. It’s Fight or Flight time for twenty year old Sabrina. For more than a decade after her father’s death, she’s endured both emotional and physical abuse at the hands of her depressed mom and abusive brother, Richard. It’s during a brutal beating from Richard on her nineteenth birthday that Sabrina gets a disturbing glimpse at all the rage she’s been suppressing. It lurks there, trying to seduce her into an act of revenge she knows she’ll regret. This glimpse is the catalyst that ultimately fuels Sabrina’s desperate decision to escape the only home she’s known. After more than a year of saving up, Sabrina sets out to define the long-overdue liberation from her toxic family. However, her elation to be free doesnt last long when she realizes she's not that great at independence. Dropped off in the middle of 'Bumfuck, Louisiana', she becomes inexplicably drawn to Mason, the first ‘normal’ person she meets after three long nights on the road. Even around Mason's deceptively easy-going nature, Sabrina begins to question whether leaving her home was enough to escape becoming a version of herself she feared most. **** Mason’s a good guy, anchored by a less than stellar past. Impulsive mistakes from when he was seventeen have kept him from fulfilling a promise he made to an important person in his life. Older and wiser at twenty-one years old, Mason embarks on a journey to North Carolina, determined to set things right. Just as he begins to realize that facing the past can be a lot harder than embracing an unknown future, a girl walks up to him at a Louisiana gas station out of the blue needing a ride. It doesn’t take long before Mason is reacquainted with his impulsive nature as he struggles to keep up with unpredictable Sabrina. Now if he can just get them to Raleigh, N.C. in one piece, he can finally start over. There, he plans to confront all the obligations his poor decision making in the past has been holding him back from accomplishing. There’s just one little problem--some of those past ‘mistakes’ are not as willing to let sleeping dogs lie. •••••••••warning•••••••••• This story contains vulgar/expletive language throughout, gun violence, and touches on the topic of (non-sexual) physical abuse themes. This is by no means 'erotica', but sex/sexuality is a pretty constant theme.

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A southern farm boy seeks truth and justice for someone he loves. Writing this was uncomfortable as I'm not a big fan of violence in print or the screen, but I felt there was a challenge, a hurdle that I needed to overcome, if I really wanted to write about the realities of being human...and vulnerable. I'm open to any suggestions regarding plot, sequence, and dialogue (as well as any nits you find). Thanks.

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I'm baaaaack, lol! Those who have read "Maypops" before will know that this is my third run through this novel, so please, please don't feel obliged to read unless you really want to! That said, I would certainly love to have you all back, and any new readers are, naturally, more than welcome to jump on board. My major objective this time around is to streamline the original, and get rid of any loose ends, which I actually had quite a few of. Also, I am hoping to make my villains much more subtle, instead of in-your-face evil. And I'm working with an outline this time! Sort of. For the most part. :) Cathy

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HEADS UP is all about the people who live, love, lust, lie and laugh at SLOBS (the Senior Lodge of Brothers and Sisters). It's peopled by a hilarious assortment of residents mostly in wheelchairs or high heels, sometimes both. Ongoing is a Scrabble game restricted to words of sexual connotation and cheating is not prohibited. Watch for dementia, she runs free and keep an eye out for Gladys Tripalong. She’s back. Gladys, due to two hapless kidnappers was missing for thirteen months. During her exile, she was held captive at a ranch at Helena. She ultimately became a fortune teller in Vegas. Only by the generosity of Canada’s Most Wanted was she recognized and rescued. Characteristically, every mid-morning, SLOBS wind up in the SLOBS recreation room to swap jokes and lies. For many of the residents, including Jim, Ken, and Lois, life is what they make it: naughty Scrabble, lap dancing, in-house black market, and endless tom foolery. If you detest humor with a racy component, don’t read this book.

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I was speaking with a friend and she mentioned something about her mother. It made me catch my breath. This poem has been formulating since.

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This examines the life of my father, an American master mariner of the twentieth century, with a view toward showing the aspects of mastery, not merely his mastery, but what goes into mastering any career, profession, or art. Feedback desired: Does it sound true? Useful? Like a good read?

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Another story from my childhood, or part of it. Maybe I should have tagged this sci-fi too; it happened. Coincidence? You decide. This will be included in a book of short stories one day, so any feedback will be helpful.

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General consensus is welcome. Flow, interest, character, decrip, etc. Here are some things you dont have to point out: I dont have a setting nailed down. So, while I describe surroundings, I dont name towns/locations yet cuz I have yet to choose them, including military posts. The military deets will be a last step to research. The story should still be able to flow around these missing details since they dont play a focal role anyhow.

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Just something for all of us to think upon.

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For Richter or Poorer is the fourth in a series about four hillbilly boys who grow up to change their community. This is Alain Richter's story. It is a story of abuse, survial, incest, heartbreak, redemption, repentance, victory, frienship, and love. The last in the series, it ties all the lose ends together to form a lasting knot. Any and all feedback is welcome. Just enjoy the story.

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This is a rewrite of Christmas George(never liked the title). This happened when I was 14 and tells the story of how I learned about Christmas and also how you never know what your actions mean to a stranger I am interested in feedback about anything that disrupts the flow of the story or causes confusion to the reader. -Micky

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This is the third book in my hillbilly saga. Gator Jones grows up in impoverish Possum Holler, West Virginia. Along with MacKenzie Reardon, Tipper Campbell, and Alain Richter, Gator helps put the small town on the map. He overcomes extreme odds to become a successful businessman. Any and all feedback welcome.

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This is a mystery based on true family legends. Murder, adventure, love, greed, subjugation, magic, heroes, and villains, and real history are all involved in the lives of women in the 1860's in rural Alabama, a woman's lot was very hard unless you were strong willed.

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A story of madness and survival that I hope sends a tingle up your spine.

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This was hard to classify. Harder to write. I'm not sure what I'll do with the story after all is said and done. As for feedback...nits, as usual. My awful sense for tense needs addressing as well. Thanks for any and all feedback.

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This might be construed as cheating (slightly) but I edited this story a bit to include a mention of the Empire State Building and entered it into the contest. But it is essentially the same story as previously published. It was, when first published here, a new story: one that was never workshopped in any college master's workshops or anywhere else. In fact, it was the first story I wrote after I started writing again following my retirement/disability, even though the basic premise, writing from the POV of the opposite sex, was an exercise suggested by a writing workshop. Given my glandular bias, I'm not really sure if it's in any way believable and will appreciate any and all feedback.

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Once again, this is not actually a "Novel" but a rather long short story or Novella that is too long to fit into the Short Story category on this site. In fact, the story isn't even finished yet, but I have decided to publish the first part here to get it out of my site far enough to stop me fiddling with it and to impel me to get the story done. The story is still another of the "Caroline" stories told by Jim Johannson about the citizens who lived in and around the town of Caroline, Missouri. I know people will question the language, as they always do, but they must remember that these "Carolne" stories are designed to be transcriptions of Jim Johannson's audio-taped reminiscences about the town and area's citizens in the 1960s and '70s. But Jim Johannson does not appear as a character in this story. He merely narrates. Note to readers of previous "Caroline" stories: A couple of the characters in this story were mentioned in a previous story, "Between the Stalks". I changed the surname of one of the characters, though, from "Beckmeier" to "Brockmeier" to keep from offending members of the Beckmeier family that reside in that area of Missouri that served as the template for the "Caroline" stories.

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This novel is about a character called Joan, an overweight grandmother who believes in angels and makes pin money hosting candle parties. Joan also has the feeling that something bad is brewing beneath the feet of Londoners. And then she is proved right and a terrible accident robs her of her beloved son and her two grandsons. Only her stepdaughter and granddaughter survive, and Joan must save her only remaining grandchild from the clutches of her selfish stepmother. This opening prologue introduces us to Joan's mother, Merrill, and we learn where Joan's fear of the 'beneath world' started. It is UK English throughout - many thanks for any feedback in advance!

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A memory of a time long past. A bittersweet piece of prose as the anniversary of the loss of half the duo approaches. Submitting the piece to The Magnolia Quarterly.

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Looking for general feedback, thoughts and nits, and whatever else you want to give. Who knows, maybe I'll do something with this someday. I posted this a few months ago, but the second half has been completely rewritten. Thanks a bunch!

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Thanks for the input, everyone! I feel this reads pretty well, but I didn't want it to go overboard on the 'tear-jerker' scale. Did I hit a good balance? Thanks for any/all feedback!

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If you have any suggestions at all, including nits, I would be much appreciative.

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I WILL BE PULLING THIS DOWN SOON AND DOING A REWRITE. THOSE WHO HAVE COMMENTED SO FAR...I APPRECIATE YOUR INPUT AND WILL BE USING MUCH OF IT IN THE NEXT DRAFT. Confederate Major Charles Greene is devastated by the outcome of the Civil War and struggles to accept the North won. In his heart and mind, he still fights the war and longs for the life the majestic Greene Plantation enjoyed before the war. The ubiquitous carpetbaggers and lowly scalawags - Southerners showing loyalty to the hated Yankee forces - add more fuel to his fire. However, all of that is only a backdrop for the real story - a family in turmoil and the road to that family's ultimate fate. As time goes by, Major Greene's family is painfully and irreversably divided as his children take opposing and confrontational paths to rebuilding their lives. The once majestic Greene Plantation fights to find its previous glory. The family division grows even deeper over the years as dirty business and backroom politics take control of the opposing sides. Over the generations, the split continues to divide the family. Will there ever come a time of forgiveness and resolution? It would appear nothing short of a miracle could ever bring the two sides together again. One thing is for certain, though. The eerie mist that often hovers over the nearby Charlton River holds many secrets. Does it hold the secret to overcomimg the deep division of the two sides of the Greene family?

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The chase and executing of Bin Laden.

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I would like to share a poem with you called a Good Thanksgiving. In my life there were about nine of them. The first one started in 1966 and the very last was was in 1975. They all took place in a small blue house right in the middle of East Nichols Avenue. It would be three decades after the final Thanksgiving that I learned the extent of the secrets...I am writing more autobiographical poems... All comments are appreciated...

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Cleaning up the garden after winter damage brings on thoughts of past experience under a willow tree Does this poem make you think of similar events/

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A wreck and a feeling of betrayal among friends. Tell me if it makes you laugh.

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Not everyone will appreciate the humor. Honestly, I don't think everyone will understand the humor. But this is for those that do. Hope it brings a smile.

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Short story about an adult man reflecting back over a very personal evening in his youth that changed the dynamics of his small family on the reservation.

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Here is another long short story that has to be published in two parts. I was very reluctant to publish this one on this site because it is a bit dated (like I am) and was written in the mid 1990s, so that is the time I date it for. It involves, but does not center on, land-line telephones that are no where near as sofisticated as the cellular and smart phone technology used these days. The main character of this story is a high school student who prepares for the prom to be held that night, but circumstances make things a little complicated.

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Thank you all for the helpful tips. I have updated this poem as suggestions are made. Sometimes a poem needs to be written over and over. I am not afraid to turn a poem upside down and start from the top. Just like Hollywood. I am working on this poem as part of a collection I am writing, PRIVATE LETTERS. Note: I have opened twelve of my brother's prison letters. I have not been able to read the remaining letters.

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This letter recently came into my possession. I hope you enjoy.

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A story about how deep some family secrets can be and how far brothers can go to protect each other. I am a new writer and this is just part of a much larger story, but am going to start in small peices. I need specific writing feedback since I am new.

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I felt like sharing my short story that was published with my friends on TNBW. I am now free to market it to other venues and am considering sending it to some women's magazines. We see so much about the success of internet dating, but I wonder how many experiences are more like mine.

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Sitting at the table with a laptop can be a trip through time, and one's own secret fears. It made me smile. Hope I bring a smile to you, too. As always, all feedback welcome, needed and appreciated.

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This is a (short) short story I've been working on for a writing class I'm taking this semester. Any comments welcome.

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This is a story about the time in March 2007 that four tornadoes converged on my parent's farm and the destruction, devastation, trauma, loss, and sorrow it brought to our family. It is also about the sense of hope, help, growth, triumph, strength, family, friends, faith, and community that came along with it. There's even a weird sort of humor thrown in here and there . . . I hope you enjoy it. Unfortunately, due to the number of natural disasters we have going on in our country (and the world over)in recent years, it is a story we share with too many others . . .

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I'm just practicing my writing here. But with all the tornados that have hit Missouri and other regions in the past few years, I think this is a story worth telling . . .

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The scene is Grandpa and grown-up grandchild sitting on Grandpa's porch. They're playing a sing-song rhyming game they've played for more than twenty-five years. Then Grandma comes out and breaks it up. I would really like feedback on the ending. I had a devil of a time trying to bring this to a close. Once you read it, you'll know why. I'm open for any/all suggestions.

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I worked on the rhythm of this piece for some time. It's one of my faves, but I want the reader to tell me if I've hit the right note.

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Now has the one thousand word minimum! My entry for the Watching Paint Dry contest. What can I say! All I could come up with after reading all the other fantastic pieces. At least I tried and hopefully my technical skills have improved! :) OH, THEY HAVEN'T! DANG!

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Conclusion of an 8K word story. A wealthy young man tries to do the right thing. My usual concerns: characterization, pace, plot and do you enjoy the story. All input appreciated

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An 8K word story posted in two parts, but best read continuously. A wealthy young man tries to do the right thing. My usual concerns: characterization, pace, plot, and do you enjoy the story. All input appreciated.

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When Emma’s mother sends her to Wisconsin to live with an aunt, all she can think about is how much her mother hates her. Ever since her parents’ divorce, she’s taken her father’s side, and now she feels like she’s been replaced by her mother’s new baby. But even when she realizes how much her old friends held her back and how much better her life is in Wisconsin, she can’t resolve the relationship with her. Then when she starts dating Jordan, she realizes how much worse a family could be. Instead of worrying about her petty problems, she starts to grow up and see that there can be more than one side to things. With some startling revelations about her parents’ divorce, and one terrible night at Jordan’s house, Emma’s life up north will be something she never imagined it could be.

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The Richards' and Miller's have always lived across the street from each other, and have always gotten along. When Ella was ten, it all started going downhill. After all four of her sisters get pregnant with two Richards boys over the span of five years, Ella and Ryan are determined not to become like their elder siblings. But it would be so much easier if they didn't feel anything for each other. Just a few more months and she'll be off to college, and hopefully far away from town, and the Richards' boys. But can she last that long without repeating history?

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A young woman finds her long lost father, in more ways than one. Would appreciate feed back on pace, characterization, integration of back story, and, of course, if you enjoy it. Note: 9K word story posted in two parts, but meant to be read continuously. Thanks.

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Second and concluding part of a 9K word story. A young woman finds her long lost father, in more ways than one. Would appreciate feed back on pace, characterization, integration of back story, and, of course, if you enjoy it.

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In the semi-small town of Cedar Creek, some people don’t care to lock their doors, even though the woods hold secrets and the children are terrified to venture into them. The warm sense of security is shattered for Majesty Alistair, a feisty but grief-stricken teen, when she uncovers a mass murder plot deep in the thick. She struggles to find and defeat the would-be-killers before they act, but they have an agenda far bigger than she ever assumed. Violence rocks the town, leaving residents reeling and drawing Majesty into the middle of it all. With danger always pressing, police seemingly getting nowhere and those closest to her looking guilty, she continues hunting and charges into an evil web, but the truth and her actions threaten to haunt her forever, especially since she’s left with blood on her hands, the blood of someone she loves.

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A Christmas memory that must be included when I put together my Little Book of Things that Are so NOT Funny You Have to Laugh. See if you can feel the emotion.

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Conclusion of a story of family conflicts. How's the pace, characterization, ending? Input appreciated.

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A story of family conflicts. 8K word story posted in two parts, but best read continuously. How's the pace, characterizations, the ending? Do you enjoy it? Candid comments appreciated.

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This is a reminiscence of a visit to Detroit I made following the death of my Aunt Margaret, the youngest of Nell's 18 children (see "Impetuous Heart" under novels) who reminded me always of Maureen O'Hara. Anyone who's had a relative like this, a larger-than-life character, knows what a big vacancy they leave behind when they go. She was born in Brosna, Ireland and would be ninety now if she had lived so long. When I first saw her I was ten years old and I thought she was a gypsy.

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After her grandmother, Jenessa, flees her home in terror, Anna takes over as the caretaker of the property. Only 18 years old, and having just left an abusive home, Anna soon finds that the troubles she'd experienced up to now were nothing compared to what waits for her at The House on Miller Street. Will Anna survive her encounters with the malevolent being? Or will she, too, flee in abject terror?

Feedback: I'm looking for comments on continuity, flow and character development.

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Conclusion of tragicomic story of a family's ups and downs. Lots of characters, settings, plot elements. Has does it hold together? Does it keep you reading?

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A tragicomic story of a family's ups and downs. This is fairly long with lots of characters, settings, and plot elements. Does it all hold together? Does it keep you reading? Posted in two parts due to word count posting limitations, but one continuous story. Candid input appreciated.

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Third installment to the Wrath of Angels trilogy. Wrath of Angels published in 2012. Angels at the Gate and Angels Ascending are pending.

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Welcome to my functioning family asylum. I'm starting a series of short stories about this family, so I thought I'd repost it to reintroduce the main character "Stevie" so that "A Normal Uncle" has a context for readers to work with.

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This is a subject that has haunted me since I was a small girl with two uncles in the Korean War. One who slept with a gun under his pillow so we had to be careful waking him. He would break out in a sweat and moan. Most likely reliving. Which is worse? Dying on a battlefield or the walking dying who live each day on the battlefield they left so long ago. What are the 'trues reasons man goes off to battle?' I would thing they are varied but I would venture they had no clue what they were getting into. Nor did they truly understand who and why they were killing. To question your government was simply not done. Those who did lived in fear and isolation. I have seen the walking dead. On street corners, silent in wheel chairs unable to meat the eyes of the onlookers. For what will he or she see? Disgust? Pity? Any true understanding how devastated these souls are and how for some, death would have been kinder. There is no way I can understand nor fully see into the heart and life of one at war. I can't. But I do recognize the horror when I see it reflected and the total lack of life in blank staring eyes who long ago gave up the will to get anyone to understand.

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Charisse finally has it “all�?: an adoring fiancé, a great job, a dream car, and a McMansion. Her former bum magnet status has also left her with a heaping entrée of fear of commitment served with a large side of wedding jitters. Even worse, her family is pushing her to reconcile with her "sperm donor," an estranged father with whom she’s never had more than a casual relationship, and invite him to the wedding. Her jitters are sent into hyper drive when she discovers Prince Charming has some major chinks in his armor and she’s not sure if she can go through with the wedding. Unfortunately, time to thaw her frozen feet and decide if Mr. Right Now is Mr. Right Forever isn’t on the schedule, as a series of unfortunate events sends a slew of drama-filled family and friends—including a mother on the run from the police, a jilted best friend, and a father diagnosed with cancer who she’d vowed to alienate—to be couped up with her at Chez Charisse for the two weeks before the ceremony that might not happen. Can Charisse survive the two weeks with her relationship, family, and sanity intact? ***This is a slightly less rough first draft. Shorter chapters with new information added, so you may want to start reading from Chapter 1. Still needs work but does the story line work? Are the chapter hooks effective? How is the dialogue? Does the shift in POV work? If you had a problem with anything, please let me know. All feedback welcome.

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Dealing with passages in the lives of family and how it relates to one's self.

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This is something that came together in my mind, but is clearly not fleshed out. I need some help with the ending - it is too abrupt. And I need to move Ron's life further forward. But there are probably other things that need fixing. I am not happy with this, but I'm not sure where to start. HELP! All feedback welcome.

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When a loved one with Alzheimer's Disease forgets who you are, the pain it brings is unimaginable. But when family is there to wipe the tears and hold your hand, you learn to cope. This story is about the day we realized that my dad, the man we've known all of our lives, is gone. The publisher I've been working with wants a little bit more drama in the mix. I'm kind of flailing around to be honest. It all makes me so nervous! I know there are formatting/grammar/spelling issues, I apologize. I do things like this quickly than I go back and correct what I see. Be honest, God knows I need it!

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A major breakthrough in my family tree research. I am submitting this to Clan Crawford for the news letter.

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This poem came to me today. It is the first full length poem I've written in several years. It was almost haunting to write. I had a few remaining points on my account and was moved to share it. All I can ask is that all that see this poem, appreciate today, now, family success and dreams. And the larger excuse is that I miss everyone.

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I close with this final poem, torn from the pages of my childhood. I dedicate it to the greatest site on the internet and the greatest Reviewers anywhere. I will miss you all so much. Keep the Pencils Flowing. Keep the lyrics going. You have all taught me so much.

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Sometimes we need to take a closer look at our lives to find the real beauty that's all around.

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Iudaea follows a Roman cavalry officer as he is pulled from his assignment patrolling Hadrian's Wall in Britannia to the hills of Iudaea where a Jewish rebellion rages. The story reveals the Roman world of the 2nd century and the events surrounding the epic Bar Kokhba Revolt while showing one man's struggle to reconcile his responsibilities as a soldier, a husband, and a father. While this story is easily classified as historical fiction I've tried to write something that transcends time and space and illuminates man's character in the shadow of cataclysmic events.

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This was an article I wrote for my column in our local newspaper for Mother's Day. My mother had a million little sayings for her children that have always made me giggle, but this one has a special place in my heart.

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Memories are precious, especially when the act is difficult to give. To all you fathers who’ve impacted and nurtured your children’s lives by stepping out of your comfort zones to dance, whether it be in mind, body or soul - this one’s for you! You are the choreographer that gives a child the courage to stand on the center stage of life

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A Sin in the family. Can a family overcome it? All feedback and comments are appreciated. I hope the story makes sense and is clear. Al Reviewers are appreciated. I learn from all of you.

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Correne Johnson, 18, is all the things most women never want to be: Overweight, illiterate and unloved. And she is being molested by her Aunts fiance. She uses her addiction to the Oprah Winfrey show and Oprah's TV wisdom's to challenge her Oppressor. These actions could either end her life or save her.

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A fictional story based loosly on actual events and people. Avery is a young woman with the world by the tail. She thinks she is really in love for the first time. She is beautiful and talented, yet scattered. But people and time have a way of changing her plans, even if she has no real plans at all... Please enjoy and review. This is my first real attempt at seroius writting so constructive critism is always welcome.

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(REWORKED and REVISED--Loved this character but needed to go back and work out the plot so that I could move the story forward. Feel like the story is more plausible now). Twenty-something-year old Miki Jackson is a broken-hearted wannabe writer and a movie addict who believes that life and love should be romantic comedy. She's spent so much time looking for love that she neglected to find herself. When a screenwriting contest offers her the chance to find the career and man of her dreams, it's an opportunity she can't pass it up. Problem is, Miki attracts drama like bees to honey. Her quest to write the perfect romantic comedy by living the perfect romantic comedy leads her straight to jail--without passing go or collecting two-hundred dollars. She learns the hard way that life does not always imitate art. A cranky judge, who sentences her to community service, sends her spiraling into a depression and makes her realize her how empty and unaccomplished her life really is. With 500 hours of community service at a women's center, Miki remains determined to find the love of her life in time to write the perfect script and win the contest. But spending time serving others helps her discover a gift beyond anything she thought she could offer. After she fumbles and bumbles her way into Mr. Wrong after Mr. Wrong, she finally discovers--not one--but two seeming Mr. Rights. Both can offer her the life she's always hoped for. But when her wedding day arrives and the battle for her heart comes to a head, will she marry the man of her dreams--or the man who keeps it real?

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I can't hope to match Georgia's midnight train but this is how it is for me.. (This looks different when published - doesn't have what I thought it had when I wrote it. If you have suggestions I'd be happy to hear them.)

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The narrator of this story is a young girl about ten years old. Since I've never been a young girl I'm interested in how she comes across. Does she sound older? Younger? And any other comments are of course always welcome.

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Christmas poem

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My second poem on the sea journey of boat people. I think I like this better than the first one - perhaps it's clearer. I'm interested in what you think - critique away..

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A Compulsion Obeyed.

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I adjusted this a little

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Part 2 in the series California Days with Mama Mama takes on the Hollywood scene, from her kitchen. Feedback welcome and thank you.

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Does duty preclude a young girl coming of age? Where is the line drawn between common sense and public opinion? Feedback welcome

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This is a story of a family and what war does to it.

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Synopsis: Phoebe lives a privileged life in a repressed and controlled society until she discovers the husband she thought was dead, is imprisoned by the regime that protects her. She becomes obsessed with his freedom.

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This is Part Two of the farce about the Barnes family wreaking their vengeance against the DMV and the police. All I wanna know is did it put a smile on your face.

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A moment on Ali's 10th birthday that was very profound. I wanted to document it.

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This is a farce written for anyone who has ever had a screw-up with the DMV or been picked on by the police. Part Two will follow.

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This is the third installment of the story of my marriage and the struggles I am going through to help salvage it. In this installment I discuss where we are three months into the process.

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This is the second piece in a series about the break down of my marriage. I anticipate a few more essays in this series. I would love to get feedback on the personal nature of this memoir.

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My wife has multiple sclerosis. it's a bit of a bummer, especially as she used to be a graphic designer

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This is the story of the struggles I am going through with my marriage after thinking everything was fine.

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This is the story of a family who rose from the ashes of the Civil War and became major landholders in the wilderness of Florida. This novel is loosely based on the lives of my great-grandparents, who made the transition from war to peace, facing tragedy and loss with love and passion as they discover what it takes to turn an American dream into reality. I'm reposting this story so it shows up on my Profile Page, making it easier for friends and family to download.

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The story of a Kansas farm family and a mystery that develops around the ruins of an old barn on their land.

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This is just an observation of a picture of my son,his wife and my grandson. Her gaze is hypnotic and you just want to know what she is thinking. Just want feedback on how it reads, is it clear, am I doing any better with punctuation!!!

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This is a quick piece that I fired off after a really transendant baseball game the other day and I would love any and all feedback from others.

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My grandmother often surprised the family with her adventures. Her is one of them.

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I don't know how to do this without giving too much away. A man loses everything, including his faith in God. His sister is there, never waning, to help him. His life changes and if you believe him...so could yours. There, how's that for a hook.

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An excerpt from my life.

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This is a story about the relationship between tragedy and necessity, and the changes we make to keep breathing.

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Chris began to question the wisdom of this trip. The familiar crunching sound of tires on the gravel driveway gave away her surprise arrival. She had planned to arrive undetected, take a look around at her former life, and if necessary, leave undetected. As she pulled up to the once-white, house with the slanted front porch and broken screen door, she was at once joyfully nostalgic and severely repulsed. Before Chris could turn off the engine and step out onto the gravel and oil driveway, Ma was already waving from the window in the big bedroom upstairs. Chris shook her head when she notice Ma wearing the same faded red, pansy-printed house dress she was wearing exactly one year before on Easter Sunday and likely every other Sunday for the last thirty years or more. The hem of this dress must have been re-sewn by Ma’s plump hands a hundred times or more and the buttons were a mere rumor, replaced by multi-colored diaper pins. Even without seeing it now, Chris could describe each frayed piece of the fabric, not only because she seen it in her mind whenever she pictured Ma, but because she’d spent so much time as a child, hiding from the world on underneath it. They met inside the house, at the bottom of the stairs and greeted one another the way they always had. No “I love you,� or “good to see you.� No touching moment and definitely no embracing, just right to the business at hand – avoidance. “Lawd chile, I ain’t know who dat was pullin’ in my driveway all fast.� Ma said, barely stopping at the foot of the staircase. “Uhn, uhn, uhn. What you doin’ wit’ ya hair now?� “All that money, - cant you pay somebody to do something with that hair?� Chris sighed. “It’s called the natural look Ma, and I did pay somebody to do this.� Uhn, we’ll you done thrown dat money away. Look like a natural mess to me. I’ put a pressin comb on it fo’ ya fo’ free.� Ma laughed. “Lawd have mercy, now I got to go upstairs an’ put some clean sheets on dat bed. Go on out back and say somethin’ to Dad.� Chris walked through the old house, through the dog’s room on the back porch and out into the back yard where Dad sat atop his ancient, red, riding mower, mowing and drinking what was almost surely corn liquor, wrapped in a brown paper bag. “Hey there, Lil Bit, what you doin’ here? Dad slurred. “You done drove all the way from New York City to help me cut all this grass.� All morning, Chris sat in the kitchen with Ma snapping peas, peeling potatoes and soaking greens. “You listen here girl, now I ain’t gonna have none of that mess you pull last year at my Easter table, you hear me?� Ma warned. “What’s past is past.� “Now, ya Mama an’ them comin.’� “Again, Ma, she is not my Mama� Chris said. “Well, she carried ya ‘round in her fo’ nine mont’s di’nt she?� Ma exclaimed. Chris started, “Ma, but she never did nothing for me….� At this, Chris was immediately shocked by her improper language, and how easily it came back to her. “She my daughter, and yo’ mama, an’ this is my house and I say she’ comin’ here to have Easter dinner wit’ us, now you just keep ya mouth shut if ya aint got nothing nice to say, hear.� ‘Ma, if she brings him again, I can’t sit at the table and act like everything is ok.� Chris explained. Ma fidgeted. “Don’t you say it.� Suddenly, Chris felt possessed. “What, Ma, that he raped me and my Mama was too high to do anything?� Ma looked around for something to hold on to and settled on a bag of flour on the. Ma said, “Don’t ya talk with dat nasty mouth in my house girl, now, I jus’ ain’t gon’ have it.� Brushing flour off her dress, Ma quietly demanded, “Now make yourself useful and go set the table.�

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***WINNER OF THE 2007 TNBW OCEAN FLASH COMPETITION***Linda returns to the small sea front hut the family owned and enjoyed when they were children and that she has now inherited. Her plan is to sell the property to help buy herself a new future. But sometimes the future can be found in the past.

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What makes a human, human? Are heroes born, bred, or created?

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J.D. discovers Henry is more than a hired hand. The witch protects. An innocent girl is murdered. The county balance is gone. The end is near.

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This is the first of i think three parts. I am trying to figure how to break it up. The story is about a rural County divided into four sections. The events in this particular part of the story set up the rest of the story. There is a lot of meanness with ignorance and isolation. Please, see for yourself.

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This is my emerging memoir. For the time being, each chapter is a stand-alone "episode," and I have not yet determined the framework for tying them together. Don't worry about reviewing them in order. Imagine that I am making a necklace, and I am crafting the beads one at a time; once they are crafted, I will string them in a pleasing and relevant order, adding the necessary transitions at that time. This memoir will include my childhood in the 1970's, teens in the 1980's, motherhood beginning in 1994. The main themes of the larger work relate to three diagnoses in my forties: Borderline Personality Disorder, Bi-polar Disorder, and Breast Cancer.

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