When I first began teaching High School English to officially labeled “low literacy” students I wasn’t sure how to approach them. Not because of the obvious gaps in our age, gender, race, religion, family situation, economic class, religion or politics…

(Note: I'm using this morning writing to work on a novel in progress. We're fairly far in with this character, an environmental activist.) I’d laid it all out on the bed after I got back from dropping Ivy off at…

"This boy," Don thought to himself as Kevin disappeared into his phone. "Seems to be waiting for life to happen." Though Kevin has grown up primarily in west county, the muffled beats of aggressive, inner-city rap music pulsed from his…

For months M. Chavannes was just part of the guest list. Not a suitor to be taken seriously, and possibly, an annoyance, for Maman complained that he would talk her ear off and Papa did all he could to avoid…

it was the answer to everything to let go a bit to allow the fingers hiding the knuckles to flower open instead welcoming the possibility of spring again it was the answer to everything to allow our mouths the jaws…

An answer to everything? Wake up , sleepy children ! Walt Disney is dead! Though his wondrously tacky theme parks live on, as do the expensive, fattening ice cream cones and deep fried delights that promise easy joy and early…

*Note: I'm using this prompt to revise/rewrite a passage in my novel*: In the middle of the night, it came to me. The deed. If I could find a copy, I could see figure out who owned the house before…

Kamala stared at the nut balanced on the table in front of her. It was an unassuming lozenge the size of her little finger. The colouring faded from a dark brown at one end to a sandy beige at the…

A man sitting at a table alone said, "You're a bit late young lady," "Who are you and why do you care about my comings and goings?". He actually looked a bit like Ernest Hemingway, He , a full gray…

It was 10:30 by the clock on the wall. Andrea was due there at 10:15, still not here. Andrea was often late, she would appear disshevelled and beautiful, her hair wild. Andrea Schoen's lips were in a permanent pout, she…

As we re-entered the city, we passed apartment after apartment, all reminding me how common a tile facade was. I felt embarrassed as I looked again at the photos. What was I thinking? I had overstretched the similarities between the…

something we've yet to name