tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6999817741114527622024-03-18T04:19:32.559-07:00The Joy of StoryWelcome. Here I will offer my thoughts about writing, editing, and publishing, which are the things I know and do.john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.comBlogger240125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-38072174568296729862017-05-13T12:12:00.000-07:002017-05-13T12:12:44.459-07:00THE MONTH OF YES YOU MAY<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 17.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>THE
JOY OF STORY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John
M. Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">May
13, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Greetings, friends and celebrators
of the joy to be found in stories—writing them, reading them, telling them, or
hearing them. If you enjoy a good story, this weekly blog is for you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This being the second Saturday of
the month of May, it’s time to post the 99-word stories sent to me during the
month of April. The prompt for this month was taken from a lyric by Alan J.
Lerner for the musical <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Camelot.</i> Here
it is: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“</i></span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Tra la, it's
May, the lusty Month of May, That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">astray</i>.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I received six stories, mostly
from regular contributors. I’m always glad to hear from writers I’ve never met
but have come to know though their short, short fiction. I’m also always glad
to receive material from writers new to the gene pool. (Don’t worry, I don’t
understand that metaphor either. It just happened.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Well, I’m happy to post these six
stories on my blog, but to be honest, I’m disappointed. I was hoping to receive
some stories that took risks, some fiction inspired by the active hormones of
spring…some R-rated fiction. “No,” you say?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Well, why not?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Okay, okay. The prompt for June is
every bit as challenging, and it doesn’t (necessarily) call for a crawl between
hot sheets. See what you can do with it: </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">What was the most important life-changing decision you ever
made? Tell it in a story 99 words long</span></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">.</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Meanwhile,
here is some tame fiction about a tame May. Tame, but otherwise and nonetheless
quite readable.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 16.0pt;">THE MONTH OF YES YOU MAY!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Six stories<br />
about the<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">month of May—<br />
99 words apiece<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A LETTER DATED
MAY 1<sup>st <o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by June Kosier<sup><o:p></o:p></sup></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Graduation is
scheduled for May 23<sup>rd</sup>, 1976. I have taken day clinicals on my days
off and night classes for five years to get my MS in Nursing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Finally. Oh,
happy day!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Then it
happens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I get a letter from the
Admissions Office: “You will not be able to graduate since you did not meet the
admissions requirements.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I never
took the Graduate Record Exams. I can’t take the GREs in time for graduation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The dean tells
me to take the Miller Analogies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If I do well, I will get my diploma—just in time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I do…and I did!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A PLACE ON THE
ROCK<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Mary Perrin Scott<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Moon rising in
the sky creates tides, high and low, predicted and expected and sometimes
violent. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Wild life
responds, using the highs and lows, finding needed resting places. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Seal Rock
appears and disappears with the high and low tides. The fight begins for who
lounges on the rock of choice. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">One, two,
three. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Barking,
swatting, growling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Then the pup
appears. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As the tide
turns, one by one the seals slide off the rock. Mama and pup hang on until the
rising water forces them off. Slowly swimming away, they sing, “Tra la, it’s
May! The lusty Month of May!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">HEALING IN
MAY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Marilyn London<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We hadn’t been on skates in years. We wanted to
have fun. He held David’s hand and was halfway around the rink, last time I
looked. I kneeled to tie on Jared’s toddler skates. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The music stopped. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A voice asked everyone to leave the rink.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I turned. He was on the floor. David moused his
way around the railing back to me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“A shattered femur,” the doctor said. Several
surgeries ensued. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Five years later, cane in hand, he left for Long
Island to a new job. Our house finally sold. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We followed in the merry month of May.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">MISS LEAD<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Diane
Morelli<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Sage’s devotion
to The Nancy Drew Files was legendary. Two mutual acquaintances on campus
taught her that she was more of a snoop than a sleuth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Victoria sat
next to Sage in Ethics class. “My fiancé lives far away. No lovin’ until
classes end in May.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My eye</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">, Sage thought, once she noticed that
Raymond, her cute classmate from Photography, and Victoria were hanging out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Raymond stopped
Sage right before the Ethics final.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>“Give this to Victoria, for good luck.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Sage closed her
eyes and puckered her lips. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Raymond slipped
a sharpened number two pencil into her sweaty hand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">REALITY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Christine
Viscuso<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Chester, you
cheated. That sucks big time.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Technically,
no, Hildy. I didn’t. However, April has turned to May. Didn’t you hear that May
is the month where one may stray?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I don’t care
what month we’re in. You’re a cheat, Chester. I come home from a hard day’s
work as a barista and what are you doing? Lounging on our velvet Sven sofa
staring glassy-eyed at her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I couldn’t
help myself.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“We agreed we
wouldn’t do it. It’s cheating when you sneak around. Frankly, I question the
mind that does that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Geez. All I did was watch reality TV.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">LUST UNFULFILLED<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Jerry Giammatteo<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">May is a time for lust and baseball. Charlie’s mind was on both. But
mostly lust.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He went to the club and saw her. The lady in the short black skirt with
the revealing top.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">After hesitating, he approached her. She eyed him disdainfully and
turned away. Later, he tried again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Get lost, loser,” she said tartly and found the arm of some sketchy
looking fellow. He gave Charlie a look that convinced him not to persist.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Charlie went home to watch the Mets. They won. It was as much
fulfillment as he was to get this May evening.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for
submissions: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
deadline for June’s 99-word story submissions is June 1, 2017. The stories will
appear on my blog post for June 10, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> What was the
most important life-changing decision you ever made? Tell it in a story 99
words long<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-83517095708719974852017-05-06T08:59:00.000-07:002017-05-06T08:59:18.398-07:00WHERE DO STORIES COME FROM?<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 17.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>THE
JOY OF STORY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John
M. Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">May
7, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Greetings, friends and celebrators
of the joy to be found in stories—writing them, reading them, telling them, or
hearing them. If you enjoy a good story, this weekly blog is for you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>THE
JOY OF STORY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Brief<br />
Essays on <br />
Writing Fiction<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"><b>§<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Chapter 3<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Where Do Stories Come From?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-variant: small-caps; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"><br />
So you want to write a story?</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;"> About what? Any ideas? Pardon
my impertinence, but get used to the question: “Where do you get your ideas?”
Every novelist, story writer, playwright, songwriter, or screenwriter has to
answer that question at some point.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">I have three sources to suggest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">First let me suggest a premise: all good fiction
is, at least in part, autobiographical. And by the way, that goes for
historical novels, westerns, science fiction, and gritty police professionals.
What may seem like flights of fancy usually have some source within our own
experience, or our own dreams of glory and nightmares of disaster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Well, perhaps this is a conversation for another
time. Meanwhile, let’s just accept that your own life is a rich source of
fictional stories. Flannery O’Connor is said to have said, “Any writer who
survived childhood has enough material to last his whole career.” She may not
really have said that, because I’ve never seen a primary source for the
quotation, and it’s been quoted so differently by different secondary sources
that it may be apocryphal. But that doesn’t make the statement any less true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">I would add that the rich mine of materials isn’t
limited to memories of childhood. Life is full of turning points, changes,
choices, and consequences, and they’re all waiting to be exploited.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Where do we find them?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">The Junk Drawer of Your Memory.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Every home has at least one junk drawer. Opening
memory’s junk drawer is like opening a jar of insects, some beautiful, some
with stingers or teeth. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Where did this
key come from? Who do I know who drives a Porsche? Why did I save this snapshot
of my ex-husband trying to politely carve the birthday cake I made from
scratch, when we both knew he didn’t want to be reminded he was turning forty?
One joker card from the MGM Grand? As I remember, the joke was on me. My first
report card. All A’s except for citizenship. Ticket stubs from </i>My Fair Lady<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">. I still have a Gene McCarthy button? I
still have my draft card?<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Every one of these keepsakes has a story, and the
drawer is bottomless.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Historical novelists may want to explore that
trunk in the attic. Horror writers will find Steve King lurking in the
basement, sorting his bone collection and tasting Amon-tillado. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Rites of Passage.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Rites of passage are life-changing events common
to many within any culture. Some of them are experienced in childhood: toilet
training, learning to ride a bicycle, losing teeth, first day of school, being
disabused of the myth of Santa Claus. Some come in puberty and adolescence: the
driver’s license, the first kiss, the first heartbreak, the first drink. Some
are the business of young adulthood: moving out and moving on, military
service, college, first job, marriage, parenthood, traffic tickets, debts, and
finding a career. Then come later life and what comes later than later life:
grandchildren, arthritis, a crummy gold watch, funerals, and the chance to
write your memories down for future generations. Some rites of passage are
reserved for boys becoming men: learning to shave. Some for girls becoming
women: buying a bra. Some rites of passage happen mainly to rich people, some
to poor people; some to religious people, others to skeptics. So we don’t all
experience all the same rites, but chances are that within any culture, we know
people who have gone through experiences like these.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">How to make a story out of a rite of passage you’ve
passed through? First, it’s important to describe the passage in such a way
that all readers (who share your culture) will relate to the experience.
Second, and more important, it’s the goal of the story to show how your own
experience of this rite was special, your own to claim, and how it changed you
and made you a different person from the one you were before you went through
that creaking door, that stretch of whitewater rapids, that midterm exam. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">Archetypes<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">In any culture, there are stories we all know.
Not only do we know them well because we learned them as children, but we’ve
heard them over and over in varied and different retellings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">In the American/WASP/Judeo-Christian culture, to
pick only one segment of our multicultural society (but the one I know best),
most of us know a few common religious myths, such as the Garden of Eden, Cain
and Abel, and the Prodigal Son. A lot of us know the same Greek myths, like the
Myth of Sisyphus, the Complex of Oedipus, the Midas Touch, or Pandora’s Box.
Then there are the fairy tales we grew up on: Cinderella, The Ugly Duckling,
Little Red Riding Hood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">These stories get shamefully recycled, to great
effect. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">East of Eden</i> is a retelling
of Cain and Abel. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pretty Woman</i> is a
combination of Pygmalion and Cinderella. The Ugly Duckling? It’s the basis of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dumbo</i>, “Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer,”
and dozens of other heartwarming stories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">And you’ll no doubt find your own personal
versions of archetypical stories that you can exploit for fiction, taking these
stories we all know and making them into stories you alone could write.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Verdana;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Call for
submissions: <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">The
deadline for June’s 99-word story submissions is June 1, 2017. The stories will
appear on my blog post for June 10, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
per month.</span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict. </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> What was the
most important life-changing decision you ever made? Tell it in a story 99
words long<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-68816300717415909672017-04-29T03:00:00.000-07:002017-04-29T03:00:20.949-07:00GIFTS FROM AGGIE CRONE<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: .25in;">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; text-indent: 0.25in;">THE JOY OF STORY</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M. Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">April 29, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Greetings, friends and celebrators
of the joy to be found in stories—writing them, reading them, telling them, or
hearing them. If you enjoy a good story, this blog is for you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This week, beginning the last
Saturday in the month of April, I offer you another installment of my novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The King’s Eye: A Fantasy of the Farther
Isles.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In case you missed the last
installment, which appeared in February, here’s a recap:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">Rodney Trapper the Goatherd’s 17-year-old son on the Isle of Goats
stops at Ralf’s Alehouse at the end of the day. There he meets Prince Frogge,
who has come to the Isle of Goats looking for someone to join him in his quest
to kill the Giant Clobber and return the High King’s crystal eye. Rodney is
interested in the idea, as he tells Bromalyn, Ralf’s daughter, with whom he is
sleeping. She doesn’t like the idea, but she lets Rodney know she’s heard about
this quest from another prince, Tamber of the Isle of Mirth, and she calls
Tamber the handsomest man she’s ever met.</span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That was Chapter One, and this week
you will meet Rodney’s ancient grandmother, who mixes herbs with magic and
gives Rodney and Frogge some medicines and a crooked broom, which she promises
them will come in handy during their dangerous adventure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">THE
KING’S EYE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">A Fantasy of the Farther Isles<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">John
M. Daniel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">Chapter 2: </span><span style="color: #222222; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">Gifts from Aggie Crone</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It was difficult for Rodney to forgive his new
companion, Prince Frogge, for having such short legs. It was embarrassing to
walk the high road through the town on their first morning as partners, Rodney
forced to shorten his long-legged stride as Frogge trotted along beside him,
puffing and yammering, and stopping every few minutes to hitch up the pack on
his back. “How far is this cottage?” and “Is it dark in the forest?” and “Is
your grandmother really a witch?” and “Does she have a broom?” While all this
time Rodney could feel the eyes of the townsfolk on the two of them—all of the
townsfolk having of course heard the infectious gossip brought home from Ralf’s
Alehouse the evening before. Yes, Rodney Trapper, the Goatherd’s son, had been
fool enough to sign on for this foolhardy if not doomed adventure, to sail off
to the faraway Farther Isle of the South Wind, to challenge the pitiless giant
who had slaughtered their own island’s goats seven years before. But that wasn’t
the embarrassing part.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What mortified Rodney Trapper, the Goatherd’s
son, was being seen in the company of such a fancy little fop, this short,
round, over-dressed child who couldn’t keep up and wouldn’t stop talking.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I say there, Rodney,” called out Cort Butcher, “who’s
your new best friend? Or will he be the bait for one of your traps?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Rodney Trapper, is it?” added Cort’s wife, Olie
Baker. “From now on we’ll be calling you Rodney Nursemaid!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Rodney tried to laugh them off, but he flushed
hot and red and muttered under his breath, “I’m doing this for you, you
ungrateful lot. You’ll thank me when I’m finished killing the tyrant. And the
only reason I keep company with this boy is because he has the boat to carry me
there!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When Rodney and Frogge reached Aggie Crone’s
cottage deep in the forest beyond the far side of town, they found the old
woman out in her garden, on her hands and knees, up to her knuckles in the
soil, yanking weeds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Good morning, Granny,” Rodney called from the
lane. He held up his sack. “I brought you a fox.” He whispered to Frogge, “You
mustn’t be alarmed by a thing my grandmother says. She speaks her mind, and
tells the truth, even if at times what she says sounds peculiar.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Aggie stood up slowly and stiffly, stretched her
back, and shot Rodney a twisted-tooth grin. “About time you got here, Rascal
Rodney, and I see you’ve brought along your young friend I’ve been hearing so
much about.” She hobbled to the gate and let them in. She offered her hand to
the boy and told him, “Hello, young prince named Frogge. I hope you become a
man sometime soon, so you can make a man of my foolish grandson.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Frogge smiled, shrugged the pack off his back,
and took the old woman’s hand. She was no taller than he was, but her hands
were huge, and her dirty fingers were leathery, with knuckles like rough stones
the size of cobnuts. Frogge said, “I’m pleased to meet you, Mistress Aggie
Crone. How in the Stars do you know my name?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Aggie let go of the boy’s hand. “A bird told me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Frogge casually wiped his soiled hand on the
backside of his purple breeches. “A bird?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“It’s true,” Rodney said. “She gets her news
from the birds.” He handed his sack of game to his grandmother. “Here, Granny.
Two weasels, three coneys, three moles, and a fox.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Aggie Crone took the sack and reached up to pat
her grandson’s cheek. “Weasel stew tonight,” she said with a proud smile. “You’ll
stay for supper.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Rodney looked at Frogge, who appeared queasy at
the prospect. “You’ve never had a meal so fine as my grandmother’s weasel stew,”
he told the boy. “Yes, Granny, we’ll be here for supper, and we’ll stop here
for the night as well. Then, tomorrow morning, as soon as Randy the Cock wakes
us up at dawn, we’ll be off adventuring. Am I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>right, Frogge?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Frogge sucked on his lower lip. “I don’t want to
put you to any trouble, Mistress Crone. Perhaps I should return to Ralf’s
Alehouse for supper and a bed tonight, and then Rodney and I can meet tomorrow,
down at the harbor.” He turned to his partner. “Say about noon, so we can set
sail early?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Rodney felt the time had come to establish which
of the two was to give the orders. Frogge from The Fens might be a Prince, and
he might own the boat, and this whole adventure might have been his idea, but
he was just a boy, a spoiled whelp, pampered by privilege. “Frogge—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Frogge, you listen to your old Aunt Aggie,” the
old woman said. “Don’t you be afraid of weasel stew. Get used to simple fare,
lad. And my weasel stew may be the best meal you’ll have for quite some time.
You’ll find nothing so tasty on South Wind Isle, I’ll promise you that. Nothing
to eat there but grubs, slugs, and snakes, unless Rodney can trap you a
vulture. There are vultures aplenty on that windswept island, legends tell, but
vultures taste of rot. As for a bed tonight, you’ll sleep in the barn with
young Pansy. She’ll keep you warm.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Oh, but I couldn’t do that,” Frogge protested. “I’ve
pledged my affections to Princess Llanaa, so I—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Frogge, Pansy’s a heifer,” Rodney explained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“And now,” said Aggie Crone, “the two of you can
earn your keep by spending the rest of the afternoon in the garden, pulling
weeds. Down on your knees, your Highness. You too, Rodney, the would-be hero.
If the pair of you can’t do battle with this patch of clover and dock, how do
you expect to lay low that Giant?” She nodded fiercely with that frightening
face, then let it relax into a summery smile. “If you get hungry while you
work, you may eat a few radishes. Not too many, mind. I don’t want you to spoil
your appetites.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">That evening, the heat of the day was swallowed
by a chilly fog. Supper had gone well; Aggie Crone’s weasel stew was especially
tasty, and Prince Frogge, after his first timid spoonful, dug in and asked for
three helpings. Now the four of them sat before the fireplace: Aggie, Rodney,
their guest Frogge, and Rodney’s pa, Yvor the Goatherd. Yvor hadn’t said one
word during supper, and now he didn’t say much more. He rocked back and forth
and side to side on his chair, wearing a sad scowl and occasionally muttering, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Goats.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Frogge had tried and failed to engage Yvor in
polite chatter. He turned to Aggie and said, “Your son doesn’t say much, but he
seems concerned about his goats.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Goats.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“That’s right,” Aggie said. “The poor man lost
his spirit and most of his mind seven years ago, when our island lost its
goats. My Yvor used to be the Master Goatherd, you see. As was his father
before him, and his father’s father before that, and so on back farther than
tales can tell. The Master Goatherd was an important man on the Isle of Goats,
as you can imagine, and a chief advisor to the King. Now look at my boy. Poor
Yvor’s no more important and no more with us than the wooden chair he’s sitting
on.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Goats.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“That’s right, Sonny. Goats indeed. Prince
Frogge, I suppose you’ve heard how our island lost its goats?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“No, Mistress Crone. I haven’t.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Isn’t that just like the other Isles, not to
grieve for our great loss. Not even to tell the tale. Well, Your Highness, it
was the Giant Clobber, of course. Him and his minions, seven years ago. They
arrived in a large boat during the night of the first full moon of spring, and
the next day, in broad daylight, they rounded up the herds and slaughtered
nearly every goat on the island, and then butchered them in their own slippery
blood. The minions did the rounding up, but the Giant Clobber did the killing.
And when our good King Noel the Elder bravely walked out onto the scene to stop
the senseless butchery, Clobber slaughtered the king as well, and left his body
on the pile of heads and hooves and guts, to feed the foxes and the ravens.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“You said ‘nearly every goat,’” Frogge said. “Did
some of the goats escape?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Well, yes, there was a herd the Giant didn’t
find, in a northern valley near the royal castle. Fifty goats were spared.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Well, that was fortunate,” Frogge offered. “Thank
the Stars.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Rodney coughed and spat into the fire. “Damn the
Stars, and damn King Noel.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“But wasn’t King Noel trying his best, doing
what he could to stop—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Not Good King Noel the Elder,” Aggie Crone
explained. “Rodney’s talking about that king’s son, King Noel the Younger, who
took the throne upon his father’s death. To celebrate his coronation he
slaughtered the remaining fifty goats, and fed them to his royal guests,
visiting royalty from the Isles of Mirth and Worth, and the Isles of Thunder
and Thorns.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Goats.”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I’d like to slaughter our Young King Noel,”
Rodney said, pounding his fist into his palm. “But since I can’t do that, I’ll
have to kill the Giant Clobber instead.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“And you’ll return a hero,” his grandmother
said. “If you return at all.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I have to do this, Gran.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I know you do, lad.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“And,” Frogge pointed out, “when we return
triumphant from the Isle of the South Wind and give King Rohar back his crystal
eye, you’ll have your reward: half of Blackberry Island to call your own.
Blackberry Island is home to hundreds of wild goats, all waiting to be tamed.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Goats.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“That’s right, Father, goats. Lots of goats. And
you’ll come live with us too, won’t you, Gran?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Me? No. I shall live on the Isle of Goats, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this</i> Isle of Goats, and in this forest
and in this cottage until the Stars call me home. But you’ll have plenty of
company, with your pa, and your new goats, and I suppose that woman will go
with you? That Bromalynn Alehouse woman?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Rodney did not answer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Aggie turned to Frogge and said, “Tell me,
Prince, what made you choose this reckless rascal grandson of mine to be your
partner in this unwise errand?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I didn’t choose Rodney.” Frogge smiled. “He
volunteered.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“You chose him. Don’t lie to me, child.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Frogge dropped the smile. “Wisdom from the
Island of the Stars led me to the Isle of Goats. I was told by the Stargazer
that I’d find a goatherd here, and a goatherd’s son, who happened to be a
restless fool—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“A fool for goats,” Aggie said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Goats.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“And
you, young Prince Frogge?” Aggie asked. “What will be your reward? If you live
to claim a reward.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The boy prince held his hands together as if in
prayer to the Stars. “I’ll have my only wish. I’ll marry the Princess Llanaa.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Good luck with that,” the old woman said. “From
what I’ve heard you’ll need it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Frogge nodded. “I know the odds are not in my
favor when I fight the Giant, but with Rodney Trapper’s help—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I was wishing you luck with that marriage you
think you want,” Aggie said. “I don’t know how to wish you luck in your rash
plan to kill a brute who outweighs the two of you together, and would outweigh
you still if there were four of you. Oh, of course I wish you foolish boys
luck, but my wishes won’t do you any good. What will help you will be the
potions and charms I shall give you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The old woman rose slowly and stiffly from her
log stool, lit a candle, and shuffled to her shelves of jars of potions and
sacks of herbs. Humming a tuneless song, she took her time assembling her
gifts, which she then carried to the table where they had eaten supper. “Come
join me,” she told them. “All of you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">When they were all seated at the table, Aggie
Crone handed Frogge a small wooden box. “Here, my young adventurer, is a powder
for you to dissolve in clear water. Drink the water daily. It will give you
wisdom and wiles, both of which, believe me, you sorely need.” Then she picked
up a tied bundle of leaves. “Learn to like this sourmint, because if you chew
it each morning upon rising and each evening before you retire, and if you
swallow the juice, it will hasten your growth. Soon your voice will drop from a
squeak to a rumble, thick hair will sprout in the places that give you
pleasure, your hands will become large and hard, and you’ll be blessed—or
cursed—with more confidence than is good for most youths, but such confidence
may serve you well in battle.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Thank you, Mistress Crone.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Aggie Crone then turned to her grandson. “Rodney,
take this tiny blue bottle of fox-tooth powder and keep it with you always. A
time may come when you are suffering from an unbearable pain. This fox-tooth
powder will take away your suffering forever. You must take it all at one time,
and you may use it only once. Do not treat this cure lightly, Rodney the
Goatherd’s son. Use it only when you absolutely must.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Thank you, Grandmother.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“And another thing, Rodney. Remember to
concentrate. Pay attention. And learn. You’re a strapping young lad, but you’ve
never been much good at concentrating. Isn’t that right, Yvor?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Goats.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“One more thing,” the old woman said. She walked
to the closet behind the stairway and returned carrying a crooked, well-worn
broom. She brought it to the table and handed it to Rodney. “Here. To help you
in your travels.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><witche’s broom><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Frogge’s eyes widened. “Is that for flying? May
I have a broom, too?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“This one broom will do quite nicely for the two
of you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“How does it work?” Rodney asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“You’ll know when you need to know. Now off to
bed. You young men can both sleep in the barn with Young Pansy. Dream wisely,
lads.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“I’ll dream of the fair Princess Llanaa,” said
Prince Frogge. “I always do.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Rodney said, “I’ll dream of travel, adventure,
and battle; and then I’ll dream of the beautiful Blackberry Island, land of—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Goats!”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">
cried Yvor the Goatherd. He grinned at his son and said, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Goats.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting. I
am temporarily posting only occasionally on this blog. I’ll announce these
occasional posts as they appear. I hope you’ll drop by then. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-25308382377174573692017-04-22T09:52:00.002-07:002017-04-22T09:52:56.576-07:00Dear Friends…<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: large;">THE JOY OF STORY<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M. Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">April 22, 2017</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: 0.25in;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Dear Friends,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">I am sorry to report that this past week was so busy with
editing projects, physical therapy, and rest that I haven’t had time to put a
blog post together.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">So I'm taking the week off. I apologize to anyone who relies on my weekly words to spice up their coffee on Saturday mornings. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Will I return to the blog when my schedule of work and recovery becomes less demanding? I don't know. For now this hiatus is a one-time lapse that I regret. I hope to be back next week.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">Till then, or till whenever, I encourage you to find pleasure from stories. They're a resource that won't let you down.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;">John D.</span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-24580715506160210922017-04-15T03:00:00.000-07:002017-04-15T03:00:20.168-07:00HOW TO GAIN WEIGHT ON BOOKSTORE CLERK’S SALARY<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">THE JOY OF STORY</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M. Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">April 15, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Greetings, friends and celebrators
of the joy to be found in stories—writing them, reading them, telling them, or
hearing them. If you enjoy a good story, this weekly blog is for you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This week’s post focuses on my last
year working as a bookstore clerk. You may have read this article before; it
was first published in the literary magazine <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Black Lamb, </i>and I’ve posted it on this blog before. But I’m fond of
it, because it celebrates the pleasure of hand-selling books in a bookstore,
and it celebrates my decision to give up that way to make a living and move on
to other literary adventures.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;"> §§§</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">THE YEAR OF </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">EATING DANGEROUSLY<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">John M. Daniel</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">When I lived and worked as a country
innkeeper at Wilbur Hot Springs, California, from September 1980 to September
1982, I ate well. Mostly vegetarian, with a lot of brown rice, yogurt, tofu and
other soy products in all different shapes and consistencies, fruit in season,
veggies from the garden, cheese made from our own goats’ milk, lots of granola,
and very little alcohol.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">At
Wilbur Hot Springs I also became a musician, stretching my repertoire from Burl
Ives folksongs to the sophistication of Gershwin, Porter, Berlin, Rodgers &
Co., as I entertained a lounge full of guests with my guitar and serviceable
baritone voice on weekend nights.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">And
another thing: at Wilbur I learned how to manage a staff and run a business,
and I took pride in the success of that business, knowing it was partly my
success.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">But
this essay is not about my two years at Wilbur Hot Springs, during which I ate
well, became an entertainer on the rise, and managed a successful business. No,
this article is about the following year, September 1982 to September 1983,
which I spent in and around Palo Alto, California, during which I managed a
small business into the ground, tried and failed to perform American<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>standards to deaf audiences, and ate
garbage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Actually,
my Year of Eating Dangerously didn’t start out all that bad. Almost as soon as
I arrived in Palo Alto (which had been my stomping grounds before Wilbur), I
landed a gig at Savoir Fare, a brand new restaurant, playing dinner music for
$50 a night, five nights a week, plus tips and a free dinner. Good dinners,
too: steaks, salads, dishes with French names. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
also landed a day job, five days a week, managing a small bookstore called
Kepler’s of Los Altos for $500 a month. I had worked there before, when the
store was owned by Kepler’s Books and Magazines of Menlo Park, the most
successful bookstore on the San Francisco Peninsula. By September 1982, the
smaller store had been sold off and was going through rough times, threatened
by a predatory Crown Books around the corner on El Camino Real and a predatory
Tower Books and Records in the shopping center across El Camino. But Kepler’s
of Los Altos still had its name, still served some loyal customers, and still
functioned in the same shopping center as before, which also featured a fine
deli and a health food store. So I started off the year with a good lunch every
day, as well as a good dinner. I had to pay for my lunches, but a sandwich was
only $1.50 back then.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Off
to such a good start, I decided I needed to buy some clothes, so I went to
Value Village, a classy thrift store in Redwood City, where I bought twenty
dollars worth of tweeds and dark slacks (for country club gigs, say), jackass
pants and loud shirts (for luau parties, say), and casual business wear for my
day job.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
also found a home, sharing a condo with a woman named Irene. Irene and I were
friends only. Nothing intimate: separate bedrooms, separate bathrooms, separate
shelves in the refrigerator. We shared the kitchen but did not share food. I
ate my breakfasts there: granola with yogurt and fruit. Good, healthy food, at
least at first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Irene,
meanwhile, ate her starchy breakfasts and heat-lamp lunches in the cafeteria of
the senior retirement center where she was an administrator. For dinner she
browsed the happy hour scene. She knew which bars had the pot-stickers, which
the Swedish meat balls, which the nachos, and which the deep-fat-fried
zucchini. If she wanted to splurge and get away from the bar crowd and the
fried food, Irene took advantage of the salad bar at The Sizzler. A little
roughage never hurts, and you could find a bit of protein there if you really
looked for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
was scornful of Irene’s diet, at first. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Maybe
it was Irene who greased the slippery slope to junk food addiction, her and her
happy hour hors d’oeuvres. Of course I would never have cruised the cocktail
circuit if the gig at the Savoir Fare had lasted. But, like many a brand new
restaurant, the Savoir Fare went broke in a hurry. I hope my music didn’t
contribute to its demise, but it was clear I was expendable. They cut me back
to two nights a week, for tips only, and then they shut their doors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Poor
Savoir Fare, and poor me; $50 a night poorer, and no more free dinners. I had
two choices, and I alternated between them: cook like a bachelor, which meant
frozen pot pies and TV dinners, plus a salad consisting of lettuce doused in
Wishbone Italian dressing; or barhop, which meant a drink or two to wash down
whatever I had picked out of the hot serving dishes. I got adept at loading a
tiny plate high with munchies, carrying my meal around the room, cocktail
napkins under my arm and a drink in my other hand. I felt right at home,
mingling and cracking jokes with others whose dreams had not yet come true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My
music career wasn’t technically over yet, even if it had suffered a major
setback. I still played gigs around town—or <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">towns,</i>
plural, the Mid-Peninsula cities blending along “the” El Camino from strip mall
to strip mall. At a few of these gigs I was paid real money, although I never
again earned $50 for a night’s work. Mostly I got free drinks at bars, or more
often free coffee and pastry at coffee shops. That didn’t make for much of a
dinner, but that’s what I ate on nights when I was lucky enough to play for
tips. By the way, back in the early 1980s there was no rule of etiquette saying
tips had to be paper money. I often ended up counting out quarters, dimes, and
nickels, then spent them in a bar on the way home from the gig.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My
steadiest gig, during this year of eating dangerously, was as the weekend
evening entertainer for Uncle Gaylord’s Ice Cream Parlor in downtown Palo Alto,
where I competed with an espre-<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ssssss-</i>o
machine and a Ms. Pacman’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">doodleoodleooodle</i>
as I labored to sell American standards to the deaf generation. Tips from
teenagers amounted to zilch-plus. But I got all the free ice cream I wanted,
plus coffee, plus cookies. I spent the spare change on a drink on the way home.
I parked and schlepped all my music equipment from the car to Irene’s condo,
then spent a couple of hours practicing my guitar before bed, to wear off the
alcohol, caffeine, and sugar enough to fall asleep.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
still believed I had a future as a semiprofessional musician, if only because I
knew the lyrics, melodies, and Sears-Roebuck chord changes to hundreds of songs
from the golden age of American popular music, which had to count for
something. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Meanwhile,
though, my day job at the bookstore was in serious peril. In addition to the
Crown Books and the Tower Books and Records, we were at war with the landlord.
This landlord (by which I don’t mean a greedy person who wanted to join a
country club, but a corporation with no soul whatsoever) decided that Kepler’s
Books of Los Altos must die, lease or no lease. The store wasn’t tithing
enough, so the landlord hired goons to tear up our parking lot with boistrous
jackhammers. The closest places our customers could park were closer to Crown
Books or Tower Books and Records than they were to Kepler’s of Los Altos.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Managing
a failing bookstore—no customers, all day long—while I was earning shit wages
and virtually no spending cash as a musician was a two-pronged assault on my
finances and my self-esteem. What does a self-disrespecting musician do when he’s
going broke, fed up with his day job? Cut expenses, and eat crap. That’s why,
come lunchtime, I quit buying sandwiches from the deli and the health food
store and ambled across El Camino, then across San Antonio Road to the Sears
shopping center, and saved 50¢ by eating at Burger King. It was comforting
food: burger, fries, Coke. And it was lots to eat: “It takes two hands to
handle a Whopper, ’cause the burgers are bigger at Burger King.” (I didn’t add
that song to my repertoire.) I sometimes wondered why I became suddenly hungry
again two hours later, but that was easy to fix with a Snickers bar from the
deli. Oops, there went the 50¢.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">By
the time late summer 1983 arrived, my fancy pants from Value Village no longer
fit me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This
decline happened gradually, although looking back on it with time-lapse memory
my boredom and bad habits seem to have grown like weeds on steroids. The fact
is, it took what at the time seemed like the longest year in my life for me to
hit bottom. But come early August, 1983, here it was: bottom:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
wake up at about eight o’clock of a Wednesday morning, shower, dress in
whatever is still clean and still fits, and load my amp, speakers, microphone
stand, and guitar into the back of my ten-year-old second-hand Volvo, and drive
from Irene’s condo to Kepler’s of Los Altos, stopping along the way to pick up
a couple of doughnuts and a cup of coffee. I park wherever I can find a spot,
on the other side of our shopping center, and walk to the store, open the
store, and sit behind the cash register. Another clerk comes in, and we sit. We
eat the two doughnuts and sit some more.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Midmorning
I take a walk across El Camino to a branch of my bank, where there’s a coffee
urn and a stack of miniature styrofoam cups. I wire myself together with more
coffee, which tastes like yesterday’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">About
two p.m., I get my lunch break. I use two hands to handle my Whopper. I can’t
finish my fries, but I sneak a refill on my Coke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Late
in the afternoon, when one clerk goes home and another comes on, I begin the
process of changing the back room into a night club. The store has dwindled,
and there are almost no books left in the back room; so the owner has moved in
a bunch of lumpy thrift-store furniture, to turn this strip-mall bookstore with
no parking lot into a community gathering spot. Nobody gathers, but on
Wednesday evenings I try to lure in the world by offering my golden oldies. I
put out a bowl of trail mix from the Lucky’s supermarket next to Tower Books
and Records, set up my equipment, place a tip jar on a stool, and stand there
singing and strumming and entertaining nobody till nine-thirty. By nine-thirty
most of the trail mix is gone, thanks to me. Then I start lugging all my
equipment back to my used Volvo, which has leaked oil on the parking asphalt
but I don’t care, and by the time the car is packed, it’s ten o’clock and time
to close the store. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Dinner
time. I drive into the heart of Los Altos, park and lock, and walk into Mac’s
Tea Room, one of the last piano bars on the Peninsula to hold out against disco
and sports bars. I’m well known at Mac’s. I’m a star. Other customers greet me
with smiles. Women want to sit next to me. The piano player urges me to the
microphone, and I sing. They all applaud, and I’m invited, urged, to sing
another. Do I get paid for this? No. In fact I throw dollar bills into the tip
bowl, so I’m paying to give my songs away, and it’s worth every penny. Besides,
by now Mac’s Tea Room and Uncle Gaylord’s Ice Cream Parlor are my only steady
gigs. Only gigs period, lately.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Besides,
when I’m singing at Mac’s I get free dinner. Dinner: bowl after bowl of free
popcorn, as long as I keep buying drinks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">And
I can hear that sweet siren’s song, encouraging me to keep buying drinks until
I am flat broke.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I’m
pleased to say this story has a happy ending. In mid-August, while I was
sitting behind the register at the bookstore with nothing else to do, I read an
article in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Newsweek</i> about small-press
publishers in Santa Barbara. I had spent most of my adult life on the fringes
of the publishing industry, I still believed in small businesses, and I had
loved Santa Barbara for years. I had a good friend living there, who told me he
would house me temporarily and help me find work. And Santa Barbara was
populated by wealthy older people who might enjoy my music.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Within
a month I was gone from Palo Alto and the Mid-Peninsula happy hours. Gone from
Kepler’s of Los Altos, gone from Uncle Gaylord’s Ice Cream Parlor, gone from
Mac’s Tea Room, gone from Irene’s condo, and gone from Burger King.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
was off to a new land, a friendly city, where I could make a whole new set of
mistakes, perhaps, but a land where I would relearn to eat like a human being
instead of a garbage disposal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">§§§</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
deadline for May’s 99-word story submissions is May 1, 2017. The stories will
appear on my blog post for May 13, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change), characters,
and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Tra la, it's May, the lusty Month of May, That lovely
month when everyone goes blissfully astray.”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">§§§</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">§§§</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-13080038355297870422017-04-08T03:30:00.000-07:002017-04-08T03:30:04.704-07:00A PHONE CALL IN THE WIND<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE JOY OF STORY</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M. Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">April 8, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Greetings, friends and celebrators
of the joy to be found in stories—writing them, reading them, telling them, or
hearing them. If you enjoy a good story, this weekly blog is for you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This month’s post is short, largely
because I have been out of commission for two months. (Last month’s post didn’t
happen.) Consequently I’m far behind in my work, with several editing jobs
waiting impatiently for my attention. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The telephone rings. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It’s
a good thing I love my job.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It seems the news of my accident
spread among the writers who regularly read “The Joy of Story,” because I
received only a handful of 99-word stories for the monthly Short, Short Stories
feature.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Or perhaps the<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>prompts I assigned were too obscure,
focusing on a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>line out of Julius
Caesar or an unanswered telephone. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Anyhow, I’m posting the stories that
did arrive in March this month, one month late, with two mottos:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Better Late than Never,” and<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Better Some than None.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;"> §§§</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: medium;">Hello?
</span><i><span style="font-size: large;">Hello?</span></i> <span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: x-large;">HELLO?</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><br /></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A
Handful of <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Short,
Short <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Stories<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA57269v3sD-hCxY6M9JFeTXCaW0zIrg3GDOG8H2sdlkaK7hzjVfayUxcfE9yegSJdXdb_4yyIYwBs2QZgMNAF_vQq7YAaH5CuCKOYs6a8HzfyFjst535Gj_I42dljtZKVGLPisCnT4WU/s1600/images+copy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA57269v3sD-hCxY6M9JFeTXCaW0zIrg3GDOG8H2sdlkaK7hzjVfayUxcfE9yegSJdXdb_4yyIYwBs2QZgMNAF_vQq7YAaH5CuCKOYs6a8HzfyFjst535Gj_I42dljtZKVGLPisCnT4WU/s1600/images+copy.jpeg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">YOU TOO?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Kevin Ruth
Mahony<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“This isn’t one
of those things where you meet my family.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cesar said as they sat on the back of her SUV, door open.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Booty call,” she considered as she
snuggled up, sliding out the stiletto. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“That’s good for me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you?” he murmured.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">After she stuck
him, she shoved him into the cargo space. Pulled over the cover.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Driving off she
saw the lights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“You were
weaving,” said the cop. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Playing her best Barbie, she said “I was
tuning in my favorite country station.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Nice to see a
sweet country girl,” the officer mused as he drove off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=699981774111452762" name="_GoBack"></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">BAMBI IS A DEAR<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by<b> </b></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Marilyn London<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Hey love.
Just landed. come get me?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“You bet.
Missed you. Just watching the deer: Fawn’s dancing with the leaves. Doe’s
eating our hydrangea.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“You really
love those deer, don’t you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“It’s sad
to see them in the winter. The young one’s like a ballerina. <i>The winds of
march that make my heart a dancer.. </i>Well, better get going.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Romantic.
See you in a min.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">BAM!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Never saw
the deer coming. Just went flying over the side of that ravine!” the witness
told police.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Hear that?
Sounds like her cell phone. <i>A telephone that rings, but who’s to answer?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">HER LAST SMILE,
GONE WITH THE WIND<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Cora Ramos<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The woman
smiles, glancing at the clock. She refreshes her lipstick, primps her hair and
waits. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">An hour later,
tears brim her eyes. She picks up a pen and writes on the note paper next to
the phone. She carefully dabs her eyes before getting up to leave. The door
closes softly behind her and through the open window, we watch her drive away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The phone
rings. And rings.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The wind gusts,
the curtains flutter and the note tumbles to the floor. We read her words, “When
you call, it will be too late. I’ll be long gone. Forever.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">THE PROFESSIONAL<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">by Jim Gallagher<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“The winds of March
that make my heart a dancer; </span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not the winds of march, but a desire to
perform with grace and dignity before a live audience. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A telephone that rings, but who’s to answer?”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">The
performer didn’t hesitate to break the fourth wall, to rebuke the offending
patron.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">“You
want to get that, while we wait?” Sheepishly, the transgressor retreated to the
lobby, as the audience verbally pelted him with catcalls, and whistles. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Undiminished by the disruption, buoyed
by the shouts of “Bravo” and applause, the performer <a href="" name="_GoBack"></a>resumed,
as if no interruption had occurred.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">TWELVE RINGS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by June Kosier<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I have something to tell him, but I am
too scared to do it in person, so I call. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My heart races as I dial and flutters as
the phone rings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Will he
answer?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I hope I can just leave a message. This
is one time I will be happy to get an answering machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The phone rings for what seems like
forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Twelve rings, one
minute.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">There must not be an answering
machine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I decide to hang up but
as I put the receiver in the cradle I hear “Hello?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Too late, I have hung up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Now what?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">§§§</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
deadline for May’s 99-word story submissions is May 1, 2017. The stories will
appear on my blog post for May 13, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Tra la, it's May, the lusty Month of May, That lovely
month when everyone goes blissfully astray.”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Make up a story
inspired by the following </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">§§§</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-72612817626686161052017-04-01T03:00:00.000-07:002017-04-01T13:46:59.865-07:00WRITING STORIES IN THE KEY OF C<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-large; text-indent: 0.25in;">THE JOY </span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: x-large;">OF STORY</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M. Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">April 1, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi514NbRzppvuxZchmUtx4uOEAmL3_RgnH0l3G_bjHW9ZGPhPXEoPgUFBHNJIjQtcWyVJTKMUwpWSCFASiqgvf4Aq2avnLX1Vv2bxG3R0Nj4c6SjzHiTGzOOct_hwWlbH-FFDjGIWrp-E/s1600/john+teaching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi514NbRzppvuxZchmUtx4uOEAmL3_RgnH0l3G_bjHW9ZGPhPXEoPgUFBHNJIjQtcWyVJTKMUwpWSCFASiqgvf4Aq2avnLX1Vv2bxG3R0Nj4c6SjzHiTGzOOct_hwWlbH-FFDjGIWrp-E/s1600/john+teaching.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Greetings, friends and celebrators
of the joy to be found in stories—writing them, reading them, telling them, or
hearing them. If you enjoy a good story, this weekly blog is for you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In case you don’t know, this blog went out of service from
part of February through all of March, because of an accident I had in our
warehouse that left me temporarily disabled. As a consequence, the 99-word stories
scheduled for the second week of March will be<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>presented April 8. The theme for the May 99-word story will
be “</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Tra la, it's
May, the lusty Month of May, That lovely month when everyone goes blissfully
astray.”</span><span style="font-family: "times"; font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This week, beginning the first
Saturday in the month, I present an installment of my book manuscript, also
titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Joy of Story. </i>This book,
which I will deliver to you in weekly installments, is a book I’ve written and
may publish one day. Consider this a trailer that will play over the course of
twenty-one months. That may be a record.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This week’s chapter is a gimmicky
little essay I could call “All you need to know about writing stories, from A
to C.” But that doesn’t quite fit. Instead, I call it “An Etude in the Key of
C.” When I was a small boy taking obligatory piano lessons, I loved the key of
C becaue its scale wasn’t complicated by black keys. When I first started
playing the guitar, I got hooked on the key of C and could play almost any
simple song with the chords belonging to that key. It was the wrong way to
learn an instrument. So as you become a more and more versatile writer you’ll
move past the C-words. But for the meantime, you can go a long way on the
highway from C to Shining C.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-size: medium;">§§§</span><span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">THE
JOY OF </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">STORY</span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span>
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<i style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">Brief</span></span></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"></i><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><i style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">Essays on </span></span></i></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"></span></i>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><i style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-size: large;">Writing Fiction</span></i></span></i></div>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">
<span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">What
Is a Story? An Etude in the Key of C<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt;"><i>"I took [the letter] up, and held it in my hand. I was a trembling,
because I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I knowed it. I
studied a minute, sort of holding my breath, and then says to myself:</i></span></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“All right, then, I’ll go to hell”—and tore it up.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It was awful thoughts, and awful words, but they was said. And I let
them stay said; and never thought no more about reforming."<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>—Huck<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-variant: small-caps;"><br />
Rust Hills summed it up thus:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> “Something happens to
someone.” That’s it. Plot (something happens) and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">character</b> (to someone). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Okay, but what happens? <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Change.</b> Our someone is, at the end of the story, a different person
from the one who she or he was at the beginning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">How does that come about? It could be because of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">chance</b> (a trolley runs over his foot,
so he will never tap dance again); but more often, and more interestingly, it’s
because the character has made a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">choice.</b>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The choice arises from a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">conflict</b>. Remember: no conflict, no story. Conflict resolution,
which comes in many forms, is what results in choice, and therefore in change.
By the way, the conflict is often the outcome of a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">crisis</b> of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">conscience</b>,
and results in a shift in the balance of power.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Yes, the choice itself has a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">consequence.</b> The change, yes, we talked about that. But maybe a
greater change. The moral <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">center of
gravity</b> may have shifted. To make our story important, make that choice
consequential. Write about what matters: the human <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">condition.</b> Write about love and death. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">critical
moment</b> of change, this <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">catharsis</b>,
for reasons as old as the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">creative
process, </b>the recreative process, and even the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">procreative</i> process, usually happens at the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">climax</b> of the story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">If you don’t believe me, ask Huck Finn.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">So as we write our stories, let us remember these
ingredients, listed here in alphabetical order:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Catharsis, Center of Gravity, Chance, Change, Character, Choice,
Climax, Condition (human), Conflict, Conscience, Consequence, Creative Process,
Crisis, Critical Moment…</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">and I’m sure I’ve
forgotten a few…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">§§§</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
</div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
deadline for May’s 99-word story submissions is May 1, 2017. The stories will
appear on my blog post for May 13, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Tra la, it's May, the lusty Month of May, That lovely
month when everyone goes blissfully astray.”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">§§§</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">§§§</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-684764474042642442017-03-23T15:27:00.000-07:002017-03-23T18:32:40.077-07:00GETTING HIP<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">GETTING HIP</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">an adventure in recovery<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">By John M. Daniel</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="tab-stops: 316.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br />
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">How It Happened<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">At about two-thirty
Thursday afternoon, February 23, 2017, the business telephone rang. It was a
call Susan and I were expecting and had planned our day around: Chris, the
delivery truck driver announcing that he had arrived in McKinleyville with a
pallet of books from our<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>printer
in Michigan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We sprang into action,
as we always do when Chris calls: we left our desks and left the house and
drove to Rainbow Storage, where we receive and warehouse our books. We led
Chris through the maze of “streets” to the storage unit we had selected as the
new home for our new books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I used to do this job by
myself. I regard the warehouse as my domain in the division of labor for our
company, but we had decided of late to receive shipments together, because it
made the job go faster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Part of the job is to
give back to Chris the empty pallet from the previous delivery. So while Chris
was lowering the lift gate at the rear of his truck, I walked into the storage
unit and took hold of the empty pallet standing against a wall of cartons. I
lifted it. It seemed heavier than usual, but I was confident and I knew what I
was doing; after all, I’d been receiving shipments for thirty-two years, the
whole time Susan and I had been publishing books together. So I began carrying
the heavy load out of the unit and into the street. Damn, that pallet was
heavy!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Halfway across the
street the pallet got out of my control and began falling forward. I reached
out to grab it, missed, tripped on the low side of the pallet, flew forward
across the street, smashed my head against the opposite wall, and fell to the
asphalt, landing on my left hip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I tried to move.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I couldn’t move. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I began to worry: maybe
it wasn’t such a good idea for me to try carrying that pallet by myself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Somehow Susan and Chris
got me into our Honda CRV and Susan drove out of Rainbow Storage, with Chris
following close behind in his delivery truck. We left the new books half in and
half outside the storage unit, to be dealt with later. As for now, we were on
our way to the emergency room at Mad River Hospital in Arcata. At this point in
the story my memory is hazy, and the following events are jumbled for a few
days.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">At Mad River I was
X-rayed and found to have a fractured hip. I couldn’t be admitted to the
hospital because Mad River Hospital didn’t have an orthopedic surgeon on staff,
so I was delivered to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Eureka, where I remained for “observation”
until I could be turned over to Eureka Rehabilitation and Recovery, a
for-profit institution which I will refer to as rehab, although I
increasingly<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>thought of it as
dehab. I was in the hospital six days. I was in Rehab for six eons.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Back Story<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In my novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Vanity Fire,</i> the protagonist, Guy
Mallon, who happens to be a small press publisher, is injured—almost killed—by
an accident in his warehouse. A pile of books falls over on top of him,
knocking him down onto the cement floor and covering his body with full cartons
of books. After getting out of the hospital, Guy jokes that he always knew he’d
die with his boots on, but this time he lucked out, thanks to the good friends
who rescued him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A few years ago
I began losing weight. Susan and I both noticed it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The weight loss disturbed Susan, but I welcomed it. When we
first came to Humboldt County fourteen years ago I had weighed 151 pounds and
had considered myself unattractively fat. But over the first few years I began
to lose weight gradually, dropping to the high 140s. A bit later I had slipped
to the mid-140s, then the low 140s. I was proud of my slim naked reflection in
the bathroom mirror, but getting a little concerned that I was losing out of
control. And so on until shortly before my accident, when I weighed 131, which
was no longer welcome. It was a loud alarm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">About five
years ago I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. The symptoms weren’t and
still aren’t especially severe—an intermittent tremor, an annoying stammer,
atrocious handwriting—and are kept under control by medication,
Carbidopa-Levodopa. But there’s no sense in denying that Parkinson’s is a
progressive disease and I have experienced its subtle but worrisome progress.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">For almost as
long as Susan and I have been together (thirty-four years) prior to my
accident, we took early-morning walks every day, five days a week. We walked a
mile each morning and it took us twenty minutes to half an hour. This habit
felt good and we both remarked often on how alive and healthy it made us feel.
In recent months, however, I’ve experienced growing fatigue in my legs. This
has been concurrent with a general weakening of my arms. Opening pickle jars
for Susan is no longer a snap, and a forty-pound suitcase is a struggle to schlep.
Was this loss of strength connected to the Parkinson’s?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Last November
(2016) I turned seventy-five.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A couple of
months ago we purchased a stationary bicycle, because the motion of pedaling a
bike is considered helpful for controlling the progress of Parkinson’s. I very
much enjoyed adding twenty minutes of “biking” to my daily routine, and kept
the habit going until the day of my accident.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">BONG!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I can’t
remember when the move to rehab happened, but it was a cold night outside and I
was transported in an ambulance equipped to carry a stretched-out<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>patient. I was drugged at the time, and
the only sensation I was aware of as I waited in the hall was a repetitive,
intrusive, irregular <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">BONG!</i></b> Eventually I awoke in a bed,
to the sounds of televisions and human snores. I had no idea where I was, but I
didn’t like being there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Somehow I got
out of the bed and began walking, using my wheeled bedside table as a walker. I
walked toward the light, which turned out to be a hallway. A powerful-looking
and -acting woman stormed up to me and demanded, “Where do you think you’re
going?” I’m told I answered, “McKinleyville.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">BONG!<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I was put back
in my bed, where I somehow fell asleep to the gentle lullabies of snoring
roommates and TVs. The next morning I woke up but still felt goofy. This
goofiness was a part of my brain’s mad adventures for as long as I remained on
a diet of Norco, which I took whenever I had severe pain (several times a day)
and whenever I couldn’t sleep (every night). This Norco dependency had to stop,
lest I get addicted and remain half-brained forever. Half-witted and
constipated. (Constipation was a major motif in my stay at dehab, but I’ll
spare you the details.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I tried to give
the drug up, by my brain went wild in the night, with fantasies of a main boss
who lived in the mansion up on the hill and gave orders to the minions down
around the lake, including me. These announcements were heralded by spasms in
my left leg. The boss wanted the minions’ labor to help him recover. Somehow I
vaguely reminded myself that my mind and my body were both parts of the same
person, and that person was me, but the nightmare was every bit as real as the
reality that I was responsible for my own recovery. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">BONG! BONG!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Several times a
day I was helped out of my bed, sometimes to take a wheelchair ride to the
Physical Therapy gym, where I did repetitive exercises both boring and
difficult. Twice I was taken to a scale and weighed. The first time I weighed
121 pounds. Thirty pounds below what I had weighed when Susan and I moved to
Humboldt. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">BONG!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I went through
a cesspool of depression. I saw so many people in their endgames as I plowed my
wheelchair around the land of dehab, people sunk into easy chairs in the lobby
with their eyes closed and their mouths gaping open like their own private
gates of despair. And I realized, or at least imagined, that I was on the same
train ride. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">And I wondered
if it was worth fighting. Did I really need to be alive? I was mostly gone
anyway. All I’d have to do was refuse to eat any more of this place’s refusable
food. Why was it important to stay alive anyway?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I found myself
unable to read. My short-term memory couldn’t retain the contents from line to
line, let alone page to page. Not read? <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Not
write?</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Why live?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">BONG!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">And then it
became obvious. I was willing to give up life, but I would never, ever give up
my life with Susan.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">BONG!<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Susan came to
rehab and kept me company for many hours every day I was there. Her smile was
what recharged my belief in the beauty of life. I am certain it was thanks to
her that I survived dehab and am now at home…and writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">BONG!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br />
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Lessons Learned<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Love makes life
worth living.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Learn and
practice humility. Humble is the new hip.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">If you’re
underweight and over-aged, don’t pretend to be young and strong. The people you’re
trying to impress, including yourself, will just think you’re an idiot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Leave the heavy
lifting to the able-bodied upstarts without Parkinson’s Disease.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">BONG!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">
is a patient’s request for help from the staff. Don’t be too proud to use it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Choose life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Note:</i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> <o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I just wrote “Love makes life worth living.” Of course I was
thinking primarily of Susan when I wrote that, but I was also thinking of the
many, many other kind people—family members, friends old and new, colleagues,
and people I have never met but whom I know through my seldom and shallow dips
into social media. From these treasured friends I received love in the form of
help with making my home more cripple-friendly, loans of equipment, get-well
cards, </span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt;">cookies and chocolates,</span></i><i style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>visits, phone calls, and
emails bearing love, support, and good wishes. I have intentionally
left their names out of this account, for fear of turning this simple narrative
into an awards ceremony acceptance speech. To those many saints (you know who
you are) I send back my gratitude and love.</span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-20643989525991934012017-02-25T03:00:00.000-08:002017-02-25T03:00:07.610-08:00RODNEY TRAPPER, THE GOATHERD’S SON<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: large; text-align: center;">THE JOY
OF STORY</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M.
Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">February
25, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Greetings, friends and celebrators
of the joy to be found in stories—writing them, reading them, telling them, or
hearing them. If you enjoy a good story, this weekly blog is for you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This week, beginning the fourth
Saturday in the month, I offer you another installment of my novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The King’s Eye: A Fantasy of the Farther
Isles.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In case you missed last week’s
installment, here’s a recap:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">The kings and queens of the
Farther Isles gather on Blackberry Island at the castle of High King Rohar, as
they do every year on the Solstice, to pledge their allegiance. The Giant
Clobber from the Isle of Wind shows up and steals the High King’s crystal eye
right out of the High King’s eye socket. The High King offers to reward anyone
who will kill the Giant and bring back the crystal eye. The reward: half of
Blackberry Island and the hand of the High King’s daughter, Llanaa, in
marriage. The only one to stand up to the challenge is Prince Frogge, a
12-year-old boy from the Isle of Fens.</span><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">That was the Prologue, and this week
you will meet Rodney Trapper of the Isle of Goats. Rodney is the protagonist of
the novel, and he’s Prince Frogge’s partner in peril.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><b><span style="font-size: large;">THE KING’S EYE</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>A Fantasy of the
Farther Isles<o:p></o:p></b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>John M. Daniel</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /><b>
Chapter 1: </b></span><b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rodney Trapper, the Goatherd’s Son</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rodney
Trapper, the Goatherd’s son, walked out of the copse at the end of the day,
carrying a sack heavy with dead animals he had caught in the farmers’ fields
and the villagers’ gardens—two weasels, four coneys, three moles, and a fox. He
didn’t like catching foxes, but his grandmother, Aggie Crone, prized their
skins and tails, and she ground the foxes’ teeth into a powder, for a special
cure she said she hoped Rodney would never need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Plodding
across the meadow toward the high road that led to Goatstown Harbor, Rodney
whistled a tune inspired by the songs of birds in the copse. Now, in the late,
late afternoon, with the sun on his back and his stretched-out shadow loping
along before him, he breathed deeply the thick, sweet scent of summer grasses. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">When
he reached the high road, he was lucky enough to catch a ride with old Jode
Farmer, whose ox-drawn wagon was lumbering toward town. Just as the wagon
reached the outskirts, Rodney gave old Jode one of his coneys, climbed down off
the wagon, and said his thanks and goodbye. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rodney
was where he wanted to be, and where he often was after a long day tending to
his traps. Ralf Alehouse’s tavern, a friendly spot to sit and drink while the
warm afternoon outside darkened into a cool summer evening. Rodney Trapper did
like an ale or two before he went home to Grandmother Aggie’s cottage in the
forest on the other side of town. A laugh or two with fellows whom he
considered stupid but fun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He
also enjoyed sharing smiles with the barmaid, Bromalynn Alehouse, Ralf’s
daughter, who sometimes took him out behind the alehouse and up the stairs to
her room, after all the other customers had staggered out and stumbled off into
the night, and she had shut and bolted the tavern door. There in her garret,
Bromalynn and Rodney would take pleasure in lying down together after working
all day on their feet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Bromalynn
was older than Rodney by seven years, but she swore her love for him was as
young as it was generous, and how was a lusty lad of seventeen to complain
about that? Generous indeed she was, and Rodney Trapper had no complaints at
all.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rodney
walked into the tavern and saw that it was filled with the usual after-work
tosspots, but this time instead of sitting at the long table they were all
standing around slurping ale from mugs and laughing at a fat young lad who
appeared to have no business being in a peasants’ tavern. The pudgy boy stood
on a bench before the cold fireplace, waving his hand for silence. He was
dressed like a foreigner, a rich foreigner from one of the prosperous islands,
and the locals were hooting at him for putting on airs. But the young roly-poly
fop only grinned back, waiting for their attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Bromalynn
came out from behind the bar and stood in front of the boy on the bench. She
poked two fingers into her mouth and gave forth a shrill whistle, which quieted
the jeering locals. “This lad’s money is good in this tavern,” she let the men
know, “and he has a right to be heard. Any of you sods who wants another ale
will be courteous enough to heed what he has to say.” Bromalynn tried to sound
stern, but Rodney heard the mirth behind her words. So did some of the louts, perhaps,
but they all quieted down and gave the young dandy their ears.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Gentlemen,”
the boy said in a high-pitched voice, “thank you for your attention.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Gentlemen?”
Rishru Sawyer called out. “What’s that supposed to mean?” A crescendo of
laughter threatened to reclaim the room.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Hush
if you want another drink, Rishru,” Bromalynn snapped, “and if you don’t want
another drink, you may show yourself out. And that goes for all of you rascals.
Hello, Rodney.” She filled a mug and handed it to the handsome trapper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rodney
grinned and nodded, then turned his attention to the lad standing on the bench.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“My
name is Frogge,” the young man said. “I am Prince Frogge of the Isle of Fens,
but you, friends, may call me simply Frogge. I’ve come here to the Isle of
Goats because I’m looking for a strong, brave man who wants to become very,
very rich!” Frogge paused, raised his eyebrows, and said, “Anybody interested?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Go
on,” said Smith, a man of few words. He glanced at Bromalynn, who nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Frogge
held up a sheet of heavy paper. Rodney had heard about paper but had never seen
it before. Frogge held the sheet out for the tosspots to see and he said, “This
is a proclamation from our beloved High King Rohar the Seventh, from his castle
on Blackberry Island. I shall read it to you.” Frogge cleared his throat and
began:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">On the </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Summer </span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Solstice of this year, the twenty-first
year of my peaceful reign over the Farther Isles, I suffered a grave injury, as
witnessed by the assembled loyal kings and queens of the Alliance of Farther
Isles, at the hand of the Giant Clobber, King of the unfaithful Isle of the
South Wind. The villain robbed me of my left eye, the Crystal Eye, and in so
doing subjected me to physical pain, which is bearable, and insult, which is
not. <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Let it be known throughout the Farther
Isles that I, King Rohar the Seventh, will have my revenge. I swear this by my
faith in the Stars above us all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
hereby proclaim throughout the Farther Isles that to the man who kills the Giant
Clobber from the Isle of the South Wind and who brings back to me my left eye,
my crystal left eye, to that man I shall give the hand of my only daughter in
marriage, as well as the western half of my Kingdom of Blackberry Island. There
may he live as a king for the rest of his days.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This is my pledge, the pledge of a just
King and a man of his word.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Frogge
grinned at the assembly of louts and said, “Well, that’s it, gentlemen. Signed
by the High King and sealed with his ring. Any takers?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
crowd quietly shuffled with their mugs back to the long table and sat down on
the long benches. The first man to speak up was Smith, a man of few words.
“Ale!” he said. “More ale.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Bromalynn
brought a pot of ale to the table, and then another, and then a third, until
every man had a full mug. The men mumbled and drank, and none of them smiled,
except for Rodney Trapper at one end of the table, and the plump young dandy,
Frogge, who sat at the other end and drank only berry leaf tea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Conversation
never fully resumed in Ralf Alehouse’s Tavern that evening. Rishru Sawyer
asked, “Who would want to live on Blackberry Island? Those who’ve been there
say it’s foggy and cold.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I
couldn’t leave my crops anyway,” said Siler, Old Jode Farmer’s eldest son.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I
have roofs to mend,” said Garrett Thatcher.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
men drank in somber silence, and every time Bromalynn found an excuse to pass
by Rodney’s end of the table she laid a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rishru
Sawyer’s brother, Knox Carpenter, broke the silence and spoke directly to the
boy at the end, the stranger from the Isle of Fens. “It’s folly, you fool. They
say the Giant Clobber is as big as a tall oak tree, and as strong, and fast as
a snake.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Frogge
shook his head. “Not as tall as all that,” he said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Tall, though. Big, and vicious,” Knox Carpenter
insisted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Vicious, yes. And yes, big,” Frogge admitted.
“But he’s stupid. Everybody knows that.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Not as stupid as anybody who’d want to fight
him,” said Fisher. He rose and said, “This is nonsense, and I’ve heard enough.”
He threw a coin down on the table and shambled out of the tavern.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">One by one the men left the tavern and returned
home to their families in town. Soon only Bromalynn, Rodney, and the boy
remained seated at the table. Bromalynn’s father, Ralf, came out of the kitchen
with a pot of chicken stew, which he set on the table. He went back into the
kitchen and brought out bowls and spoons. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“It’s humble fare,” Ralf told Frogge, “but it
comes with your room.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Are you stopping here for the night, then?”
Rodney asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Frogge nodded. “I am. And you, too?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rodney stole a glance at Bromalynn, who blushed
and said, “Rodney’s welcome to stay.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ralf smiled and said, “Rodney is a frequent
guest.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“It’s a long hike to my Grandmother’s house,” he
explained. “She lives in the forest east of the town. Sometimes it’s hard to
find my way home in the dark.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Later, upstairs in the candle-lit garret, after
Bromalynn and Rodney had feasted on each other’s lips with their loins locked
in a slow, long dance, Rodney lay back and smiled up into Bromalynn’s face. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">She smiled back, tickled his chest with her long
blond hair, and said, “What are you smiling about, you silly tomcat?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“That little chap,” Rodney answered. “You know,
Bromalynn, it does sound like quite an adventure, killing a giant and all
that.” He stroked her chin with his thumb.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Bromalynn pulled away from him and slapped his
sweaty belly. “That was not the answer I expected,” she said in a trembling
voice. “And you are not going off with that little idiot to risk your life.
You’re not leaving this island, my friend, and you’re not leaving me.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He put a hand on her shoulder. “I’d come back.
Come back to you.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Probably not.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Bromalynn, I swear by the Stars that I shall
return to you. By the Stars, Bromalynn.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Oh, I have no doubt of your good intentions, my
lad. But can’t you see you stand more than a good chance of dying in battle
against this monster?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I’m not afraid. I’m a good trapper. I’d build a
trap big enough to trap that villain, and then I’d demand that he give me the
High King’s eye, and then I’d poison him to death. My Granny will make me a
poison. You see? And then you and I can move to Blackberry Island and live like
a king and a queen. Wouldn’t you like that? And raise goats, like my father did
before he lost his mind.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“You’re the one who’s lost your mind. You’re not
going. You’re not going to fight a giant and die. And you’re not going to kill
a giant and win, because then I’ll lose you for sure!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“But Bromalynn—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“If you give the High King back his crystal eye,
you’ll have to marry his daughter Llanaa. I’m told she’s beautiful beyond
measure.” Tears ran down Bromalynn’s cheeks. “I forbid you to go to battle on
the Isle of the South Wind. If you lose or if you win, I’ll lose you, Rodney.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Who told you the High King’s daughter was
beautiful?” he asked. “Who told you this? Frogge?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Bromalynn rose from the bed and stood in
candlelight. “No, not the little boy. He didn’t tell me about Princess Llanaa.
I learned about her from another visitor, who stopped at the inn last night. He
told me all about the evening the Giant Clobber robbed King Rohar’s eye, and
about the High King’s pledge—including the bit about the beautiful daughter,
who the High King thinks he has a right to just give to any brute foolish
enough to do battle with a giant.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rodney Trapper propped himself up on one elbow
and stared at the woman he loved, who was no longer weeping. “Who was this
visitor?” he asked her. “Who stopped for the night in this inn? And did he stay
in the guest room downstairs, or—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“What difference does it make?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Who was he, then, this man who knew so much?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“His name was Tamber. Prince Tamber, if you must
know, from the Isle of Mirth.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“A <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">prince?</i>
He stopped for the night in this inn? What did he look like? All jewels and
fancy clothes, I suppose.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“No. Plain clothes. Honestly, Rodney—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: 264.65pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“What did he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">look</i>
like?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Bromalynn
took her time, and while she took her time a small smile began to play on her
lips. “He was the handsomest man I’ve ever seen,” she said.</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
deadline for March’s 99-word story submissions is March 1, 2017. The stories
will appear on my blog post for March 11, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY (choose one):</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Make up a story
inspired by the following quotation from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Julius
Caesar</i>: “Beware the Ides of March,”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or inspired by the following couplet:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“The winds of March that make my heart a dancer; <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A telephone that rings, but who’s to answer?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-29911981767228451062017-02-18T03:00:00.000-08:002017-02-18T03:00:01.431-08:00ALAN BERN WRITES POEMS OF LOVE AND DEATH<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THE JOY
OF STORY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M.
Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">February
18, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Greetings, friends and celebrators
of the joy to be found in stories—writing them, reading them, telling them, or
hearing them. If you enjoy a good story, this weekly blog is for you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This week, beginning the third
Saturday in the month, I am happy to introduce you to Alan Bern. Alan is a
friend of mine, and I was proud to publish two of his poetry collections some
years ago: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No no the saddest</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Waterwalking in Berkeley</i>. The former
book is a sequence of linked but independent stories, which combine to form a
narrative of Alan’s first wife’s aneurysm, brain surgery, coma, and eventual
death. It is indeed a sad story—a nightmare, in fact, but a beautifully told
account of a defining episode in the poet’s life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Alan’s second book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Waterwalking in Berkeley</i>, is an
affectionate tribute to Berkeley, California, where Alan was born and where he
has spent most of his life. A theme running throughout the book is the
importance of place. This is a collection of narrative poems that read like
stories about people, scenery, and the spirit of community.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I invited Alan to write something
for this blog, and he has taken the opportunity to tell us about his latest
book, which I can certainly recommend. The design of the book, the
illustrations by the book designer, and of course the poems themselves, are
stunning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the central section of his book <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">greater distance</i>, which is based on the last years of his parents’
lives, poet, translator, and performer Alan Bern gives us a quiet pathway of
observed moments and invites the reader to walk it with him... since we all
must travel it. Also included in this volume are adaptations of two
broadsides written by Bern and illustrated by his friend and collaborator, the
artist and fine printer Robert Woods. Under the imprint of <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic;">Lines & Faces<i> </i></span>they
designed and printed both original broadsides on a Vandercook proving machine, “Dialogue”
and “From Futility.” In “Dialogue,” San Francesco d’Assisi and Hildegard von
Bingen meet as breezes to speak about their lives and views. Reminiscent of
Dante, this poem is translated into Italian by poet and Neapolitan educational
theorist and activist, Marco Rossi-Doria.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Alan Bern is a poet and
storyteller, a performer, a printer and designer, and a librarian. As a
prize-winning poet (<span class="s1">eighth annual Littoral Press Poetry Prize,
2015, and Semifinalist, </span><span style="background: white;">2016 Center For
Book Arts Letterpress Chapbook Competition), Bern has been published in both print
and online magazines and journals and has published three books of poems: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=699981774111452762" name="OLE_LINK1"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=699981774111452762" name="OLE_LINK2"><span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No no the saddest </i>(2004)</span></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Waterwalking
in Berkeley </i>(2007), both with Fithian Press, McKinleyville, CA, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">greater distance and other poems</i> (2015)
with <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lines & Faces</i>. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Bern
has worked for nearly 45 years with artist Robert Woods as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Lines & Faces</b> (</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.linesandfaces.com/"><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">linesandfaces.com</span></a></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">) to design and produce illustrated poetry broadsides
of their work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As a
performer, he has read his poems and told stories for almost 50 years and for
the past 15 years has worked with dancer/choreographer Lucinda Weaver as <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PACES: dance and poetry fit to the space.</b>
Their current work will be performed at the Gualala Arts Center, March 10 and
11, 2017. And from March 10 – April 1, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Lines
& Faces </i>will have a broadside exhibit at the Gualala Arts Center. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://gualalaarts.org/"><span style="background: white; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 14.0pt;">http://gualalaarts.org/</span></a></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As a
librarian, Bern has been a tireless advocate for improving services and
programs for the underserved. He has worked primarily in community outreach and
children’s and teen services for the past 25 years in <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=699981774111452762" name="_GoBack"></a>San
Francisco Bay Area Public Libraries. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
deadline for March’s 99-word story submissions is March 1, 2017. The stories
will appear on my blog post for March 11, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY (choose one):</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Make up a story
inspired by the following quotation from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Julius
Caesar</i>: “Beware the Ides of March,”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or inspired by the following couplet:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“The winds of March that make my heart a dancer; <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A telephone that rings, but who’s to answer?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-76417435966761281882017-02-11T03:00:00.000-08:002017-02-11T03:00:05.352-08:00LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED?<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THE JOY
OF STORY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M.
Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">February
11, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Greetings, friends and celebrators
of the joy to be found in stories—writing them, reading them, telling them, or
hearing them. If you enjoy a good story, this weekly blog is for you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This week, beginning the second
Saturday in the month of Valentine’s Day, I take pleasure in presenting love
stories submitted to me by writers who read my blog. This feature is open to
all who want to submit. If you want to send me stories but don’t yet know how
to participate, you’ll find out how it works in the rules that follow the
stories below.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This month’s 99-word prompt, “I
can’t give you anything but love,” comes, of course, from the Dorothy Fields
lyric to the Jimmy McHugh song of the same name. The song was released in 1928,
a year before the great Stock Market Crash, but it became an anthem of the
1930s, an optimistic defiance of the Great Depression.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Love stories—all stories, but love
stories especially—need conflict. The love in the story has to be the source of
or the cure for the problem in a relationship. As a general rule, the more
challenging the problem, the stronger the story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I am pleased with the stories I
received this month. I was particularly impressed by “A Mother’s Love Is All You
Need,” by Diane S. Morelli. Note how much of the story is compressed and
clarified by the last sentence. That’s good story structure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">NOTHING BUT LOVE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">eight<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>99-word stories<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">ONE WISH<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Cathy Mayrides<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Make a wish,”
he said, “and you will have the whole world.” I don’t know where he came from,
but this genie stood in the middle of my living room and my busy day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I wasn’t
welcoming. After all, why would I even believe that he could give me everything?
He didn’t know me. He didn’t know what I wanted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Suddenly it
was clear and I knew I could have the keys to the kingdom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I silently wished for that thing that
opens hearts, stirs longings, and motivates ordinary people to do better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I didn’t want
anything but love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>CAN’T GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">BY Marilyn London<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> “Hey Jack, how’s it going today?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ting<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Cold, man. God bless.” Jack nodded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ting, ting, ting.</span></i><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> “Thank
you ma’am.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">She turned. “How’d you know I was a woman?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Those steps and heels, clap-clapping.”
Toothless smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ting<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Bless you. Have a good one.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The wind blew. Rain pelted Jack’s shivering
body. He rocked to keep warm on the hard, wet sidewalk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Hey. What? Ah. You poor wet thing. Come cuddle up here. What soft
ears. Whoa, whoa! You’re going to knock me over. So cute! You’re making a big
mistake adopting me, pup. I can’t give you anything but love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>CAN’T GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Tom Donovan</span><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Please play the song and tell me, “Gee
I’d like to see you looking swell baby.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I don’t play
requests. I play Beethoven.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I love you;
you must have feelings.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Feelings yes,
but not the love you crave.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“How can you
be so cruel?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“The love you
get is not always the love you want.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Where there
is great love there is often little display of it.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Could it be I
love the talent and not you at all?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Is the
painful eagerness of unfed hope my despair?” she asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“You’re
getting damned romantic.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“No,” said
Lucy. “Just bored”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I LOVE YOU, MAX<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by June Kosier<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Those big brown eyes and the long, soft,
dark brown hair!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You meet me at
the door when I come home making me feel welcomed. I must be a gourmet cook
because you hungrily eat my cooking, cleaning your dish. When I am ill, you
never leave my bedside. You love to go for walks with me, anytime, anywhere. You
aren’t a backseat driver, even when you are in the back seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The way you love life lifts my
spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So what if your breath
stinks or you often pass gas? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">You are my buddy, my protector. My dog.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=699981774111452762" name="_GoBack"></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=699981774111452762" name="OLE_LINK1"><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">ALL MY LOVE<o:p></o:p></span></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Donna Silverman<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“What are you talking about,
Dad? I hurried home because you wrote that you’d be dying soon, and you wanted
to give me everything you had. Now you tell me you’re broke?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I’m afraid so, Timmy. All I
have to give you is all my love. There’s plenty of that.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“You lied to me. You wrote
and told me you were rich!”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I felt rich because you
wrote and told me that you loved me.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I told you I loved you
because I thought you were rich.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Well, Son, it seems the
joke’s on both of us.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Who’s laughing?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I CAN DO THAT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Jerry Giammatteo<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">She was so graceful.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He was so ordinary.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">She walked that runway every night, bedecked in the latest from the
famous designers. He set up the lights. She was major league and he was the
sandlot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Occasionally, she’d glance at him and smile warmly, and he’d feel his
face turning crimson, though that smile made his night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">One evening, after the show, she looked unhappy. He mustered his
courage.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Anything wrong,” he asked?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">She swept her hand across the room. “I’d give all this up for love.” She
gave him her sweetest smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I can do that,</span></i><span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> he thought.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A
MOTHER’S LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by
Diane S. Morelli <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Layla’s
daughter Eve didn’t speak during the car ride home from her dorm at Princeton. “You’re unusually broody.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Sorry,
Mom. I’m working through some things.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Like
what?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Oh,
a paper for my Culture and Reproduction course. I have to write about pregnancy
that ends in abortion or with adoption.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Poignant
assignment.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I
can’t do it without your help,” said Eve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Nonsense.
You can do anything you want or have to do. Personally, if I couldn’t have
given you anything but love, I still couldn’t have given you up.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacingCxSpLast" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Layla didn’t
know that her powerful sentiment quelled Eve’s morning sickness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THE MAN WHO
LOVED TOO MUCH<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Christine
Viscuso<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“It’s great
that we could meet for our fiftieth high school reunion.” Posey raised a glass
to her two friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I notice
you’re wearing a bracelet like mine.” Hortencia extended her arm, revealing a
heavy gold ID chain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I have one too.” Monique pushed up her
blazer sleeve. “My husband gave it to me. It’s inscribed, ‘I can’t give you
anything but love’.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why, mine says that too.” Hortencia and
Posey chorused.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Hortencia took
a deep breath. “What are your husbands’ names?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The other two
called out, “Brad.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Posey stood.
“Come ladies. Let’s give our Bradley everything but love.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "trimes new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The deadline for March’s 99-word
story submissions is March 1, 2017. The stories will appear on my blog post for
March 11, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature is a game, not a
contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may edit the story to
make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to my editing
willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99 words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer, per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a story. That means it needs plot
(something or somebody has to change), characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the first of the month. Stories will appear
on this blog the second Saturday of the month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the story. The author of the story
retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7. Email me your story
(in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS MONTH’S PROMPT FOR
NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY (choose one):</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Make up a story inspired by the following
quotation from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Julius Caesar</i>: “Beware
the Ides of March,”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or inspired by the following couplet:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“The
winds of March that make my heart a dancer; <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A
telephone that rings, but who’s to answer?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest author the third Saturday (and week
following) of each month. If you’re interested in posting an essay on my
blog—it’s also a chance to promote a published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting. Please drop by next week! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-31253607772932577212017-02-04T03:00:00.000-08:002017-02-04T03:00:21.817-08:00THE OLDEST ART<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THE JOY
OF STORY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M.
Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">February
4, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;">Greetings, friends and celebrators
of the joy to be found in stories—writing them, reading them, telling them, or
hearing them. If you enjoy a good story, this weekly blog is for you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">This week, beginning the first
Saturday in the month, I present an installment of my book manuscript, also
titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Joy of Story. </i>This book,
which I will deliver to you in weekly installments, is a book I’ve written and
may publish one day. Consider this a trailer that will play over the course of
twenty-one months. That may be a record.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">In this week’s brief offering I
imagine how the art of story was first developed. It’s more than likely humans
had already been telling each other whoppers and making up yarns since they
began putting vocal noises together to communicate; but the following
story-within-a-story imagines how the first rule of story-telling was
established.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: large;">§§§</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><b>THE JOY OF <br />
STORY</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Brief<br />
Essays on <br />
Writing Fiction<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The Oldest Art: An Introduction<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-variant: small-caps; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; font-variant: small-caps; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">The oldest art form</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">
in human culture is the story. I am the veteran of several arguments on this
topic with would-be anthropologists who claim the title for dance, music, cave
paintings, and double-entry bookkeeping. But I stick to my guns: the story got
there first.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I date the beginning of human culture by
the beginning of human spoken communication. I’m talking about speech that
transcends snarls of anger, grunts of lust, and screams of fear. I say human
culture began with sentences at least as complex as “You going to eat the rest
of that haunch of ibex, or what?” Conversation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Knowing human beings as I do, I’m
willing to bet my wallet that as soon as our ancestors learned to communicate
with each other by speech, they started developing skills to entertain,
impress, and hoodwink each other. Since truth wasn’t always up to the task (it
isn’t today, so why should it have been for cave folk?), the act of
embellishment was discovered, and fiction was born.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course story doesn’t have to be
fiction. But isn’t it, usually? Ask most memoirists today, and they’ll agree
that a certain amount of “editing” is involved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So return with me now to the Primal
Circle, a bunch of human beings (with some Neanderthal DNA in the mix, although
polite cave folk don’t talk about how it got there) gathered together around a
campfire after a hard day of hunting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They talk:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Good gnus, Murray,” says the Boss, an
ancient woman in her fortieth year. “How’d you manage to kill two in the same
day?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Murray swallowed his bite of barbecued
gnu, wiped his beard, took a swig of banana beer, belched, and began to spin
his yarn. “Well, see, I was walking down by the Muchmuck River, talking to my
friend Cedric, the African Grey parrot who knows stuff, and he told me that on
the other side of the Muchmuck was a plain called the Banana Savanna, where I
would find some gnus. I guess I was busy listening to Cedric, and not watching
where I was going, and I tripped over a log and fell right into what passes for
water in the Muchmuck river. I stood up, sputtering and listening to my parrot
so-called friend laughing at me, when the log sprouted stubby arms and legs,
swished an armored tail, opened a grin full of razor-sharp stalactites and
stalagmites, and slithered into the water. Well, I took off with the current,
going like gangbusters, but I could hear the splash of that croc getting closer
and closer to my feet. If it hadn’t have been for Cedric dive-bombing the
river-lizard, why—”</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsTvSxdjs_U7hGr584h-Mwu0CfE3HPofU5V-O5VRzpVpaMIYkdvS88yWGk_hycwV0bEtI2TthgpMQJf4mjahISE2G3_hw63N-x8q27btj40y4OYIZojUQNq0ITh3TCXXGlWio1OF3iy6Y/s1600/croc.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsTvSxdjs_U7hGr584h-Mwu0CfE3HPofU5V-O5VRzpVpaMIYkdvS88yWGk_hycwV0bEtI2TthgpMQJf4mjahISE2G3_hw63N-x8q27btj40y4OYIZojUQNq0ITh3TCXXGlWio1OF3iy6Y/s1600/croc.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Aw baloney,” said Hugo, a burly fellow
who looked like a cross between Burt Reynolds and a Rottweiler. “Not how it
happened at all.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Shut up, Hugo,” said several cave folk,
using different combinations of words, some of which we don’t have anymore, and
others I don’t dare repeat.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“But we all crossed Muchmuck River on
that log,” Hugo insisted. “There wasn’t any crocodile. And what’s more—”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Boss spoke. “Let Murray tell it.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Why?” Hugo demanded. “I was the one who
brought back the gnus, not Murray.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Murray tells it better,” the Boss said.
<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ever since Murray recounted the hunts
each evening to his fellow cave folk, the subtleties of storytelling have been
honed and practiced and have entertained and enlightened listeners and readers.
Many of the rules and tools of fiction were discovered and developed by the
earliest of storytellers. And one aspect of the art form remains to this day:
whoever tells the best story gets the most attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p><br /></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">The deadline for March’s 99-word
story submissions is March 1, 2017. The stories will appear on my blog post for
March 11, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature is a game, not a
contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may edit the story to
make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to my editing
willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99 words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">2. One story per writer, per month.</span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">3. The story must be a story. That means it needs plot
(something or somebody has to change), characters, and conflict. </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">4. The story must be inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">5. The deadline: the first of the month. Stories will appear
on this blog the second Saturday of the month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the story. The author of the story
retains all rights. </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">7. Email me your story
(in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">THIS MONTH’S PROMPT FOR
NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY (choose one):</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">Make up a story inspired by the following
quotation from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Julius Caesar</i>: “Beware
the Ides of March,”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or inspired by the following couplet:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">“The
winds of March that make my heart a dancer; <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">A
telephone that rings, but who’s to answer?”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest author the third Saturday (and week
following) of each month. If you’re interested in posting an essay on my
blog—it’s also a chance to promote a published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;">Thank you for visiting. Please drop by next week!</span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-47639609906173417042017-01-28T03:00:00.000-08:002017-01-28T03:00:11.772-08:00THE JOURNEY BEGINS!<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THE JOY
OF STORY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M.
Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">January
28, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">When I was a child, my Uncle Neil used to tell me (and as many
other children as were on hand to gather around him) a fairy tale that he
called “The Story of Feet-in-the-Ashes.” It began like this: <i>“The King of
Ireland stood out on the terrace in front of his castle, surrounded by his
powerful captains and his strong-armed guards.…”</i></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In
the story a vicious giant named Shambleshanks, from the Island of the Shadow of
the Stars, knocks out the King’s three front teeth and walks away with them.
The King promises a reward of half of his kingdom and hand of his daughter in
marriage to anyone who will slay the giant Shambleshanks and return to the King
his three front teeth. The only one who will take up the challenge is a poor
boy named Feet-in-the-Ashes, who, aided by a few magical gifts from his
grandmother, sails off to the Island of the Shadow of the Stars, slays the
giant, manages to find the King’s three front teeth, brings them back to
Ireland, and claims his reward.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
found out years later that the story was originally written by Padraic Colum,
under the title “The Stone of Victory,” and was included in Colum’s book of
stories <i>The Boy Who Knew What the Birds Said.</i> I have a photocopy of the
original story, as well as a tape recording of Uncle Neil telling his version,
and Uncle Neil’s version is an almost word-for-word recital of Colum’s.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A
few years ago I was waiting for a story idea to present itself to me, because I’d
been itching to get started on a new novel. Whenever I’m not in the process of
writing a story, I feel as if I’m not doing what I was meant to do. During this
fallow period I read Ursula K. LeGuin’s <i>Annals of the Western Shore, </i>a
trilogy containing the novels <i>Gifts, Voices, </i>and<i> Powers.</i> I
marveled at those books, wishing that I had such a gift for fantasy. But where
would I find a plot?</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
answer came to me: steal something. Not a whole story but a small handful of
schticks to get started with. The first fantasy story of my youth, Uncle Neil’s
“The Story of Feet-in-the-Ashes,” gave me enough to travel with. I took only a
few artifacts from Uncle Neil’s tale, which he stole from Colum’s story, which
Colum probably lifted from Irish folklore. The King of Ireland’s three front
teeth became the crystal eye of High King Rohar of Blackberry Island, the
largest of the fourteen Farther Isles. Feet-in-the-Ashes was replaced by Rodney
Trapper, the Goatherd’s Son, of the Isle of Goats. Shambleshanks turned into
the Giant Clobber of the Isle of Wind.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">That’s
all I needed. I cut ties with the original plot, and I wrote the story as it
made itself up. It developed into a story that owes a lot to several archetypes
in our cultural lore: David and Goliath, the Odyssey, Jack and the Beanstalk,
and The Wizard of Oz, for starters. I hope my story will entertain readers who
have fun reading those classics.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">But even if it doesn’t, for I know I’m no
match for Ursula LeGuin, I had a fine time on this voyage. And I was glad to be
writing again.</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br />
I self-published <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The King’s Eye</i> as an
ebook, and it’s now available on Kindle, Nook, and wherever ebooks are sold.
But I have also decided to present the novel (for free) to readers of my blog,
The Joy of Story. I will post a new chapter the fourth Saturday of each month,
and it will remain the lead post for a week thereafter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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We begin this week with the Prologue, which sets the plot in motion. I hope you
enjoy it!</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>THE KING’S EYE</b><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A Fantasy of the
Farther Isles<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M. Daniel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Prologue<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">On the Summer Solstice of the
twenty-first year of the reign of High King Rohar the Seventh, twelve of the
thirteen lesser monarchs of the Farther Isles gathered at Blackberry Island, as
they did on the Summer Solstice of every year, to swear their allegiance to the
High King. The one missing lesser monarch, the Giant Clobber from the Isle of
the South Wind, was not missed. None of the other kings and queens, including
High King Rohar, could abide Clobber, and Clobber had never sworn allegiance to
anyone but himself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">The married kings brought their
queens along, and the queens brought their consorts, and the mood of the
meeting was merry. This year’s gathering was more festive than ever, for King
Rohar’s only child, the maiden Llanaa, had just turned sixteen years old, the
age a maiden should marry; and Llanaa was as beautiful as the full moon on a
clear winter night, and as ready as a ripe summer berry to become a woman, and
a queen. Four of the lesser kings of the Farther Isles had brought along their
unmarried sons, each king hoping to strengthen his ties to the High King by the
bonds of family and favoritism.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">It wasn’t up to Llanaa to choose her
husband, but if she had to choose she would have had a hard time deciding
between Prince Tamber of Isle of Mirth, the black-haired handsomest of the
four, and Prince Lowll of the Isle of Worth, the richest. Lowll’s father’s
castle was said to be splendid, built of red marble and furnished with fleece
and furs. Prince Zorn from the Isle of Song would do, Princess Llanaa supposed,
but he was already twenty-seven years old, and he was said to prefer reading
books to riding horses, and to prefer his friend Songeman, the choirmaster,
over the company of any woman. As for the fourth suitor, Prince Frogge, he was
out of the question: a short, round, giggling lad of twelve whose voice had yet
to change, and he hailed from the marshy, rainy little outlying Isle of Fens.
Frogge’s grin was too big for his face, and his head was too big for his body.
An annoying, fat little puppy he was, and always had been.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Surely the Stars in all their wisdom
knew that Princess Llanaa, who stood as tall and as serenely proud as her
beautiful mother, and whose wild forest of hair was as red and thick as her
father’s fierce beard, deserved a better betrothal than one to a squeaky child,
or to a reader of books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The day was spent on the long lawn behind King Rohar’s
castle, a vast expanse of lush green grass kept trim by pair of dwarf goats.
The kings and the four princes played an all-afternoon game of chuckerball, which
gave them a chance to vent their rivalry without revealing their mutual dislike
for one another. The game was interrupted once when his lesser Majesty King
Thikken accidentally tossed the chuckerball into the reedy little pond in the
center of the lawn. That might have put a welcome end to the game had not
Prince Frogge stripped himself utterly naked and waded into the mucky water and
retrieved the ball, for which he was insincerely thanked. At least young Frogge
wasn’t seen naked by the women, who were naked themselves, but far away on the
sandy shore at the end of the lawn. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">High King Rohar, a tall, burly man
of middle age with a fire-colored bramble of beard, did not take part in the
game of chuckerball, but stood watching from the terrace, his mouth set in a
broad grin. Perhaps he was watching the game, with his good right eye of icy
blue. Or he could have been enjoying the spectacle of naked womenfolk on the
sandy shore, watching with the clear crystal ball he wore in his left eye
socket. It was said that this crystal eye could see far distances, and into
men’s minds, and even into the future; but most folk didn’t really believe the
King’s left eye had such powers. It was eerie and commanding, but in truth only
a ball of pure crystal, which he had worn for twenty-one years, having lost his
original left eye in battle on the Isle of the South Wind, the only battle King
Rohar had ever lost.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Late in the afternoon, when the sun
was still in the sky but the shadows were growing long on the lawn, all the
guests repaired to their separate quarters for a brief rest and a quick wash,
then donned fresh finery and reassembled on the terrace. They drank ale and
wine, and chatted and laughed, like friends—although the kings and queens all
knew that the friendship showing on the surface barely masked their silent and
deep-rooted rivalry.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">After the time spent in social
drinking, the entire company filed into the Great Hall, where they sat and
sated themselves on Blackberry Island coney stew, hot bread fresh from the
castle’s ovens, and a salad of greens plucked that afternoon from the palace
garden.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">When the meal was finished and the
crockery taken away by the servants, the light from the windows had darkened
and the air had grown chilly. The steward brought a candle into the Great Hall
and started the fire in the hall’s massive stone fireplace. He lit the torches
on the walls and then walked up the length of one of the guest tables and down
the other, lighting the candles in brass candelabra.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He then lit the candles on the head table, where the High
King sat with Queen Gardeen and Princess Llanaa. When the room was warm and
bright, the steward tapped a brass gong on the head table for silence, and he
left the hall before all chatter ceased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">King Rohar stood and held his scepter
up for all to see the candlelight sparkling in its jewels. Candlelight also
sparkled in the King’s left eye.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">“Fellow kings, gracious queens, and
proud young princes, I welcome you once again to my island and my home. We
gather this night, as we do every year, to pledge our friendship and allegiance
to one another. As you know, this is your oath of fealty to me as your High
King, but we must consider it more a solemn promise to each other that we stand
together and undivided. I shall ask each monarch to stand, one at a time, and
loudly proclaim the oath as I do now.” King Rohar laid the scepter down and
sang out the tuneless song for all to hear. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">“With
all my mind and all my body and all my heart I honor and support my fellow
kings and queens of the Alliance of Farther Isles, and I pledge my fealty to
the High King of Blackberry Island. As I am faithful to the Stars, I will be
faithful to my fellow monarchs of the Farther Isles, and to this promise,
forever.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">The High King sat down and turned
his gaze to the lesser king seated at the far end of one of the long tables.
“King Gorling, what say you?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">King Gorling of the Isle of Thunder
stood, cleared his throat, and chanted, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“With
all my mind and all my body and all my heart I honor and support my fellow kings
and queens of the Alliance of Farther Isles, and I pledge my fealty to the High
King of Blackberry Island. As I am faithful to the Stars, I will be faithful to
my fellow monarchs of the Farther Isles, and to this promise, forever.”</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">So it went, monarch after monarch,
until all twelve lesser kings and queens had sworn the oath. When the last
king, Othor of Fens, had said his piece and sat down, the entire party of
assembled royalty shouted loudly together, and whistled, and howled with what
passed for comradeship.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">King Rohar stood again. “Now, this
Midsummer Night, as you all know, we have another matter to discuss.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">The lesser kings and princes
cheered, but the High King stared them down to silence. “The matter of my
daughter, the light of my life, more precious than spring, who is now ripe as
summer. Your Majesties, and your highnesses—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">The massive door at the far end of
the Great Hall banged open and stunned the High King into a loud silence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Into
the Great Hall of the castle of Blackberry Island marched the one man loathed
by every king and every queen present. The Giant Clobber, King of the Isle of
the South Wind, the only lesser king who had refused to be called lesser, and
had refused to pledge allegiance to any confederation of puny rulers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">None
of the kings or queens in the hall had seen the Giant Clobber for twenty-one
years, not since he had stamped out of this same Great Hall, cursing and
smashing crockery with his cudgel as he left. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Now
he stamped back into the hall, half again as tall as the tallest king in the
room and carrying a cudgel as long as a lance and as thick as a leg. He strode
between the long tables and didn’t stop until he reached the head table and
stood towering over the Royal Family. He grunted. He hollered <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Haaaahh!”</i> He smashed his cudgel on the
tabletop and grinned when the candles toppled over and sputtered out in the
spilled wine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">The
assembled lesser monarchs and their spouses and sons murmured and gasped, then
sat in stunned and frightened silence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">The
Giant Clobber snatched the nose of the High King of the Farther Isles, and
tilted his head backwards, forcing Rohar to look up into his seething face.
Then the Giant plucked a spoon from the table, jammed it into the High King’s
left eye socket, and scooped out the crystal eye, which fell and clattered on
the table, rolled, and came to rest in front of the frightened Queen. The Giant
Clobber released the High King’s nose, snatched up the crystal ball, and put it
in the pouch that hung from the rope around his massive waist. He nodded to the
High King, and to Queen Gardeen, and to Princess Llanaa, then turned and
marched out of the Great Hall and into the night.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">The
steward watched the Giant stride across the terrace, over the long lawn, and
down to the shore, where a galley ship awaited him in the last glimmer of
twilight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Inside
the Great Hall the High King was the first to stand and speak. “Who will avenge
me?” he roared. “You have all just sworn your fealty to me. Will you go as one
to bring that villain to his knees, and to bring me back my left eye? Speak
up!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">No
one answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Very
quietly, the High King said, “As the Stars are my witness, to the man who kills
the Giant Clobber and brings me back my left eye, I promise to give the western
half of the Kingdom of Blackberry Island, as well as the hand of my daughter in
marriage. What say you, you brave young princes? Prince Tamber?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">“I’m
afraid I’ve injured my back playing chuckerball,” Prince Tamber answered.
“Otherwise—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">“Lowll?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">“Your
Majesty, I beg to be excused. My father and I have a large estate to manage,
and—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">“Zorn?
Are you a coward too?” the High King thundered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">“No,
your Majesty. I’m a librarian. I’ve never trained for battle.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">“Because
you’re a coward,” King Rohar shouted. “You’re all cowards, every whimpering one
of you. You call yourself kings and princes? You’re rabbits, that’s what you
are. Well, I’ll just have to find somebody among the common folk who has
courage and loyalty. I’ll post the word throughout my island kingdom, and
throughout your lesser kingdoms as well, that—”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">“Your
Majesty?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">“Yes?
Who spoke?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 13.0pt;">Round
little Prince Frogge of the Isle of Fens stood up. “I’ll go,” he said. “I’ll
kill that giant and bring you back your eye.” Frogge grinned. “And then I’ll
marry your daughter.”</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The deadline for February’s
99-word story submissions is February<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>1, 2017. The stories will appear on my blog post for February 11, and
will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature is a game, not a
contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may edit the story to
make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to my editing
willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99 words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer, per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a story. That means it needs plot
(something or somebody has to change), characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the first of the month. Stories will appear
on this blog the second Saturday of the month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the story. The author of the story
retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7. Email me your story
(in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS MONTH’S PROMPT FOR
NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Write a story inspired by the following
sentence (in honor of Valentine’s Day): <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
Can’t Give You Anything But Love.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest author the third Saturday (and week
following) of each month. If you’re interested in posting an essay on my
blog—it’s also a chance to promote a published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-66219644111776922862017-01-10T03:00:00.000-08:002017-01-10T03:00:06.317-08:00TRAIN TRIPS IN 99 WORDS!<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THE JOY
OF STORY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M.
Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">January
10, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "times new roman italic"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Note about our schedule</span></i></b><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #16191f; font-family: "times new roman italic"; font-size: 14.0pt;">: Because of important
family business, I will be away from my office next weekend and the weekend
following that. So I will not be posting on my blog January14th or 21st.
Instead, I am posting the January 14th blog early, on Tuesday, January 10, and
it will remain at the top of the blog until January 28, when I'll be back. This
means the 99-word stories will be showcased for a long, happy stretch.</span></i><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman italic"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">On this second post for the month of
January 2017, I am presenting stories submitted by friends of The Joy of Story.
The prompt I assigned was “I took a trip on a train.” I was inspired by an
earworm that was haunting my brain at the time. (For those who don’t know, an earworm is a song that plays over and over in the Muzak of your mind, a snatch
of a song you can’t get rid of.) The song was “I Thought About You,” with music
by Jimmy Van Heusen and lyrics by Johnny Mercer. I like the song a lot, but I
was getting sick of hearing it by the time it moved on, only to be replaced by
another<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>earworm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The first line of the song is “I
took a trip on a train,” which makes it qualify as a train song. The
singer/narrator is on a train, having left a loved one at home. There is a
suggested element of regret that the lovers parted, and the outbound traveler has a
strong wish to return and patch thing up. The story has conflict, choice, and
change, not to mention scene and plot and characters. The plot is more hinted
at than told, and the choice and change are forecasted not shown, but that’s
okay. Call this minimalist fiction. By the way, other train songs from the
Great American Songbook are “Sentimental Journey” and “Chattanooga Choo Choo.”
Remarkably, these songs both tell a similar story, but in these stories the
travelers have bought their tickets and are ready to board the train home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Well, this week’s 99-ers took this
reader for a number or train rides, and some describe good scenery and others
have believable characters. Some of them, though, lack plot, conflict, choice,
and change. I hope I’ll see more of these essentials in next month’s stories.
The prompt for next month is “I can’t give you anything but love.” That should suggest
some conflict, I think!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">One of the stories this month stands
out for having all the necessary ingredients of a good story. That one is
“Round Trip,” by Marilyn London. This story has the same plot as “I Thought
About You,” with an extra twist at the end. Good work, Marilyn!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p><i> If you're unfamiliar with the 99-word story feature of this blog, see the information given below this month's stories, in the section titled <b>Call for Submissions.</b></i></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">TRAIN TRIP STORIES<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">told in 99 words<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">ROUND TRIP<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Marilyn London<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We were arguing a lot. I needed to get away. I
took a trip on a train. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It was fun to be alone, to enjoy the peace and
quiet. The countryside was beautiful. I finished my book. The car was almost
empty. There was no one to talk to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Someone walked down the aisle checking the
seats. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">That must be the conductor,</i> I
thought. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Without looking up, I asked, “What time is it?
When will we be there?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Depends on where we’re going,” said a familiar
voice. He took my hand, kissed me and sat down. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We went home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">WINDOW SEAT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Tom Donovan<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I took a trip
on a train with a youngster.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We were almost
at Penn station so he was glued to the window. Five minutes from the station we
would pass the alcoves, caves, and caverns. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Tracks led off
into dark recesses where the people of the NYC underground lived. Sleeping
bags, plastic, and paper remains of hastily prepared food. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The remnants of barely serviceable clothing
drying wherever a bit of sunlight could find them. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">At first he
wondered, was this some sort of a Disney-like make-believe diorama?<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=699981774111452762" name="_GoBack"></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Later came an understanding that life
takes different turns for everyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">FANTASY AND REALITY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Jerry Giammatteo<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The Jungfrau railway headed up the Bernese Alps, framed in snow, and
passed lovely little Alpine villages on its way. I marveled at the beauty. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We made a stop to admire a Volkswagen Beetle carved out of ice. Life was
good for a twenty-three-year old. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As the train headed for the summit, I closed my eyes for a brief rest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Then I felt a light tap on my arm and awakened to a Long Island Railroad
conductor. She was saying, “All tickets, please?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I then heard the announcement, “Train to Penn Station.” Damn. I was
sixty-one and tired again. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A DESTINATION
NOT YET REACHED<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by June Kosier<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">At thirteen, I took a trip on a train. A
train unable, so far, to reach its destination. The train was called “Creativity.”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I boarded forty-three years ago, heading
for a writing career. There were stops along the way. High school, college, a
career in nursing, marriage, motherhood, grandparenting, cancer were the stops.
I have enjoyed all these stations and each has taught me well. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I have paid the toll, but, now retired, I
have decided to board the train again. Hopefully, this time there will be no
stops and I will get to my desired destination, called “Published.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">ONCE, ON A
TRAIN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Cathy
Mayrides<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I don’t often
take trains, but I remember a train trip to Washington, D.C. At the time, I was
a teenager, and I dabbled in Tarot cards and Ouija boards. But my own
metaphysical experiences were nil. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As we sped
toward Union Station, I suddenly realized that I was speeding over tunnels and
trees and could see the top of the train from this vantage point. I didn’t
panic, but rather wondered in a dream state if I would be able to get back into
the train.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I did. We
arrived. Welcome to my first out of body experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">TRAVELS WITH
BRAD <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Christine
Viscuso<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Where’ve you
been, Brad? You haven’t been to work in days.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I took a trip
on a train, Greg.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“You’re an Uber
driver; what’re you doing traveling the rails?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“I dropped off the most gorgeous,
ethereal girl at the train four days ago. I wanted to know her better so I
parked the car and hopped the train. Followed her to Manhattan and then to
Amtrack; destination, Washington D.C.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Ethereal, huh?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“A beauty. But I lost her. I tripped.
Fell on my head as I got off the train. Ended up in a hospital.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You’ve had some train trip!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="BodyCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-right: 30.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-pagination: no-line-numbers; tab-stops: 38.0pt 320.0pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">LIMBO
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="BodyCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-right: 30.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-pagination: no-line-numbers; tab-stops: 38.0pt 320.0pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by
D. F. Saunders<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="BodyCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-right: 30.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-pagination: no-line-numbers; tab-stops: 38.0pt 320.0pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="BodyCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-right: 30.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-pagination: no-line-numbers; tab-stops: 38.0pt 320.0pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My
flight arrived at Houston on time. I pushed up the aisle to deplane fast. I had
to catch another flight, on a different airline. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="BodyCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-right: 30.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-pagination: no-line-numbers; tab-stops: 38.0pt 320.0pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
took a train from one airline to the other, boarded another airplane, and flew
to DFW, where I took yet another train to catch my flight home, on yet another
airline.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="BodyCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-right: 30.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-pagination: no-line-numbers; tab-stops: 38.0pt 320.0pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">When
my DFW train ride stopped at the end of the line, I found myself back in
Houston Airport. I retraced my steps, and it happened again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="BodyCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-right: 30.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-pagination: no-line-numbers; tab-stops: 38.0pt 320.0pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I
said to a ticket agent, “I’m lost.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="BodyCxSpLast" style="line-height: normal; margin-right: 30.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-pagination: no-line-numbers; tab-stops: 38.0pt 320.0pt; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">She shrugged. “I know. We’re all
lost.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUwEQPcuU_f3vqTlb9HPrf4ReblY1qnJ4drlYaZufntG4xycwlvLLZejZl4rD36jT0Bj8HsF3xjTOjPiBkuqOIIMp8KIzyAULrNMIujQlRpoSTcZx0KV6z5o18sTT3IOy3ACmQ17DjGY/s1600/images-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQUwEQPcuU_f3vqTlb9HPrf4ReblY1qnJ4drlYaZufntG4xycwlvLLZejZl4rD36jT0Bj8HsF3xjTOjPiBkuqOIIMp8KIzyAULrNMIujQlRpoSTcZx0KV6z5o18sTT3IOy3ACmQ17DjGY/s1600/images-1.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Note: The following story was inadvertently left out of last
month’s harvest of 99-word stories, for which the prompt was “A fine romance
this turned out to be.” With apologies to Diane Morelli, the author, I am
presenting it here:<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">METAMORPHOSIS
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by
Diane Morelli<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Laura
and Glen met in high school. They dated for six months before they got engaged.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Glen’s dad cautioned his son, “Take a good look at your
future mother-in-law now; you’re looking at your wife in twenty years.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="background: white; margin-bottom: 5.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Glen
realized that his fiancée’s mom was unkempt, overbearing, and neurotic. Just
like his mother. He ignored Dad’s warning and married Laura without
reservation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Twenty-five years passed. Laura and Glen
were still together and seemed happy. Glen’s dad finally apologized for his
unsolicited premarital advice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="background: white; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I should have been the one who took a good
look at <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">my</i> mother-in-law,” said
Laura. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The deadline for February’s
99-word story submissions is February<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>1, 2017. The stories will appear on my blog post for February 11, and
will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature is a game, not a
contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may edit the story to make
it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to my editing willingly.
That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99 words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer, per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a story. That means it needs plot
(something or somebody has to change), characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the first of the month. Stories will appear
on this blog the second Saturday of the month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the story. The author of the story
retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7. Email me your story
(in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS MONTH’S PROMPT FOR
NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Write a story inspired by the following
sentence (in honor of Valentine’s Day): <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
Can’t Give You Anything But Love.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest author the third Saturday (and week
following) of each month. If you’re interested in posting an essay on my
blog—it’s also a chance to promote a published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting. Please drop by next week! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-79862172683719295792017-01-07T03:00:00.000-08:002017-01-07T06:06:30.482-08:00RESOLUTIONS FOR “THE JOY OF STORY”<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THE JOY
OF STORY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M.
Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">January
7, 2017<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Greetings to all on this first
Saturday of the new year, 2017! Welcome back to all of you who have visited
this blog during the past few years; and to all of you stumbling into the room
by chance or sheer nosiness, welcome to you, too. I post on Saturdays, usually,
and each post stays at the top of the blogsite for a week. This weekly blog,
which I call The Joy of Story, is a celebration of stories, primarily for
writers and readers. I direct the show, loosely speaking, but I encourage
regular, occasional, and accidental readers to add their own ideas and
responses in the comments section that appears at the end of each blog post. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My credentials for hosting this
weekly gathering are a lifetime of laboring (with pleasure) in the various
fields of literature as a writer, editor, publisher, bookseller, and teacher of
creative writing. I focus on story for this blog, because that’s what thrills me
most about writing and reading. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">What is a story, exactly? The short
answer is this: A story tells about something that happened to somebody.
Essential ingredients of a story are conflict, choice, and change. A story must
have a narrative arc, and a story must entertain while it says something worth
reading or hearing. There’s a great deal more to list about what a story is,
what makes it work, what makes it play. To see what I mean, stick around and
come back on either regular or occasional Saturdays.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This New Year I have made some
resolutions concerning The Joy of Story. I want to have a more dependable
structure for the blog, and so have come up with a regular weekly schedule, as
follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Week One. </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I have collected together 22 essays
about the story form (fiction and nonfiction). Some of these essays were first
used as lecture notes for classes I taught in public education classes, mostly
for seniors. Others are repeats from my earlier writing instruction book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Structure, Style and Truth: Elements of the
Short Story. </i>Some of the essays also appeared in the literary magazine <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Black Lamb,</i> to which I used to
contribute monthly essays over the course of several years. Some of them have
already appeared in this blog. I intend some day to publish this small
collection of writing lessons in book form (the book will be titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Joy of Story, </i>of course), but for
the time being I will post each of the 22 pieces sequentially on my blog,
starting today with the Preface: “How I became a Writer.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Week Two.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">On the second Saturday of each
month, I will post 99-word stories submitted to me by you, this blog’s
“audience.” To learn about how this feature works, read the instructions toward
the bottom of post. Please note that this is not a contest. I believe strongly
that writing is not a competitive sport. I’m going to say a few words each week
on what I like about particularly good stories, because I think particularly
good writing should be praised and prized and recognized. But I won’t
criticize. I am aware that some of my contributors are beginning writers and
have a lot to learn. I hope they’ll learn from reading the stories of others, as
well as what I have to say about the craft of writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Week Three<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The week beginning on the third
Saturday of the month will be devoted to a guest author. This will give us
another voice and perhaps some fresh ideas on how to find joy in writing and/or
reading stories. It also gives the author a chance to introduce a newly
published or soon-to-be-published book. The guest author’s writing style and
genre can be anything that includes story-telling, such as fiction, memoir, or
poetry. If you’re an author who wants a place to promote a new or recent book,
check out the invitation that appears below, following the information about
the 99-word stories.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Week Four<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">For the fourth week I plan to post a
chapter of my novel <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The King’s Eye: A
Fantasy of the Farther Isles.</i> There are 21 chapters in the novel, and I
will post them in order, so that the story will run as a serial. The chapters
are short, and each ends with a cliff-hanger. My hope is to hook you, so you’ll
be sure to check in each week and find out what happens next! I think you’ll
enjoy reading the stories that make up this book—almost as much as I enjoyed
writing them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Week Five?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The fifth Saturday of the month, if
there is a fifth Saturday, will be a wild card. I’ll let you know when the time
comes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">That’s it—what you can expect to
find on my blog in the weeks and months ahead. Now I’ll move on to this week’s feature,
the preface to my manuscript <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Joy of
Story. </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 14pt;">THE JOY OF </span></div>
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<i style="line-height: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Brief</span></i></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><i style="line-height: 14pt;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Writing Fiction</span></i></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Preface: How I Became a Writer<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><span style="color: #262626; font-variant: small-caps;">Not long
after I learned to read </span><span style="color: #262626;">(I
cut my teeth on <i>The Wonderful Wizard of Oz</i>), I developed a strong
urge to tell stories of my own. That is: I wanted to write!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I decided to write my first story
when I was five or six years old. I borrowed a pencil and a piece of paper from
my mother and asked her what I should write my story about.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Write about what you know about,”
she advised me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">So I did. The story came out
something like this: “Johnny and his mother went to the circus. They saw
clowns. They had fun. They came home. The end.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My mother was proud of me. (Of
course. That’s what mothers are for.) But when I showed my story to my brother,
Neil, who was nine years older than I, he said, “It’s not a real story. A real
story needs conflict.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That put me in a quandary. At the age
of six, I had no conflict in my life, so I couldn’t write a real story if I
were to write about what I knew about. That put my writing career off for
another ten years or so.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Then I started reading the novels of
Richard Bissell, and I thought to myself: I can do this. I tried it, and I
found I was right: I could do this. By that time I was a teenager, so of course
there was conflict in the life I knew so well; it goes with the territory.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><i><span style="color: #262626;">Elmore Leonard said
that 70% of what he knew about writing came from reading the novels of Richard
Bissell. So you can believe me when I say that Bissell is worth your time. But
it doesn’t have to be Bissell. Find your own favorite writer and write
something that writer might want to read.</span></i><span style="color: #262626;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></i></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Once I got started, I never stopped.
The first fiction I wrote wasn’t worth the wear and tear on my typewriter, but
eventually I got a novel published–by Perseverance Press! I dedicated <i>Play
Melancholy Baby</i> to the memory of Richard Bissell (and Lorenz Hart, another
one of my writing heroes.)<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I haven’t supported myself with my
writing (not many writers do), but I’ve never stopped writing, and in the
meantime I’ve worked in the written word: as a student, a reader, a bookseller,
an editor, a ghostwriter, a fiction writer, a publisher, and a teacher of creative
writing.</span><span style="font-family: courier new, courier, monospace;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #262626; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I owe it to my mother, my brother,
and mainly to other writers–Bissell and many more. And of course to my students
and my readers.</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The deadline for February’s
99-word story submissions is February <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>1, 2017. The stories will appear on my blog post for February
11, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature is a game, not a
contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may edit the story to
make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to my editing
willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99 words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer, per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a story. That means it needs plot
(something or somebody has to change), characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the first of the month. Stories will appear
on this blog the second Saturday of the month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the story. The author of the story
retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7. Email me your story
(in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS MONTH’S PROMPT FOR
NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Write a story inspired by the following
sentence (in honor of Valentine’s Day): <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
Can’t Give You Anything But Love.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest author the third Saturday (and week
following) of each month. If you’re interested in posting an essay on my
blog—it’s also a chance to promote a published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting. Please drop by next week! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-59919760351180272102016-12-24T03:00:00.000-08:002016-12-24T03:00:13.365-08:00Season's Greetings!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">John and Susan Daniel are away for the holidays.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">John's blog, The Joy of Story, will resume January 7, 2017.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Here's wishing you Happy Holidays!</span></div>
john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-67054455526990678682016-12-17T03:00:00.000-08:002016-12-17T03:00:05.654-08:00FAMILY ROOTS AND TIES<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: 0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">THE JOY OF STORY</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M. Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">December 17, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Greetings, friends and fellow fans
of Story. This week we have a guest author, as we do the week following the
third Saturday of every month. Our guest this time, Marilyn London, has written
a multi-generational family saga. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It sounds like a
fascinating and highly entertaining story, with a blend of history and moral
themes supporting the novel’s structure. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I won’t tell you anything more about Marilyn’s novel, </span><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Percy’s Gold or The Trust Fund,
</span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">because she’s done a fine job of that in the guest essay that appears
below. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I’ve
never written a multi-generational family saga, so I won’t pretend to list all
that’s involved in the art. I can state the obvious: the novel needs to have
the essential ingredients of all stories, namely conflict, choice, and change.
I assume such a book must take a good deal of research, since the early
generations in the plot must have lived in the long ago. I have written a bit
of historical fiction, and I try my best to avoid anachronisms. I’ve also
written stories involving families, and I’ve noticed how important it is to
reveal family traits, and it’s sometimes good to pay attention to the relatives
who dare to escape their roots and traditions and make their own rules. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt;"><b>§§§<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Before I forget, I need to make this
important announcement: this is the last post of the month of December and it’s
also the last post for the year 2016. Susan and I will be in Las Vegas
celebrating Christmas with family. The blog will be up and running again
January 7, 2017.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Don’t forget<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>about the 99-word story feature. In
case you’re a new visitor, you’ll find rules of the game following our guest
speaker’s visit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
Roots and Treasures that Pass <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">from
Generation to Generation <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Marilyn
London<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Percy’s Gold or The Trust Fund</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span></i><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">is a multi-generational saga of
familial love, infidelity, and loyalty. The story explores how the consequences
of our actions transcend time. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMGk_jFs5stovqXRoQxJbcGGQZ_-SHCwImTmts_kIdLKz4XvB2QfxoFze124wms47m5ioKNQ6WAD1l4ttlYtcO9aHQHZKMdS9ls_BAi8q0vzl9PblVkxRZRCXNYtaV6ckLGtpBJTjGTk/s1600/final+Percy%2527s+gold+cover+9-28-16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOMGk_jFs5stovqXRoQxJbcGGQZ_-SHCwImTmts_kIdLKz4XvB2QfxoFze124wms47m5ioKNQ6WAD1l4ttlYtcO9aHQHZKMdS9ls_BAi8q0vzl9PblVkxRZRCXNYtaV6ckLGtpBJTjGTk/s320/final+Percy%2527s+gold+cover+9-28-16.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">In the late 1850s, Mamie loses
her husband on a whaling boat and enters a marriage of convenience with a
Virginia plantation owner in the hopes of keeping food on the table for her
sons, Percy and Sam. Aided by his brother and the underground railroad, Percy
runs from the encroaching Civil War and joins a wagon train headed west. He
survives the Indian Wars near Fort Laramie and falls in love with a runaway
slave. Their life on the prairie is arduous and Percy becomes disillusioned. He
steals gold from the railroad as it makes its way through the Black Hills. When
he dies, the stolen gold is passed to Sam and his descendants as a familial
trust fund. To inherit stolen gold, each must be trusted to keep the family
secret, and the gold changes the lives of everyone it touches. Sam’s daughter
has Alzheimer’s. She wills the gold to her grandson, Jason, but misplaces it
before she dies. Jason’s mother, Emma, knows nothing of the gold but
feels that something is missing in her relationship with her mother and is
surprised to learn that her son has inherited a trust fund. In the end, Emma
and Jason both find gold. The reader is left wondering if they will share their
discoveries with one another.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt; text-indent: 0.25in;">Several themes permeate the
story. The first theme deals with our choices about how to live our lives.
Percy did what others wished they would do, but never would because of real or
perceived dangers. He never lived vicariously. Sam, on the other hand,
benefited from happenstance, and an innate ability to let go and enjoy life’s
pleasures as they came.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The second theme is Percy’s
gold, which is both his father’s wedding band and the gold Percy stole from the
railroad. The only good that comes from the train heist is the reconstructed
family home on Long Island, a symbol of family loyalty and hope for the future.
Juxtaposed, the value of the ring is minute when compared to the monetary value
of the stolen gold. However, the love passed on with the ring exemplifies the
trust and caring that bonds family members whose actions transcend time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Emma’s quest for acceptance is
the third theme. She struggles to attain her aging mother’s love while caring
for her. This theme also touches on researching ancestry and discovering how
our lives fit into the larger scheme of history.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The fourth theme is derived
from the prayer recited by Red Cloud as he absorbs the true meaning of a wagon
train massacre carried out in retribution for the destruction of innocent lives
at Sand Creek. The prayer recognizes the fleeting nature of human life and the
transcendent power of nature, goodness and human action. As a metaphor, the
reader notes that Percy will be gone, but the stolen gold will have lasting
effects.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">When my parents could no longer
live in their home, it fell to me to prepare their house for sale. I began this
book as I reflected on my childhood. I found that the memories of my family’s
unique sense of humor, love for American history, and strong religious morals
far out-valued any objects my parents left behind. The characters in my story
bring my memories to life in a creative way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I self-published <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Percy’s Gold or The Trust Fund</i> as an ebook
on Amazon recently, and it will soon be available in paperback. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdifXk9pfEDYZ9kxqkxPE7IRL3DqtE3FO-Rv8buMX7Wq_vyfpkGg_j8zs3ewYgkuUHmAUNFLqlcSPd2m9Wt_xBatfNBvnsBbYB42lquKH97La-GWDMDV5yq0WdIgnhyphenhyphene6iPVgUJAtWcGg/s1600/london+mug+shot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdifXk9pfEDYZ9kxqkxPE7IRL3DqtE3FO-Rv8buMX7Wq_vyfpkGg_j8zs3ewYgkuUHmAUNFLqlcSPd2m9Wt_xBatfNBvnsBbYB42lquKH97La-GWDMDV5yq0WdIgnhyphenhyphene6iPVgUJAtWcGg/s320/london+mug+shot.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Marilyn London</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> is new to the
creative writing field but not new to creative arts. For more than twenty
years, she was a classical musician-teacher-performer before changing careers.
For the next twenty years, she was an administrator and assistant dean at a
medical school, where she currently volunteers to facilitate small groups of
medical students in discussions about ethics and professionalism. She also
teaches online courses part-time. As a retiree, she is participating in local
organizations to hone her creative writing skills. Besides holding Masters
degrees in piano performance and cultural anthropology, she has a Doctor of
Education in Creative Arts in Education. Her novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Percy’s Gold or The Trust Fund</i>,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=699981774111452762" name="_GoBack"></a> is now
available on Amazon.com as an ebook. It soon will be available in paperback.
Marilyn lives on Long Island, New York with her husband and two dogs, Cole and
Mirabelle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/PercyandSam/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel">https://www.facebook.com/PercyandSam/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Twitter: </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">@marilynlondon22</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Buy the book on
Amazon.com: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Percys-Gold-Trust-Marilyn-London-ebook/dp/B01LBPLPJW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1480340076&sr=1-1&keywords=Percy%27s+gold">Percy’s
Gold or the Trust Fund</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Percys-Gold-Trust-Marilyn-London-ebook/dp/B01LBPLPJW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1480340076&sr=1-1&keywords=Percy%27s+gold">https://www.amazon.com/Percys-Gold-Trust-Marilyn-London-ebook/dp/B01LBPLPJW/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1480340076&sr=1-1&keywords=Percy%27s+gold</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="text-indent: 0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§</span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
deadline for January’s 99-word story submissions is January 1, 2017. The
stories will appear on my blog post for January<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>14, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Write a story
inspired by the following sentence: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
took a trip on a train.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next year! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-57848495008911938402016-12-10T03:00:00.000-08:002016-12-10T03:00:29.299-08:00A FINE ROMANCE<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THE
JOY OF STORY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John
M. Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">December 12, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The prompt I issued for this month’s
99-word stories was “A fine romance this turned out to be.” I was inspired by
the 1936 Jerome Kern song “A Fine Romance,” with its ironic lyric by Dorothy
Fields. It was written for the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers film <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Swing Time, </i>which, of course, features a
pair of likable and witty would-be partners, who love each other but, as
charming as they both are and how well they dance together, they can’t seem to
get their romance off the ground. The reason for this problem is that they
don’t communicate. They don’t cut through all the baloney and say the risky
words “I love you.” (It’s the same with all the Fred and Ginger movies. It
drives Susan bats. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Why don’t they just
talk to each other?”</i>)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Fred’s sad secret is that he’s on
the verge of financial success. That’s a problem? Yes, because Fred used to be
in love with a girl back home, and he promised the girl’s father that he would
go to New York and earn $25,000, and the father promised that if Fred did that
he could marry the girl. Once Fred got to New York, met Ginger, and the two of
them became dancing stars in danger of getting rich, Fred fell out of love with
the girl back home. Dumb plot? Of course it’s a dumb plot. It’s the fare we
expect from a Fred-and-Ginger flick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">So Ginger, who doesn’t know why her
dancing partner doesn’t cozy up with her and help her stay warm when it’s clear
the two of them are made for each other, sings the angry song “A fine romance.”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Dorothy Fields was a brilliantly
witty lyricist. Just look at the irony packed into the lines that precede and
rhyme with the recurring line “This is a fine romance”:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You’re just as hard to land as the
Île de France,”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I’ve never mussed the crease in
your blue serge pants,”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I might as well play bridge with my
old maid aunts,”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">and “You never gave the orchids I sent
a glance…no, you like cactus plants!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Unnecessary spoiler alert: Fred and
Ginger survive and all ends happily for everyone, including the girl back home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">The important message for those of
us who write love stories is: something’s got to be wrong, in order for the
story to work. Romance is hard work. A romantic plot is only as strong as the
obstacles the lovers must overcome. Furthermore, a lot of stories built of
romance and troublesome love <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">don’t</i> end
happily, and that’s okay too. Romeo and Juliet didn’t have a chance, but they
are unforgettable for their troubled romance.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">THIS
IS A FINE ROMANCE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">a collection of 99-word love stories<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">THE ARRANGEMENT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">by Cathy
Mayrides<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Anastasia grew
up in Mani, Greece. Her older brother left, established himself in the United
States, and sent for her when she entered her twenties. He found a hard-working
Greek man in New York to marry her. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She arrived in
New York in 1911 and lived with a relative. She had never met the groom, and
glimpsed him during the ceremony. She liked what she saw. It turned out to be a
fine romance. Anastasia’s seriousness complemented Paul’s love of fun. Twenty
years later, with seven children between nineteen and six, Paul passed away. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Anastasia never
stopped loving him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">A FINE ROMANCE
THIS TURNED OUT TO BE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">by Tom Donovan<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We sat on the reef, fins flowing in the
clear blue waters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Another hour and the sun would be below
the horizon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Turning to me she asked where the others
and the dive boat were.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The macho male said not to worry, a few
minutes and we’ll be sipping rum.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun set, the water became cold,
unseen things bumped against us in the dark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rising water as the tide came in.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fear, clammy flesh pressing against each
other for warmth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sunrise, a boat, her final words to me
ever were, a fine romance this turned out to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">DO YOU WANT FRIES WITH THAT?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">by Jerry Giammatteo<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Ginny didn’t anticipate spending the anniversary of their first date at
McDonald’s.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“A fine romance this turned out to be,” she said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Let’s just order,” Raymond said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">She ordered a chicken sandwich. When she got to the table she had a
strange feeling. Why is everybody looking at us? She opened the box, picked up
her sandwich, took a bite and her eyes bugged out. A diamond engagement ring
was underneath.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Well?” Raymond said, grinning widely.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“Of course,” she stammered, and the restaurant applauded.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">“A fine romance this turned out to be,” she repeated in a completely
different tone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">SIRI TRUMPS LOVE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">by Marilyn London<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Ken held his iPhone close to his lips as he
whispered, “Hey Siri, my love.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">“What is it now?” Siri said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">“Tell me this week’s lottery numbers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">“I’m just a phone, lover. Get a life.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">“Please, Siri. I can’t afford to pay for a smart
phone if you’re not smart.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">“Okay. 02-44-35-61-56-7. Good luck.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">Ken couldn’t believe his good fortune. He went
and bought a lotto ticket.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">On Thursday morning, Ken was texting all his
friends. “OMG! I won! I won!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">“No, Ken,” Siri said. “I won. Please pay your
bill.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">A fine romance this turned out to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">BLACK ANGELA/BLACK ANGEL<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">by T.J. Thomas</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some good-old-boy Vandy’67 football
teammates kept bringing her up during jock-dorm bull-session debates. They thought
she was gorgeous, with a beautiful face and a fabulous figure. But she
infuriated them: sashaying around campus in tight pants; hiding behind dark
sunglasses; never saying hello; never acknowledging them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>More than once they whistled and
hollered, “Hey, Gorgeous. Come over here. Come talk to us.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d say something like, “She’s probably
just real frightened by a bunch of big hairy white guys flirting with her.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They’d hoot me down for that and taunt: “Typical
Yankee. Always siding with the ‘poor, downtrodden Negro.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">LOVE FROM AFAR<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">by June Kosier<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I fell in love
with him forty-five years ago. I never told him. He was young. I was young. He
was married. I was not.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The romance is
beautiful, perfect. We never argue. We never have disappointments. We never
yell at each other causing hurt feelings. We are never late to meet. We don’t
forget birthdays or anniversaries. It is all like a dream. A fairy tale without
a sad ending. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I still love
him. He still does not know. He is older now and so am I. He is divorced. I am
married.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">It is what it
is.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">DROOL WILL KILL
A MARRIAGE EVERY TIME<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">by Christine
Viscuso<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Never thought this could happen.” Mordy
Plotnik stuffed his underwear into his gym bag. “I love cats; you love dogs. So
we have five dogs. Your clothes take up all our closets, relegating mine to the
attic. You don’t clean; your cooking stinks. You snore. And you got us a
hundred thou in debt. Why I loved you, I’ll never know.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mordy faced his wife. “The final straw
was when you took the Saint Bernard for a ride in my 1986 Mercedes 560 and the
animal drooled all over. A fine romance this turned out to be. Goodbye Isabel.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="" name="OLE_LINK1"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">THE INNKEEPER AND THE THERAPIST <o:p></o:p></span></a></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">by R. J. Wilbur<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">The morning after, he walked
her to her car.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">“Moonlight became you last
night,” he said, as they passed the mineral baths.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">“You weren’t looking at the
moonlight.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">“I was! The moonbeams dancing
on your body.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">“What do I do for a living?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">“How would I know?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">“I told you last night.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">“I guess I wasn’t listening.
You were too beautiful.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“What a meaningless one-night stand.” <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">“I’m sorry,” he said, when
they reached her car.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">“Don’t be. I had a good time.
Goodbye.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">“Will I see you again?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="mso-bookmark: OLE_LINK1;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">“I said goodbye. I also said
one-night stand. Learn to listen.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-bidi-font-size: 24.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">The
deadline for January’s 99-word story submissions is January 1, 2017. The
stories will appear on my blog post for January<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>14, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict. </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> Write a story
inspired by the following sentence: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
took a trip on a train.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-20370930447530877292016-12-03T03:00:00.000-08:002016-12-03T03:00:02.905-08:00HE MADE ME WANT TO BE A WRITER<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE
JOY OF STORY</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John
M. Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">December 3, 2016<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This week’s blog post is a retread,
I confess. I originally wrote the piece for this blog, and I’ve published it
more than once, in this blog and also in print. The reason I’m running it yet
again is that I have just finished rereading, for the…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hell, I don’t remember how many times I’ve read it and
reread it. It’s a novel titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">High
Water,</i> written by Richard Bissell and published by Atlantic Monthly Press/Little
Brown in 1954. Having just finished the novel, I can’t think of a better
example of joyful story-telling. By which I don’t mean light and fluffy
feel-good prose, because the story contains a lot of danger and death. I mean
you’ll find acres of joy in Bissell’s fine style. He loves the human voice, and
his dialogue is straight out of the mouths of real working-class people.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Anyway, you may have seen this
article before, in which case you’re excused from class, but I hope you’ll
stick around and give it another read. Consider it an early Christmas present. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">HIS
STRETCH ON THE RIVER<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">An Appreciation of Richard Bissell<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I learned three-quarters of what I know about writing from reading
Richard Bissell, God bless him. —Elmore Leonard<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Everyone who calls
himself or herself a writer is asked from time to time, “Who is your favorite
writer?” The writer may be prepared for this interview question and answer the
same way every time, but the truth is more likely less monogamous. The position
of favorite writer may change from year to year, from mood to mood, from book
to book. Perhaps a more insightful question, with a more constant answer, would
be: “Which writer first made you want to be a writer yourself?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I confess that like
many teenage would-be writers of the 1950s, I imitated Salinger shamelessly. I
also gobbled up Robert Nathan, laughed out loud at Patrick Dennis and Max
Shulman, and was dazzled by Truman Capote. But from the moment I first read
him, the writer who turned me on the most, the one who made writing seem not
only worthwhile, but fun, was Richard Bissell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Bissell entered my life
by accident. When I was thirteen my older brother gave me the Broadway cast
recording of a musical called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Pajama
Game</i> for Christmas. It was a mistake. That was supposed to go to my Uncle
Hob, who was a huge fan of musical theater. I was supposed to get an EP record
of the Four Freshmen. By the time the mix-up got sorted out, I had listened to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Pajama Game </i>a hundred or so times
and had memorized all the songs, so they were going in my head nonstop whenever
they weren’t filling the house at top volume from the hi-fi.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The brilliant movie of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Pajama Game</i> came out a couple of
years later, and I saw it more than once. This is not a movie review, so I’ll
skip to the point, which is that even at the age of fifteen, I knew I was
hearing a crackerjack screenplay, by George Abbot and Richard Bissell. I was
hooked on this story of blue-collar workers in small-town Iowa, and I resolved
to read <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">7-1/2¢,</i> the 1953 novel on
which the stage play and movie were based. I bought a paperback copy (the title
on that edition, for copyright or commercial reasons, had been changed to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pajama</i>), and I read it—twice. Forget
Salinger, this was a true-to-life story about genuine people, laced with
important issues (labor relations), sex (Sid and Babe do it, and enjoy doing
it), perfect-pitch dialogue, and laugh-out-loud humor. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>That began my devotion
to a writer who influences and delights me to this day. I bought and read all
his books. I still reread his novels every few years, refinding them as fresh,
honest, funny, and original as they were the day they were printed, even though
his “newest” novel is now forty-five years old. I made drive-by pilgrimages to
his homes in Rowayton, Connecticut and Dubuque, Iowa, too shy to ring his
doorbells. I sent him a fan letter after I graduated from college and had
decided, largely thanks to him, to become a writer; but his reply chased me all
over Europe until it got left behind in an American Express in Madrid when I
decided to go to Greece instead, so my hoped-for literary correspondence died
at birth. Over the years I bought multiple copies of his novels in used
bookstores and gave them away to writers and readers I considered worthy of
such gems. Those novels never show up in used bookstores anymore. Maybe because
I bought them all. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I wish I had met
Richard Bissell. I wish I had bought him a drink at his favorite bar in
Dubuque. I wish I could have thanked him. The best I could do was to dedicate
my first published novel to him, by which time he was dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Richard Pike Bissell
was born June 27, 1913, in Dubuque, Iowa. He was the second son in a prominent,
wealthy family. His grandfather had made a fortune in the garment business,
manufacturing shirts and pajamas. Young Dick Bissell went to Phillips Exeter
Academy, where he met his future wife, Marian (whom he calls “Frankie” in his
books). He then went on to Harvard, where he majored in anthropology and took
classes from sociologist Pitrim Sorokin (he named the hero of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">7-1/2¢</i> Sid Sorokin, in honor of this
favorite teacher). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After college he became
an ordinary seaman, then worked as a deck hand on riverboats on the
Mississippi, Ohio, and Monongahela Rivers. Eventually he earned a pilot’s license
on the Upper Mississippi, the first writer since Mark Twain to have that
distinction. His novels <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Stretch on the
River</i> (1950) and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">High Water</i>
(1954) draw from his experiences working on tugs and barges on the Mississippi.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Stretch on the River </i>is the story of Bill Joyce, the second son
in a wealthy family, who decides to forsake high society and sign on as a
deckhand on a Diesel towboat called the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Inland
Coal. </i>He finds himself keeping company with hard-working, hard-drinking,
fast-talking, loud-laughing rowdies, not to mention lady friends in port towns
up and down the river. Bissell’s ear for dialogue is brilliant, funny, and
true. He does clearly like the work and the working life of the working
class—this is his own experience he’s writing about, after all—but he doesn’t
romanticize it or downplay the difficulty or the danger. One remarkable chapter
is about the drowning death of a deckhand named Shorty, told almost entirely by
Shorty himself in one long paragraph that goes on for six pages. That may sound
gimmicky, but it’s not. Wallace Stegner included this chapter as a standalone
story in his anthology <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Great American
Short Stories.</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>It was in this first
novel that Bissell introduced his fascination for dark-haired, tough-talking
women (or girls, as he was allowed to call them). The woman’s name is Merle in
this novel. In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">High Water </i>she’s Marie
Chouteau, a flood victim who has lost everything in the disaster, including,
literally, the shirt off her back. In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goodbye,
Ava,</i> she’s Jeri Valentine, a would-be country-western singer-songwriter. In
Bissell’s dreams, the dark lady is Ava Gardner, who haunts his books. As he
says in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Say Darling, </i>“I would never
stand in line ten minutes, not even to see Ava Garner in the raw (P.S. I take
that back).”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Not all of Bissell’s
work experience came from the river. He also worked in the family clothing
business, which he called the Sleep Tite Pajama Factory in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">7-1/2¢.</i> That novel, his second (and his third book) brought him
fame and fortune in the form of the Broadway musical <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Pajama Game</i>, for which Bissell co-wrote the script.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>The musical in turn formed the basis of
his fourth novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Say Darling </i>(1957),<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>an affectionate but stinging satire of
the New York show business scene, as seen by a Midwestern hick brought in to
convert a novel into a musical. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Say
Darling</i> itself became a musical, and once again Bissell co-wrote the
script. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>His next novel, and for
my money his best, was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goodbye, Ava</i>
(1960), set back in Dubuque (called Blue Rock in the book) and back on the river,
this time not on a tugboat but on a houseboat. By this time, Dick and Marian
Bissell were living in a houseboat on the Mississippi, docked at the harbor of
his home town. In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goodbye, Ava </i>Bissell
is at the top of his form, focusing more on the people than on the dangers of
life on the river. Here is a quote thrown into the middle of the novel, spoken
by a character who has no other role in the book than to deliver these choice
words:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“‘They is just a hell
of a difference,’ old Captain Windy Taylor used to say, ‘between listening to
that there so-called news all day long on the radio and reading it all written
down nice in a newspaper. With a newspaper you can get right into them details.
Them details is what counts. Now you take and suppose some onnery bastard takes
and kills his old lady for example. Now that’s just exactly what they will tell
you on the radio that he done. But god damn it less have some details. Now
there’s where your newspaper comes in at. Old newspaper he will tell you just
exactly how the old boy done it, and if he bashed her in with a shovel by God
old newspaper he will tell you the brand name of the shovel. You can just give
me a newspaper every time.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>While Bissell was
writing fiction, he also contributed travel articles to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Holiday</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Venture, </i>many
of which were compiled into a humorous nonfiction book called <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How Many Miles to Galena </i>(1968), about
travels, mainly with his family (he and Marian had four children: Thomas,
Anastasia, Nathaniel, and Samuel) around the U.S.A. Travel was also at the
center of his final novel, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Still Circling
Moosejaw </i>(1965), a take-off on big business and international relations,
with a caper that takes off running from New York to Castro’s Cuba to the Upper
Amazon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>In addition to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">How Many Miles to Galena,</i> Bissell also
wrote four other nonfiction books: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Monongahela</i> (1952) which he wrote for the Rivers of America Series; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">You Can Always Tell a Harvard Man </i>(1962),
a light-hearted history of his alma mater; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Julia
Harrington</i> (1969),<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>a visual
hodgepodge scrapbook of Midwestern Victoriana; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">My Life on the Mississippi, Or Why I Am Not Mark Twain</i> (1973),<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>a memoir of growing up on the river;
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">New Light on 1776 and All That</i>
(1975),<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>a comic revisionist history
of the American Revolution.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Richard Bissell holds
up well as a travel writer and a writer of comedic nonfiction, but his best
work is his fiction. And his best fiction is found in his four Midwestern
novels, be they on the Mississippi River or in the town he calls Junction City
in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">7-1/2¢</i> and Blue Rock in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Goodbye, Ava.</i> Both towns are thinly
disguised versions of Dubuque, where Richard Bissell was born, where he lived
most of his life, and where he died on May 4, 1977. His tombstone, which he
shares with Marian, is a giant granite slab with a map of the Upper Mississippi
carved into it from top to bottom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>No grander epitaph is
necessary, but if there were room, it would be good to see, etched into the
granite, this passage from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Monongahela:</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“To have a river in
your blood, you have to work on her for wages.…Oh, they’re not all bold and
reckless adventurers. A heap of them are as dumb and drab and spiritless as can
be, but in the main they want to go places and do big things out under the sky.
And when the whistle blows and they have to get out and make a lock they cuss
and moan and claim they’re gonna quit. But mostly they stay. That’s the way it
always was on the river, and the way it always will be, until the Monongahela
and the Youghiogheny and the Tygart and the West Branch run dry, and the last
steamboat whistle has echoed back off the hills, filling the valleys with that
mournful music that haunts you wherever you go.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
deadline for January’s 99-word story submissions is January 1, 2017. The stories
will appear on my blog post for January<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>14, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Write a story
inspired by the following sentence: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
took a trip on a train.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html"><span style="color: windowtext; font-size: x-small;">http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html</span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-43086123050184642192016-11-26T03:00:00.000-08:002016-11-26T03:00:16.392-08:00Elegy for Dick Henry: A Bookstore Memory<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 17.0pt;">THE JOY OF STORY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John
M. Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">November
26, 2016<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Sometime in the
mid-nineteen-seventies, while I was working at Kepler’s Books in Menlo Park,
California, I received a letter from a writer named Ray Russell. I barely knew
Ray Russell; I had never met him in person but had swapped a couple of letters
with him in the mid-sixties. At that time I was working for the Stanford
Bookstore, having recently finished writing my first novel, titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oil All Over Your Address. </i>The novel was
even worse than the title, and I’m grateful that it never got published. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">But back when I was working at the
Stanford Bookstore I thought it was pretty good. I showed it to my supervisor,
a man named Dick Henry, who had been a sales rep for the University of Chicago
Press before becoming the manager of the Paperback Department of the Stanford
Bookstore. Dick was a witty, cheerful, and well-read man, perhaps forty years
old. He read my manuscript and said he liked it. Perhaps he was just being kind
to me, but he offered to send it to a friend of his in Los Angeles, a man named
Ray Russell, who had been the first fiction editor for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Playboy</i> magazine. I gratefully gave Dick permission to do so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Mr. Russell wrote to me saying a
novel made up of stitched-together short stories was terribly difficult to
sell, and he wished me luck. However there was one of the stories he
particularly liked, and he offered to send it to Robie Macauley, who was then
the fiction editor of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Playboy.</i> Mr.
Macauley wrote me a polite rejection note, and that was the end of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that. I never expected to hear from
Robie Macauley again, and I didn’t. I never expected to hear from Ray Russell
again, but I did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Fortunately, I still paid rent on
the P.O. box I’d rented on the Stanford campus, so Ray was able to reach me. He
wrote to inquire if I knew how he could get in touch with Dick Henry. For some
reason he’d lost touch with his old friend. Dick seemed to have vanished.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Unfortunately I did know what had
happened to Dick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I worked for the Stanford Bookstore
for two years, as a clerk in the General Books Department and then as assistant
manager of the Textbook Department. When I left the store in the fall of 1967,
Dick Henry was still manager of the Paperback Department, but was nervous about
his future. There were rumors that the store was going to be bought by a
company that owned a number of college bookstores, and the new owners planned
to keep some of the existing staff, but not all. Dick was already hunting for
another bookstore job. It seemed the new owners were connected to the Mormon
Church in some way I never understood. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Dick feared for his job. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Why? Well, he never told me exactly
why, but he did tell me that when he interviewed at a nearby junior college
bookstore for an available managerial job, he was given a tough interview. “They
asked me why I wasn’t married,” he said with a quivering mouth.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">That was the first time it dawned on
me that my friend—because by that time my wife and I were both good friends
with Dick—was homosexual. It’s not that he hid his sexual orientation exactly,
but in those days most gay men weren’t “out,” and I had no knack for or
interest in spotting homosexuals. Karen and I had noticed a few eccentric
quirks, such as Dick’s love of Siamese cats and his sorrow that he wasn’t
allowed to have pets in his tony bachelor apartment, the fine art prints and
elegant furniture in his apartment, a sly chuckle at slightly risqué jokes, a
fascination with antique Japanese ivory figurines called netsukes, and a
girlfriend in San Francisco who turned out to be a rich elderly lady who
collected netsukes. But we just considered Dick Henry nutty and nice. He was
outrageously open about his politics: he was a royalist, and he believed the
epitome of human social order occurred in France during the reign of Louis XIV.
He once gave me a favorite rock from his garden, the size of a lumpy tennis
ball, a treasure I’ve kept near me in all the places I’ve lived. Here it is,
right now, next to my computer. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The only reason for mentioning Dick’s
homosexuality is to speculate why he was not kept on the staff of the Stanford
Bookstore when the Mormons took over, and why he had a hard time finding
another job. I can’t imagine why a gay man couldn’t find work in retail books;
perhaps he had no references from his former employers, who had as much as
fired him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Or perhaps the booksellers he
interviewed smelled alcohol on his breath. Dick did like to drink. He was
always sober at work, when I worked with him, but when we had him over for
dinner, he always brought wine and always drank most of it. And now that he
wasn’t working, his cocktail hour possibly started early in the afternoon, or
earlier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As time went by he could no longer
afford his apartment, and he moved into a cheesy motel, where he earned free
rent by managing the place at night. In the daylight, he hunted for work.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Time passed and things changed in my
life, too. I split up with Karen, learned to write a little better, and started
living with Autumn. I began working as a part-time clerk in Kepler’s Bookstore,
where over the course of seven years I got to know the book business well, and
I knew a lot of the personnel at other local bookstores. I saw Dick Henry
occasionally, at a cheap Chinese restaurant, or at a lunch counter, but mostly
when he’d come call on me at Kepler’s. He was still looking for work, and
always hoping I’d be able to get him a job at Kepler’s, or<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’d know of an opening at one of the
other stores around Palo Alto.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He looked terrible. His face
trembled, his hands shook, his eyes wouldn’t hold still, and his attempt at
merry laughter was enough to haunt me for the rest of the day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Twice he borrowed five bucks from
me. I assume he paid me back. If not, I don’t remember and don’t care; I would
have given him five bucks, but that might have been more than what was left of
his pride could handle.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I finally found Dick a job as a
store snoop at B. Dalton’s, where he was supposed to prowl the aisles and spot
shoplifters and take them back to the office to meet the manager. He didn’t
last at that job. He told me it hurt him too much to work in a bookstore and
not be allowed to handle the merchandise. My guess is that he was fired. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">That was the last I saw of Dick
Henry. A few months later I was notified by the Stanford Hospital that he had
died in their rehab building. Apparently he had given them my name as the
person to contact in case of emergency. The message came to me care of Kepler’s
Books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">So I did have something to tell his
old friend from their Chicago days, when I wrote back to him. I told Ray
Russell approximately what I’ve just related in this article, and Ray responded
that he wasn’t surprised. Dick, dear Dick Henry, had always been fragile. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ray went on to ask if I knew whether
or not Dick had committed suicide. It didn’t matter to Ray himself, but his
wife, Ada, was a devout Catholic and needed to know how to pray for Dick Henry’s
immortal soul.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Unaccustomed as I was with praying,
and unacquainted as I was with God, I supposed and still expect God would
welcome Dick to heaven and find him a job in retail book sales, a job that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">required</i> him to handle the merchandise.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Note: This tribute was first published in Black Lamb.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
deadline for December’s 99-word story submissions is December 1. The stories
will appear on my blog post for December 10, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Write a story
inspired by the following sentence: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A
fine romance this turned out to be.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-87637787092449347462016-11-19T03:00:00.000-08:002016-11-19T05:58:48.246-08:00A PICTURE OR A THOUSAND WORDS?<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">THE JOY
OF STORY</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M.
Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">November
19, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6AKNULMfpTttVBmwayaTvubYu1pDMxv0W2dVOZ5uJXX_b3w00ZPSwvLp7USy2w74omkbtyrjue-CtpZxY0XwVZwhyphenhyphenP_q0b-vBNM5p76eIdPj80kjI0wr2LpcqEqmFpq0axIngUrRCbQE/s1600/john+teaching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6AKNULMfpTttVBmwayaTvubYu1pDMxv0W2dVOZ5uJXX_b3w00ZPSwvLp7USy2w74omkbtyrjue-CtpZxY0XwVZwhyphenhyphenP_q0b-vBNM5p76eIdPj80kjI0wr2LpcqEqmFpq0axIngUrRCbQE/s1600/john+teaching.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">One of the reasons we writers
write is to teach, or even preach, in order to sell a point we want our readers
to learn and agree with. But how do we get readers to sit still and pay
attention to a lecture or a sermon? Especially in the modern age of sensory
overload, the last thing we want to inspire is a snore. We want our readers to
ask for more, or at least to pay attention. How do we do that? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We entertain. We
illustrate the points we want to make. An illustration can come in the form of
a visual image, or it can be made with a story full of enchanting language and
attention-grabbing hooks. We once again slide into home plate by showing, not
telling. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It’s been said that a
picture is worth a thousand words. I don’t know who did the math on that one,
but it stands to reason, then, that a picture <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">plus</i> a thousand-word story is a bargain, a two-fer. There’s no
reason one form of illustration has to be “worth” more than the other,
especially when we can have both.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">That’s a point I want to
sell to you. So far, I’ve done a pretty lame job by my own standards, because I
haven’t illustrated my point with an entertaining story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Please welcome John McKinney,
a.k.a. The Trailmaster, who comes to my rescue, bringing a delightful story of
how graphic art and a well-told tale work together. And play together. John is
the author of more than thirty books on hiking—where to find the best trails,
and how best to enjoy them—and he was for years the hiking columnist for the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Los Angeles Times.</i> He’s a spellbinding
tale-teller, who also is inspired by graphic art. I’m not going to tell you
about that. I’ll let John McKinney show you. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">EVERY ICON TELLS A STORY<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by
John McKinney<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-variant: small-caps;"><br />
</span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Every icon tells a
story.…”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">So begins my
new book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hiking the Holy Mountain: Tales
of Monks and Miracles on the Trails of Mount Athos, Greece.</i> Icons play a
major role in the true story of an accidental pilgrimage I made back in time
and faith to monasteries perched on a remote peninsula in Greece where no woman
has set foot in a thousand years. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincJrdmCdoERqyq7LtPDbAQc-Mjp8Ys8jATab1ItNJu29-r1JGZ4IbpX42iWe5N54jR7iSHMSKIoVFYDSQMoOs5_o2K7iaQ4v2antgY53-3wwgsP2thKKviIaMb6ZtuMVU1IFeQmIUrGc/s1600/Hiking+the+Holy+Mountain+front+cover+low+res.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEincJrdmCdoERqyq7LtPDbAQc-Mjp8Ys8jATab1ItNJu29-r1JGZ4IbpX42iWe5N54jR7iSHMSKIoVFYDSQMoOs5_o2K7iaQ4v2antgY53-3wwgsP2thKKviIaMb6ZtuMVU1IFeQmIUrGc/s320/Hiking+the+Holy+Mountain+front+cover+low+res.jpeg" width="206" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">My story begins
at the annual St. Barbara Day (December 4) ceremony at St. Barbara Greek
Orthodox Church in Santa Barbara California. After an hour or so of a special
liturgy, with prayers and chanting as old as Byzantium, all of a sudden—and
unaccountably—light shines through the east window of the church and
illuminates the icon of St. Barbara. Only on St. Barbara Day, and only for a
few moments, does the icon of St. Barbara receive such light.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As the story
goes, bright and beautiful Barbara was locked in a tower by her father
Dioscorus, who demanded she renounce her faith. When Barbara refused, he
beheaded his daughter on the fourth day of December, 280 <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">a.d.</span> Not long thereafter Dioscorus was
struck by lightning; his body ignited like a Roman candle and he was engulfed
in flames.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">When my son
Daniel was a little guy, I explained that icons are paintings that tell the
story of Christian faith through events that really happened and people who
really lived. At the same time, icons are not painted in a realistic style—the
people have flat faces, and the backgrounds are two-dimensional, shadowless.
But this symbolic, unrealistic style appeals to kids, and my son liked looking
at pictures of icons while I told him tales of the holy men and women they
depicted.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Because the
stilted accounts of the holy men and women available to me had scant
biographical detail, I confess I embellished the stories of the saints and took
certain artistic liberties to be sure they captured my child’s attention. Like
many parents, I’ve found I can be more effective at enlightening kids if I’m at
least a little entertaining.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">These days when
we think of icons we nearly always think of those little colored symbols on our
digital devices. The most recognizable icons of our ages? Perhaps the iTunes
icon or Facebook icon. Surely, nearly everyone, even the most devout Christians
among us, think of icons in terms of apps, not apostles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I didn’t spend
much time thinking about icons of the ancient kind either, until my friend
Spiro joined me on an odyssey to Mt. Athos. Truly we were the hiking odd
couple: Spiro was a tenderfoot, and I the expert hiker. Spiro was devout and
fluent in Greek, while my faith was shaky and my Greek was terrible. Spiro
believed in the wonder-working powers of the saint and icons, while I was a
skeptic who doubted all miracles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">That is until I
encountered an icon, a monk, and a miracle that led to the adoption of my son.
Quite a story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">One monk I met
on the Holy Mountain was a leading iconographer, who explained that he and his
fellow iconographers did not paint icons, they wrote them. In Greek, an <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ikonographos</i> is an icon writer. When the
wise monk learned I was writer, he suggested: “Perhaps you’ll write a story of
the icons some day.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He was right.
That’s exactly what I have done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><b>John McKinney</b> is the author of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Hiker’s Way</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hiking on the Edge</i>, and a passionate
advocate for hiking and our need to reconnect with nature. He lives and writes
in Santa Barbara, California. <a href="http://www.thetrailmaster.com/">http://www.thetrailmaster.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Buy
links for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Hiking the Holy Mountain:<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://trailmasterstore.com/"><span style="color: #386eff; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">TrailmasterStore.com</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://trailmasterstore.com/hiking-the-holy-mountain/"><span style="color: #386eff; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">http://trailmasterstore.com/hiking-the-holy-mountain/</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Amazon: </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Holy-Mountain-Miracles-Trails/dp/0934161682"><span style="color: #386eff; mso-bidi-font-family: Palatino; mso-bidi-font-size: 18.0pt;">https://www.amazon.com/Hiking-Holy-Mountain-Miracles-Trails/dp/0934161682</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
deadline for December’s 99-word story submissions is December 1. The stories
will appear on my blog post for December 10, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Write a story
inspired by the following sentence: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A
fine romance this turned out to be.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-29341418302157325342016-11-12T03:00:00.000-08:002016-11-12T06:12:13.384-08:00LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 18.0pt;">THE JOY OF STORY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M.
Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">November
12, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvedEAFBv3CZmJDnvVT0CTeJvyqbQodCsHIGeMCm1sR8P1njS4DzxUgvNTV6SZBsFePQ9IKUwGXn5UD9IqhWP3gqhzn0a6Vd5nce9ftNoxWWu0ynYdX3_-TYFalmqibgHI95ftqWTJijc/s1600/john+teaching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvedEAFBv3CZmJDnvVT0CTeJvyqbQodCsHIGeMCm1sR8P1njS4DzxUgvNTV6SZBsFePQ9IKUwGXn5UD9IqhWP3gqhzn0a6Vd5nce9ftNoxWWu0ynYdX3_-TYFalmqibgHI95ftqWTJijc/s1600/john+teaching.jpg" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In every course I taught
or workshop I led about writing short fiction, I began by quoting Rust Hills’s
minimal definition of the short story: “A short story tells of something that
happened to somebody.” At least half the time when I turned back from the
blackboard, where I had written “Something happens to somebody,” I’d see at
least one hand in the air, sometimes more than one.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Yes?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“What about setting?
Scene? Shouldn’t it be ‘Something happens to somebody <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">somewhere’ </i>?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Good point. Because although
a tale doesn’t have to mention or describe the scenery to be a valid short
story, setting is nearly always a plus, and a good opportunity to incorporate
sights and smells and sounds, which always enrich the fiction. It’s called a
sense of place, and is highly esteemed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The nine 99-word stories
submitted during the month of October all deal with place. We read here about a
getaway car, a New York shopping mall, a Las Vegas casino, a Wall Street office
at night, a jail holding cell, wheat fields and a seacoast, a gay leather bar,
a family living room at Christmas, and the entire world as seen in a utopian
fantasy and then in its depressing reality.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It doesn’t take much to
describe the scenery; and given the restrictions of a full story in 99 words,
it’s sometimes best to keep the details to a minimum: a gangster’s gun, the
sound of slot machines, a smelly spittoon.… <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In any case, it’s good
to know the territory. Location is important. Think about it: if we weren’t
located somewhere, where would we be?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">NO
LONGER IN KANSAS<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">9 short short stories about here and
there<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-variant: small-caps;"><br />
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">PRETTY BOY
FLOYD<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Tom Donovan<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A car parked in
front of Union station in Kansas City.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Four lawmen
killed by Pretty Boy Floyd?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A postcard to
the law stating “I want it known that I did not participate in the massacre of
officers at Kansas City,” signed Charles Floyd.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Another bank
knocked over; <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=699981774111452762" name="_GoBack"></a>no one hurt; the hostages freed to go home.
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">A doll in the
speeding car, a pile of dough, cigars all around, and Pretty Boy Floyd waving a
gun.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The doll asks, “Where
the hell are we?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Pretty Boy Floyd says, “Not to worry. I
don’t think we're in Kansas anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THREE UPSTATE
HICKS IN THE BIG CITY<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by June Kosier<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I recently went to New York City with
friends, and it got hot so we decided to get some ice cream. We were told to go
to the food court in Brookfield Place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Brookfield Place was not like any mall I
had ever seen. The “Winter Garden Atrium” had sunken marble floors, palm trees,
and a choir whose singing made me feel like I was entering heaven. The upscale
stores included Hermes, </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Ferragamo,</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> and Diane </span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">von Furstenberg. Stores I had never heard of. No Yankee Candle or Claire’s
here.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span lang="EN" style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">One
friend exclaimed “Ladies, we are not in Kansas anymore!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">MGM GRAND<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Hannah Neil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Dorothy did as
she was directed: she held the dog, made a wish, and clicked her ruby heels.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">She woke up
fifty-five years later in the emerald lobby of the largest hotel in the world,
her ears ringing with the sound of money machines, her eyes assaulted by
cigarette smoke and a simulated cyclone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">She was told “We
don’t allow pets” and shown out the door. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">On the baking
pavement between a traffic jam and the deadly desert, she sighed. “Toto, I don’t
think we’re in Hollywood anymore. I wonder what kind of pills they gave us this
time?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0__F79NGFyogn6yfUviEbwz-KHAXBeFcUPF1WtT_0kEP0B5dsu6T7puagReBVEzcOgk_8kS2R8fMAfVRfdR44nXwlMhM-WqMWNeiNYZ_LnUJF_f9ko0FHaMCVwiQzqXcmVOzd0q163w/s1600/dorothy.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn0__F79NGFyogn6yfUviEbwz-KHAXBeFcUPF1WtT_0kEP0B5dsu6T7puagReBVEzcOgk_8kS2R8fMAfVRfdR44nXwlMhM-WqMWNeiNYZ_LnUJF_f9ko0FHaMCVwiQzqXcmVOzd0q163w/s1600/dorothy.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THE SCORE OF A LIFETIME<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Jerry Giammatteo<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">They had come a long way from the petty heists of their teenage years in
Topeka, Kansas. As Louie fingered the safe and Bones fidgeted, time seemed to
fly, yet stand still at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Now, thirty-nine floors above Wall Street, the anxiety was obvious and
the haul tantalizing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Damn, what’s taking you, Louie?” said Bones.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Shut the hell up. It’s almost done.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">There was a sudden click. “Got it,” said Louie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Bones held his breath as Louie swung open the door. They peered in and
gasped at the contents.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Bones, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">BILDUNGSROMAN<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by T. J. Thomas</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Cuffed, I sat on a bench near a young
black prisoner who turned to me and asked, “What you in for?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Right away, a big, burly, white CO
intervened. Wielding a black billy-club, he ordered “Quiet there, you two. Y’ll
have lots of time to chat later when you get t’where you goin’. You hear?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rapping his billy on the back of the
bench, he leaned forward and spat thick black chaw drool into a tarnished old
copper spittoon on the floor, near the door to a hallway that led to the
courthouse garage, and a waiting prison van.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">RAPID TRANSIT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Madelyn Lorber<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Toto and I were taking a walk, my legally required plastic
pick-up-poop bag in one hand, leash in the other. Suddenly the sky, known
hereabouts as sunflower blue, had darkened. The warning siren pierced our usual
wheat field quietude. I knew a conical cloud of fury and destruction was racing
our way. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">What I didn’t know: was the distance to our underground cellar
negotiable in time? I kicked off my new red rhinestone shoes and ran. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Minutes later, palm trees swayed, mountains loomed amid cool ocean
breezes. I whispered to Toto, “I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">NOT IN KANSAS
ANYMORE<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Ryan Matthews</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I walked
alongside parked motorcycles and bougainvillea, the dichotomy of a gay leather
bar, flowers and hogs. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Inside patrons
clad in chaps, bare chests, and nipple rings. The bartender was wearing a spandex
onesie and construction boots. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I’ll have
vodka on the rocks.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I watched the
go-go boy dancing above me gyrate his buttocks like liquid muscle. Men stuffed
his G-string with cash. Perched in a dark corner a hand grabbed my thigh, my
body stiffened, I’d been groped on <i>my first</i> visit to the club Ram Rod. I
had found the leather side of Oz.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I would
return! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THE UNDOING OF
DO-IT-YOURSELF<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">By Diane
Morelli<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">One of my
brother’s many talents is buying gifts. He always finds the best presents. Edgy
yet practical. Christmas 2004 was no exception. He placed the Roomba under
my parent’s tree. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“What the heck
are we supposed to do with this thing?” Mom asked. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Say goodbye to
aches and pains from pushing your heavy vacuum.” My brother turned the whirling
robot on. It devoured the stray garland and pine needles lodged in the carpet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">After the
demonstration, Dad scoffed, “What’s next? Cars that drive themselves?” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“In a decade or
two,” I said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We’re not in Kansas anymore,” Mom said.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">•••<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">OUT OF OZ<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by Christine
Viscuso<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Woke up to my
radio blasting that ISIS was defeated; the last homeless person was re-homed;
food banks overflowed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Hillary and
Donald shook hands and announced that, no matter who won, both parties would
work together for the good of the nation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Stepped outside
with my Lab-X, Dudley. The sky was azure; the birds were tweeting; the
temperature was balmy. A cat walked up to Dudley. Dudley kissed it!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The next
morning I woke up to two beheadings; more people out of work; Donald calling
Hillary “crooked.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I patted
Dudley. “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, old man.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
deadline for December’s 99-word story submissions is December 1. The stories
will appear on my blog post for December 10, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Write a story
inspired by the following sentence: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A fine
romance this turned out to be.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-81122918856042998632016-11-05T03:00:00.000-07:002016-11-05T03:00:30.544-07:00THE STORIES OF OUR LIVES<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="font-size: large;">THE JOY
OF STORY</span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;">John M.
Daniel’s Blog</span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">November
5, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnw3YYisDsngOk00A3ITt2Cw1HDexBl49gUzR7pp4Myj7wvroUAGZEP5HU8tkC2LWoIKanfVDGDee7pPvt__Dkhmr1KJDgpeUNujWmrTfhlw1vF2gayDtp3wLCIPoEISMRd9O9QeYqbOA/s1600/john+teaching.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnw3YYisDsngOk00A3ITt2Cw1HDexBl49gUzR7pp4Myj7wvroUAGZEP5HU8tkC2LWoIKanfVDGDee7pPvt__Dkhmr1KJDgpeUNujWmrTfhlw1vF2gayDtp3wLCIPoEISMRd9O9QeYqbOA/s1600/john+teaching.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Here it is November
already. Herman Melville gave November a bad rap when he coined the phrase “a
damp, drizzly dark November of my soul.” He considered (or at least Ishmael
considered) November the nadir of the year, a thirty-day bad trip. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I have always been fond
of November. It’s a month of beginnings for me, probably because my birthday is
in this month, and I’m grateful to say it always falls in the season of
gratitude. My birthday, November 22, is the earliest possible date for
Thanksgiving. I like having a day to be grateful I’m alive. A day to take stock
of myself and be pleased with what I have received so far.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Except for one birthday,
in 1963, when I learned more than I wanted to know about the dark November of
my soul. That was my 22<sup>nd</sup> birthday. Yes, I turned 22 on the 22<sup>nd</sup>,
and on that day I was put through a wringer of disbelief and denial that
festered into grief and dismay. That was the day President Kennedy was
murdered, and to add another angry and personal irony, it happened in my home
town.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">All Americans who
remember that event—and that includes anyone not too young to be aware of what
happened that day and not too old to remember much of anything—can tell you
exactly where they were and what they were doing when they heard the news.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As you might imagine, I
eventually wrote a short story about that birthday. The story was fiction, with
made-up characters, but my characters experienced the same emotional land mine
that blew my complacency to smithereens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT69mMq9y6DIDKNfZhGUE4ewmxR5uMmVCav-AKq-zqrS1q3ZCj_F47KJTKnykuTPHX7IT_zQnUrGaFRdisdBvzBKTXaowhnypi28C8s0gNHFPKAw1CWZ4x0sqpT150L9ZoDeHyHyO-fVk/s1600/jfk.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT69mMq9y6DIDKNfZhGUE4ewmxR5uMmVCav-AKq-zqrS1q3ZCj_F47KJTKnykuTPHX7IT_zQnUrGaFRdisdBvzBKTXaowhnypi28C8s0gNHFPKAw1CWZ4x0sqpT150L9ZoDeHyHyO-fVk/s1600/jfk.jpeg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The upside to all this
is that November 22, 1963 was the day when I felt political passion for the
first time. It was a big change I’ve been grateful for ever since.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Why am I telling you all
this? Just to bear witness to the fact that everybody has at least one personal
turning point to look back on. Actually we all have multiple turning points
punctuating our past. These turning points, my fellow writers, are where we
should look if we’re wondering what to write about in our next story. We all
have story material in our past. Exploit those secret and special days to find
fine fiction. Or nonfiction. Either way, make stories from the raw material of
your memories. Here’s some how-to advice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Ten
Tips for Writing Stories from Your Life<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; font-variant: small-caps; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><br />
Why do we tell stories</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
based on our experiences? Because that’s what we know, of course. And the more
we remember about our past, the more we understand ourselves. Where do the
stories of our lives come from? Historical records, old letters, diaries, and
journals? Old photographs? An attic full of souvenirs? Memories, both happy and
sad? All of the above, perhaps, but also the legends and lore passed down
through generations. And don’t forget family gossip, which may not always be
true but is always important.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Why should we write these stories down? First of all, for
the fun of it. It’s a thrill to craft a good story. But also, we do it as a
gift: to the future, to our children, to our friends, maybe even to a larger
audience of people who want to know what life during our lifetime was like, as
experienced first-hand. Writing life stories is a chance to be generous and
self-indulgent at the same time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Here are a few tips to make the stories you write interesting,
entertaining, and important.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">1. Let the reader know what was going on in the world when
the story happened. That way the reader will have some historical reference to
latch onto. “In the summer of 1969, when a new generation gathered at Woodstock
and a human being planted his foot on the moon for the first time, I realized
that there would be no limits to what I could do with my life...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">2. Tell your reader how old you were, or where you were in
your social development, so the reader can identify similar rites of passage in
her or his own life. “My high school senior prom was a disaster, but breaking
up with that person was probably the luckiest...”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">3. And where were you in your spiritual development? Not a
matter of world history or age, but of some change in your world view. “I
leaned a lot from my time in the Vietnam war. The bad news is what I learned
about war. The good news is what I learned about friendship....”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">4. Write of change. Change is what happens in every good
story.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">5. Write of choices. Choices are often what bring those
changes about.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">6. Write of consequence. By that I mean write of things that
matter. Get into the part of the story that people care about: love, joy,
grief, regret, reward. Celebrate the light, but don’t be afraid of the dark.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">7. Be kind. Yes, you can write about people who mistreated
you, but treat them as people, not as cartoon characters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">8. Tell the truth, even if you have to lie to do it. Nobody
can remember every tiny detail of what happened, but out of every story grows a
message of choice and change, and that message must be honest. From your heart.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">9. Write a story that’s fun to read. Give it a strong
beginning, make it build with suspense to a satisfying climax, and leave your
reader with the pleasure of having been entertained.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">10. Have fun with your writing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 14.0pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-hyphenate: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Enough said. Step ten is not optional.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">The
deadline for December’s 99-word story submissions is December 1. The stories
will appear on my blog post for December 10, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
per month.</span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict. </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 13.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 19.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 16.0pt;"> Write a story
inspired by the following sentence: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A
fine romance this turned out to be.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><a href="http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html"><span style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html</span></span></a><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-52135819551297487472016-10-29T03:00:00.000-07:002016-10-29T06:24:33.650-07:00Good eeevening…<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: x-large;">THE JOY
OF STORY</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M.
Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">October
29, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Good
eeevening.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">That’s what Alfred Hitchcock always
said at the beginning of his television show, which aired from 1955 to 1965. It
was enough to chill you to the edge of your seat. His brief introduction would
be followed by a short drama presented and directed by the Master of Suspense
himself. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This post appears on my blog only a
few days before Halloween, 2016. It’s time to be frightened and entertained at
the same time. So I humbly present a short story that I hope will give you a
few shivers and/or chuckles.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In a word: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">BOO!<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">DESSERT<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; tab-stops: .25in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">by John
M. Daniel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We do this every year. It’s become a
tradition in our family to get together on this special date and have a feast
at midnight. When I say we’re a family, I don’t mean we’re related by blood.
Well, actually we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are</i> related by blood,
in a way, but it’s not a genetic thing. It’s a matter of life-style, you could
say. We share a common faith, and we all have the same dietary restrictions
that we must obey.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">We used to call ourselves the Tiny
Reindeer, when there were eight of us, but last year Vixen died of a stroke.
Sun stroke. So we changed our names and now we call ourselves the Seven Dwarfs.
I’m Doc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This is the first year we’ve met at
my house. I was nervous, as this was my first time to host the most important
feast day in our calendar. But all has gone well so far. The Dwarfs all arrived
on schedule, two nights ago, flying in from all over the country like six bats
out of hell.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Last night we prepared the food for
tonight’s dinner. Bashful and Sleepy went out into my garden and gathered weeds
for the salad, while Grumpy cheerfully concocted her delicious dressing of
vinegar, lemon juice, and Listerine, with a tablespoon of salt, a teaspoon of
cayenne, and a dash of witch hazel. Dopey and Happy went out back and gathered
acorns from under my old oak tree, which Sneezy boiled for three hours to brew
tea. We were finished by dawn and were sleepy, as you can imagine. The main
dish would arrive tonight, after dark. We had the oven pre-heating so we could
serve the entrée piping hot at the stroke of midnight.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">In the twilight hours, all the
Dwarfs got dressed for dinner, after a good day’s sleep. I stepped out onto the
front porch and lit the candle in the pumpkin. It was a fine night out: still
warm from the sun, which had set; and the street was lit by a rising moon just
two nights past full. I came back into the house, switched on the front porch
light, and joined my six guests in the parlor. There we sat, waiting out the
hours till dinnertime. We talked about what we had each been doing since we
last met, and we talked some about politics and climate change, and then it
occurred to Sneezy to mention that this night’s feast just wouldn’t be the
same, now that Vixen was no longer with us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I can do without her,” Happy said.
Happy and Vixen never did get along. Happy’s hard to please, if you know what I
mean. He has a tendency to dislike even his best friends. And it’s true that
Vixen could be a stubborn woman when her mind was made up. Still, I always say
we should speak well of the dead, a line that gets a laugh whenever I use it
among friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“I’ll tell you one thing,” Bashful
remarked. “I’ll miss her desserts. Vixen always brought yummy desserts to the
table. Remember that chocolate earthworm pie she prepared for us last year?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Oh, dear,” I said. “I forgot all
about dessert! What are going to do about our closing grace, our prayer of
thanks for dinner and for longevity? We’re supposed to<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>say our thanks right after we’ve all
finished dessert. ‘O Lord Below Us, we thank you with all our pumping hearts
for every damned blessing you’ve given us, from our first bite to our last.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“It won’t be the same,” Sneezy
repeated. “I’m a chocoholic.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Me too,” Sleepy said. “Damn.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The doorbell rang. “Our dinner entrée,”
I said. “I’ll get that.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I stood up and walked to the front
door and opened it wide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Trick
or treat!”<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">There they stood, three of them:
Spiderman, Harry Potter, and…and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Snow
White!</i> How perfect was that? They all looked so well-fed and cheerful. They
each carried a paper bag, which they held out and shook before me, as if to
show me their haul so far.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“What do you have there?” I asked.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Candy,” Spiderman answered.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Candy bars, mostly,” Snow White
added.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Harry Potter said, “Chocolate candy
bars.” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Come in, please!” I told them. “Treats
are in the living room, and I want you to meet my family. They’re going to love
your costumes.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As the three children filed past me,
I turned and locked the front door and switched off the porch light. Then I
told the kids, “Follow me.” I led them into the parlor and said to my fellow
Dwarfs, “Look! Our entrée has arrived. And guess what! They’ve brought dessert!”
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">So dinner was a great success, and
when all the prayers were said, including the closing grace, Dopey stood, held
his mug of acorn tea up, and said, “Hail Doc! A toast to the host with the
most!” <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">They all cheered, and I confess I
wept with gratitude. My heart was as full as my belly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQiWs_LxVo_7sbYUXtEK9vPSsz9HICYdUgmYLS67kYUunnox4VqqVbmI4ohgACnBxVsgH71ej3zziJk5RPc78oZvzyCFEx1o1-8hUqjRifrOr06MbhEYDwpxLLO7SaXSPKGDh3zLkfQ8/s1600/trick+or+treat.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigQiWs_LxVo_7sbYUXtEK9vPSsz9HICYdUgmYLS67kYUunnox4VqqVbmI4ohgACnBxVsgH71ej3zziJk5RPc78oZvzyCFEx1o1-8hUqjRifrOr06MbhEYDwpxLLO7SaXSPKGDh3zLkfQ8/s1600/trick+or+treat.jpeg" /></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14pt;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
deadline for November’s 99-word story submissions is November 1. The stories
will appear on my blog post for November 12, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Write a story
inspired by the following sentence: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.…<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: .25in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html"><span style="color: windowtext;">http://www.danielpublishing.com/jmd/index.html</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-699981774111452762.post-81739097511008379992016-10-22T03:00:00.000-07:002016-10-22T03:00:26.025-07:00THOU SWELL, THOU WITTY, THOU SAD<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="mso-pagination: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: windowtext; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><span style="font-size: large;">THE JOY
OF STORY</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">John M.
Daniel’s Blog<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">October
22, 2016<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Welcome, friends. This week’s post
is a sad story, but it’s a story that needs to be told. At least I feel it
should be told, and I humbly hope I’m up to the task of giving a proper tribute
to Lorenz Hart, one of my favorite writers. I’ve been a fan of Hart’s since I
first saw the movie “Words and Music,”<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>when
I was eight years old. Years later, when my first book was published, a murder
mystery titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Play Melancholy Baby,</i>
I dedicated that book to Lorenz Hart. Years after that I learned that Hart died
on my second birthday (which was one day before my father’s death). Hart was
not technically a story writer, but some of his song lyrics have the necessary
ingredients of story: character, plot, conflict. Consider “It Never Entered My
Mind,” “Ten Cents a Dance,” or “Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered.” They’re
stories, almost as poignant as the story of Larry Hart’s life and death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><span style="font-size: large;">The Death of Lorenz Hart</span><span style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">“Thou Swell, Thou Witty,” besides
being the title of one of his most popular and successful songs, is probably
how Lorenz Hart would have wanted his tombstone engraved. The description
suited him well. Larry Hart, along with his partner, Dick Rodgers, was swell,
all right. They were, for twenty-four years, one of the most popular and
successful songwriting duos writing for the American musical comedy stage. They
wrote the scores for 28 shows, as well as a half-dozen movies, and they came up
with 500 swell songs. Larry was a swell guy off the stage, too: always
laughing, always pouring the drinks and picking up the tab. He was always
puffing on a swell cigar, always rubbing his hands together with fevered
enthusiasm.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">And oh my, was Larry witty. Oscar
Hammerstein II called Lorenz Hart the cleverest lyricist to come along since
William S. Gilbert. Who else but Hart would dare rhyme “holler I choose a” with
“lollapalooza,” or “fratricide” with “mattress-side”? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Not many knew, though, that beneath
the thin veneer of manic gaiety, talent, and charm festered a self-destructive,
self-loathing, self-pitying loser. Others heard only “thou swell, thou witty.”
Larry himself was haunted for life by another line he wrote: “Unrequited love’s
a bore, and I’ve got it pretty bad.” He also wrote these telling words:
“Sometimes I think I’ve found my hero, but it’s a queer romance.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">It wasn’t enough that Larry Hart was
an alcoholic, in and out of hospitals for temporary drying out. He also had bad
lungs, and was in and out of hospitals to recover temporarily from pneumonia in
an era before antibiotics; no doubt those expensive stogies didn’t do him any
good. It wasn’t entirely because Larry was homosexual, although he was ashamed
of his homosexuality and was not the least bit out and gay about it, unlike
other songwriters of his era, such as Ivor Norvello, Noël Coward, and Cole
Porter. True, Larry repeatedly fell in puppy love with glamorous leading ladies
of the musical stage, including Helen Ford, Nanette Guilford, and Vivienne
Segal; but his love for them was a futile denial of his true sexual
orientation. Besides, his crushes were doomed to failure because of Lorenz
Hart’s most crippling curse. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Lorenz Hart was short. Very short.
He stood barely five feet tall, and that was in two-inch elevator shoes. He had
to buy his clothes in the children’s department of clothing stores.
Unfortunately, Larry wasn’t cute short like Mickey Rooney (who played him in
the biopic “Words and Music”). With a head too large for his body, he was more
gnome than pixie. He was grotesque, or at least he thought he was. Who knows?
Maybe his obsessive generosity was caused by a need to seem tall. Maybe his
size issues made him feel inadequate with women and contributed to his homosexuality.
Maybe alcohol was the only way he could forget about being an ugly midget. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">According to Richard Rodgers, his
collaborator, his best friend, his business manager, and his imperious boss,
Lorenz Hart was difficult to work with. He was never on time, he skipped
meetings, he skipped town, he disappeared whenever it was imperative that the
duo write songs together. And when Larry was eventually persuaded or corralled
into working, he wrote fast and refused to change a single word once it was
down on paper. It’s a wonder those two geniuses were able to produce such fine
songs, and it’s a miracle their partnership lasted as long as it did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Richard Rodgers, from the time he
and Lorenz Hart joined forces in 1919, when Rodgers was only eighteen, seven
years younger than Hart, was in charge of the finances and made most of the
business decisions. Rodgers was a hard-driven taskmaster. Later in his career
he joked that people in the business called him “the big son of a bitch” when
he was partnered with Lorenz Hart; after Hart died and Rodgers teamed up with
the tall Oscar Hammerstein, they called him, Rodgers, “the little son of a
bitch.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">As a rule, Rodgers chose which shows
the team of Rodgers and Hart would write songs for; and as a rule Larry went
along with Dick’s choices. Late in their partnership, however, they disagreed
about a job Rodgers wanted to do, a musical comedy adaptation of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Green Grow the Lilacs, </i>a 1930 play by
Lynn Riggs. The property was available, and the Theatre Guild offered the
assignment to Rodgers and Hart. The play had a western cowboy theme, and Hart,
who had always been a bon-vivant city slicker (the first big Rodgers and Hart
song hit had been “Manhattan” and the team’s last big hit show was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pal Joey</i>) refused to do it. Dick
Rodgers, the big son of a bitch, was furious, and when he heard that Oscar
Hammerstein was interested in taking the project on and was considering Jerome
Kern as the tunesmith (Hammerstein and Kern had collaborated on the
groundbreaking <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Show Boat</i> in 1927)
Richard barged in and persuaded Oscar to dump Kern and team up with Dick.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Oscar agreed, a decision that
changed American musical theatre forever.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Dick told Larry the news, and that
was it for Rodgers and Hart. They had one more production in the works, a
revival of their own 1927 smash hit play, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A
Connecticut Yankee</i>. The revival was to star Vivienne Segal, with whom Larry
had been smitten since she starred in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pal
Joey. </i>Larry wrote a song for Vivienne to sing in the revival, the last song
he ever wrote, “To Keep My Love Alive.” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A
Connecticut Yankee</i> also featured Larry Hart’s theme song, “Thou Swell, Thou
Witty.” This revival was scheduled to open November 17, 1943. It should have
been a sentimental curtain call, a fond farewell to a writing team that had
made popular music history. But by that time, everyone in show business knew
Rodgers and Hart were finished as a team. Richard Rodgers had a new partner.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">On March 31, 1943, eight months
before the revival of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Connecticut
Yankee </i>opened in New York, the Broadway curtain rose on the debut of the
new team, Rodgers and Hammerstein. Their musical version of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Green Grow the Lilacs,</i> now titled <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oklahoma!, </i>was an immediate success,
destined to break attendance records and usher in a whole new era of musical
plays, where the story line was intimately connected to the score. The golden
age of American musical theatre began that night and lasted for twenty years.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Larry Hart was gracious about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Oklahoma!</i> He attended opening night,
laughed and applauded loudly, and congratulated Dick and Oscar after the show.
But the end of his own career had arrived, and he may have known that he would
not recover emotionally or physically. His mother, Frieda Hart, died a week
later. He had lived with his mother all his life, somehow hiding from her his homosexuality
and downplaying his alcoholism. With her gone, Larry was desolate and
dissolute. He was even more at the mercy of freeloaders, especially Milton
“Doc” Bender, a dentist and would-be theatrical agent, who had been Larry’s
pimp and Mephistopheles for years and who now took him on his last manic, sad
ride.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">On the rainy evening of November 17,
the revival of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">A Connecticut Yankee</i>
opened on Broadway. It was Lorenz Hart’s last show. When he arrived with an
entourage at the theatre, already drunk, he found that no tickets were waiting
for him and his companions, who included Helen Ford. Larry waited in the foyer
while Helen went backstage to find out from Dick Rodgers what was going on.
Rodgers was furious that Hart had gotten into the building, because he had left
clear instructions that Hart should be not allowed inside. Helen returned to
the crowded foyer and found no Larry, although his overcoat was still hanging
in the cloakroom. She learned from a doorman that Larry had gone into a bar
across the street. Helen and the rest of Larry’s unwelcome cronies gave up and
left the theatre and drifted away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Larry, however, was determined to
see his last show. After a few more drinks, he went back across the street and
sneaked through a side entrance and past the usher into the back of the
theatre, where he stood as the lights went dim, the orchestra played the
overture, and the curtain finally rose.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He paced back and forth behind the
last row and behaved himself, but when Vivienne Segal, in the role of Queen Morgan
Le Fay, began to sing “To Keep My Love Alive,” the last song Larry ever wrote,
he lost control and began singing along with the star, his voice getting louder
and louder, until he was dragged out of the theatre by ushers and pushed
through the front door, out into the cold rain, without his overcoat.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">He somehow made it to the apartment
of his younger brother, Teddy. Teddy and his wife, Dorothy, tried to keep him
warm and comfortable, but he escaped into the night and took a cab to
Delmonico’s, where he was living. Two days later, he checked himself into
Doctors Hospital with critical pneumonia.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Lorenz Hart died November 22, 1943. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">His lyrics live on.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Acknowledgments:</span></b><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> This piece first appeared in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Black Lamb. </i>Most of the information in
the article comes from <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Rodgers &
Hart: Bewitched, Bothered and Bedeviled,</i> by Samuel Marx and Jan Clayton; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thou Swell, Thou Witty: The Life and Lyrics
of Lorenz Hart, </i>by Dorothy Hart;<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>and
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Musical Stages: An Autobiography,</i> by
Richard Rodgers. These three books, and particularly the first two, quote
extensively from primary sources, mainly correspondence and articles written by
people who knew Lorenz Hart. Sometimes their memories conflict, so I can’t
vouch for the accuracy of every fact I’ve written here. The opinions are my own.</span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Call for submissions: Your 99-Word
Stories<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The
deadline for November’s 99-word story submissions is November 1. The stories
will appear on my blog post for November 12, and will stay posted for a week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">note: this 99-word story feature
is a game, not a contest. Obey the rules and I’ll include your story. I may
edit the story to make it stronger, and it’s understood that you will submit to
my editing willingly. That’s an unwritten rule.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Rules for the 99-word
story feature are as follows:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">1. Your story must be 99
words long, exactly.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">2. One story per writer,
per month.</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">3. The story must be a
story. That means it needs plot (something or somebody has to change),
characters, and conflict. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">4. The story must be
inspired by the prompt I assign. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">5. The deadline: the
first of the month. Stories will appear on this blog the second Saturday of the
month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">6. I will copy edit the
story. The author of the story retains all rights. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">7.
Email me your story (in the body of your email, or as a Word attachment) to: <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">THIS
MONTH’S PROMPT FOR NEXT MONTH’S 99-WORD STORY:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;"> Write a story
inspired by the following sentence: <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">I
don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.…<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Calling
all published authors—<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">I try to feature a guest
author the third Saturday (and week following) of each month. If you’re
interested in posting an essay on my blog—it’s also a chance to promote a
published book—email me directly at <a href="mailto:jmd@danielpublishing.com"><span style="color: windowtext;">jmd@danielpublishing.com</span></a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">§§§<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Thank you for visiting.
Please drop by next week. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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john M. Danielhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00175415154857919353noreply@blogger.com0