True, personal stories from new voices and experienced writers resonating with the themes of the Personal Essay/Story Publishing Projects: "Bearing Up" (2018) and "Exploring" (2019).
– That was the plan, anyway.In that moment, we stopped feeling sorry for ourselves and remembered why we came.After a career spent finding the voices of senior business executives, Alison Rice Bruster is writing a new chapter. She holds a BA in English Literature from Queens University of Charlotte. This is her third story included in a collection from the Personal Story Publishing Project. She is a member of the Charlotte Writers Club, Charlotte Lit, and the North Carolina Writers Network. When they are not out traveling in search of adventure, Alison and her husband Terry live in Fort Mill, South Carolina.
– My warped resentment started after Dad died.We endured eye rolls and dagger-filled glares as we saw no other option.Kym B. Whitecar lives in Indian Trail, North Carolina, where she is a member of the Charlotte Writers Club and Charlotte Lit. When she retired from education, she finally had the time to take a creative writing course, reigniting her passion for storytelling. This is her first published work. Currently, she is harassing her friends, family, and critic group with more narrative nonfiction.
– “I'll take care of this, Honey.” Eleanor and I dragged our stocky, dark, wooden desk chairs up to our door to peer over the open transom at the long hall. Robin majored in English at The College of William and Mary. In “those days,” creative writing was absent from the heady curriculum, although Robin wrote poetry which was published in several lit magazines. After college, she taught high school English in Fairfax, Virginia. Creative writing was included in Robin's classrooms. Robin has written two memoirs, both published by Pisgah Press, multiple short stories and essays, and, of course, poetry. A third book, a collection of all genres of Robin's writing, is nearing completion. Robin and her husband live in Asheville, NC. www.robingaiser.com
– “If the test was positive, what would I do about it?”Tipping the scales at four pounds and four ounces, our first granddaughter arrived still shimmering with heaven's leavings.Janice Luckey, who lives in Mooresville, North Carolina, remembers when writing became a rhythm of her life. She scribbled a romance novel in a 3-ring binder in junior high school sparking a life-long love of all things writerly—writing, reading, journaling and hoarding office supplies. Janice is fueled by the love and support of her family and most anything chocolate. When not writing, she can be found making memories with her husband and four granddaughters, or roaming the aisles at the library, bookstores, and Staples.
– With a friendly smile, he joked, “Akira, you caught a big fish!”Some nights, my younger brothers and I would huddle around him, pleading for his stories.Akira Odani lives in the historic city of St. Augustine, Florida. He is a member of the Taste Life Twice Writers' Group and the Florida Writers Association. Born in Tokyo, he graduated from International Christian University and earned his Ph.D. in Chinese History from Brown University. Some of his work has appeared in the pages of FWA anthologies, Kaidankai (Japanese ghost stories), and several versions of the Personal Story Publishing Project. His passion for writing comes from his ambition to understand the mystery of life and the world.
– Drew and I became “a thing.”He turned all the girls into giddy puddles of goo.Anne M. Middleton lives in Raleigh, North Carolina, where for over two decades she was the State of North Carolina's lead appellate attorney in the areas of crimes against children and adult sexual offenses. Since retirement, Anne enjoys writing, performing improv, and exploring spiritual traditions of mysticism and higher consciousness. She is a shamanic practitioner and member of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies, a Shamanic Reiki Master, a certified yoga teacher (RYT-500), an avid lucid dreamer and dream yoga practitioner, and a member of the International Association for the Study of Dreams.
— I liked him, he liked me. We needed to find common ground.Emotions drained, I was, nevertheless, taken with his coolheadedness in the face of danger.Arlene Mandell is an artist living in Linville, North Carolina, proudly celebrating her 12th year at Carlton Gallery in Banner Elk. (carltongallery.com/arlene-mandell). A native New Yorker, relocating to the Blue Ridge Mountains with Captain Dan ignited a passion to write. Her “6-minute Stories” podcasts include: “Eye of the Dolphin,” “Artist Borne,” “Gobsmacked in the Gulfstream,” “Renegade Daughter,” “It Started with a Typo,” “Shopping for the Homeless,” “Thirteen Candles in the Dark,” “The Promise of Romance,” “At Five & Ninety-Five, Mother Was a Star,” “In the Heart of Trauma,” “The Jig Is Up,” “Getting a Head Start,” and “Rum Punch and Reefers.”
— Leaving the door ajar, she darted out in her slippers and bathrobe.Hugging the bag of Oreos, Christie grinned at her mother's face in the window as she skipped past the door.Valerie J. Macon, a writer residing in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, finds poetry and prose woven into the fabric of everyday life. With six poetry collections to her name (Shelf Life, Sleeping Rough, A String of Black Pearls, The Shape of Today, Page Turner, and Chasing After the Wind), her work has found expression in a variety of forms from print to podcasts. Currently, she is working on a memoir and is a feature writer for Suburban Living Magazine.
– “Oh, little sister, that's enough out of you.”When a bully grabbed me in grade school, I kneed him and ran all the way home, overkill in this instance, but not unwarranted. Mary Clements Fisher celebrates her student and writer status in Northern California. Her writing unearths buried mad, muddled, and magical moments. She's published in Quail Belle Magazine, Adanna Journal, Prometheus Dreaming Journal, The Closed Eye Open, Capsule Stories, They Call Us Magazine, Nailpolish Stories, and several Personal Story Publishing Project books. Join her @maryfisherwrites and https://maryfisherwrites.squarespace.com/
– The change is unnerving.Lying on a chaise, brain numb and unrefreshed, I am confused by the unexpected difficulties of the day—of what to do next with an empty schedule in this now-unfamiliar place.Eloise Currie lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. This is her second piece accepted by the Personal Story Publishing Project. She has kept a journal for thirty years and uses it as material for short stories and nonfiction. She enjoys editing and has edited books as well as short stories.
– what would my family think about us living two years in central Africa?It seemed futile to buck these chaotic, insoluble forces buffeting Zaire.Richard (“Rick”) Davis retired from the Air Force in 1998 and lives in Elk Grove, California. He has an extensive professional writing history, including some non-fiction material published over the past 40 years. To transition to fiction, he studied with Amherst Writers & Artists and published his first novella in 2014. “Yeses” marks Rick's fourth contribution to Personal Story Publishing Project anthologies
– “How can you give him up? He seems devoted to you.”As far as I could see, a carpet of brown and black leaves provided perfect Airedale camouflage.Barbara Reese Yager, a lifelong dog rescuer, writes fiction and nonfiction. She is President of the Charlotte Writers Club and a member of the North Carolina Writers Network and the South Carolina Writers Association. Daniel Boone Press has published her nonfiction work. She lives on a farm with her husband, four horses, five dogs, and a barn cat. Find more at waggintailfarm.com
– The stare-off begins. Puss-faces, Mom called us. A game of chicken, I think.Seven years older, decibels louder, she always won. Anne Anthony tends to carry on conversations with characters inside her head when writing her stories. A few years back, she stopped shushing them, agreed to tell their stories, and they've all been happy ever since. She lives and writes in North Carolina. Her recent publications include Bull, Gooseberry Pie Lit Magazine, Flash Boulevard, Flash Fiction Magazine, and elsewhere. Her micro-fiction, It's a Mother Thing, was nominated for Best Microfiction 2024 by Cleaver Magazine. She is a senior editor and art director for the online literary journal, Does It Have Pockets. Find more of Anne's writing at https://linktr.ee/anchalastudio.
– “Isn't your dad like a cult leader?” I was approached by a caramel coyote, slipping out of a convertible Camaro.Willow Noelle Groskreutz is a creative writer based in Mooresville, North Carolina. In 2023, she self-published Mundane Magic, a collection of Southern-inspired lyric essays about finding wonder in everyday places. Willow is a recipient of the 2025 Artist Support Grant from the North Carolina Arts Council and looks forward to furthering her writing career.
– I had a secret power—a newfound ally.I was a preadolescent boy lost in a, heretofore, unknown love spell magnified by the magical thinking of childhood.David Lusk is a retired consulting arborist/psychologist/writer living in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. He has previously written several articles for the Winston-Salem Journal and the trade publication, Tree Care Industry Magazine. He lives in a beech tree woodland with his wife Amy, their three adopted rescue shelter dogs, Jessie Girl, Captain Spaghetti Jack, Abbey Road and Maple Tree the cat. He is currently attempting to learn Japanese Sumi ink painting while under the constant, playful supervision of Jessie, Jack and Abbey. Often, he retreats to the Pamlico Sound with the idea of learning to sail but happy to paint or play guitar in view of a marina full of boats and the occasional visit from a bald eagle he named Churchill.
– “Jane can't ever know the truth.”The tide and wind pushed it ashore as surely as vengeance.Edward von Koenigseck has a 40-year background in technical publications. He is the author of two books - a college textbook Technical Writing for Private Industry, and a memoir, Island Park, and has also published several short stories. His other activities have been providing 92 different lectures on biblical history for the nonprofit organization Shepherd's Center, and was hired to create the curriculum for and teach two semesters on technical writing for advanced English students at Florida Institute of Technology.
– Who does this? … and as soon as my husband crept in the door, probably hoping for a scintilla of Norman Rockwell's water colored scene-of-cooing-baby-at-the-hearth-slurping-dimpled-fist while the smell of home cooked fill-in-the-blank danced like fat motes and fairy dust, …A native fish-taco-loving San Diegan, Jo McElroy Senecal spent decades on the East Coast, blending professional stage and clown credits with various roles at magical powerhouses like The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp and The Big Apple Circus Clown Care (now Healthy Humor). Her NYTimes article hints at her passion for pediatric palliative care, which Jo continues to do along with adult hospice care in Charleston, South Carolina. Jo writes with the inimitable Lunasix and bows to the steady stream of spirits that yodel in her heart and soul.
– DIG! DIG! FLY! FLY!I ordered them to come back with a spoon. They didn't know why, but I was the oldest.Vicki Easterly, a retired disability advocate, lives in Frankfort, Kentucky. Several stories have appeared in prior PSPP anthologies. Her short story, “Hallie Holcomb's Hollow,” published by the UK Carnegie Press, is based on a composite of her sweet clients. Her first book, Miracles in the Mundane, was selected for the annual Kentucky Book Festival. Calling on her days as a young mother, she is working on a children's book series. She continues to write memoirs and poetry. Vicki enjoys playing with her granddaughters and acting in community theatre. She vows to never grow up.
– In the cold twilight above the town, he sang it to himself.The aftermath story that emerged from the rumors and boasting was that there was a girl at the center of it.Fascinated with every big and little thing, Jamie Cheshire has long been an avid student of design and structure. Having worked together with giants, he has had the extreme good fortune to practice his craft for most of the last four decades and has seen his work appear nationally and in several countries on three continents. He lives in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, with his beloved feral, hippie-chick wife, their three dogs and two cats. Deeply committed to the ordinary, he is constantly searching for a way to describe it.
Great expectations gone awry—by surprise, short-sightedness, and trickeryThat's why we have stories to tell.Listen every Wednesday and weekend for new stories from the 12th anthology of the Personal Story Publishing Project.Read all the stories in each book, all available under “Books and Dvds” at RandellJones.com .
– I was now going somewhere; out of there, for sure. I must have forgotten that gravity is a thing. Jeanne VanBuren lives in Winston Salem, North Carolina--by way of Chesapeake, Pittsburgh, Santa Cruz, and Austin—where she is a local crafter and storyteller. As a member of North Carolina Writers Network, this story is a spark towards more memories being written and edited as “Boy Mom of Five,” “Dating Escapades” over 38 years, and “Growing up in a Crowd” of 12 siblings. Her annual Christmas writings, enjoyed by friends and family over 20 years, might just include the news of an action screenplay for her celebrity crush Jason Statham. She says we all have a story in us, get it out there!
– Forty miles to spareWe followed our well-worn route, enjoying the new car smell, feeling like The Jetsons.Lisa Williams Kline is the author of two award-winning novels for adults, Between the Sky and the Sea and Ladies' Day, as well as an essay collection entitled The Ruby Mirror and a short story collection entitled Take Me. She lives in Davidson with her veterinarian husband, a cat who can open doors, and a sweet chihuahua who has played Bruiser Woods in Legally Blonde: The Musical.
– Not what we expectedHell-bound for a summer of adventure in France, we didn't care.David Collins holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and taught English/Creative Writing for forty years. His work has appeared in numerous journals, reviews, magazines, and newspapers. His first full-length book, Accidental Activists: Mark Phariss, Vic Holmes, and Their Fight for Marriage Equality in Texas, won the Mayborn Award for Excellence in Nonfiction in 2016, published in 2017 by the University of North Texas Press.David is the immediate-past president of Charlotte Writers Club and makes his home in Pineville, North Carolina with his wife, Jean, and their rambunctious Labrador retriever pup.
– Should I tell my mother what I decided to do?A 5-year-old, less than one meter tall, I slipped through the turnstile without being noticed.Akira Odani lives in the ancient city of St. Augustine, Florida. He belongs to Taste Life Twice Writers and the Florida Writers Association. Born in Tokyo, he had written extensively for the Japanese media. Still, more recently, his interest has turned to writing in English and subjects related to his experiences interacting with the two cultures. Some of his work has appeared in the pages of FWA anthologies, The Weekly Avocet, PSPP, Twists and Turns, Lost & Found, Sooner or Later, and Now or Never. He stays active, meditating, swimming, and playing pickleball.
– I had a layover in Elmira, New York—six hours long.Warblers, whistlers, and trillers sang. Joe and Maybe Dave knew when not to talk, too, when beauty itself was the conversation.Maureen Ryan Griffin has loved words and stories since her “Cat in the Hat” days and leads writing workshops and retreats (www.WordPlayNow.com). She's published in numerous literary journals and will soon appear in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Miracles, Angels and Messages from Heaven. Her books include Ten Thousand Cicadas Can't Be Wrong (poetry); Spinning Words into Gold (writing guide); How Do I Say Goodbye: A Companion in Grieving, Healing, and Gratitude, and a daily journal practice, TAG, I'M IT! She and her husband, Richard, live in Charlotte, NC.
— You durn foolWaves of hot lava washed down my throat, past my lungs, and hit my stomach like an acid avalanche.By day, Nick Sipe works as a mild-mannered IT manager for a Fortune 150 company. By night, he mostly recovers from the workday, but occasionally finds time to write. He enjoys writing Twilight Zone-style short stories, mostly horror and light sci-fi. Nick is currently shopping his debut novel, “Midnight Springs,” to literary agents. “Midnight Springs” is the first in a planned horror-Western series that sends classic monsters (think Frankenstein, Van Helsing, the Wolfman) to the Wild West to tangle with their American counterparts (think witches, the Headless Horseman, the Wendigo). Nick live in Gastonia, North Carolina. He is a member of Charlotte Writers Club.
– “Quick! Let's get the oars!”.Traveling fast, the tanker's bow tossed large white-capped waves.Edward von Koenigseck, relocated from Florida, resides in Ticonderoga NY. Having a 40-year career in Technical Publications, he also published two books (Technical Writing for Private Industry and Island Park, a Memoir, and four short stories. He created 92 one-hour lectures on biblical history for presentation to elders, sponsored by the non-profit Florida-based Shepherd Centers organization. He also created and taught two semesters on technical writing for advanced English students at Florida Institute of Technology, is an editor, and is currently writing a novel, a biography, and an autobiography.
– “Do not let it get to the pond. It will eat our fish!”My Ninja Turtle dance began in the pouring rain, my umbrella in one hand and the shovel in the other.Sondra Edwards, wife, mother of two, grandmother of five, children's minister, and music educator, lives in the mountains of Boone, North Carolina. Now retired, she dabbles in visual arts and creative writing. For the past four years, she has participated in the writing group of Sue Spirit. More recently, she joined a community writing group led by Joseph Bathanti, former NC Poet Laureate and Appalachian State University professor. She is the author of "The Innkeeper's Feast," a Christmas pageant based on the model of a Madrigal Feast. The play is published by Leader Resources.
–He called me scaredy pants.Move, stop, and swing. Over and over. David Inserra lives on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina with his wife Ellen Titus and their dog, Mindy. David's most recent work appears in the PSPP release, Now or Never. He is a member of the Island Writers Network and works at the local Unitarian Church. David's first novel, a speculative thriller titled “In Your Own Backyard,” is currently being queried to agents. He is also a musician who has written over 400 songs, most being about his wife. Visit davidinserra.weebly.com.
— As I hit the water, I glanced back over my shoulder.Instead, they chose to wade through the calf-deep mud of a marsh toward Parkersburg.After a career teaching mathematics in Iowa, Jim retired to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, where he loves exploring the beach and writing stories, both fiction and nonfiction. His first novel, Freedom Run drew rave reviews. He is presently working with other members of the Island Writers Network to tune up several others for publication, including his historical novel “Fannie” about his pioneer grandmother. His stories and poems have appeared in three anthologies from the Island Writers Network and the anthology Twists and Turns from the Personal Story Publishing Project.
– “Don't mind him. He's just crotchety like that.”You get to have sway in the classroom and fix your students with a beetle-browed visage.Award-winning author Bob Amason is a retired US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and college professor. A Florida Writer's Association member, Bob writes under his pen name, Frank A. Mason. His Journeyman Chronicles series of American Revolutionary War novels are Amazon.com bestsellers. Journeyman: Heart of Tempered Steel won the 2023 Florida Writer's Association Gold Royal Palm Literary Award, Florida's most prestigious writing prize. Bob's writing has been published in four anthologies, academic journals, and books. He lives in Florida with his overachieving wife, a professor who is the author of a series of children's books.
– “How long have you been rock climbing?”The professor praised my speech and raved about my clever visual aid.Alison Rice Bruster comes from a long line of women who love the written word. The granddaughter of a librarian, daughter of an English teacher, and sister of a novelist, she was destined to be an avid reader and writer. After a career spent finding the voices of senior business executives, she is writing a new chapter. She holds a BA in English Literature from Queens University of Charlotte and lives in Fort Mill, S.C. She is a member of the Charlotte Writers Club, Charlotte Lit, and the North Carolina Writers Network.
– He drove and hollered, and I cowered.He was a thick slab of a man who could freeze an entire restaurant mid-rush with a giant explosive sneeze. Peter Holsapple grew up in Winston-Salem and now lives in Durham, North Carolina. Most of his life, Peter has spent time in the public eye as a songwriter and musician; but since his teenage years, he has toyed with the idea of writing prose. He is grateful to the PSPP for helping him to realize it is actually something he can do.
– It looked like a go-kart with wings and a parachute.Still flying, but with one wing pointing at the sky and the other within 18 inches of the sunflower field that lined the airstrip.S. G. (Sandy) Benson lives in Warne, North Carolina, where she is a member of the North Carolina Writers Network-West. Her work has appeared in numerous magazines and newspapers, and she received awards from the Nebraska Press Women. She published her first book in 2021, My Mother's Keeper: One Family's Journey Through Dementia. Her second book, Dear Folks: Letters Home from World War II, 1943-1946 was released in 2024. She is working on a collection of autobiographic short stories, “Girls Can't Do That.” Details at https://www.sandygbenson.com/
– “Oh, I never leave home without it. There's danger out there.”A whoosh of cigarette smoke and sour beer odor hit us in the face. Robin Russell Gaiser holds degrees in English literature and psychology and a certificate in therapeutic music. An experienced multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, Robin gave guitar and dulcimer lessons and performed with The Mill Run Dulcimer Band while she lived in northern Virginia. Memories of students and Band fans offer rich ideas for stories, like “Partners.” Robin is a published author of two memoirs: Musical Morphine: Transforming Pain One Note at a Time (Pisgah Press: 2016), and Open for Lunch (Pisgah Press; 2018). A third book is underway. She and her husband live in Asheville, North Carolina. www.robingaiser.com
– Lives are lost on the river.The thrill and challenge of charging down that churning river, paddling left and right to skirt dangers and eddies, whetted my appetite for more.Jane Satchell McAllister's writings draw inspiration from the wide variety of people and places she encounters, from her home base in Davie County, North Carolina, to rich adventures across our country and abroad. She has co-authored two Images of America books through Arcadia Publishing and served for nine years as director of the county public library. Her current writing project is compiling stories based on decades of travel, both fiction and nonfiction, almost as much fun as the trips themselves.
– I was taking on challenges, all for my one secret event.I wanted to do something unique before I was too old.Frances Rinaldi lives in Melbourne, Florida, where she has been sharing stories from history, about nature, and personal experiences in schools, organizations, and theater for thirty years. She belonged to Terra Sancta Press editing group and Brevard Theatrical Ensemble for over twenty years. She has published seven books. Two children's, one environmental, and one travel book under her name, and a collection of three suspense books under her pen name F.R. Merrill.
– What could possibly go wrong?Surely guardian angels protected them from their foolish ventures.Barbara Houston lives in Matthews, North Carolina. A member of Scribblers, a memoir writing group, she writes stories about her life and family to pass on to her children and grandson. “In Bear Country,” “Music Box Memories,” “Dark Water,” and “Elephant Encounters” were published in previous anthologies through the Personal Stories Publishing Project. In addition to writing, Barbara enjoys reading fiction, singing with the Charlotte Singers, spending time with family and friends, and travelling with her husband, Jerry. She says, “Being retired is the best job I ever had.”
– The location and land were doable. I barely looked at the house.With each project, we discovered what we had missed in that quick, one-visit walk-through.Janet K. Baxter lives in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, and is a member of the Charlotte Writer's Club and Scribblers, a memoir critique group. Her stories, “Horse Whispering for the Average Woman,” “Southern Blues,” “A Frank Lesson,” “Cappie, The Boomerang Horse,” “An Angel's Smile,” “Morgan: Our Escape Artist,” “One Soul Alone,” “Forest Bathing on Horseback,” and “Horsehair in the Hummingbird Nest” appeared in previous anthologies published by the Personal Story Publishing Project. Retired, Janet enjoys thread painting, trail riding, writing, and all the delights of her “mini-estate”: www.mountaingaitacres.com.
– “Mama, I don't want to die down here.”It's forbidden to touch any bones or skulls lining the walls to balance you.Erika Hoffman is a happy and longtime resident of beautiful North Carolina. She's a member of three writing clans: North Carolina Writers Network; The Triangle Area Freelancers; and Carteret Writers. During the past 14 years while pursuing “her scrivener dream,” she has succeeded in getting published 460 times. Yet, Erika deems her best achievement— besides being married forever—is having raised four functioning citizens. Without a doubt, her proudest moniker is “Ama' to six grandsons and three granddaughters.
– Could they have once been scamps?After coffee and cannoli, we part, always promising to get together again soon.Janice Luckey, who lives in Mooresville, North Carolina, remembers when writing became a rhythm of her life. She scribbled a romance novel in a 3-ring binder in junior high school sparking a life-long love of all things writerly—writing, reading, journaling and hoarding office supplies. Janice is fueled by the love and support of her family and most anything chocolate. When not writing, she can be found making memories with her husband and four granddaughters, or roaming the aisles at the library, bookstores, and Staples.
– You can't imagine!After two quick drinks he turned into one of my fifth-grade students.After teaching 34 years, Phyliss Grady Adcock retired in Morehead City, North Carolina. She was recognized as the first Raychem Educator of the Year and is listed in Who's Who Among America's Teachers for 1996 and 2000. Her writing has appeared in Mailbox Magazine, Teacher's Helper, and five previous PSPP anthologies. Beginning 13 years ago, she created Senior Stretch, a program for Senior Citizens to promote healthy movement and social interaction. She teaches life skills and creative writing for the Peer Recovery Center. Writing is her Happy Place.
- Pleased to meet you, sir. If you're lucky, you get to meet some special people in your life, including a President or two.Randell Jones is the editor and publisher of the Personal Story Publishing Project and producer/host of “6-minute Stories” podcast.He writes and speaks as Daniel Boone Footsteps. also RandellJones.com
– I was taken aback, dumbstruck.As we rolled through the desolate neighborhoods of Los Angeles, the steward walked by and handed me a ticket with the letter “F” on it.During his career as an industrial engineer, John Rumbold, wrote several technical papers for presentation at conferences. Since retiring, he has spent ten years working on a creative non-fiction account of his mother's experiences during the 1930s living on a rubber plantation in Sumatra, a story she only shared with him in his adulthood. John studied writing in Los Angeles, where he lived, with noted writing teachers and published pieces through Orange County Writers (Calif.). John now lives in Mooresville, North Carolina and is a member of the North Carolina Writer's Network.
This reprise of a story from “Trouble” is not exactly a Hanukkah story, but it is Hanukkah-”adjacent” (to borrow a wonderful phrase from Nick Sipe in his story in “Foolhardy”). It is a story about family and memories and candles, essential elements of that cultural celebration and observance. It is a story about empathy, something we can all use more of and offer more often when we can. —Happy Holidays from “6-minute Stories” podcast and the Personal Story Publishing Project.“Thirteen Candles in the Dark”—the “mother-in-law from hell” The trouble between them was as old and deep as the love which might yet heal them. Arlene Mandell is an artist living in Linville, North Carolina. Her colorful portraits are displayed year-round at the Carlton Gallery in Banner Elk (www.carltongallery.com/arlenemandell). A native New Yorker, she loved teaching in Manhattan's Head Start program. Switching gears, she joined a travel magazine in Miami, Florida, where she met Captain Dan. Their permanent relocation to the Blue Ridge Mountains inspired a love of writing. Her memoirs “Eye of the Dolphin,” “Artist Borne,” “Gobsmacked in the Gulfstream,” “Renegade Daughter,” and “It Started with a Typo” appear on “6-minute Stories” podcast.
This reprise of a story from “Twists and Turns” is not exactly a spirited Christmas story, but it is holiday-”adjacent” (to borrow a wonderful phrase from Nick Sipe in his story in “Foolhardy”). It is a story about good intentions and learning about the lives of others, which is the essence of empathy, we suppose, something we can all use more of and offer more often when we can. —Happy Holidays from “6-minute Stories” podcast and the Personal Story Publishing Project.“The Bus Children” – She looked like an angel.We'd meant to make the children happy. Becky Gould Gibson has published eight collections of poetry, notably, Aphrodite's Daughter (Texas Review Press, 2007); Need-Fire (Bright Hill Press, 2007); Heading Home (Main Street Rag, 2014); The Xanthippe Fragments (Saint Andrews Review Press, 2016); and Indelible (The Broadkill River Press, 2018). Her current focus is creative nonfiction. Two short pieces have appeared in print, one in Canary, another in Snowy Egret. Becky Gibson taught English at Guilford College until her retirement in 2008. She lives in Wilmington, NC.
–The car stopped; my heart pounded.I relaxed my body slightly but kept my hand on the inside door handle.Susan W. Harris lives in Hilton Head, South Carolina, where she is a member of the Island Writers Network, (IWN). Her mother, a writer, encouraged her to write. Professionally she wrote grants and proposals for nonprofits. Poems and stories were published in the IWN anthology's recent two books. Currently, she is writing a novel inspired by the life of her grandmother and mother.
– I was now going somewhere; out of there, for sure. I must have forgotten that gravity is a thing. Jeanne VanBuren lives in Winston Salem, North Carolina--by way of Chesapeake, Pittsburgh, Santa Cruz, and Austin—where she is a local crafter and storyteller. As a member of North Carolina Writers Network, this story is a spark towards more memories being written and edited as “Boy Mom of Five,” “Dating Escapades” over 38 years, and “Growing up in a Crowd” of 12 siblings. Her annual Christmas writings, enjoyed by friends and family over 20 years, might just include the news of an action screenplay for her celebrity crush Jason Statham. She says we all have a story in us, get it out there!
– Why not? I thought.The word experienced frightened me, but I trashed these fears.Evelyn Eickmeyer-Quinones is a caregiver, wife, writer, poet, photographer, and former educator. Her writings can be found in Newsday, The Petigru Review, and Next Avenue. Her award-winning photographs have been published in the Kakalak Poetry Anthology and Moonshine Review. Evelyn lives in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
– “Did you get one?”I quickly put the bead on the target and pulled the trigger.Joe Brown is a retired building contractor. He lives on a small family farm in the Bethania area of Winston Salem NC. He now has time to do all those projects that a busy work schedule didn't allow. He enjoys his grandchildren and great grandchildren and as time allows likes to reflect on his life and write stories about his adventures. Several of those stories have been shared through The Personal Publishing Project. His prayer is that his family can appreciate the history he has lived.
– “All clear! Time for math.”We scrunch into balls like armadillos with our fingers clasped over the back of our necks.Suzanne Cottrell, a member of the Taste Life Twice Writers and NC Writers' Network, lives with her husband in rural Granville County, NC. An outdoor enthusiast and retired teacher, she enjoys reading, writing, knitting, hiking, Pilates, and belly dancing. Her prose has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies, including the Personal Story Publishing Project, Inwood Indiana Press, Quillkeepers Press, and Parks and Points. She's the author of three poetry chapbooks: Gifts of the Seasons, Autumn and Winter; Gifts of the Seasons, Spring and Summer; and Scarred Resilience; and Nature Calls Outside My Window, A Collection of Poems and Stories. www.suzanneswords.com
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