The Distinguished Aged Writer

 May 25, 2026 This day is one where many people remember those men and women who gave up their lives defending freedom. While I join those people, as I lost a nephew to an I.E.D. in Afghanistan, it also reminds of the day I thought I would have to remember my father on this day. I was in fourth grade. Dad was in Vietnam. I was home the day the Western Union man paid a visit to our house. I'm sure he knew he was delivering bad news. I could tell by the look on his face as I opened the door. I managed to get my mother to the door, though I don't remember how. I stood watching as mom took the telegram. Tears may have started before she opened the message but they were in full flow as she read. I stood glued to the floor thinking dad is dead and I have to be the man of the house now.  It took some time for my mom to compose herself and let me know had only been wounded and that he would be flying to San Antonio, Texas to recover. Physically hew did recover after many months. I do ...

 May 22, 2026 Been quite some time since my first and only post so far.  In that time I have had my hands full with health issues and work. Those of course leave little time for writing. Now that I have retired, it is time to get to what I want to do most; besides "honey do's" of course. I used to tell my students, " Your story isn't finished, even after you turn it in." I find those words haunting to me as I thought I was finished with my first Christian historical novel. Then I discovered my time line was all wrong for the protagonist. Got the time line reasonable straight for the protagonist to discover my transitions from scenes needed a great deal of work. (sigh) As a "pantser" when I write I expect that words will flow smoothly. A "pantser" is one who writes by the seat of their pants. I don't really use an outline. Many writers use them to help with flow and as a student I lived by outlines. That style is probably still in use,...