athesaurus.com

…breathe deeply and often…

  • Welcome Back

    No. I’d been gone four days, strangers had been in to feed him, and he needed cream now. 

    Read more

  • Skipping Stones

    Bart Goins, ten-year-old, Davis Lake Rock skipping champion has been suspected of cheating.

    Read more

  • Reflection

    Susan would have been hot anywhere, anytime, wearing anything, with or without the fan.

    Read more

  • Bring it

    Is it terrible that I look for her obituary on a regular basis?

    Read more

  • Will stole their words and actions for his newest play. Bad juju. Bad, bad juju for Will. 

    Read more

  • Writing Space

    The sun doesn’t shine a lot back here, so it’s always cooler, much cooler, back here in the woods where the flowers grow. 

    Read more

  • DP Benches

    To see the edges of the art deco bank covered in blue and green sparkles was something out of a snowglobe.

    Read more

  • Palms

    I was developing a terrible dislike for dragons. 

    Read more

  • Wishes

    “Well, why don’t you just tell me what’s on your mind so I can deal with it,” said Betty.

    Read more

  • My Origin Story

    We’ve seen you coming for a long time now. We cast the calling spell. We been waiting for you.” said Florie.

    Read more

  • Halloween Slumber Party

           “Hello.”  I heard it plain as day. I knew right then it was coming back to the house from the storage facility. I took a pickup truckload of stuff to my building, in the rain and brought back a Ouija Board.  “Hello,” it said again, louder this time. I knew where it was and Read more

  • Trick or Treat Ghost

    “Stop, I lost my shoe,” Bonnie said. She was crying. It was pitch dark and we were in the middle of a flower bed in somebody’s front yard. There were four of us. Bonnie was the tiniest five year old I knew. She looked about three and was just as annoying. None of us wanted Read more

  • The Bad Seed

    The Bad Seed I still can’t watch The Bad Seed without getting the heebie jeebies. The first time I saw it, I was about ten years old, and it was a Saturday after the cartoons had all gone off. Mom was busy doing mom things, the brothers and sisters were gone, maybe everyone was. But Read more

  • Norris Lives

    I finished it. I finished Norris Lives, a 25K word sequel to Norris Tales, the Adventures of an Awful House Cat. I sent it off to a publisher. Norris draws first blood. He is a jewel thief. He steals the remote as well as little kid’s lunch money. He cheats at cards and loves a Read more

  • Velvet Heart

    Janet stood in front of the mirror and admired herself. The twenty-pound weight loss looked good in the deep red velvet dress she wore. It hugged her waist, plunged at the neck, and flounced from a complete circle to the floor. It was the dress of her dreams, and she was stunning. She twirled in Read more

  • On Writing; Inspired by Erma Bombeck

    “I’ve taken my typewriter to the hospital with me for kidney infections. I have taken it on camping trips, and the sand has gotten in the keys. It is just like the most fierce habit you can imagine. It is there, and it stares at you like a conscience.” ~ Erma Bombeck I must write. Read more

  • Welcome Back

    No. I’d been gone four days, strangers had been in to feed him, and he needed cream now. 

    Read more

  • Skipping Stones

    Bart Goins, ten-year-old, Davis Lake Rock skipping champion has been suspected of cheating.

    Read more

  • Reflection

    Susan would have been hot anywhere, anytime, wearing anything, with or without the fan.

    Read more

  • Bring it

    Is it terrible that I look for her obituary on a regular basis?

    Read more

  • Will stole their words and actions for his newest play. Bad juju. Bad, bad juju for Will. 

    Read more

  • Writing Space

    The sun doesn’t shine a lot back here, so it’s always cooler, much cooler, back here in the woods where the flowers grow. 

    Read more

  • DP Benches

    To see the edges of the art deco bank covered in blue and green sparkles was something out of a snowglobe.

    Read more

  • Palms

    I was developing a terrible dislike for dragons. 

    Read more

  • Wishes

    “Well, why don’t you just tell me what’s on your mind so I can deal with it,” said Betty.

    Read more

  • My Origin Story

    We’ve seen you coming for a long time now. We cast the calling spell. We been waiting for you.” said Florie.

    Read more


  • Hall Pass

    The state took over our school and taught me how to teach the way they wanted me to. They didn’t demand I command a hundred seat auditorium, they were more concerned that I orchestrate three classes in one classroom. They noticed I had leadership skills. They didn’t say        whether they were good…

  • Fashion Emergency

    I had on boots, leggings, a sweater dress, and vintage jewelry. The brooch was a stone blue, grey, and weird white that went perfectly with the black of the dress. It had matching clip earrings that were so perfectly cut they glistened in the dark. They were even comfortable to wear. I had lost twenty…

  • Parable of the Long Spoons

    Parable of the long spoons Hell is where the spoons are so long you can’t feed yourself the luscious food on the table. Heaven is where the spoons are the same size as the ones in Hell, but everyone is willing to feed you. I hope there’s a special place in Heaven for those who…

  • A Prayer for School

    Dear Lord, Take the thunderstorm out of my brain when my lightning temper flares. Let my past stop ruling my head and teach me silent grace. Teach me to accept my students as humans with quirks, and humor,  not the hateful banshees I see them as. Lead me to peace and joy with them rather…

  • Patience of the trees

    I grew up on a dirt road with quiet skies and darkened rooms where there was one light in the center of the room and two table lamps, a luxury beside a rocking chair and one end of the couch for reading. The kitchens had a dim bulb in the middle as did the bedrooms.…