Stories

Poems from when I was 22 and 23.

Part II contains love poems for Jimmy, the real-life Dean of my novel "The Round People"

To protect the boy and world he loves, 7th-grader Travis Turner must reject his destiny as evil's chosen one. But one does not simply tell Satan no, especially not when he can invade your body and mind. Can Travis overcome these odds to become a legendary hero?

A friend from Mexico visits, a Squad member moves south, a California teen prepares to start his freshman year at Georgetown University, and a local artist delivers a commission. From Cuban food at Abuela’s, to cocktails at The Alex, an excursion to the National Gallery of Art, and brunch at Everhope, the weekend is full of laughs, food, and fine art.

A week’s trip to New York City has Owen and CJ mixing business and pleasure. Meetings with high-powered attorneys and financial high-rollers combine with Broadway, Sag Harbor, and Fire Island for a memorable vacation. The couple’s efforts to increase CJ’s name recognition moves forward with TV appearances on multiple networks.

In the east are monsters. In the north is the witch. In the south is the capital. To the west is the waste. The land is called Xin. Life has been nothing but cruel to the children soldiers Sumi and Harakin. They were not expected to survive as long as they have. In the north, a child with shadows ventures to the witch's lair. In the south, an organic mechanic is expelled from her guild.

How will these different individuals from a distant land connect to the events in Books One & Two? And what will happen with the monsters?

Another weekend, another out-of-town wedding for CJ and Owen. This time, Liebe comes along. She’ll serve as the flower girl for CJ’s high school classmate, Autumn Dingell. Surrounded by the magnificence of Mackinac Island’s Grand Hotel and by Michigan political royalty, CJ reconnects with old friends and meets new people who may play a role in his future

Brett Davenport and César Abelló convince their Georgetown neighbors to combine their 4^th of July celebrations into a block party. With their segment of Prospect Street closed off, children play on the street and adults cross from one house to another undisturbed by traffic. CJ and Owen ensure Carson Sawyer, part of the group being assembled to propel CJ to public office, meets one of the block’s wealthy and connected residents. Liebe has a flashback to the park shooting and a friend from Mexico City visits.

Inspired by Jan Hutchinson’s prompts for National Poetry Writing Month 2023.

As I said somewhere else, I won’t manage to write a poem a day this April. The start was delayed, as I didn’t want to bore you with unimaginative rants giving righteous indignation and certain occurrences too many words and importance.

When Owen Liston is invited to join a Nature Conservancy delegation traveling to Havana, his husband, CJ Abelló, tags along. He claims there was no chance he would pass up the opportunity to visit Cuba. He may be planning on spending his time sightseeing and day-drinking, but changes are coming to the land of his grandparents. and he will find himself in the middle of events. CJ and Owen will be popular with American and Cuban government officials by the time the dust settles..

Khurtschono is a bigender neko living in a blended family of werewolves. Soren Eilan has lived a solitary life for the last eight years. An unexpected friendship flourishes when they meet.
But their friendship is based on a lie. That lie will be put to the test when they meet the son of two Wolf Patrol guards.
Can their friendship survive the truth?