The City On The Edge of Heaven

city

PHOTO PROMPT © Roger Bultot

“I’m in a city somewhere.” Rand stood on the sidewalk looking at his reflection in the windows of the building across the street. He pulled out his wallet.

“Yeah, plenty of cash and a credit card.” He stopped when he saw the name and address on the drivers license. “My picture, but from a long time ago.”

It got worse when he saw the expiration date.

“That was decades ago.” He looked at his reflection again. He was so young.

“What happened?” Then he remembered the wish he made. He had been dying. Cancer.

A voice said, “Welcome to Heaven.”

Continue reading →

The Rant of the Union Message

belton

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

The President’s State of the Union message turned into a free-for-all with everyone shrieking they were better leaders.

Orange Man bellowed, “I’m getting rid of all those criminal aliens and yes, there will be a few American casualties, but all for the greater good.”

Former female candidate screamed, “I’m shocked that the Supreme Court sided with the detransitioners even though they were scammed by the medical industry.”

Big City Mayor added, “Reality and economics has sabotaged my promises to give everyone everywhere free everything.”

The sane people watching thought, “All of these politicians are nuts. We need a new government.”

Continue reading →

The Last Days of Great-Grandma Sherline McCabe

belton

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

Great-grandma Sherline McCabe lay on her deathbed at the age of one-hundred-and-one surrounded by four generations of her progeny. Her voice was weak and she was as thin as a ghost as she began the final rendition of her tale.

“Listen here. I was born on the Woman’s Commonwealth commune in Belton, Texas in the year of our Lord 1882. Mama had just left my old Papa Silas Sean O’Neill who was a wife beater and a drunk.

“The women raised me and took care of each other and were not only fine Christians but successful in business and commerce.”

Continue reading →

And they were singin’ bye-bye, Miss American Pie

cafe

PHOTO PROMPT © Lori Wilson

Todd’s hands were trembling and fear twisted in his gut. The café wasn’t right, even though it said “Route 66” on the sign.

“You weren’t here back then,” he muttered to himself. He shivered but not just because it was cold.

Todd sat at one of the outside picnic tables. Maybe if he closed his eyes and wished hard enough… But the only thing that happened was the waitress asking if he wanted a menu.

After his coffee came and she left, he took a sip and waited to die. The past was gone and he was going with it.

Continue reading →

The Kickstarter for “Ruins: A Space Opera Anthology” Officially Launches Today!

ruins

Promotional image of “Ruins: A Space Opera Anthology”

Across the vast expanse of space and time lie the remnants of civilizations that reached for the stars—and vanished. Silent cities carved into asteroids. Derelict megastructures drifting between galaxies. Temples buried beneath the red sands of dead worlds.

This book contains 13 bold tales of humanity’s encounters with these cosmic ruins.

Today is the official launch date for the Kickstarter for Ruins: A Space Opera Anthology edited by M.G. Herron and featuring my 10,000 word story “Sunrise.”

Continue reading →

Dangerous

sidewalk

PHOTO PROMPT © David Stewart

It was a pleasant neighborhood and having time to kill before my next business meeting, I decided to take a walk. I began to think that was a mistake when the lone pedestrian, a woman wearing a baseball cap, saw me coming towards her and slowed down.

She looked scared. Was it because I’m an American, that I’m tall, or just because I’m a man?

We got closer and I smiled and nodded. I didn’t know if that was okay here in China. She looked relieved as we passed each other. I’m sorry if she thought I was a monster.

Continue reading →

Interviewed by Blackbird Publishing

haunted waters interviewMy interview by Blackbird Publishing about my tension-filled story in the “Haunted Waters” anthology. My story is based the actual loss of a U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarine destroyed in an “unexplained catastrophic event” in 1968 and sank in the Sargasso Sea.

Continue reading →

Freezing My Butt Off In Quebec Again

stairwell

PHOTO PROMPT © Jennifer Pendergast

“Of all the ridiculous…not Quebec again.”

Gerald sat on the steps heedless of melting snow making the rear of his jeans cold and wet. He propped his elbows on his knees and set his forlorn looking face in his hands. His gaze darted around the concrete stairwell. “Le Petit Champlain. I know where I am. A damned quaint, picturesque tourist hole.”

He stared upward as if seeing through the clouds. “Look, I’m trying to find the ultimate evil down here. Get your bloody coordinates straight for once.”

“Sorry,” said the chagrined voice in his ear. “We’re still experiencing technical difficulties.”

Continue reading →

Grandpa’s Hippie Birthday Cake

hippie

PHOTO PROMPT © Rochelle Wisoff-Fields

“What about this one, Grandpa?” Ten-year-old Mia pulled on Tom’s arm dragging him through the bakery section of the party emporium.

“Oh, you’ve got to be kidding,” he said exaggerating his frown. “I can feel myself becoming diabetic just looking at that awful thing.

“But you were a hippie a long time ago, right?” she giggled.

“Not exactly,” he mused. “Sure, I’m old, but I don’t remember eating anything like that.

Tom looked at her smiling face and lamented the world she was growing up in. Sure, the world of his childhood was far from perfect, but it had hope.

Continue reading →

Review of “The Fantastic Four: First Steps” (2025)

ff movie

© James Pyles

When I saw the DVD of The Fantastic Four: First Steps (2025) at the library this morning, I was really excited and grabbed it immediately. That’s not because I thought it was going to be a great film and I was looking forward to seeing it. Actually, from everything I’d heard, it was a terrible film and I wanted to watch it so I could pan it.

I know. That’s a horrible attitude to have if you’re going to review a film, but that’s what popped into my head.

Actually, the film did have little moments that I liked. Little ones.

Spoiler Alert! This review is full of them. You have been warned.

Continue reading →