Category: Fiction
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By the Shores of Solon Pond (5)
Negotiating pay is tricky business for young farmer boy Waldo. His brother’s coughing woke him early. Coffee bubbled below and his father’s slightly burnt corn cakes gave off a sweet, acrid smell. The water in the washbasin was slightly reddened by a clot of his brother’s blood and a wave of yesterday’s worries flooded him […]
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By the Shores of Solon Pond (4)
Waldo worries his uncle will find fault with him on the first day of work. Lucian bounded over the hill with his pair of overly enthusiastic yoked calves. One day, he would sell them and set aside the money for his own savings. Waldo envied him a moment until Lucian smiled and waved. “Waldo’s come, […]
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By the Shores of Solon Pond (3)
As the woods grew darker along the path into the valley and up to his family’s cabin, Waldo’s mood darkened as well. His uncle’s look of doubt at Waldo being able to attend school echoed what was already lurking in the back of his mind. Owls called to each other. Waldo called back the sounds […]
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By the Shores of Solon Pond (2)
Will a new opportunity keep Waldo from going to school again? (Excerpt from Chapter Two of WIP) The day was low now with only moments left of twilight as he passed his uncle’s farm with its neat stone and wood fence along the road and his prize winning English White cows ambling within the big […]
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By the Shores of Solon Pond
A sneak peek at the first chapter of my next novel about a good-natured farmer boy who escapes to fight in the Civil War after a dreadful accident at home. Take it in! The crickets insisted. Everything bursting with life! The gold and silver riches of the sun setting on this fine autumnal afternoon! Yes, […]
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Fiction: Hooked Up
Buck followed, having nowhere else to go. He glanced around at the filth and total confusion of the tiny place divided by a soiled and torn old quilt. The walls moved with bugs in the flickering candlelight. Fred grabbed at Ginny, who wore a threadbare wrapper. She had a wonderfully white and soft-looking body, Buck […]
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Fiction: Sleeping Arrangements
“Mrs. Crenshaw, I want to apologize for my acid tongue earlier on,” Mrs. Markham said. “I was worried over Buck, as I’m sure you were, but that was no excuse.” Margaret surveyed the plump, plain, little woman. “I accept your apology. We Easterners have high standards as far as manners go. I couldn’t possibly hold […]
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Fiction: The Wedding Party
On the train west, Margaret Crenshaw insulted the coachmen and train conductors while fretting over the linens and china purchased and packed with great care for Thankful’s wedding. Fred in his booming arrogance educated his family about Indian tribes and the sinister Chinese—betraying his ignorance of both. Meg stared out the window, chin in hand, […]
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Fiction: Choices
“Do you really believe that you had any control over your parents?” “Yes, they depended on me! I went wild when they needed me to be calm. I poisoned a teacher and Mother lost a replacement for Eliza, and then my father took me and I tried to please him but still he did the […]
Author Adrienne Morris 