Kingdom Hearts III: A Writer’s Take

The Prologue Let me share with you a perfect summer memory, made all the sweeter by the fact that it was, in fact, not perfect. It was the end of the school year, but not just the year. High school was over. My friends and I had tossed our hats into the air, and then …

Try Everything

Sometimes, I think I relate a little too much to the theme of Disney's Zootopia. The song, performed by Shakira, is called "Try Everything." I think it's a great song, kind of the peppiest fight song you can imagine. If you don't know the song, here are a few of the lyrics to give you a …

Leaving the Friendzone

In The Four Loves, published nearly sixty years ago, C.S. Lewis declared a truth that still echoes in today’s blogs, fathomless Tumblr posts, and buried Twitter threads: “We are born helpless. As soon as we are fully conscious we discover loneliness.” We’re all too familiar with unanswered texts and the silent hallways of life. We …

The Story Continues: FFXV Episode Ignis

I like to talk about video games as a writer because they are such an interesting storytelling form. They have their own rules and limitations. They’re also very expensive stories that depend on technology, and the choices made in creating them are often fascinating. And sometimes they can teach writers a thing or two about …

Special Delivery

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and in the spirit of celebrating, I decided to join in on  Susanna Leonard Hill’s Valentiny Writing Contest. The prompt asks writers to tell a hopeful Valentine story for kids either in poetry or prose in 214 words or less. I thought I'd try my hand with some rhyming couplets--hope you enjoy …

Autumn Again

Autumn again. Slanting afternoon light and apple cider crispness. Leaves beginning to burn. Wood smoke in the air.   It seems as if I’m just looking up from my desk and realizing that the season has changed outside. Suddenly, I’m thinking of wrapping a sweater around my shoulders. Suddenly, I’m noticing the long twilight at …

Thinking for Yourself

Ours is the age of paradox. Just a few decades ago, experts were predicting that the amount of leisure time that the average person would enjoy would increase astronomically. With the advent of time-saving technology (dishwashers, laundry machines, copy machines, computers, cars), there was actually a concern that people wouldn’t have enough work to do. …

Change Changes Us

Maybe it's just the phase of life I'm in right now, and maybe it's because a dear friend just recently moved to another state, but change has been on my mind. At first blush, I'm not one to enjoy change, but it's really not a bad thing. Not when I think about it. Change changes …

Seeing the World Through Stories

Every person has something that they can’t resist. It catches your eye across a crowded room. You find yourself pulling the nearest person you know along to point it out. Even if you don’t touch it or intend to buy it, you comment on it. For some it’s food, or music, or shoes. For me, …

Final Fantasy XV: What Was Lovely and What I Would Have Done Differently

Before I get too far into this post, I must do the decent thing and let you know that there will be spoilers. So if that kind of thing really burns your bacon, read no further. If you don’t mind, or you’ve already played it, carry on. FFXV has drifted through my consciousness for years …