When I killed my neighbor’s dog….

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Maybe I was having a dream, maybe I heard a noise in the driveway, maybe I heard any of the assorted dogs in the neighborhood barking, whatever it was that woke me up at 3 a.m. on a weekday morning, that line was zinging in my head.

As I lay there, trying to get back to sleep, I wondered where else that line might go. So, I let it lead me, take me wherever it might go.

I thought maybe I’d make a mental note, write it the next day, maybe take physical notes on the notebook next to my bed and finish it after work.

Then, by 4 a.m., with the story unwinding itself to me, I got out of bed. I took my notebook into the dining room, turned on the light and wrote.

By 5:30, I’d finished the majority of the first draft and started to get ready for work.

“Of Strays and Exes” was a departure for me – it’s snarky, ironic, almost funny.

So, don’t judge me too harshly, ladies and gentlemen, apart from the first line, the story is actually about the connection and disconnection we do throughout our lives in relationships and with the people (and critters) around us.

The story is available in New Beginnings by Pilcrow and Dagger.

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Of Strays and Exes… And better yet – Friends. Congrats to Jo Rousseau!

I’ve been asked to read my as-of-yet unpublished fictional story “Of Strays and Exes” at Jo Rousseau‘s publication party.

Jo Rousseau is celebrating the publication of her first book of short stories, titled Inside Stories.

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She’s published short stories and won Charter House Press’ essay contest last year with her touching memoir “Becoming Rousseau”, which is available in Banking the Bacon.

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Check out her website!

Congrats to a lovely woman and a good friend; She deserves all the success life (and publication) have to offer.   Much Love!