Transit Lane in Spectrum

Spectrum (out of UC Santa Barbara) published my flash story Transit Lane in the spring edition (Vol LXV). Spectrum is the oldest lit pub in the UC system. They have published Raymond Carver, Samuel Beckett and William Carlos Williams. This is the only thing I have in common with those guys. The people at Spectrum were great to work with.

This story came out of decades of commuting on buses, which was sometimes enjoyable and sometimes an adventure. There was a woman (for instance) who kept an actual bird inside her beehive hairdo. Couldn’t fit her into the story. Maybe next time.

Unfortunately, there’s no electronic access yet to the story (hardcopy only so far).

Trojan Safety Officer in Thin Air Online

A story about the glories of homeschool and science on the internet. What could go wrong?

Bark Hearts in jmww

New flash story “Bark Hearts” in jmww, one of the old school great flash journals I’ve been trying to get into forever.

A long time ago I read that even people with very little don’t tend to support increasing taxes on the rich because they figure someday they’ll be rich themselves. We want to move up the hill, no matter what. This is about that age old proposition: people be crazy.

Adapting to the Urban Environment at After the Pause

My flash story about smart raccoons in the attic is up in the spring edition of After the Pause.

The Temporary Skull at Hominum Journal

Jonathan Truong and I both had stories in the same issue of Eclectica. He asked if I had anything for Hominum, where he is editor in chief. They focus on the somatic and what’s more somatic than a Temporary Skull?

I think this journal is destined for the top. Excellent layout and stunning artwork, staffed by young people (I can say that, I’m old) and out of Orange County CA, which used to be a bastion of the right. Home to John Wayne airport. Take a look at the masthead page. I feel honorer they would have me.

The artwork on this post is by Eunah Kang, a high school senior with prodigious talents.

Wild Huckleberries at Crack the Spine

New flash fiction called Wild Huckleberries up at Crack the Spine. Inspired by bear scat that looked like blueberry cobbler on a hike up Mt. Pilchuck off the Mountain Loop Highway. Also inspired by almost falling off the trail and finding a dropped pocket knife. Picture is from near the Mt. Pilchuck lookout.

The Appendix up at Eclectica

The Appendix, my first flash story of 2021, is up at Eclectica, which has been publishing on the web for 25 years. Founded by Thomas Jefferson or something.