The man who recruited me into the army in the mid 80’s, SGT Bill Steel (yes that was his real name) oddly ended up being my platoon sergeant a few years later. He once told me the difference between a fairy tale and a war story is that a fairy tale starts with “Once upon…
Gretel walked to the edge of the course and squinted down range, holding her hand above her knockoff, Ferragamo sunglasses to see past the noonday glare. “I can’t even see the target,” she said without turning as a gentle breeze lifted the golden curls from her shoulder. She closed her eyes and delighted in…
The grass grew fast after the last few days of rain, rising above the bottom step of the terrace. I stood on the porch and breathed the hot, pollen filled air before coughing…then sneezing. Just being out there made me tired. The only things growing faster than the grass were the weeds and my exhaustion.…
December 17th, 2014 Tobin Garret walked out of the Crown Plaza Panama City into the sweltering heat. He squinted against the glare from the bleached white concrete as he donned his sun glasses and walked to his sedan, his two man security team only steps behind him. As an investigator for the State Department, he…
He stormed into my study. “Dude! What the hell?!” “What?” I asked without looking up. “You have three first drafts cooking and a series to finish…why are you on twitter?” I shook my head. “If you need to eat all I do is write in a restaurant. If I want to eat, I have to…
“I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.” — Edgar Allan Poe It’s not surprising that two old soldiers would meet and start chatting about the military. He introduced himself as Ed. I had no idea who he was until many months later, after his mysterious death. I sat on a park bench, eating…
Oh wait…who should I thank? Scott Wolfe once told me that one day I’d be such an evil bastard he’d have to come after me. He said “You are one scary son of a bitch. The only thing that keeps you from being a super criminal is a lack of funds.” I laughed of course.…
My name is Ty and I’m a successful Realtor. In fact, I’m the highest grossing Realtor in the state, which is saying a lot considering the massive commercial Renaissance that’s occurring here. What’s my secret? Well, I’m a psychopath. Yep, I’m a real life, one percenter psychopath. That one in a hundred brain structure that…
“Blood and destruction shall be so in use And dreadful objects so familiar That mothers shall but smile when they behold Their infants quarter’d with the hands of war; All pity choked with custom of fell deeds: And Caesar’s spirit, ranging for revenge, With Ate by his side come hot from hell, Shall in these…
“Do you love me, baby?” he asked her as he slipped his arm around her waist. She rolled over and put her hand on his cheek, smiling, eyes sparkling. “Of course. You know you don’t even have to ask.” “Even though I’m away most nights, sitting in a crappy van watching hookers go in and…
S.L. Shelton 