Description: A circus clown faces the prospect of retirement. Excerpt: When the crowds were thin, though, and the children screamed with fear instead of laughing at their antics, the blue teardrops appeared at the corners of their eyes, their faces were updated in the Registry, and they disappeared. Some said they were going back to […]

Description: Inspired by a tweet from my friend Jancis last year, and written for 2016 HorrorDailies. Excerpt: “Greta? Greta who mixes weed into green smoothies Greta?” Yvette had never really gotten along with her, and things had been worse since she and Jason had begun dating. Greta had wanted Jason badly. “I had no idea […]

Description: Part 4 of a series that began with “Steeping” in 2013. A Sarah & David tea story. Excerpt: Sarah dropped into the chair David had pulled out for her, taking in the bouquet of daisies in a glass vase, and the vaguely tea-pot shaped item sitting on a trivet and covered by a quilted […]

Description: Part 3 of a series that began with “Steeping” in 2013. A Sarah & David tea story. Excerpt: “I didn’t want it to be ‘fine,’” Sarah snapped, though the look on her face made it clear that she hadn’t meant to speak quite so sharply. In a more neutral tone, she continued, “I wanted […]

Description: Technically a piece of Gotham fanfic, but you’d never know it if I hadn’t told you. (Note: I thought this was from 2016, but I wrote it in 2015.) Just a quick ficlet. Excerpt: Surprisingly, it’s not the mook holding your bodyguard’s head, blood from the severed neck dripping on the cold tile. Links […]

Description: My Sunday Brunch column from April, 2017. The Asbury Park boardwalk, and particularly the carousel, are the touchstones of my childhood. Excerpt: Outside the carousel house, the twilight of evening is melting into full darkness. The scent of hot dogs and cotton candy mixes with the salty brine of sea and sand. The lights […]

Description: My dog, Max (Maximus) will be nine in December. This story may or may not have taken place exactly as described, about eight years ago. Excerpt: “Everything I write is crap,” I said. “And my column is due tomorrow. I forgot to pay my cell phone bill and it cost seventy-five dollars to get […]

Description: Not so much a ghost story, as a story with ghosts in it. Written for 2016 HorrorDailies. Excerpt: But Mama never believed me when I told her that my invisible friends told me these things. She’d just tug on one of my braids and tell me I was lucky to have such a vivid […]

Description: Unpolished, raw, snippet from a work in progress. Meet Oskar and Harmony. Excerpt: They didn’t talk much, when they were above. His voice was the sound of a sledge-hammer, booming and forceful. It made the waves break far from shore and scattered fish in all directions. Links & References: The Dog Days of Podcasting […]

Description: Flash-fiction: “The First Time.” Everyone is anxious the first time, right? Excerpt: “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked. “I’m sure,” she said. He wasn’t convinced. “If you’re not ready, we can wait.” “No, I’m ready, I’m just a little nervous.” Her voice shook a little. “I get that. I was […]