Friday, October 16, 2026

AUTUMN'S End (Part 16 of 31)

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Above: Every year, to celebrate the season, I write a Halloween story which Marianne and I then copy out, one word at a time, on fallen leaves. The leaves are photographed and then left where they were found. The story is serialized online here, one sentence per day. The final sentence will be posted on All Hallows Eve.


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Thursday, October 15, 2026

Jess Kingswell's "Tomas the Castaway" Cover and Why It's So Brilliant

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Just recently, my story, "Tomas the Castaway," popped up on Reactor.  Above is the illustration made for it by artist Jess Kingswell. Which is, at a minimum, both lovely and appropriate for the story itself. 

Here's the nifty thing, though. The story begins with the following snippet of conversation...

            "This is far too beautiful," she said.

            "I was disappointed," he replied. "It fails to do you justice."

...followed immediately by a scene set in contemporary Venice. The reader who wants to understand that exchange must wait until the final words of the story. Skipping ahead won't do it--the emotional background that understanding requires happens somewhere in the middle.

Similarly, you won't know what the illustration is all about until you've read the story's final scene.

This is what happens when you hire an artist who's willing to read the story and draw their own conclusions and then art. There is possibility that something exceptional might occur.

Thank you, Jess Kingswell. I'm grateful to you for creating something exceptional.

If you're curious, you can read the story here.


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AUTUMN'S END (Part 15 of 31)

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Above: Every year, to celebrate the season, I write a Halloween story which Marianne and I then copy out, one word at a time, on fallen leaves. The leaves are photographed and then left where they were found. The story is serialized online here, one sentence per day. The final sentence will be posted on All Hallows Eve.


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Wednesday, October 14, 2026

AUTUMN'S END (Part 14 of 31)

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Above: Every year, to celebrate the season, I write a Halloween story which Marianne and I then copy out, one word at a time, on fallen leaves. The leaves are photographed and then left where they were found. The story is serialized online here, one sentence per day. The final sentence will be posted on All Hallows Eve.


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Tuesday, October 13, 2026

AUTUMN'S END (Part 13 of 31)

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Above: Every year, to celebrate the season, I write a Halloween story which Marianne and I then copy out, one word at a time, on fallen leaves. The leaves are photographed and then left where they were found. The story is serialized online here, one sentence per day. The final sentence will be posted on All Hallows Eve.


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Monday, October 12, 2026

AUTUMN'S END (Part 12 of 31)

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Above: Every year, to celebrate the season, I write a Halloween story which Marianne and I then copy out, one word at a time, on fallen leaves. The leaves are photographed and then left where they were found. The story is serialized online here, one sentence per day. The final sentence will be posted on All Hallows Eve.


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Sunday, October 11, 2026

AUTUMN'S END (Part 11 of 31)

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Above: Every year, to celebrate the season, I write a Halloween story which Marianne and I then copy out, one word at a time, on fallen leaves. The leaves are photographed and then left where they were found. The story is serialized online here, one sentence per day. The final sentence will be posted on All Hallows Eve.


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