Category Archives: Samples of My Writing

Samples of some of my personal writing from over the years: the good, the bad, and the I-just-love-it-even-though-I-can’t-use-it.

A New Excuse for Messy Bedrooms — Remembering February 22, 2011

Posted on

"Clean your room. You know my rule."

The children bowed their heads, forlorn as a result of their mother's scowl. "Yes, mum. There must always be a clear path from the door to the bed."

It wasn't much to ask for as far as the mother was concerned. It really was just for a matter of safety. But the children went about their chores, knowing the consequences if they didn't. Their mother's wrath was not something anyone wanted to wage war with—and she knew it. Smiling to herself, she left her children to tidy the messes that they called bedrooms.

Sunday afternoon bounded along and it was time for inspection. The son had everything in its place: books on the shelves, desk clear, laundry in the hamper, and the bed made. He had even vacuumed. The daughter… Well… The mess had been carefully stowed away in the cupboards and stacked in unstable piles. The laundry was pushed under the bed and the covers were pulled back to give the false impression of a made bed. The mother shook her head in dismay.

Read More→

Mother Earth Roars and We Listen…

Posted on

When Mother Earth decides to make her presence known, we must listen.
We humans are nothing but ants on her skin.
She stretches, the ground moves. She roars, and we hear nothing else.

Mother Nature knows when things are not right.
Silence precedes the dog's barking and the sparrow's flight.
Then her mouth opens and the city falls.

Alarms of man overshadow the screams.
The heart races and fear is all you know.
You have no control, just clinging for life, praying for it to end.

Then silence. It's unbearable.
You can't move, waiting for it to strike again.
You know it's coming. You've been through this before.
And it does.

I hear you, dear Mother. Please let me live.

Read More→

The lights go out, but it’s still the season of cheer

Posted on

Winter was upon them and the chill leaked through the walls and windows. The young girl shivered, wrapping herself in the blankets that her mother had laid across her shoulders. The candlelight flickered across the table. She picked up the paintbrush, yellow on its tip. As carefully as she could, she painted the stuffed solider doll.

Every night that week, she had decorated another ornament for the tree that sat in the corner. Every night, it was only a candle that provided the light to see by. Every night, she beamed with pride with another creation hung.

Read More→

A Quake to Change Your World

Posted on

The low rumble barely registered in her subconscious. The small shakes of the bed were enough to pull her from her sleep.

"Great," she mumbled. "Gijs is having another asthma attack."

With a sudden jolt, the bed jumped across the floor and banged into the wall. The teddy bears and dolls tumbled through the air.

Her eyes flew open, able to see clearly in the darkened room. The roar filled the ears and the walls moved sideways. Beside her, her husband snorted.

"My god, he's still asleep!" She swung her arm out as hard as she could on the bucking bed and hit him in his stomach.

"What… What is—"

"It's an earthquake!"

Read More→

All writers have to begin somewhere…

Posted on

When a writer is asked about how they started writing, the answers are varied. However, if one thinks about it, all writers start their journey at a very young age. In school, we all have those creative writing assignments, even if we dread them.

Recently, I was challenged to find a piece of writing from those early years. Here is just one of the gems that I found which dates back to 1989, when I was in 3rd Form (8th Grade for those of you in the US). I resisted the urge to edit this piece (and it wasn’t easy), but even in its raw state, it still made me giggle.Read More→