Mira Sinclair had always been fascinated by shadows. As a child, she'd make shadow puppets on her bedroom wall, giggling at the fantastical creatures she could conjure with just her hands and a flashlight. Now, at 27, she found herself staring at shadows again, but this time with a growing sense of unease. It started … Continue reading Shadows Unbound
Virginia
Quest
Abigail cinched her cloak tighter as the biting wind whipped through the muddy streets of Boston. At just sixteen years old, she had already endured more hardships than most women twice her age. Her mother died of fever when Abigail was but a babe, and her father had been lost at sea when she was … Continue reading Quest
Twenty Four – Bloganuary
Welcome to Bloganuary. It’s this thing that WordPress is doing to encourage bloggers to post something every day by providing a regular prompt. I think that “Bloguary” would not only sound better but makes more sense. Maybe they’re saving that for next month. But if they go with Blogebruary I’m dropping out. Anyway, today’s prompt … Continue reading Twenty Four – Bloganuary
Impact
How would you describe nostalgia? I don't necessarily mean the things that stir up nostalgic feelings within you. I don't mean the sights or sounds, the tastes or smells... I mean the feeling itself. Here's how real nostalgia makes me feel... It's like this deep ache. It's not painful, but it's like something has gone … Continue reading Impact
Stuff to Do in Roanoke
I recently had a client complain to me that there's just nothing to do in our city. And it's a complaint that I remember hearing a lot when I was a kid. Growing up around here, I think I even made that complaint from time to time because I'm certain I eventually took things for … Continue reading Stuff to Do in Roanoke
Let’s Get Political
On the state level, anyway. And, I'm sorry, but when I go back and read that title, I'm hearing Olivia Newton-John singing it in my head. Anyone else having that issue? I hope it's just me. I hate politics. Mostly, I hate politicians. Most of that hatred stems from a personal view of how they … Continue reading Let’s Get Political
A Let Down at the Cinema
Recently, I moved back to my hometown of Roanoke, having spent the past seven years or so in the New River Valley. Overall, I really like Roanoke. It's not a bad little city, once you figure out where you're going and how to avoid certain traffic spots in certain times of the day. My only … Continue reading A Let Down at the Cinema
…And the Home of the Brave
Kids, did you know that we have a minor league baseball team affiliated with the Boston Red Sox right here in southwest Virginia? Salem has had a minor league baseball team for as long as I can remember. I’m sure they existed long before that, too. When I was a kid, they were the Salem … Continue reading …And the Home of the Brave
Political Ads are Dumb
Let me begin this post by saying that I am in no way endorsing any political party or individual candidate for any public office. I am simply writing these words to point out the absurdity of some of the political ads that I am seeing this election season in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Also, I … Continue reading Political Ads are Dumb
My Three Dream Homes
It might be safe to say that everyone, at some point in their lives, has had a dream home. It's that house that, for whatever reason, stands out in our minds as the perfect combination of walls, floors, ceilings, and roof. For some, it could be an apartment in a bustling city. For others, it … Continue reading My Three Dream Homes
The Confusing Middle 