Coffee has been in the news recently, but November 29, 1942, it was a sad, sad, sad day in American history. Coffee was put on the list of items rationed in the United States. Despite record coffee…

Coffee has been in the news recently, but November 29, 1942, it was a sad, sad, sad day in American history. Coffee

I gave a copy of my first novel, An Odyssey of Illusions, to a friend and was asked if I’d read Wallace Stegner’s The Big Rock Candy Mountain. I told him I hadn’t and asked why. He said there were …

I gave a copy of my first novel, An Odyssey of Illusions, An Odyssey of Illusions became the first half of my book Iniquities of the Fathers to a friend and was asked if I’d read Wallace Stegner’s The Big Rock Candy Mountain. I told him I hadn’t and asked why. He said there were similarities in the stories. To see what he meant, I bought and read the story Stegner had written from a son’s observation and perspective.

Get his book I’ve met a number of men who served time in Vietnam and read several books written by Nam vets. None of the books I read told both sides of their times in country, but Ray LePoidevin d…

Get his book I’ve met a number of men who served time in Vietnam and read several books written by Nam vets. None of the books I read told both sides of their times in country, but Ray LePoidevin did in his book Alternate Route: One man’s journey through the fog of PTSD. Ray didn’t tell me about his book when we met the first time, nor did he mention it later.

It’s been some time since I read a book written by someone I know and shared ideas with in a writers group. The Exploits of Edna and Gertie by Jan Pierce begs the question: Could Edna and Ger…

It's been some time since I read a book written by someone I know and shared ideas with in a writers group. The Exploits of Edna and Gertie by Jan Pierce begs the question: Could Edna and Gertie exist in real life? Jan tells their exploits with tongue-in-cheek humor and realistic situations. We are reminded of septuagenarians and octogenarians we have met off the page.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)is in the news, in advertisements, and on talk shows. When my manuscript for Gregor: His travels from Alaska to California was finished, just for fun, I tried an AI review of it. AI said: It is a captivating narrative that blends elements of coming-of-age, self-discovery, and the raw beauty of the American West, offering a poignant exploration of one man's journey to find himself amidst the vast landscapes of the United States.

A Short Story There was only one chair in the room. The gaunt man sitting in it behind the desk said, "Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today." Reggie Grubb, standing in a place she’d been many times before, was absolutely sure the Penn High School Principal Carter Parker didn’t remember her from when she was Regina Dell Mason twenty years before.

johnmorrisbenson

During this rainy reading season I am re-reading some of the books I enjoyed before. Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief was a re-read during the nice weather non-reading season. Irma Joubert’s The Girl from the Train came to mind. Re-reading her book in these rainy days seemed to be a good choice. Adults will understand the messages and mature young adult readers may gain some in-depth understanding of the times in which the girls lived and the conditions they survived.

Many mornings, but not all, I read with my morning coffee. The Pacific Northwest rainy season is upon us, so I will probably read more, but my coffee consumption will stay the same. I just finished…

Many mornings, but not all, I read with my morning coffee. The Pacific Northwest rainy season is upon us, so I will probably read more, but my coffee consumption will stay the same. I just finished three books I’d read at different times before, but this time I read one chapter or so from each in turn. Bill Lascher’s Eve of a Hundred Midnights is said to be a love story of two WWII correspondents and their time in the Pacific WWII zone.

I wonder if was a cold and stormy night in Sanish, North Dakota, when Dr. Wilfred Edwin Blatherwick home-delivered me on his 66th birthday. I don’t remember. Today at 12:05 AM, CST, I reached…

I wonder if was a cold and stormy night in Sanish, North Dakota, when Dr. Wilfred Edwin Blatherwick home-delivered me on his 66th birthday. I don't remember. Today at 12:05 AM, CST, I reached one year from not being an octogenarian. I am truely thankfull for all the seen and unseen blessings I've been given. As my octogenarianism fades to nonagenarianism, I wonder if my mind will still wander as I wonder. Or will it be that my mind will wonder as I wander.

Just Say’n! Weed debate; no, not that weed! [fade in] Modiratator: Welcome to Find an Answer for Southbleep. Our regular guests are, well you know their faces, so no introduction is necessary…

Just Say'n! Weed debate; no, not that weed! Modiratator: Welcome to Find an Answer for Southbleep. Our regular guests are, well you know their faces, so no introduction is necessary. Our normal debate format is two guests, but today we have a third for special clarification of this week’s topic. The issue for discussion is non-native buffalo grass in Southbleep’s two city parks.

Just Say’n! Debate [fade in] Modiratator: Welcome to Find an Answer for Southbleep. Today’s guests are, well you know their faces, so no introduction is necessary. Today’s issue for discussio…

Just Say'n! Debate Modiratator: Welcome to Find an Answer for Southbleep. Today’s guests are, well you know their faces, so no introduction is necessary. Today’s issue for discussion is potholes in Southbleep. Face one has been randomly selected to speak first, Face One. Face One: Thanks Modiratator for selecting me first, but will I have opportunities to rebut Face Two’s comments with the truth?

Just Say’n! News this morning: “The construction worker was injured after being hit by a vehicle. That news reminded me of an earlier wonderment. Scrolling banner on news: “… pilot para…

Just Say'n! News this morning: "The construction worker was injured after being hit by a vehicle. That news reminded me of an earlier wonderment. Scrolling banner on news: “… pilot parachutes to safety after a glider crash.” Would someone please clarify which of the meanings of after fit the incident. adverb: following in time or place; we arrived shortly after; returned 20 years after…