"We're going to get married," dad said. "Sure. But you're going to have to show me the marriage certificate," I said. He laughed. "You don't believe me?" "Didn't you buy her a ring like five years ago?" "That was a nice ring. It was on sale. We got a real good deal." "Yeah, Dad. You …
Author: mapelba
I'm a writer, artist, teacher, mother, wife, daughter, friend, coffee addict... What else? A success, a failure, a mess, a fan, a hater of housework, a lover of dogs, a liberal, an obsessive, and a bunch of other things that probably would never occur to me. I reveal myself in more ways in my writings and art than in any list of adjectives. And whoever you are, I hope most of all that you are a reader.
Does your face hurt?
It started with a bite. A mosquito bite on the back of the leg that seemed like nothing at all. But then came the swelling, the reddening, the blackening. Then came the daily trip to the doctor to change the tube in the leg. The daily change of soaked bandages. The inability to walk without …
Shoulder Pads and Other Surprises
I think it started by accident. I don't even remember who started, but my roommate, L., pulled a nursing textbook out of her bag and a shoulder pad fell onto the classroom floor. The next day I was at the library when I found shoulder pads in my bag. Shoulder pads in pockets. Shoulder pads …
Keeping Everything in the Air
Sometimes there aren't any stories, just lists of things to do. I hate that.
Bind Me Up, Bind Me Down
I was four when my first plan went wrong. My room was dark and I was supposed to be asleep. I was jumping on my bed. The mattress slid sideways, a corner of it almost touched the floor. My effort to push the mattress back up failed. So I started from the beginning. I dragged …
In 3 minutes you can…
This made me laugh. And I like to laugh. I found this over at Rachelle Gardner's blog, which has lots of good writerly information. Her blog I found over at Writtenwrydd's blog. This Internet just never bloody ends, does it?
Rabbits, Writing, and Corpses
"I saw the bobcat by the shed. I think it's here because of the rabbits," my dad said the other day. "There aren't as many rabbits around now." "Do you remember when I tried to hide rabbits in my closet, Dad?" We have never talked about those rabbits. "Sure," he said. "That bobcat is big. …
running around loose with 50 grand
I hated Brownies, Girl Scouts, and Girls' Club. After-school clubs, organizations, or whatever you were supposed to join to add sparkle to your college application--no. And sororities? They scared the hell out of me. Anything that comes with a cheer is instant soul-sucking death. I might have shortened my life expectancy by going to a …
The inevitable excerpt…
For better or worse, I've been participating in NaNoWriMo once again. And so... here is an excerpt of The Memory Kiss.
False Advertising Me
"Can I buy you a drink?" he asked me. He was at least 45. I was 22. He wore a suit and gold watch. I was wearing what my friends called the pocket dress--because you could fold it up and put it in your pocket. I was also wearing a hot pink jacket and hot …
Marta Pelrine-Bacon 