I spent a lot of time alone as a child. The first reason is that I was an only child. But some only children are surrounded by people, cousins, neighborhood children. I have lots of cousins but they all lived hundreds of miles away. I saw a few of them when they came to see …
My mother would be 76 years old today if she were around to experience such earthly things as birthdays. Now I for one don't believe in heaven or hell, but should these places exist, do the dead celebrate birthdays? I would think not. "I'm 202 years old now, 64 of those years on Earth." Would …
When my mom died 30 years ago today, she left behind many pieces of unfinished art. Though not enough. I wish there were more. Much of her art was in the hands of others, and I have only my memory of them. She made things before the days of Instagram and camera phones. When she …
When October arrives, it brings in magic. At least it does for me. I'm always a little sad when October departs (in no small part because my excuse to walk around in an outlandish dress must be packed away into the dark) though all is not lost. Christmas with its lights and ornaments is coming. …
Last night I worked on a story for Story-a-Day. When the story began, I was sure a particular character was dead. As I came to the ending though, I brought her back to life. It wasn't because I loved her so much I couldn't let her go. Instead, I couldn't put her best friend through …
Last week I watched a storm across this lake. The wind chopped up the water and heat lightning cracked in the distance. I stood in the grass, barefoot, and with people important to me. Most of the time, Florida brims over with bugs, humidity, and evil-intent. It reminds me of things I want to forget …
If you had time, I'd ask you to read all my manuscripts and tell me which one is the best. It feels like an insanely important decision, except it isn't, is it? I have too many choices. It was easy when only one novel had been written. As a kid I had elaborate systems to …
I'm two years out from my cancer treatment, and so far, so good. I see my oncologist this month for another check up. Fingers crossed. of course. When I hear of anyone who's died of cancer, I pause. The closeness of that person to me doesn't matter as a mix of feelings brew. A sense …
My mom loved dogs, and I could tell you many stories to show you how much. But today, here's one. My mom moved a lot and almost always lived in apartments. She had very little money. A dog of her own was impossible. She wanted a big dog, and pet deposits and vet bills were …
Marta Bacon 