In this section, I include excerpts of stories I have written. If you would like to read more, email me, and I will send you a full version for your enjoyment.

All stories are ether downloadable PDF documents, or as text on the web page. If you do not have a PDF viewer you can download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free. It is both Mac and PC compatible.

Hold Tight the Reins started out as a true blue attempt at a western story. After receiving some rather scathing comments from an instructor, I revised it to become a story about a man who loves westerns and his own struggle to live.

Hold Tight the Reins

There are dramatic changes between the first and second drafts of the story. Not only does it take place in the present, but the western aspect is more of a theme than actually what the story is about. I also changed the title with the second version. I had the full intent of seeing Harold, the main character, go through with his suicide and described it in a very detailed manner.

Eight Coils

Quite a few months passed before I started the third revision. It was good for me to take some time away from it. I find that if I constantly work on a piece I get too close to it, and not only miss common grammar mistakes but I can't really think of new ideas to further the story, character, plot, etc. The changes to this version weren't that drastic. I eliminated some unneeded information and shuffled things around a little. While not much changed, I did settle on a title, Coiled. The issue of Harold's suicide is also attended to in this version as it becomes very ambiguous whether or not he goes through with hanging himself.

Coiled

Version four contains many changes. I reshuffled, expanded, or deleted large chunks of text. I also added a new character, Alonso, and added about 7-8 additional pages. Harold is becoming more developed as well. I know with this version I am truly hitting on something. Harold is becoming more human and so the audience may begin to sympathize with him. I also make the ending less ambiguous.

Coiled (most recent version)

Brother Elf, Father Rock is a story I first wrote in the winter of 2003 and completed in the spring of 2004. Really though, only part one is completed as it will be a three-part novel when finished. The story is of the fantasy genre and takes place in the Earthdawn universe. While I initially wrote the story for myself I took advantage of the workshop classes I attended while at UB to get input from teachers and classmates. I also received a great deal of help from a friend.

After many revisions and much thought, I decided to use this story for my graduate program's capstone course, Writing Seminar. In this course I finished the manuscript, designed a book for it, and then self-published it, twenty-five copies in all, of which I have about four left.

The cover was one of trial and error. I had no idea what image I wanted. I knew however, that it had to be natural in a way, containing trees and rocks. I had tried several drawings, but my teachers told me I ought to go and see some trees then draw them. So, when I went home for Passover I stopped at a rest stop that was at the peak of a mountain and sat down to draw some trees and the cut of the mountain. And so the cover was born. Because blood, both literal and metaphorical is a big theme in the story I chose to Photoshop the picture and added a redish-green tritone effect. I'm very happy with how the cover turned out.

Click on the thumbnails to see a bigger picture.

To read chapter 1 of Brother Elf, Father Rock click here.

Please do not mind the staggered look of the pages on the PDF, it's just how the book is formatted. If you were to hold a copy in you hands, it would look normal.

This story quite literally came to me in a dream back in 2002. I wrote part of it down and then for a class I rewrote it in the spring of 2003. I did not really complete it until the fall of 2004. Through many revisions, and help from teachers, classmates and friends, I was able to complete the story. Click on the link below to experience just a taste.

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