Serials and Scenarios ~ Amazing Story

Readers: I haven't received these books for review yet. But once I get em read I'll come back and add my reviews to this post. The story gives me goosebumps and though I have a stack of books to plow through and review I just had to agree to read this story.

NOTE THE GIVEAWAY DRAWING BELOW!!!!


About Terror by Night:
Publisher: Tyndale
Hardcover: 288 pgs
ISBN-10: 1414334761
ISBN-13: 9781414334769
Retail: $22.99


(Greenville, TX) – A father denied his daughter dating privileges with a certain young man. Typical teenage behavior might have included pouting, a bad attitude or perhaps even a yelling match. Never in a million years would Terry Caffey have suspected it would involve murder. Yet, in the early morning hours of March 8, 2008, Terry’s whole world turned upside down. His wife and two sons where brutally murdered and burned in the house they lived and Terry was shot twelve times…by his daughter and her friends.

Terry Caffey and James Pence reconstruct this tragic yet strangely beautiful true story of God’s sovereignty, forgiveness and grace in Terror by Night. As if the story of Caffey’s family wasn’t enough, readers will be captivated by the way God ordained the meeting between the Blind Sight author and Caffey with a burnt page from Blind Sight found at the crime scene.



About Blind Sight:

No one plans for bad things to happen. No one plans on losing their family. No one knows how to move on after horror strikes. No one. Not even Thomas Kent. After receiving a strange phone call from a long-ago friend requesting Kent to pick up a package at the airport, Kent begins a spine tingling, suspense filled journey in which he hopes to reunite the package (his friend’s children) with their mother, Justine, a traitor in the Fellowship for World Renewal Cult. Twists and turns in this page turning drama make Blind Sight not only a journey of extreme action and thrills, but one of discovering the sovereign plan of God.
Publisher:Tyndale
Paperback: 364 pages
ISBN-10: 1601454384
ISBN-13: 978-1601454386
Retail: $17.95




How I Met Terry Caffey...

Terry Caffey and I met through my karate for homeschoolers class. Back in 2005, his wife Penny brought two of their three children and enrolled them in my class. Erin their oldest daughterand Tyler their youngest son or two of my students. Over time, Erin and my daughter Charlene became very good friends. As a matter of fact, Charlene would often stay with the Caffey's when my wife and I were traveling.

Somewhere in there I gave Mrs. Caffey a copy of my novel Blind Sight. I don't remember if she read it, but she was a big reader so she probably did. As far as I know Terry had never read it.

About six weeks after his family was murdered and his house burned, Terry returned to his property and stood on the ashes of his house crying out to God. His burden that day was to understand why God had taken his family and left him behind without them.

As he was praying, he noticed about 15 feet away a brown scorched page from a book leaning up against the trunk of a tree. He went over and picked it up and read it. It just happened to be a single page from Blind Sight that had survived the fire.

But it wasn't just any page. It was the page where my main character, a man who had lost his family in an automobile accident, came to grips with God's sovereignty in his loss. When Terry picked up that piece of paper the first lines he read were, "I couldn't understand why you would take my family and leave me to struggle along without them but I do believe you are sovereign. You are in control."

It was as if God had saved or preserved that piece of paper to remind Terry that he still cared.

Some time ago, when I was struggling with my own depression over the fact that Blind Sight hadn't sold very well, I gave my book back to God. And I told the Lord that he would just use it in someone's life I would be happy. And boy did he use it in someone's life. From the standpoint of a writer I can think of no greater honor than for God to use my words to change someone's heart.

A few weeks after I learned of the connection between Terry and my book, we got together and began to discuss the possibility of telling this amazing story in book form.



Special Gift Basket Opportunity!

Each blog tour host has the opportunity to send in the name of one of their commenters for a chance to win a gift basket from the author. Dregs readers. Leave a comment by 11:59 p.m. CST on Friday the 11th to be eligible for this drawing.

This special one of a kind basket includes:

Angel- James Pence
Bind Sight- James Pence
Terror By Night- James Pence
Quality 8.5 X 11 in printing of the scorched page
DVD of Chalk Art Illustrations from James Pence

An Interview with James Pence:

1. You've dabbled in a little bit of everything career-wise. Give us a brief summary of your journey so far.

I have definitely had a colorful background as you've already mentioned. I guess the one unifying thread that has run through everything I do is the service of God. I knew when I was 14 years old that God had called me into the ministry, and I've never wavered from that. And even though that ministry now includes such things as teaching karate to homeschoolersI consider that as much a part of my calling as anything else.

Since finishing Bible College back in 1978 I have been a youth pastor, a camp director, a pastor, a prison evangelist, a gospel chalk artist, a speaker, a singer, a Web designer, a writer, a karate teacher, an art teacher, and a writing teacher. Amazingly, I'm still active in most of those things. I'm not pastoring anymore, and I've long since left directing summer camps behind me, but everything else I still do.

It would be a book in and of itself if I were to try to go into the details of all of those different things and how I got started doing each of them. Suffice it to say that I've always believed that the talents that we have are stewardships. Thus I've always felt that if I have a talent in an area I have a responsibility to develop and use it for God's glory. And that's why do so many different things. I wouldn't have it any other way.

2. There was a tight deadline for Terror by Night. Tell us a little bit about how you interviewed Terry Caffey and the timeline you had to submit your book.

There was definitely a tight deadline for Terror by Night. I had a total of 12 weeks in which to write it and that included doing all the interviewing with Terry. I'm very happy to say that I was able to meet that challenge, but there were times when I wondered if I could get it all done.

Terry and I got together every Wednesday for several hours and I would interview him. Our first few interviews were just for getting the layout of the book planned. I had to get an idea of the different aspects of the story that needed to be pulled together, sort of like a plot outline. And then I actually had a plan the storyline based on my discussions with Terry.

It was sort of a cumulative thing, because as we talked each week more questions would come up and I would make notes on those and we would discuss them in subsequent weeks.

I recorded all of the interviews with a digital voice recorder and then transferred them all to my computer. After that I edited the interviews down into soundbites of two to three minutes all according to topics. Then I put them all on my iPod and would listen to them at every spare moment. My goal was to be familiar enough with Terry's voice so that the book would sound natural and that it would sound like Terry was doing the speaking or writing.

3. Because of the intensity of this book, how did you deal with the emotional side of writing? Did it ever become more than you or Terry could deal with at one sitting?

This was a very difficult story to write and it was very stressful for both of us, but in different ways. As we went through the interview process Terry began to struggle with depression and had some rough moments. Once or twice we had changed the topic of our discussion because it was just getting to be too hard on him.

For me the stress came from the deadline more than the storyline. The fastest I'd written a book before was 20 weeks, and writing this one in 12 weeks was like running a marathon. Near the end I was exhausted, but still had to get that word count out every day. There were times when I would just become overwhelmed with the size of the task. But there was nothing to do but keep moving forward.

So we were both very happy when this project was complete.

4. You enjoy some great ministry opportunities outside of your writing. Share how God is using your other gifts to reach others for Christ.

As I mentioned earlier, in addition to being a writer I am a gospel chalk artist and a vocalist. I've been doing that for over 30 years now and really enjoy being able to use art and music to bring a message to people. For about the last 15 years I've been going into prisons with my art and music and sharing the gospel with inmates. That's been a huge blessing to me. In fact, I often say that after a prison service I've been far more blessed than the inmates. And recently God has begun to open up more doors both in prison and out. Over a six-week period, I'll be drawing in Florida, Iowa, and Alabama.

One of the great things about chalk art is that even if the people who see a drawing don't remember everything I say, they will remember the picture and the scripture that the picture represented. I've had people write me who saw my pictures 20 years ago and came to Christ through them, and now they are serving Christ in churches and other ministries. That's one of the great joys of this ministry.

5. With the re-release of Blind Sight, it's almost like two books releasing at once. What message do you hope readers will take away from reading both books?

I was so excited when Tyndale decided to release Blind Sight a second time. It's rare that a novel gets a second chance at life. And it's especially satisfying that both books were released simultaneously. And even though one is a novel and the other a nonfiction book, the message that people can take away from the books is really the same. God is sovereign.

So often we are confused when difficult circumstances come into our lives and we wonder why God would allow that. Sometimes we even get angry with him and demand an explanation like Terry did. But the message of both Blind Sight and Terror by Night is that while God doesn't explain himself to us, we can trust in his goodness and sovereign grace. We know that he is working all things together for our good and we can trust him in that. Blind Sight communicates that message by way of a novel; Terror by Night communicates the same message by way of a true story.


James H. Pence is a full-time professional writer and editor living near Dallas, Texas. James is a multi-talented writer who has been published in both fiction and nonfiction. His publishers include Tyndale House, Kregel, and Osborne/McGraw-Hill. James holds a master’s degree in Biblical Studies with an emphasis in creative writing and journalism from Dallas Theological Seminary. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in theology from Dallas Bible College.

James is also a vocalist and gospel chalk artist, and he regularly uses his talents to share the gospel in prisons. James is the author of Blind Sight, a gripping novel about mind-control cults and coauthor (along with Terry Caffey) of the new book: Terror by Night: The True Story of the Brutal Texas Murder that Destroyed a Family, Restored One Man’s Faith, and Shocked a Nation.

Serials and Scenarios ~ Blind Sight And Terror by Night Reviewed

A few weeks ago I posted this.


I finished reading both books very quickly because they are page-turners. Here are my reviews.


Blind Sight



This novel is a page-turner with a unique secondary story.

Thomas Kent made a promise to his buddies in his college Bible study. He couldn't imagine that years later, after he'd lost all he loved and his faith, he'd be called upon to keep that promise.

Kent receives the coded message to pick up a package, and the garbled answering machine plea, "save my children," and his life changes once again. Can he save the Bishop children, Justine Bishop, and the United States of America from the evil cult intent on ruling the world one person at a time? Can Thomas Kent find his lost and bruised faith?

Though not perfectly written, this is a suspenseful and compelling read. Kent's anger at God and the struggle to forgive God are mostly realistic and thoughtful. A few timing issues or rapid mood swings slowed down the page turning every once in awhile but overall, this was a fascinating story with a strong message.

As far as the unique secondary story goes, a man found one burned, weathered Blind Sight page lying against a tree. The location of that tree was the former site of his razed home after the burning of his house and the horrific murder of his family. James Pence went on to co-author Terror by Night with Terry Caffey and Blind Sight was re-released.


Terror by Night

Terror by Night is chilling.

The author, the only survivor of a horrific triple murder and house fire, tells a story that is unimaginable.

The Caffey family was living the classic nuclear family existence. The only sign of trouble with their 16-year-old daughter was her boyfriend and some choices she was making. The events that unfolded are nauseating. Not that the author shares gory details to the point that the reader feels the need to take a shower. There was very little gore. But the horror that a seemingly well-adjusted young woman could make the decisions to help/plan/participate in the death of her family rocked me to the core.

As horrifying as this story is, there is a fascinating secondary story of Caffey's faith jolt/jostle and his journey to peace and forgiveness.

Not for the weak-kneed. This story is very disturbing so be warned. However, the cloud is silver-lined and a thing of beauty once the sun begins to come rise.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Of Red and White and Celebrations of Life

I've been pondering a series of thoughts all day while I finished up some of my Christmas preparations.

The first thoughts are focused on my failures... I didn't get cards done again. That my house will not be Martha Stewart approved. The foods are going to be basic and comfort foods. I don't have a single perfect relationship that isn't tainted by my failures and the failures of others. Tinsel and bows and shiny paper will never even come close to repairing the broken things in my life.

The second series of thoughts center around my focuses. Why is this random day, which is very likely not the day of Jesus's birth, so meaningful? Why do people go into debt and travel mile upon mile and gorge on antacids? What exactly are we celebrating with our bizarre rituals?

Finally, my thoughts swirled around in my very tiny brain and left me with pictures and concepts and awe. Why would the very Creator of the entire cosmos humble Himself to undergo thirty-three years of humanity? This is the God who created the miracle of birth, and submitted His power, His Spirit and His divine personality to this mind-blowing, painful process.

This God of the universe created miles of blood vessels and arteries and the automatic, constant circulation within them that keeps us alive. This God subjected Himself to this marvelous spider web, and then He allowed Himself to be crucified so that the life-giving, life-saving, life-altering blood that He dressed Himself with was shed for you and for me. The God who gave sight to the blind, and still does, was Himself blind for months while inside His human mother's womb. Jesus, who opened ears, and still does, was Himself in a muffled "universe" until He was forced into a cold, startling world. The God who raised the dead was powerful enough to submit to His own death and powerful enough to crush it beneath His heel when He stood on that Sunday morning.

And He did this for me. Knowing who I am. Who I should be. What I did last week, the unkind thoughts I entertain, the selfishness that pumps through my life....He knows. And He did this for me. I haven't fooled God into thinking I'm better than what I am. He sees right through me. And praise His Holy Name...He wanted a relationship with me anyway. I am a ridiculous sheep. And He knows all about sheep and He knows how to help them, and how to heal them, and how to talk to them.

This "Day" we celebrate isn't about a date. Or the time of year. Or even the warm, fuzzy memories we make. This DAY is about Jesus becoming flesh and living perfectly because we can't. And it's about Him taking on that flesh and blood so He could use every bit of it to pay for my sins and yours. It's about Him being the author and creator, the King of kings and Lord of lords. It's all about Him. Thank you, Jesus. Inadequate words from a very full heart.

Merry CHRISTmas to you all.

Serials and Scenarios ~ Homer's Odyssey - Gwen Cooper

I haven't read this book, YET. I wasn't going to post this entire interview that the publicist supplied to me, either. But after reading it, I just had to. Talk about a rich story.


About the book:

Homer’s Odyssey by Gwen Cooper - Homer’s Odyssey is the once-in-a-lifetime story of an extraordinary cat and his human companion. It celebrates the refusal to accept limits—on love, ability, or hope against overwhelming odds. By turns jubilant and moving, it’s a memoir for anybody who’s ever fallen completely and helplessly in love with a pet.

Author Interview:

Tell us about Homer. Is he really and truly eyeless?

Yes, he really and truly has no eyes at all. Although he gets around so well that my husband, Laurence, swears he’s faking!

How did he get that way?

Homer was found wandering around alone on the streets of Miami when he was only a couple of weeks old. Even though he was so young, he had what was clearly a very advanced eye infection. The couple who found him brought him to my veterinarian for treatment, but after she examined him she determined that the only way to save his life would be to remove his eyes altogether.

At that point, the people who’d brought him in pretty much begged her to euthanize him, thinking he couldn’t possibly have a decent life. But my vet was convinced that a kitten that young with an eye infection that serious had never been able to see, since kittens are born with their eyes closed and don’t open them for their first week or so. Her feeling was that he wouldn’t miss what he’d never known. So she performed the surgery pro bono and then set about finding a home for him.

How did you end up adopting him?

Well, Patti, my vet, had a pretty hard time trying to find a home for this kitten. I think I was the last person she thought to call because it wasn’t the greatest time in my life. I had just gone through this really bad breakup, I was staying in a friend’s spare bedroom, and I already had two cats—and no roof of my own to put over our heads. To be honest, I was close to saying no also. But she sounded so desperate, so I agreed to meet him.

It was love at first sight. Homer was all personality and charisma, even back then! There was something about it that was so completely disarming, and almost awe-inspiring. I remember thinking that I didn’t have as much courage at twenty-four as this kitten did at only four weeks.

Your book covers more than a decade or your and Homer’s life together—was it difficult to turn your story into a book?

There was something my husband said early in the process that really clicked for me. He said that Homer’s and my story was a classic “boy and his dog” story. Even though I’m a girl and Homer’s a cat, I understood exactly what he meant. He meant that it was like Old Yeller or ET (who was also, technically, not a dog!) in terms of the journeys those stories take their characters on from childhood into maturity, with all the adventures in between.

I wasn’t sure how to construct a book-length narrative about Homer that would be more than a loose collection of anecdotes, but at the time I was in the process of planning my wedding, and I realized that I had adopted Homer right after my last serious relationship—serious in the sense that we had been living together for a couple of years, and our eventual marriage had been taken for granted—had ended twelve years earlier. It just sort of clicked that this should be a book that began with a breakup and ended with a wedding. The idea that would unite the stories throughout the book would be all of the moves, breakups, career changes, adventures, ups-and-downs, et cetera, that had taken us from that place twelve years earlier to where we were now in our lives.

How does Homer get around? Does he bump into things?

Homer has this unbelievable spatial sense, so it’s unusual for him to bump into anything at all. He pays a lot of attention to what his whiskers tell him, and even when he’s in a new place for the first time you can see him walk around a room once or twice kind of hugging the walls, then he’ll walk through the room itself for a bit to figure out where the furniture is, and after that you’d never guess he was blind to see him navigate around things.

We help him out, of course, by always keeping his food and litter in the same place, and by not leaving a lot of clutter on the floor or moving the furniture around more than necessary. After a major round of house cleaning we’re careful to put everything back exactly where it was. Even, for example, moving the couch an inch from where it was before will seem like a major difference to Homer. Although Homer’s sense of balance is phenomenal; even if he jumps and doesn’t land precisely where or how he meant to, it takes him only a fraction of a second to recover and right himself again.

What about his senses of hearing and smell? Are they more developed than other cats’?

I haven’t conducted a scientific study or anything, but they’re certainly much stronger than Scarlett or Vashti’s, my other two cats. Just this afternoon I got a tuna sub for lunch and I left it—still wrapped up—sitting on the kitchen table for a minute. Homer, who was sound asleep three rooms away, came wandering in, half-asleep with his nose in the air, and went right for it.

He can also catch flies in mid-air, which always astonishes me. It even freaks out my other two cats a little bit! It’s like in The Karate Kid where Mr. Miyagi catches the fly with his chopsticks.

How does Homer get along with your other cats?

He’s a typical annoying little brother. He’s a lot more rambunctious than they are—when they’re bored, they can look out a window and watch the world go by. When Homer’s bored, there’s no other outlet for him than action, so he tends to be very active and very playful. He’s always trying to sneak up on them, but of course Homer thinks that “soundless” and “invisible” are the same thing, so he’s rarely successful.

Tell us about Homer’s character. How can a blind cat be so fearless and mischievous?

Most people, myself included, initially thought Homer would be more timid than other cats because of his blindness. The opposite has turned out to be the case. I think to a certain extent it’s because he can’t see how potentially dangerous some of the things he undertakes are, so danger is an idea that literally doesn’t occur to him. It’s like in the Daredevil comics where occasionally Daredevil briefly regains his vision, and even though he retains his superpowers he suddenly can’t or won’t perform all the feats he does when he’s blind. His attitude is basically: Are you crazy—I’m not jumping off of that! Look at how high it is! Sometimes it’s easier to be brave when you have no idea what you’re getting into.

But I think a lot of it is also just Homer’s innate personality. He’s always been a very happy, high-spirited little cat. And it goes without saying that he’s a survivor. If he weren’t, he wouldn’t be here in the first place.

Is it true that Homer once chased a burglar out of your apartment?

That was probably Homer’s finest hour. It happened while we were still living on South Beach. I woke up at about four in the morning to the sound of Homer growling—a sound I’d literally never heard before—and when I flipped on the bedside lamp, I realized there was a strange man standing at the foot of my bed. It was terrifying.

As soon as Homer felt me tense up, he became very aggressive. I reached for the phone to call 911, and the burglar said, “Don’t do that.” Once Homer heard his voice and could tell exactly where he was standing, he went right for the man’s face with his claws. At that point the burglar turned and ran, and Homer leapt from the bed and chased after him! So I, of course, had to throw down the phone and chase after Homer, so now both of us are running after this burglar, when all I’d wanted in the first place was for him to leave! Fortunately, I caught Homer before he caught the burglar, and the police were there thirty seconds later.

I always say that once upon a time I saved Homer’s life, but that was the night when he saved mine.


HOMER’S ODYSSEY is your story as much as Homer’s. How has your life changed since you first adopted him?

It’s almost impossible for me to recognize now the person I was then and the life I was living. Homer entered my life at such a transitional moment. I was up in the air about everything—my career, my relationships, my entire outlook on things. I remember being absolutely convinced that there was no point in trying to get exactly what I wanted, and I wanted really basic things like my own home, a career I enjoyed, and a good, healthy relationship. All those things seemed so far out of reach. And here I am now, living in the city I always wanted to live in, doing what I always wanted to do, and married to the single greatest man I’ve ever met.

Homer truly was my role model in a lot of ways for trying to attain some of those things that it seemed like I could never realistically get. I couldn’t let myself be less courageous, less willing to take risks, or less of a survivor than he was.

Love, whether on four paws or two feet, is a big theme in HOMER’S ODYSSEY. How has Homer changed your attitude and feelings about love?

I think mostly in the sense that I learned that sometimes the greatest loves in your life are the most unexpected. Before I adopted Homer, I was very sure that I didn’t want a third cat. Now, I can’t begin to imagine my life without Homer in it.

My husband and I were actually very close friends for several years before we were romantically involved. When I first realized I had developed stronger feelings for Laurence, I was terrified of telling him how I felt. When I finally picked up the phone to tell Laurence how I felt, I was very conscious that I was initiating a single conversation that could potentially change my life forever. I honestly don’t know if I would have had the courage to do it if it weren’t for Homer. I kept coming back to this idea that sometimes you just have to take a blind leap into the unknown, and that if you never did that you would end up living a life as limiting and fenced in by fear as the life so many people had first predicted for Homer when he was a kitten.

Serials and Scenarios ~ This IS About Michelle Sutton

Page down if you missed the review and details of Michelle's book It's Not About Me. Thanks, Michelle.

Now without further ado. Here's Michelle vs. the Dregs.

If you could ask any person, living or dead, a random question -- what question would you ask of whom?

I’d ask my mom what it’s really like in heaven since she is there right now enjoying the glory.


If you could change something in any novel, what would you change about it and why?

In the case of It’s Not About Me, I’d make sure the right PDF file copy was printed. There was a tragic mistake made and the copy sent to the printer was not the typo-free final final version, so if you find a few typos know that the copy printed was not the final one. But it’s too expensive to fix at this point. Most people don’t notice more than one or two, if any, thank the Lord.


Favorite turn of phrase or word picture, in literature or movie.

How about I share a favorite phrase from INAM. Tony is hurling in the porcelain bowl and just told his brother he drank a pint of Southern Comfort. His brother, Dan, after asking him if he was trying to kill himself says, “Well, if puking your brains out is the comfort alcohol brings, I don’t see why you keep going back for more.” To which Tony replies, “Shut up!”


What period of history intrigues you the most?

I love WWII history. I find the whole Nazi oppression thing fascinating. How the world could turn a blind eye to such obvious evil and allow millions of people to be murdered under the regime of a madman.


What would you write if there were no rules or barriers? (epic novels about characters in the Bible, poetry, greeting cards, plays, movies, instruction manuals, etc.)

I love writing romantic women’s fiction. It’s my favorite genre.


How does something worm its way into your heart? Through tears, truth, humor or other?

Usually through deep emotion or incredible insight. Tosca Lee’s book Demon is a great example. I had so many “aha” moments I lost count. That is a brilliantly written novel.


Where would you most like to travel ----- moon, north pole, deep seas, deserted island, the holy land or back to a place from your childhood, somewhere else? – and why.

I’d love to travel to Europe and see where so much history has taken place. I’d also love to go to an exotic island and just enjoy the ocean, but not by diving in it. That gives me the willies.


Favorite season and why?

Probably the fall. It’s just all around nice weather and the leaves turning is always pretty to look at.


Favorite book setting and why?

I’d have to say knights and castles. I enjoy going back in time in my mind.


Which compliment related to your writing has meant the most and why?

When it comes to this story (INAM) I love how almost everyone has said they couldn’t stop reading it. That means it was compelling enough to set everything else aside and focus on where my story took them. Plus, I love it when they say a scene made them cry. It means the story touched their heart.


What criticism has cut the deepest and why?

I tend to forget the bad. Usually what I’ll hear is that it was too edgy for them. But that’s rare, actually.


What would you do today if you knew you had only a week to live?

I wouldn’t be answering interview questions. I’d have to think on that one.


What word annoys you more than any other?

Can’t stand the word preachy. Ick.


Super power you'd love to borrow for awhile?

The ability to eat and not gain weight. Is that a super power? If not, I want it.


Favorite chore

It wouldn’t be called a chore if I liked it.


Societal pet peeve…sound off.

People who are so insecure that they have to brag about themselves all the time and put others down.


CREATIVE CORNER: Pick any of the following and have fun with it.

Pick a Genre - Describe a kiss….

Has to be yummy. There are a million ways to write one. My favorite is when there is such a pull that they finally give in to it.  I love the kiss in the movie Bourne Identity. He just gets done washing, coloring and cutting her hair. He is trying to stay focused, but then after succumbing to the beckoning in her eyes, he drops the towel and dives on her lips to full abandon. Ahhhh…


A man and woman sit at a table in an upscale restaurant. They each have a cell phone to their ear. What are you overhearing? Tell me about this couple…..

They are both employed with high profile companies in New York City and even though it’s their anniversary, they are letting business cut into their pleasure. They agree to take the calls because they are both hopelessly addicted to work and feeling valued outside of the home. The sad thing is, they both understand that about each other so they let it continue to pull them apart.


Pick a "story starter" below and give us a sample of your voice.



A crack broke the stillness as Terry tugged on the frozen door.

Terry cringed. She’d tried so hard to not make a sound, even tiptoeing into the room barefoot just to make sure the floor wouldn’t squeak under the soles of her slippers. All she wanted was to snag the last of the chunky monkey ice cream without getting caught by her roommate. But there was no way that Jane could miss the sound of the suction breaking on the freezer door. It was louder than ripping open the Velcro flap of her lunch box, and Terry had busted her then, too. Ugh. Why had she agreed to that stupid diet challenge anyway? So what if she had aches and pains from carrying around extra weight?

Closing her eyes, she sighed and closed the door. She needed to lose weight and cheating in the middle of the night was not what she wanted for her life, nor was sneaking around. Why did it have to be so hard? She sat at the kitchen table, covered her face with her hands, and wept.


Lauren stared at the clock. Eleven forty-five, if only it read ten forty-five. Everyone should be allowed one do-over hour in life.

Everyone but her.

She glanced at the man in the bed beside her. She didn’t even know his name. How had her life gotten so out of control, so pathetic that she’d take anyone who came on to her home to her bed? Nausea crept up her throat like reflux and she reached for the pills on her night stand. Half a bottle of beer—though warm—stood beside it. She could down every last pill in the container and be dead before he woke up. But when he found her that way, would he even care? And if not, would it be worth doing?

With those thoughts on her mind, she released the bottle and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning she found a hundred dollar bill on the pillow beside her. She winced. Somewhere between the ages of 25 and 30, she’d become her mother.



I'm not so interested in boxers or briefs. I'm just looking for a good man to fill them. Heck, I find a good man and he can wear banana peels as far as I'm concerned.

As I flipped through the clothing on the clearance rack, little fingers tugged on my skirt. “Mom, I need to go potty.”

Glancing down, I noticed my son half-dancing and squirming with his legs pressed together. What an adorable sight. So rather than making the poor child wait while I perused more undergarments, I ditched my search for a gag gift for my brother’s wedding.

A sigh escaped my lips as I clutched my little boy’s hand and walked toward the rest rooms. At least Joe had a wedding coming up. I had no prospects in sight.