For many years, I’ve been writing essays about politics, church and state issues, Humanism, and pop culture. I have fun doing that – obviously. When I first started to seriously get into writing, I wrote fiction, mostly short stories and more recently I’ve been teaching myself to write screenplays. This page will highlight my fiction writing and promote any books or stories I’ve had published.
Dancing In The Banana Factory
This is my debut collection of short stories. I had a file box and computer folder full of fiction writing starting in my college days. I collected the best ones, included a few more recent stories, and took the plunge by having them self-published.
The stories run the gamut from funny to bitter sweet and it includes some love stories. None of them are overtly political or religious. They all could be considered literary fiction (aka generic… lol).
Here is a list of stories and a brief blurb of each one:
Dancing In The Banana Factory – Biff Fishstick returns to his hometown after being away for 10 years. The reunion with his friends and former girlfriend reminds Biff of the reasons he left in the first place. There may be physical changes, but people hardly change.
Ballad of Bobby Spunk (short short) – Bobby finds out his mother was right. He is a bad boy.
Almost The Greatest Miniature Golf Incident Of All Time – Uncle Billy recounts to his young niece the weird tale about the time, when he was a kid, he competed in a miniature golf tournament against his arch-nemesis.
Social Idiot – Freshman in college falls in love for the first time and struggles to deal with what are new emotions to him. It doesn’t help that his new love is spoken for.
An Evening On The Deck (short short) – Evan meets an interesting couple at a cocktail party.
Another Significance – Edison Carter believes he’s met the woman of his dreams. Now if he can just find her again without losing his mind or his job.
Henry’s Dilemma – Henry’s girlfriend wants to be intimate with him but he needs to find some condoms. Will dinner with his crazy family, lack of interest in sex, and bad luck end his relationship with his girlfriend?
Too Much In Common – A soldier returning from the first Gulf War meets a Vietnam vet and they find out they have a lot in common
The Tragedy Of Thoughts – Paul spends a sleepless night struggling to cope with a bad break up.
Corky: A Rabbit’s Tale – A lovely children’s story about Jim’s new pet rabbit, who turns out to be a terrorist and on a quest to take over the world.
The Bet – Twelve year old Davy is talked into a bet to crash his bike into a sheet of plywood. Does it really matter why? Of course, it involves nudie books.
Reflections – Sumner Gray reflects on his life while waiting to “go over the top” to almost certain death, in World War I.
Winds Of Change – Will recounts the story of when he first met his wife, Susan, during a spring break trip to rebuild homes after Hurricane Hugo in South Carolina
Exit 35A – They say opposites attract but does that lead to a long term relationship. Tyler falls in love with Beth but she wants more than what the small town she lives in can provide. Tyler has to make a tough choice to “help” her.
The Pizza Dude – Bennie Harris is a 35 year old pizza delivery guy struggling to finally become an adult after a run in with the law.
Ann’s Isolated Mind – After being released from a mental hospital, Ann is sent to college. Will the academic and social stress of college cause Ann to regress?
Fantastic And Brilliant – Paul Kincaid is a struggling writer until he meets a singer who becomes his muse and much more. Sometimes simple luck is all that is needed for success.
Plexiglas Dreams – Hanna Quinn is a teen mom trying to improve her life even as the father of her child and an alcoholic mother try to drag her down. Help from a schoolmate might be what she needs to succeed.
When you buy the book, please do me the favor of rating it and writing a review if you feel inclined. It will help me out.
If you have comments or questions about my writing, feel free to fill out the contact form here.
Links to stores selling ‘Dancing in the Banana Factory’