Thomas is accused of killing a mother and her daughter after drinking and driving. — Note: For readers who have been with me from the beginning, a story you’ll recall, but updated for the season of good cheer. Coming to his senses, Thomas felt the warmth first, then, as the blur over his vision cleared; he saw her shape, the smile on her face, brown…

Packing suitcases — I don’t pack to journey. I used to. I would pack everything into a backpack and be off. Today, well, suitcases can be most unsettling. It’s not like I can pack my talents, bloodstains, and mistakes, folded up with my dreams, shirts, pants, and toothbrush. Then there’s packing love, too…

There’s not much to know. I’ve been fortunate. Now I write. — I started life in an orphanage. Actually, not strictly true, I started life being hidden beneath a shrub on a roundabout in Gants Hill, Essex. I was found by a young couple leaving the Odeon cinema (since demolished) having spent their evening watching a Spencer Tracy movie, Edward, My Son. …

Scene set in a hotel bar. Inspired by a scene in Pretty Woman. — I strolled casually across the entrance lobby’s polished wooden floor, heading for the bar. I liked the look of this hotel; it isn’t the newest in town, but it is in a now fashionable area and seems to be enjoying a renaissance, as well as a growing reputation for being…

Taking a riverside walk alongside Strid Wood — During the morning a thick ground fog enveloped the countryside. Standing atop the hill I saw the tops of several oak and elm trees poking through, brightened by the morning sunshine. This stretch of riverside, between Barden Bridge and Bolton Abbey, is a popular walk in the Yorkshire Dales. It…

Trauma is a serious condition, altering dreams into reality. — I’d almost reached home when I saw the flashing blue lights in my rear-view mirror and heard the piercing wail of a siren. Without thinking, my foot was already slackening off the gas pedal, keeping well to the right of the narrow lane, allowing the rushing vehicle to pass. …

How to slow it down — We all have a loved friend here in Michael Rhodes. Michael has told us that he’s taking a class in fiction writing (here), and I, like all of you, must be thrilled to learn of this news. You’ll remember if you’ve already read Michael’s post, that he learned about the…

For now, but not for long. — Elon Musk 2. Bernard Arnault 3. Jeff Bezos 4. Larry Ellison 5. Warren Buffett 6. Bill Gates 7. Mark Zuckerberg 8. Steve Ballmer 9. Larry Page 10. Sergey Brin 11,000,000,000,000, 092 Harry Hogg This article is only for some. By this, I mean if you’re the type of person who…

Let us all lead by example, my friends. — I’m often asked: How did that idea come to you? Take the man roaming the street. He’s wearing a dirty overcoat, warm enough, and a hat that would have been a rat’s nest at some point. Now, here’s the thing, right? I could not make any assumptions about this man. …