For many years I wrote about fiction, story, belief, ordinary life, and the questions that shaped my work. More than two thousand essays remain here—not because every one represents my current thinking, but because together they tell the story of a writer learning over time.
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The archive begins with the most recent writing. Use the numbered pages below to move backward through time.
Writing Journal—Friday writing prompt
Your character is a substitute teacher for a grade four class and slowly comes to realize something unusual is going on. As impossible as it seems, some of…
Arizona House GOP passes bill forcing kids to say Pledge in school
Here’s the link to this article by Hemant Mehta written 02/23/23. State Rep. Barbara Parker claimed the bill was legal because church/state separation wasn’t in the Constitution Hemant…
Here’s What’s Wrong with Three Favorite Bible Texts
Here’s the link to this article. By David Madison on 02/10/23 Psalm 23, the Lord’s Prayer & John 3:16 Sunday School and Catechism exist because the clergy know that certain…
Mental Meanderings—A Look-Back at Yesterday (Wednesday–022223)
It has been very windy the past several days, especially yesterday. This has made my daily biking more difficult. I’ve had to concentrate—to avoid being swept sideways into…
Your character is inspecting his recently purchased property when he falls through a rotten well cover. While he’s unhurt save for cuts and scrapes, no one knows he’s…
Faith vs. Fact, by Jerry Coyne. Reading Session #5 (Chapter 2, What’s Incompatible?)
This is a great book. Eye-opening, especially to those who’ve never considered the incompatibility of science and religion. I encourage you to watch my computer screen, listen, and…
Richard L. Fricks 