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When You Cannot Leave or Stay
"When You Cannot Leave or Stay" is a short story about a struggling musician and former exotic dancer who strike up a philosophical conversation about their pasts and humanity the day after Hurricane Helene in Asheville, North Carolina. The story won the grand prize in fiction in the 2025 SCAA Elizabeth Boatwright Coker student competition, guest-judged by renowned author and Guggenheim Fellow John Dufresne. John Dufresne said the following about my work:
"Here is an engaging story about intriguing
characters that is energetic, funny, and smart
with a surprise on every page. Illuminating
prose that I wish I had written. It is
grammatically flawless and has the benefit of
being timely."
When You Cannot Leave or Stay (PDF)
How's the Weather?
"How's the Weather?" is a 2000-word creative story about three strangers (a rejected young gay man, an aging bartender, and a former NFL player) who create a moment of unexpected humanity within an Iowa dive bar on Christmas Eve. I presented this piece at the 101st annual Sigma Tau Delta National English Honor Society convention in Pittsburgh in March of 2025, where it was one of 75 finalists of creative prose.
How's the Weather? (PDF)
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