Tag: Ghost Parachute

By on

At the end of September, my husband Tim and I traveled to my home state of Michigan to visit my siblings on my mother’s side, and to meet cousins on my father’s side. From there, we took a two-day jaunt to the Upper Peninsula for my first look at Lake Superior. And then home through Wisconsin, where I visited my sister and nieces on my father’s side.

These are long-lost family. I’m adopted. This is birth family I’ve found and been getting to know over the past several years. I’ll have plenty more to say on this subject!

For now, though, here’s a trail reading of my story Crossing Over, from Ghost Parachute magazine.

This story is one of those that went quickly once I started writing it. Though this story took a tragic turn, writing fast as I did with this story is a blast! The narrator’s voice came through loud and clear, and I followed along.

The reading is alongside the Cedar River near the Cedar River Natural Area, Bellaire, Michigan. We stayed at a phenomenal Air BnB near there. I hope to stay there again my next visit north.

Additional footage is from, in order: 12 Oaks Vineyard (Carlyle, Illinois); foot bridges over the Kaskaskia River in central Illinois; Rocky Bluff trail near Devil’s Kitchen Lake in Southern Illinois; Falls of Rough, Kentucky.

I hope you enjoy!

PS – Tell me about your favorite bridges!

By on

First, I declare I will be more active in posting my published stories here. Most of them are listed in the Recent Publications section, but I will put them here now, too.

This one came in a round-about way from a writing group with friends, as many of my stories do. Remember: It’s fiction!! (Although I have stayed in many a Super 8.)

Thanks for reading!

Preparing to Tell My Parents about My Pending Divorce

By on 2 Comments

Used to be, I couldn’t sleep with my back to a room. I had to have my bed shoved up against the wall, and my back had to be to that wall—touching it, even. I’m a little easier about that now. I’ll roll over in the night without waking up in full freak-out mode.

But I still must have a blanket on, no matter how hot it is. Over my ankles, at least. My knees. Because monsters. Don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about—at least some of you have a similar fear.

I don’t know the rules monsters follow. And I don’t know why some people aren’t now or never were afraid of breaking monster rules. Reckless. Because monsters remember. They might not get you right away, the moment you transgress. They might wait years. The breaking of the rules gives then an in—even if you only slipped up just the one time.

Just the One Time by Epiphany Ferrell

I read this story on a boulder in the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River. Some of the footage is from trails either in the Smokies or Blue Ridge Mountains. Just the One Time first appeared in Ghost Parachute.

I apologize for the snap, crackle and pop. I couldn’t bear not to use this reading even though there are some sound issues. Working on it!

By on

I have a weakness for running water. I love following creeks and brooks along in the woods. When I was a kid, I’d even follow a ditch and imagine all kinds of adventures.

This little creek probably has a name, but I’m calling it Rocky Comfort Creek because it’s near a road of that name. The Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois is patchwork in places, and Rocky Comfort Creek is one of those places. I love living so near a forest, and so near places to hike and explore.

I wrote this story from a prompt, and like many stories written that way, it wandered around until it figured out what it wanted to be. I see an influence from We Have Always Lived in the Castle. It was first published in Ghost Parachute, a journal that has gotten better and better over the years. I absolutely love the illustration with this story. I hope you enjoy!