Fiction

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I began writing fiction as an outlet for my creativity in high school, and quickly came to appreciate its potential as a mechanism for self-exploration and as a repository for truth. Before building a career in association management, I studied English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Wisconsin.

I have so far written twenty-one short stories and eight novels. I like to think that my fiction is characterized by the inner lives of sharply-drawn characters, often with competing motivations, and by a willingness to explore territory often ignored in mainstream works.

DRAGONS

My eighth novel, Dragons, is available to read on this blog. In the barest of outlines, Dragons is the story of Alan Larson, a young man of 38, working in an industry not unlike my own, recently promoted on the strength of his service to his organization, albeit beyond his ability, and given to tilting at windmills. 

03/06/23 - Dragons - Part I
05/01/23 - Dragons - Part V
07/10/23 - Dragons - Part X

COLUMBIA

My seventh novel, Columbia, is available for download from this blog. In it, Theodore Lomax is a nineteen-year-old Union solider in the American Civil War, and is as committed as any to the ideal of human freedom. After being assigned to the army of William Tecumseh Sherman, shortly after the general’s infamous March to the Sea, he willingly participates in the destruction of civilian property in Columbia, South Carolina, believing his acts are justified by Southern resistance to the Northern cause of emancipation. But when the destruction escalates into violence against the civilians themselves, he becomes disillusioned, and feels compelled to strike out in opposition to his own countrymen.

The novel is told from Lomax's point of view, but there are ten other supporting characters, each with a story of his or her own. There was a time when I thought these stories should alternate with the chapters in Columbia, presenting a richer but perhaps more tangled tapestry of the lives that painfully converge in the novel's climactic scenes. But Columbia is clearly a more coherent narrative without them. Still, they were valuable to me as an author, and I've decided to also make them available on this blog. They are:

"Oates," centering on the character of David Oates, and describing the life he led before joining the Union Army and his first experience with battle.

"Decker," centering on the character of Enis Decker, and describing his entry into the Union Army and his first encounter with a squad of "bummers."

"Floyd," centering on the character of William Floyd, and describing his time as a Union artilleryman and the siege that hardened his heart against the Southern people.

"Powell," centering on the character of Albert Powell, and describing his pre-war involvement with a small pro-slavery organization in his hometown of Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

"Sally," centering on the character of Sally Andrews, and describing her journey as a young girl from the slave cabins on the Andrews plantation to her favored position within their Columbia home.

"Victoria," centering on the character of Victoria Andrews, and describing her relationship with her favorite son and the correspondence they maintain when he goes off to war.

"Emily," centering on the character of Emily Andrews, and describing the confusing tangle of desires, memories and fears from which she constructs her perception of the outside world and the people in it.

"Lynch," centering on the character of Archibald Lynch, and describing the formative experience of his life that gives him both his calling and his strength.

"Sophia," centering on the character of Sophia Hawthrone, and describing her first experience among slaves in the unreconstructed South, trying to save their heathen souls and finding a truth that had long eluded her.

"Tommy," centering on the character of ten-year-old Tommy Pepper, and describing his adventures when playing hooky from school on the day that the Federal Army arrives in Columbia.

I hope you will consider reading the novel and supporting stories.

FARCHRIST TALES

Farchrist Tales is a six-volume series I started writing in college and finished in the years that immediately followed. It was my first, dedicated attempt at long-form fiction, and I chose a genre I had some familiarity with -- fantasy adventure -- to explore several philosophical issues I found myself grappling with as I matured into full adulthood.

It is the story of Gilbert Parkinson, the adopted son of a small-town tavern-owner, who has a secret heritage that some honor and others despise, and the battles he must fight on both sides to make his own way in the world.

The first volume, Stone to Flesh, was completed in September 1990. I've begun posting its chapters to this blog.

STONE TO FLESH
FARCHRIST TALES - BOOK ONE

09/30/24 - Chapter One
10/14/24 - Chapter Two
10/28/24 - Chapter Three
11/11/24 - Chapter Four
11/25/24 - Chapter Five
12/09/24 - Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven

The second volume, The Forgotten Temple, was completed in December 1990. Someday, I suppose, I'll start posting its chapters to this blog.

THE FORGOTTEN TEMPLE
FARCHRIST TALES - BOOK TWO

Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three

The third volume, The Undergod, was completed in April 1991. Someday, I suppose, I'll start posting its chapters to this blog.

THE UNDERGOD
FARCHRIST TALES - BOOK THREE

Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Chapter Thirty-Six
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Chapter Forty

The fourth volume, The Price, was completed in December 1991. Someday, I suppose, I'll start posting its chapters to this blog.

THE PRICE
FARCHRIST TALES - BOOK FOUR

Chapter Forty-One
Chapter Forty-Two
Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Four
Chapter Forty-Five
Chapter Forty-Six
Chapter Forty-Seven
Chapter Forty-Eight
Chapter Forty-Nine
Chapter Fifty
Chapter Fifty-One
Chapter Fifty-Two
Chapter Fifty-Three
Chapter Fifty-Four
Chapter Fifty-Five
Chapter Fifty-Six
Chapter Fifty-Seven
Chapter Fifty-Eight
Chapter Fifty-Nine
Chapter Sixty
Chapter Sixty-One

The fifth volume, Crusader, was completed in December 1994. Someday, I suppose, I'll start posting its chapters to this blog.

CRUSADER
FARCHRIST TALES - BOOK FIVE

Chapter Sixty-Two
Chapter Sixty-Three
Chapter Sixty-Four
Chapter Sixty-Five
Chapter Sixty-Six
Chapter Sixty-Seven
Chapter Sixty-Eight
Chapter Sixty-Nine
Chapter Seventy
Chapter Seventy-One
Chapter Seventy-Two
Chapter Seventy-Three
Chapter Seventy-Four
Chapter Seventy-Five
Chapter Seventy-Six
Chapter Seventy-Seven
Chapter Seventy-Eight
Chapter Seventy-Nine
Chapter Eighty
Chapter Eighty-One
Chapter Eighty-Two
Chapter Eighty-Three

The sixth volume, Sorrow, was completed in July 1997. Someday, I suppose, I'll start posting its chapters to this blog.

SORROW
FARCHRIST TALES - BOOK SIX

Chapter Eighty-Four
Chapter Eighty-Five
Chapter Eighty-Six
Chapter Eighty-Seven
Chapter Eighty-Eight
Chapter Eighty-Nine
Chapter Ninety
Chapter Ninety-One
Chapter Ninety-Two
Chapter Ninety-Three
Chapter Ninety-Four
Chapter Ninety-Five
Chapter Ninety-Six
Chapter Ninety-Seven
Chapter Ninety-Eight
Chapter Ninety-Nine

SHORT STORIES

These were written at various times in my life, mostly spurred by a creative writing class I took freshman year of college. Take them for what they might be worth.

06/10/24 - Ghost (1987)
07/08/24 - Power (1989)
08/05/24 - Transients (1990)
08/19/24 - Masks (1990)
09/02/24 - The Stray (1990)


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