Ellis Vidler's Blog
August 11, 2024
Chapter Endings
Each chapter should end with something unresolved, somethingthe reader wants to know. It may be as subtle as waiting for an importantletter, or it can be a real cliffhanger, with the hero treading water in ablack ocean as the cruise ship lights fade into the night, but to keep thereader turning the pages, his curiosity must be aroused and not satisfied.And then?The unresolved issue doesn’t
Published on August 11, 2024 09:44
October 2, 2022
Short Excerpt from Time of Death
If Alex could ever get a damn paper,she’d read the ads. What was happening in the world? Why did their newspaperdisappear every day. Mr. Foley’s son swore he left it every morning. An ideadawned, and she smacked herself in the forehead, then grabbed the phone book. “Mr. Foley, what time does your sondeliver the paper to Isobel Devore?” She’d see what happened to it for herself.“Thanks.”
Published on October 02, 2022 05:45
December 2, 2021
Those pesky commas again!
Lately I've been seeing sentences with independent clauses joined by a conjunction in which the comma follows the conjunction. For example, She went to town but, he stayed home.Where did this come from? I've checked The Chicago Manual of Style and other authorities, and the standard still seems to apply. When independent clauses are joinedby conjunctions, including and, but, or, so, yet, or
Published on December 02, 2021 08:38
March 5, 2021
First Friday! Eldering. Whitaker. Vidler
Finally! It’sFirst Friday and three authors post their 150-word stories based on a singlephoto.Photo by LM WhitakerElderingGhostin the GraveyardGracie loved playing hide-and-seek with her older brothers,but not the regular daytime one; the one played at night called ghost in thegraveyard. One night the brothers agreed to be the seekers and allowedGracie to hide. She quietly snuck
Published on March 05, 2021 03:30
February 1, 2021
The right words have impact
By Lloyd Arnold, Public DomainThis is a story I’ve read and heard about for years (you probably have too), but not even Snopes can really confirm it. It doesn’t matter; it’s still a great story. In a discussion about brevity, someone bet Ernest Hemingway he couldn’t write a story in six words. He took the bet. This is the story attributed to him.For sale, baby shoes, never used.Can six words
Published on February 01, 2021 04:02
January 1, 2021
First Friday, First Day of 2021! Barley, Blackburn, Drier!
First Friday! What a fun way to start the New Year! Three talented authors give their ideas on one photo.
Barley
"Savannah. Are
you out there?"
"mmhmm mmm . . . "
"What are you doing out there? Come in and start getting ready for the
party."
" ."
"It was your idea to have this shindig. Let's get this
thing going. People will be here
soon." Tom walked out the door onto
the patio,
Barley
"Savannah. Are
you out there?"
"mmhmm mmm . . . "
"What are you doing out there? Come in and start getting ready for the
party."
" ."
"It was your idea to have this shindig. Let's get this
thing going. People will be here
soon." Tom walked out the door onto
the patio,
Published on January 01, 2021 03:50
First Friday, First Day of 2021! Barely, Blackburn, Drier!
First Friday! What a fun way to start the New Year! Three talented authors give their ideas on one photo.
Barley
"Savannah. Are
you out there?"
"mmhmm mmm . . . "
"What are you doing out there? Come in and start getting ready for the
party."
" ."
"It was your idea to have this shindig. Let's get this
thing going. People will be here
soon." Tom walked out the door onto
the patio,
Barley
"Savannah. Are
you out there?"
"mmhmm mmm . . . "
"What are you doing out there? Come in and start getting ready for the
party."
" ."
"It was your idea to have this shindig. Let's get this
thing going. People will be here
soon." Tom walked out the door onto
the patio,
Published on January 01, 2021 03:50
December 17, 2020
Author Showcase: Charles Dougherty
The inspiration for
the J.R. Finn Sailing SeriesI was alone, tying my dinghy to a marina dock in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia. Looking down at the cleat as I secured the bow line, I was surprised when two bare feet came into view."Coming or going?"
a girl asked.
Glancing up at her, I saw
that she was deeply tanned, with shoulder-length hair bleached by sun and
saltwater. She wore cutoffs and a plain,
the J.R. Finn Sailing SeriesI was alone, tying my dinghy to a marina dock in Rodney Bay, St. Lucia. Looking down at the cleat as I secured the bow line, I was surprised when two bare feet came into view."Coming or going?"
a girl asked.
Glancing up at her, I saw
that she was deeply tanned, with shoulder-length hair bleached by sun and
saltwater. She wore cutoffs and a plain,
Published on December 17, 2020 07:14
December 4, 2020
First Friday in December-Dougherty, Iyer, Vidler
It’s First Friday, when three
authors post their 150-word stories based on a single picture. Read them! You
may find a new author to follow. Here’s the inspiration.Nick Fewing, UnsplashDougherty
It Ain't
So Bad, Really
Me and the dogs, we
seen better days. Worse days, too, though. Just now, it ain't so bad. We got
one another for company, and to keep warm. Out here's a pretty good place to
be;
authors post their 150-word stories based on a single picture. Read them! You
may find a new author to follow. Here’s the inspiration.Nick Fewing, UnsplashDougherty
It Ain't
So Bad, Really
Me and the dogs, we
seen better days. Worse days, too, though. Just now, it ain't so bad. We got
one another for company, and to keep warm. Out here's a pretty good place to
be;
Published on December 04, 2020 03:13
November 6, 2020
First Friday! Woohoo--Alexander, George, Helms!
It's First Friday again, and time for a welcome distraction from the news. Three 150-word stories based on a single picture by three very different authors. Read them and find some great authors to love.Dreamstime by @RaggedstonedesignALEXANDER
"The Tree"
I
come here every year on our anniversary. I come to remember the day I carved
our initials on the trunk of this old tree. How her blue eyes
"The Tree"
I
come here every year on our anniversary. I come to remember the day I carved
our initials on the trunk of this old tree. How her blue eyes
Published on November 06, 2020 07:52