Mother-Daughter Luncheon

Nonfiction by Debra Davis Hinkle Mom is blessed with four daughters. Some women in our church don’t have any children. So, Mom loans out her two older kids for the annual mother-daughter luncheon I am the third child, and Mom doesn’t loan me or my little sister out. I hate these functions because the food … Read More

Melissa

Nonfiction by Heather Campbell I was afraid to speak to you at the start. You were a writer, I was not. You were accomplished, I was not. People tend to lay down different aspects of themselves, depending on who they are with, but you were always beautifully you. You were kind and thoughtful, and you … Read More

Ninety Miles from Normal

Nonfiction by Christina Dillow Forty-five minutes had passed when the compact helicopter crossed over the county line intersecting the Las Padres National Forest with the sea. Vaguely aware of my circumstances, I lay swaddled in a thick medic bag, unable to move. Beeping gauges and gurgling IV bags dangled above me in a symphony of … Read More

The Stoic Parent

Nonfiction by T.K. Schuberth “The Stoic Parent” received an Honorable Mention in the 2024 Golden Quill Writing Contest. Early on in the [Covid] crisis, I picked up Marcus Aurelius and for the first time in my life read his Meditations not as an academic exercise, nor in pursuit of pleasure, but with the same attitude … Read More

My Wrinkled Brain

Nonfiction by Rusty Evans “My Wrinkled Brain” was the second-place winner in nonfiction in the 2024 Golden Quill Writing Contest. Lately, I’ve had this suspicion my brain is wearing out. I’m not angry about it. I’m pretty sure I anticipated it. I don’t have any memories of thinking about it much up until now. Maybe … Read More

My Favorite Animal Is a Harbor Seal

Nonfiction by Michele L. Roest “My Favorite Animal Is a Harbor Seal” was the first-place winner in nonfiction in the 2024 Golden Quill Writing Contest. When I was a kid growing up in the 1970s, my father, a vertebrate zoologist, taught at the nearby college. On Saturday mornings, I’d go to campus with him, sock-skating … Read More

“A Child’s Recipe for Comfort” by Angela Kasumova

Baked Potato Description: The perfect side to any meal; the best medicine when recovering from an illness. Preparation: Board Daddy’s car— a Chevy Blazer or wood-paneled station wagon depending on the day— drive to a restaurant, enjoy this rare time as a family of four. Number of Servings: 1 Ingredients: 1 baked potato Butter* Fatherly … Read More