Today's feature is in the Fiction section of the 2022 Creative Writing Showcase and is from a newcomer to Fred's Blog, Keith Moreland.

You can enjoy reading his enthralling story THE BODY SHOP here.

Keith Moreland, writing as Stokie Lee

​Email: [email protected]
Website: stokielee.com
Twitter: @lee_stokie

Freelance writer and self-published author Stokie Lee continues to enthrall audiences with his novels and short stories ranging from Erotic Romance to Sci-Fi to Military to Mystery. When he isn’t writing, he enjoys Adaptive Sports and spending time with his dogs, Trinny, Abbey and Molly. Keith and his wife Sheri enjoy living in the upstate of South Carolina with their son Shawn.

The latest contribution in the Memoir section of our 2022 Creative Writing Showcase, is a fascinating extract from Tina Wagner Mattern's forthcoming memoir.

You can read A New Season here.

It gives me great pleasure today to feature another fabulous story from Ronald Mackay. He has been an amazing supporter of this blog over the years and our most prolific contributor. I always love reading his recollections.

If you are interested in reading his full length memoirs, Fortunate Isle: A Memoir of Tenerife and The Kilt Behind the Curtain: A Scotsman in Ceausescu’s Romania, you can find them on his Amazon Author page here. I highly recommend them both.

You can read Ronald's latest story Confessions of an Accidental Wino - Episode 1 here. 

Ronald Mackay

​Ronald and Viviana established a small business they named Fincas CALEDONIA, the Scottish Tradition in Argentina in 2003. Starting with a few hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon vines, they planted different varietals and expanded to 15 hectares of fine wine grapes. They had a domestic market for their wine in Argentina as well as an occasional export market to Poland, the United Kingdom, and the US. Their first love, however, was working in the vineyard as hands-on grape producers. In their own nursery, they also planted and grew many thousands of different varieties of certified disease-free vine rootlings for sale to local grape growers in Mendoza seeking to expand and diversify their products. They ran their business in Rama Caída, in the Province of Mendoza, until 2012.

The latest contribution in this year's Memoir Showcase is a very moving piece from Patsy Hirst. 

You can read Patsy's story “Made by My Father Out of Polish Steel” here.

Patsy Hirst describes herself as an island girl, accidently born amidst the cornfields of Indiana.  After living in a few other states, she visited St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and knew that was where she belonged.  She moved there in 1976 with her two daughters, aged 8 & 10, and began looking for ways to support the three of them.  Working as a bartender was quite a challenge for a teetotaler who didn’t know a brandy from a Beaujolais, but the waitressing part was easier, with her natural hospitality instincts.  After several years in various hotel and accounting jobs, she started her own destination wedding business.  Acting as planner, florist, officiant, whatever was needed, she declared it the best job ever:  she could go to work barefooted on the beach.

Shortly after moving to St. Croix, Patsy met her future husband, Jack Hirst.  They both retired in 2005, declared themselves the ‘Gypsy Hirsts’, and began a delightful 14 years of housesitting.  They spent six months or so sitting in Europe or Canada, returning to St. Croix for the winters.  After 11 countries, 37 different locations, 61 cats, 24 dogs, 18 chickens, 10 cows, 5 tortoises, 2 horses, and assorted birds and fish, not to mention zero remaining funds and no chance of any inheritance for the girls, they had to call it quits.  Covid made the decision easier and final, though Patsy still drools reading the housesit listings.  She is, however, quite happy in her role as Beachbum Grandmum.

Our latest contribution in the 2022 Creative Writing Showcase is a fascinating piece in the Memoir category from well-known author, Shirley Read-Jahn. It is accompanied by a selection of photos, which add another dimension to Shirley's intriguing story.

You can read The Dreaded Daintree here.

Shirley Read-Jahn was born during World War II and educated in England before becoming a hippy and living in an ancient Roman burial tomb in Matala, Crete. She went on to take up many different colourful careers, including swimwear model, interpreter, landscape gardener, paralegal and events organiser. She also co-founded the highly successful San Francisco Jazz Festival as well as running her own landscape business in the United States.

Shirley has belly-danced since her thirties, still plays table-tennis, and now lives in Australia. In retirement, she has more books swirling around in her head, which will hopefully come to light in the not-too-distant future. Shirley also has a chapter in three anthologies to date.

Promotional links:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/srjpublications
Amazon.com/author/shirleyread-jahn
Website: shirleyreadjahn.com

It is an honour today to feature two excellent contributions from author Valerie Fletcher Adolph.

The first is in the Memoir Category and is based on her experiences working in institutions. You can read Almost a Ghost Story here.

The second is in the Fiction Category and is titled No Windswept Corner. You can  read that one here.

Many thanks for getting involved in our showcase Valerie.

Valerie Fletcher Adolph is an author, teacher, reviewer who was born in England but who has spent most of her life in western Canada. Twenty years of her life were spent in a senior administrative capacity in institutions for people with mental illnesses or disabilities. During that time, she delved into the history of these institutions and ‘No Windswept Corner’ is based on a brief section of an annual report to government.
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During the Covid epidemic she published a trilogy of cosy mysteries set in post WW2 Yorkshire and her short stories have appeared in numerous anthologies.

It gives me real pleasure to welcome back one of our most supportive contributors, Tina Wagner Mattern. Over the years, she has contributed some wonderful memoir stories with us. Today, is our first opportunity to read one of her fictional pieces, and I have to say I loved it, as I am sure you will too,

Read Tina's story Arlett’s Christmas Repairman by clicking here.

Our latest contribution in this year's Memoir Showcase is an evocative piece from Leslie Groves Ogden.

You can read her story Elegy for North Fork by clicking here.

Leslie Groves Ogden
 
I am a retired elementary school teacher who enjoys going through all my old journals, travel diaries and photographs in search of possible story ideas. I have written about several true but unusual experiences and shared those stories with family and friends. In the future, if enough interest is generated I may compile these stories into memoir form and seek publication. I am also considering writing a fictional version of my teaching career. For now, I am content to keep writing as a hobby. Writing adds interest to my stay-at-home hours in our small town, Atascadero, California, where I live with my husband Barry and our two grandsons. I hope you enjoy my story. 
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A warm welcome back to Roger Knight, a regular contributor to the writing features here on Fred's Blog.

You can read 'True tales of a former medical recruiter', Roger's first contribution to this year's Memoir Showcase, by clicking here.

It is a tremendous privilege to have respected author and publisher Shane Joseph as our first featured contributor in the 2022 Creative Writing Showcase.

Shane has been kind enough to contribute two stories, one for each category.

You can read his memoir piece “It’s Irrevocable” here and his fictional story “Leverage” here.
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​Many thanks for getting involved Shane.