New Fiction

Print the Legend
By Michael Evans      A few years ago, actor and comedian Robert Wuhl had a fascinating show on HBO called “Assume the Position with Mr. Wuhl”.  Part comedy, part college seminar, the show was a crash course in American history.  Instead of serving a rehash of all those sanitized, Schoolhouse Rock-approved stories of how America came to be what it is today, “Assume the Position” focused on the role legend and myth play in the shaping of history.  It sought to prove, rather tongue-in-cheek, that the history of our nation- the events, locations, and players most of us so effortlessly recall at the end of 12 years of compulso

Guidelines for Wearing Splotches
By Ashley Branam      It had to happen sometime. The first major marital disaster put an awful end to another cold Saturday of handing out cider samples. I washed an ink pen.      I normally check pockets before I toss clothes into the washing machine, but I never put anything in my jacket pocket except my keys and I knew I’d already taken those out. But that afternoon I’d stuffed the UTC alumni pen into my pocket after filling in my time sheet and forgot all about it. At least until I got my clothes out of the drier. I don’t know why I didn’t notice the dark blue splotches all over our shirts when I tra

Poetry inspired by the Tao
By Celia Shaneyfelt Poetry inspired by the Tao. 70He was a whinzied scrap of a being,nearly as gaunt as a modern fashion model,skin darkened by sun exposure,head shaved,garment worn and frayed.He sat and carved,chisel tapping letters into flat stones.Letters forming words,words forming scriptures;peace, love, honor.On his left, smooth flat stones.On his right,stones engraved,peace, love, honor.I lifted my eyes from this sight,a mod

Witching for Water, the Berea Citizen, the Santa Special, the Walker Foxhound, James Camak, and Curt
By Dave Tabler      Click here to listen to the podcast.      We open today's show with a look at a dowsing in West Virginia. Water witching (rhabdomancy) is common throughout the region. According to a study done about fifty years ago, at that time there were twenty-five thousand practicing water witches in this country. The actual practice of divining with a forked stick, as we know it, began in the late fifteenth or early sixteenth century in Germany.      We’ll pause in between things to catch up on a Calendar of

What Did We Fight For?
By Ron Culbreth      Last week we honored our veterans for their service to our country. There were speeches by politicians, parades in different towns, and eateries across the country offered free meals to honor veterans.  At cemeteries across the land wreaths were laid on the graves of veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice.      At the local Applebee’s, there were veterans from several eras,  but mostly Korea and Vietnam.  Some who were of the Vietnam era had a telling look in their eyes.  The lights were on, but nobody was home.  Being a veteran runs deep in my family.  My father served in the