Not About Lumberjacks

Nine years ago, I released the first November anniversary “lumberjack” story. Titled “The Art of the Lumberjack,” I described it like this: When Erik Nilsson has a minor heart attack and is told to take some forced time...

The evening of August 8, I received a call from the police in the town where my mom lived that she was dead. FOOM! Just like that… Obviously, that has had an effect on story scheduling. This short update is about what...

In this behind-the-scenes look at the latest Not About Lumberjacks story, “Instead of Dreaming,” I talk about the real-life influences on the story, memories, healing, and how soothing the night can be. As always, this...

A high school English teacher comes to conclusions about life after recovering from a hit-and-run accident. Content Advisory: “Enemy Wanted” deals with difficulty sleeping, a blurred sense of reality, crime, cartoonish...

In this behind-the-scenes look at the latest Not About Lumberjacks story, “Enemy Wanted,” I talk about the first writing I was ever paid to do, collaboration, and how I’m lucky to have support from creative friends I’ve...

Ferdinand Pérez gets more than he bargained for when he answers a flyer ad taped to a telephone pole looking for an enemy. Content Advisory: “Enemy Wanted” deals with difficulty sleeping, a blurred sense of reality...

Four years ago, I did a Q&A for the Behind the Cut episode for “Geocached.” No idea why I’ve not done another, but with this being the long time between episodes (after back-to-back stories last November and December)...

In this behind-the-scenes look at the latest Not About Lumberjacks collection of stories, “Christmas Miscellany 8,” I talk about writing coincidences that make it seem like writers copy from other writers or current...

Ho Ho Ho! It’s that time once again…time for the annual Not About Lumberjacks Christmas episode. If you’re new, here, eight years ago I gathered up all my shorter short stories (like stocking stuffers) and released them...

In this behind-the-scenes look at the latest Not About Lumberjacks story, “The Legend of Mighty Missy Stewart,” I talk about my love of tall tales and…dislike about asking for things… As always, this commentary contains...

Join Mighty Missy Stewart and her badger buddy, Tamarack, as they come of age in a time of expanding frontiers and rugged lumberjacks! Content Advisory: Were “The Legend of Mighty Missy Stewart” a movie, it would be...

In this behind-the-scenes look at the latest Not About Lumberjacks story, “Overwinter,” I talk about why I wrote a very quiet story for introverts. As always, this commentary contains spoilers from the latest story , so...

In this celebration of solitude, Daniel’s life is changed forever after spending 5 months alone on an island 13 miles off the Maine coast. Content Advisory: “Overwinter” deals with a job change, longing, solitude vs...

In this behind-the-scenes look at the latest Not About Lumberjacks story, “Mudlarking,” I talk about a recent urge to keep telling more “serious” stories…and why I chose to write something a bit more adventurous [even...

When Eva Barrett decides to give mudlarking on the Thames River foreshore a go, she finds something very strange during low tide. Content Advisory: “Mudlarking” is pretty tame. There’s some violence in the form of...