Creekbank Stories Curt Iles, Storyteller
Friday, March 3
We’re keeping it simple at the Creekbank Tribe today.
I hope you enjoy the quotes and have a great weekend.
Please scroll down to help us select a new cover for Stories from the Creekbank.
This year, I’ve fallen deeper in love with the woods. Trees are such a special part of my region of Louisiana. I recently discovered this memorable quote:
We can learn a lot from trees;
They’re always grounded
And never stop reaching heavenward.
– Everett Mamon
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I recently took this photo on Crooked Bayou, the small stream that flows through our Dry Creek property. It’s hard to believe that this brackish creek once flowed deep and clean and served as a fresh water source and washing spot.
“Something will have gone out of us as a people if we ever let the remaining wilderness be destroyed … We simply need that wild country available to us, even if we never do more than drive to its edge and look in.”
― Wallace Stegner
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I keep returning to that word: Integrity. What a word to (try to) live by. Integrity: It’s who you are when no one is watching, and what you will stand up for even if you’re standing alone.
I’m sharing with our workers at the Roy O. Martin Mills about the Proverbs Reading Plan. Proverbs contains short wise sayings divided into 31 chapters. By reading the chapter pertaining to the day of the month, you read the entire book each month. I’ve been doing this on and off for years and still learn something new with each reading.
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A Personal Word
Wow. I am so grateful for the prayers and notes from our Creekbank friends. My health continues to improve and I am depression-free and able to sleep again.
Let me sum up how I feel: I saw a doctor this week and he asked, “How would you describe where you’re at right now?”
I answered, “I’m a broken man who has never been stronger.”
The doctor looked up from his chart. “Say that again.”
“I am a broken man, but God is making me stronger in those broken places.”
Our Great God wastes nothing in our lives.
I am so grateful.
Keep praying that I’ll stay balanced, focused, learn to say no, take my meds, and live a soul-healthy life.
Warmly,
Curt
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Get ready for a new edition of Stories from the Creekbank later this Spring.
We’re in the process of repackaging our first short story collection, Stories from the Creekbank. We’ve added new covers and five new stories. The new cover is from a Bill Iles painting of Crooked Bayou.
I’d like your input on the cover. These are areas you can help:
Do you like the location of the title? Higher or middle?
What about the font, size, and colors of text?
I’d also appreciate your input on the back cover.
We’re having an editorial argument at the Creekbank over the use of the word “bring” on line 3 of paragraph 2.
Should it be the plural “brings”?
The text is centered. Do you prefer centered or flush left?
Stay tuned in the coming weeks for information on Stories from the Creekbank. We’ll be offering paperback, hardback, e-book formats, even large print, and even free Braille copies.
We’re excited about sharing this book, featuring many of our reader’s favorite stories, with new readers and friends.
Our graphic, cover, and format work is done by my friend Anthony Mugisha at Botherine Consulting. If you need graphic or website work, I recommend Anthony highly.
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Don’t think we’ve forgotten about As the Crow Flies. We have set a firm release date of August 1, 2017. Early readers are really enjoying returning to the Ten Mile Country and re-visiting many of the characters from The Wayfaring Stranger and A Good Place.
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