Creekbank Blog

Sample Chapter A Good Place by Curt Iles

A Good Place Readers: How you can help. Part of the joy of writing is working with friends and readers to improve our stories. I need your help on the name of one character. Curt Iles’ new novel, A Good Place, follows the story of Joe and Eliza Moore. Moving ahead ten years from their story in The Wayfaring Stranger, …

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Africa Sketches

More sketches Top left If an African’s hands are dirty, wet, or they’ve been ill, they’ll extend their wrist to shake. Middle left: Everything can be carried on an African head. The old sewing machine was my favorite. Middle right: Every move of a “Mzungo” (white man) is followed closely. Even a trip to the outhouse draws a crowd or …

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A Good Word: Resolve

A word for today. I’m working on the six words that drive my life. I encourage you to write down your own list. Why six? Because five is not enough, and seven seems too many. Seriously, your list of words can be short or long. I’ve already covered Compassion/Passion (I’m cheating and using them as one word.) We also talked …

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African Sketches

Sketches from AfricaScroll down to an earlier entry to read about the lesson on living passionately I learned from a dancing deacon. I am not a true artist. I’m only a sketcher. I’m learned that one of the best “friend-catchers” in a foreign country is one’s journal and sketches. Even the shyest person cannot help but looking over your shoulder …

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Future Story: Eliza’s Journey

My great great aunt, Eliza Iles, as she left for the Belgian Congo in 1920. The caravan arrives at the mission house in Congo. Notice the covered hammocks the natives carried the missionary women in. in. This picture was taken in Nov. 1920, over three months since Aunt Eliza left New York City by boat. Eliza Iles and Leroy Harris …

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Words to Live By: Integrity

In recovering and writing about my African trip, I’m sharing my favorite six words. The sketch above shows an old deacon’s feet dancing a jig in joy before the Lord. (see his picture and full story by scrolling below.) This wonderful older man is still living life with my word #1: Passion! My 6 words. Today’s word: Integrity. What a …

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In the Congo

A church built on the rock… Volcanic Rock! This is one of the Union of Baptist Churches near Goma, Congo. In the background is Mt. Nyiragongo (0ver ten thousand feet high), one of five active volcanoes in this area. You can see the smoke boiling out of the mountain. At night, you could see a red glow from the crater. …

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Back Home from the Congo

Curt and Lovely Habimana.Lovely is the granddaughter of Congolese Pastor Habimana Athanase . Back home from Africa. Thoughts from my heart. Two things to bring home from any international trip: jet lag and a full heart. Lord, my prayer is this: Help me get over the former and never lose the latter. Amen. There are six life words that drive …

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The Congo

From Nairobi, Africa. “The life lived in fear is a life half-lived.” -from the movie “Australia.” It’s late Tues. PM here. We landed here and saw zebras and antelopes as we neared the runway. We (Reggie, Bill, and Curt) have an overnight flight at midnight to London. Then we’ll fly home to Houston by Wed. afternoon. A few thoughts from …

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Eliza’s Journey: A Future Novel

The following is a proposal and outline on a new book entitled Eliza’s Journey. I’d appreciate your input on the book title, the plot’s twists and turns, as well as the name “Frederick.” (see below. I believe there’s got to be a better name.) Let me hear from you. Curt Author’s notes: Tentatively Eliza’s Journey is planned as an 80,000 …

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Eliza Iles in Africa

The following fascinating article is from a Beaumont Daily Journal article in November 1920. It features a letter from the Belgian Congo, Africa written by my great-grandfather’s sister, Eliza Iles: Headline: Miss Eliza Iles writes of trip to Congo, Africa Miss Eliza Iles, who was deaconess for the First Methodist church in this city for three years and is now …

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Burned yet Blessed

Burned, yet Blessed, by the Fire… “The best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The next best time is today.” We’re just finishing burning season in Southwestern Louisiana. Five days of rain and the greening of the grass ended one of the driest winters we’ve had in years. The following story is from my 2004 book, Wind …

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The Lone Hostage: Captain Phillips

The Lone Hostage “He to rescue me from danger, interposed his precious blood” –Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing Robert Robinson It’s only appropriate to write about Captain Richard Phillips on Good Friday. Phillips is the captain of the Maersk Alabama, an American cargo ship hijacked two days ago by armed pirates from Somalia. As the pirates attacked the ship, …

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The Smells of Home

A brick of peat in County Mayo, Ireland. See below or click here on the sweet smell of burning peat. The “Smell of Home”   Recently I published a blog on the wonderful smell of honeysuckle. (Click here to read it if you missed it. Also read below for a treatise from my friend horticulturist Charles Chaumont on the two …

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