Our Books

The Civic Center Doors This is a warning: Be careful with the doors at the Lake Charles Civic Center! I was there last week and as I entered the men’s room, I recalled Roy Greene’s story. The Lake Charles Civic Center opened thirty years ago. Amazingly, it was constructed on sand pumped out of the adjacent lake that gives the …

Trelvis and Phil Thomas. The inspiration for this story from The Wayfaring Stranger. Miz Girlie’s Prayer Tree The follow scene from our first novel, The Wayfaring Stranger, tells of Irish immigrant Joe Moore’s arrival in western Louisiana. The Irishman has been befriended by Miz Girlie Perkins, an old Piney Woods widow:   Joe slept each night on the porch. Miz …

We’re deep into the second draft of our latest novel, As the Crow Flies. I need your help in fleshing out some of the characters, scenes, and storyline. Join our Creekbank Tribe by sharing ideas at the end of this post. Thanks in advance! Today, you’ll meet the narrator of the book, a spunky teen named Missouri. Curt Opening line …

A Word from Curt I have two questions today: Where do you go for your lonely place? Where are your sacred spaces?     I’ve chosen to make the first question singular: where is your lonely place? In the first chapter of Mark’s Gospel, the writer makes a key statement on the life and ministry of Jesus: 35 And rising very …

This is chapter 20 from Christmas Jelly. It’s written by one of my favourite people, Erik Pederson.  Mr. Erik touched all of us with his love, humour, and smile. He’ll always be missed in Dry Creek.   I encouraged him to write this story and had the privilege of editing it. A Danish Christmas    By Erik Pederson     One of …

    Tractor Time     When this old world starts getting me down And people are just too much for me to face. I climb way up to the top of the stairs And all my cares just drift right into space. On the roof, it’s peaceful as can be And there the world below can’t bother me. -On …

                                                           The Heavenly Choir   Christmas season—The Dry Creek Church choir sings beautifully in a way beyond description. It’s much more than a musical . . . it’s a production . . …

My short story collection, Christmas Jelly, was written in 32 chapters.  This allows you (the reader) to enjoy one chapter per day beginning on December 1 and ending on January 1. Here’s today’s serving of Christmas Jelly! Enjoy! Santa Claus is Coming . . . to School   I’ve learned this: life is always better than fiction. You cannot make up a …

A word from Curt Tomorrow,December 1, begins a daily blog of chapters from our short story collection, Christmas Jelly. The foreword below shares how you and your family can use these stories to brighten the Christmas season. Enjoy. DeDe and I and the Creekbank family wish you a Merry and Remarkable Christmas. Curt Order your copy(s) of Christmas Jelly at Amazon or www.creekbank.net …

                  Young longleaf seedlings underneath the dead landmark tree   I think that I shall never see A poem lovely as a tree. Kilmer said it. It’s hard to be a tree. I’ve always seen God’s fingerprints on trees. The intimate life cycle between the animal world and botanical. Trees take in …

November is National Novel Writers Month, commonly known as NaNoWriMo. The goal is for folks like you to write a 50,000 word novel in a month. I’m writing a new novel,  As the Crow Flies, and need to add 50,000 words in the coming month. This is an invitation to join together and write. We’ll be sharing ideas and encouragement …

The fun and joy of writing historical fiction is “going back” to a time in the past. With our new draft novel, the year is 1881 on Louisiana’s frontier, commonly called “No Man’s Land.”             It’s important to look at dates, moon phases, weather (when you can find it) and “live in that era.” That’s …

Tough or Hard   In front of me are three objects: a brick, a piece of leather, and a hammer. These make for a wonderful lesson. However, this story is not about the hardness of a brick, toughness of leather, or the pain of the hammer blow. This is a story about somebody. Objects don’t move us—but people do. Watching …

We’re highlighting stories from our short story collection, Deep Roots. Measure Twice, Cut Once   Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you. -Exodus 31:6   I’ve always loved watching an artist at work. To watch a skilled craftsman shape something with their hands—and heart—is a joy. As the above verse …