Our Books

The story below is one of my favorite ones. It’s a baseball story. But about much more than baseball. It’s about family and (attempting to) live the regret-free life.                   From the Curt Iles book, The Old House (2002) Sliding into Home . . . with no Regrets   Twenty years from …

“The Door” is one of my favorite stories.  It blends humor with a poignant twist.   Coach Larry Greene   The Door 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 …

December 28 The 100-Foot Line     There’s a fine stand of young slash pine at Dead Man’s curve on the Longville Road. I’ve watched the growth of this forest since it was clear cut, then replanted in straight rows. The following year, the pines began to poke their heads above the grass. They’ve emerged above the surrounding bushes and …

Click here to order. Scroll down to learn more. Uncle Sam and Christmas Jelly are reader favorites and make great stocking stuffers. _________________________________________ You have a problem:  hard to buy for Christmas gifts. We have a problem:  Stacks of Christmas Jelly and Uncle Sam. I have the solution: a $5 per book Christmas sale. We published two of our thirteen …

For the first time, one of our novels, As the Crow Flies, is on Amazon’s Audible platform. It is professionally narrated by actress Whitney Ann Jenkins and listeners are falling in love with her bringing Missouri Cotton to life. Here is information for your listen to As the Crow Flies: You can listen to the first three chapters free. If you’re …

A word from Curt The Borderlands Team is compiling a devotional book for Refugees. The following is a short devo I wrote. I hope it blesses your life.     Bricks without Fire   Scripture:  Daniel 3:24-25 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar . . . declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to …

  Thanks for your heartfelt comments to our latest blog. Being present at both the church and burial touched me beyond words.   I met the mother, Martha (We’ve named her Naomi/Ruth), and her two daughters the next day.  They are from the Murle Tribe and completely by themselves.   Pray as they are transported to Tika Camp, the camp …

Hotel cleaning lady in Entebbe. On my arrival, I was badly jet-lagged. She came to me, “Bwana, your shirt is on backwards.” This is after I changed it correctly. I thanked her   New Life and Death: On the Refugee Camp Rollercoaster   Sometimes I write because I want to. Other times, it’s because I have to.   Today is …

A word from Curt It’s one of my favorite fancy words: juxtaposition. It’s really a simple word with a short definition: It’s “comparing and contrasting two or more items.” In this week’s Creekbank Storyletter, I’d like to share about three juxtaposed places. Africa.  A week from today, my wife DeDe, sister Colleen, team leaders David and Renee Crane, and others …

Today is Journey # 1351 at www.creekbank.net. I thought you’d enjoy the first story I ever blogged on December 1, 2006. The Journey of one thousand miles begins with one single step. -Chinese Proverb   Catfish Lies: Straight from the Delta When is the truth a lie? We talk about “little white lies” and half-truths. Is there such a thing? …

King Mockingbird Each day he sits up there—on the highest limb on the tallest oak in the campgrounds. I call him “King Mockingbird.” The area around the Tabernacle and First Aid building belong to him. He is the biggest and loudest mockingbird around. It is easy to recognize him high up in the oak tree. His beautiful, loud singing soars …

“Son, there are two things you should never sell: a dog or a gun. You’ll regret it later.” -Louisiana Rural Wisdom Life is full of decisions, and each decision you make is a trade-off. You’ll gain some things while losing others. Seldom in life is any decision “a complete win.” To move ahead, you must necessarily leave something behind. The …

A Word from Curt We’re on a journey and our map is: To stay curious. Continue to be amazed at life. Share Remarkable* Stories with our friends and readers.   *A remarkable sound: a dueling duet between a Cardinal and Mockingbird in our backyard. I wonder how we’d react if we’d never heard the songs of these classic Southern songsters? In …

A Word from Curt Last night when the Astros won an improbable 1-0 10 inning victory over the Padres, I wanted to call my Dad and discuss the bizarre ending of the game. But I can’t.  Today, April 8, marks fifteen years since his death. I still miss him. I still think, “I can’t wait to tell that story to …