A Thankful Video and 6 images that tell a story

I’m so thankful for readers and friends who allow me to write and publish independently.  Although I’ve yet to receive a “traditional contract” from a large publishing house, I’ve been privileged to write twelve books that have sold thousands of copies and touched so many folks.  I am grateful to God for this. This video is how I feel about …

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Together, we are doing it! Quick Exciting Kickstarter Update

A quick word from Curt. Quick Update on our Kickstarter Campaign:Together, we can do it!  That’s been our theme for this project to publish our next novel.Thanks to the help of readers and friends like you, we’re halfway to our Kickstarter goal of $4000 to publish As the Crow Flies.  This is amazing because it has occurred in the first five days …

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Your chance to help publish a book! Together, we can do it!

Together, we can do it! Friends, You are invited to become part of the Creekbank Tribe that helps publish As the Crow Flies. Learn more at the Creekbank Kickstarter page.  I want to thank you in advance for believing in our stories and their worthiness to appear in print. Together, we can do it! Gratefully, Curt Iles       …

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A Quick Word: Final round of voting on ‘Crow’ cover!

Scroll down:  We need your help to publish As the Crow Flies. Scroll down to learn how you can support our Kickstarter campaign that begins Monday.   Are you receiving updates on our books, stories, and free giveaways? If not, subscribe here.  ________________________________________________________ One of the best parts of being part of the Creekbank Tribe is having fun being a …

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Your Chance to Help Select the Cover of As the Crow Flies

From the very start our upcoming novel, As The Crow Flies, has been a team project.  So many of you have given timely information and feedback. Thank you. For context, visit our As the Crow Flies Page to read synopsis, back cover copy, and sample chapters. Today we’re asking you to help select the promo image for our Kickstarter Campaign. …

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Building the Westport Store: We need your help!

Help us “build” the Westport Store Part of the fun of writing (and reading) fiction is creating images and characters in your mind. Our upcoming novel,  As the Crow Flies, is scheduled for release on Labor Day.  I’ve been living in its location for most of the past year. The Westport Store, also known as the Hatch and Moore Store, …

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New Edition of Stories from the Creekbank!

It’s amazing that our first book, Stories from the Creekbank (2000) is still in print and being enjoyed by a new generation of readers. To celebrate this, we’ve released a new edition.  It features a new cover, five new stories, plus the original chapters. You can order your copy of Stories from the Creekbank at: Amazon  Paperback or Kindle   Order …

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“Disregard that first message.” A New Story

The new edition of our first book, Stories from the Creekbank, features five new stories.  This is one of my favorites.   “Curt, disregard that first message.” Any school principal knows that phone calls from about 3:30 PM to suppertime are never good. They are usually from angry parents who have just heard their child’s (one-sided) story of discipline, trouble, …

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The Creek Tribe: Always Grateful

This is the weekly Tribe Creek Storyletter.  It’s just an opportunity to tell you what’s going on in our writing world, and hopefully encourage and inspire you.   I try to live by a series of words.  Right now, gratitude is filling my heart. I am so thankful for the gifts in my life. I’m extremely grateful for my returning …

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Help us spread the word: Book Signing at Jennings this Saturday.

I’ve done book signings for nearly twenty years. I’ve never had a bad one, but have had every size crowd from none (unless you count a stray dog that sniffed at my foot) to dozens standing in line for an autograph. This Saturday, March 25, I’ll be at the Steamer Trunk Vintage Store in downtown Jennings.  Nova and her staff have …

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Nary a Car: In Praise of Pickup Trucks

Nary a Car  . . .   Nary a Car: the parking lot at Roy O. Martin’s Oakdale OSB Mill.   Today, I’m writing about living in the Pickup Truck Culture of western* Louisiana. Where I come from, every man has a truck. I live in town (Alexandria) and may only haul my dog and an occasional rich pine fence post, …

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The Wayfaring Stranger is free today on Kindle

It’s St. Patrick’s Day. The perfect day to read the story of how Joseph Moore left Ireland in 1849 and ended up in the Louisiana Pineywoods.   The Wayfaring Stranger is free today on Kindle! As a way of saying thanks to all of our faithful readers, we’re offering our novel,  The Wayfaring Stranger,  free today on Kindle.   You …

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Growing up in a Small Community: The Rich Life of Eva Cole

Growing up in a Small Community: The Rich Life of Mrs. Eva Cole “Oh, those small communities . . . “ -John Mellencamp   I grew up in Dry Creek, Louisiana. It would be an exaggeration to call it a town. It would be pretentious to call it a village. Reeves is a village. Dry Creek is a community. I like …

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