Creekbank Stories Curt Iles, Storyteller

It’s a new year. Always a good time to think about the speed of life and balance. This story from my childhood sums up what I’m still searching for: the balanced life.   “Come apart or you will come apart.”  – Vance Havener I come from a long line of men and women who lived in the woods and loved …

  Welcome to Friday’s The Tribe* Story Letter   The Most Important Man in Alexandria   Always be kinder than necessary. -J.M. Barrie   I didn’t get his name or badge number, but I firmly believe that today—Friday, January 6—he provided the greatest job in the town of Alexandria, Louisiana. The freezing rain began just as his city bus pulled …

  From The Old House by Curt Iles “Coco” Harper Lives Recently, they built a new Post Office in Dry Creek. It’s a large modular building complete with glass doors and modern conveniences. Out in front of it, the Postal Service poured a large concrete paving area. However, it just doesn’t look like it fits in Dry Creek. On the …

Current wanted poster in our Alexandria Zip 71307 Post Office. Viewing it brought the following story to mind. A Lady Named Kat To my knowledge Kat King was never featured on a wanted poster, but I still think of here when a see a F.B.I. wanted poster in the post office. It’s amazing how you remember people who are kind …

    A Word from Curt Grateful. Gratitude is one of my 6+ words for 2017. I’m thankful for the wonderful gifts in my life. Today I’m thankful to have the calling of writing. It’s what I do. Who I am.  I’m thankful that you have chosen to read this blog and allow my heart to hopefully warm your life. …

  I love Christmas.  I really do. I’d glad it occurs yearly. And glad it only occurs yearly. I call the week after Christmas,  Dec. 26-Jan.1, “Bah Humbug Week.” It’s a week to recover.  It’s a week to reflect.  I use this week to look back over the past year with gratitude and as a springboard to think about and …

  An Easy Mark   “I’m a thousand miles from anywhere, waiting for a train.” -Jimmy Rodgers “Waiting for a Train”   Calling someone an “easy mark” is normally not a compliment. We use it in the context of taking advantage of someone and associate it with weakness. I have a story that explains the term’s origin. I’ll let you—the …

Merry Christmas to you and your kin from all of us at the Creekbank. This new short story, “Midnight Chicken”, is our gift to you. May its theme of It is more blessed to give than to receive resonate and bless your Christmas. Curt and DeDe Iles Midnight Chicken   Dec. 23, 1943 Bundick, Louisiana   Elizabeth Miller awoke to …

A Gift from DQ   Christmas is a time for gifts and there are all types of gifts. The best gifts come from hands, hearts and are created from love and skill. As Christmas 2011 approaches, I’m obsessed with a gift I saw last week.  I call it a gift from DQ. DQ. I’m not referring to Dairy Queen. I’m …

This is chapter 16 from my short story book, Christmas Jelly. There’s still time for you to order copies of Christmas Jelly in time for Christmas stocking stuffers. Scroll down to learn more or click here. We are also offering a special Christmas price on a set of all twelve of our books: $100 for the entire set.  Learn more here.  …

First Christmas in Dry Creek J.J. Miller had set up camp where he had a good view of the surrounding area. There were no signs of any settlers in the last mile he’d come, and he had scouted down to the nearby creek and seen no recent signs of human habitation. It was December 24, 1853 and he didn’t expect …

In this week’s story letter: 1. A word called Resilience. 2. Free Download of “My Grandpas’ Boots.” 3. Christmas Sale: all 12 of our books for $100. 4. Filling your stockings with Christmas Jelly. 5.  Photos of “A Day at The Old House.”   A word for December. It’s Resilence. It’s a good word.  It’s about the quality of bouncing …

  It’s Christmas and time for a full helping of Christmas Jelly, our popular holiday short story collection. From now until Christmas, you can order copies for $10.00 each. In addition, we’re giving additional discounts for bulk stocking stuffers. (5 copies for $40 and 10 copies for $80). Shipping is $5.00 per order.  We’re making it super easy to order …