Creekbank Stories Curt Iles, Storyteller

Joseph Moore comes to America. The Wayfaring Stranger (2007) is my first historical novel.  It fictionlizes the journey of my great-great-great grandfather, Joe Moore, an Irish stowaway who came to the Piney Woods of western Louisiana. This passage tells of his ship entering the Mississippi River and America. Enjoy! He wondered if he would ever see or smell the ocean …

The Swamp It’s Wednesday morning as we all sit or stand in the Swamp‑ all twenty‑five of us.  Now the Swamp is a classic building at Dry Creek.  It is the summer home of our boy staffers.  I recall with fondness the summer twenty years ago I spent in it as staff director.  To all of us guys who’ve worked …

“When we attempt man-sized tasks only, we run the risk of always receiving glory for ourselves.  But when the product of our courage is so magnificent and awesome that everyone must acknowledge this could not be the work of a mere mortal, then God’s glory is on display.” -Missions Mosiac magazine  December 2010 May your dreams for God be so …

“When FDR said,  ‘If a rattlesnake is poised to strike… you don’t wait… you crush its head” I knew we were going to war.”   -Soldier during La. Maneuvers 1941 Pretend you’re a young soldier in 1941. Stuck in Louisiana during weeks of maneuvers in the field.  You’re unsure if war is coming. Or imagine being a teenager during this same …

Just in time for the big wedding: The Loyal Wedding ‘Whither thou goest, I will go; And where thou lodgest, I will lodge; Thy people shall be my people, And thy God my God.’ -Ruth 1:16 As the “Royal Wedding” of Prince William and Kate Middleton draws mercifully closer, I’ve had my fill. Why are we Americans so enamored by …

George Katzman is a lifetime friend of mine who serves in Crestview, Florida.  He’s a native of Florien, Louisiana (home of the Black Cats) He is a fellow Louisiana College alum and also graduated from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.  This is an exceptionally wise article. George Katzman stands in front of Florida’s only 24 hour open air used bookstore.  It …

Kindness to the poor is a loan to the Lord, He will give a reward to the lender.  Proverbs 19:17 A friend from the Longville area told me this story:  Her father was walking the railroad track to their house during the Great Depression.  Approaching home, he saw a note stuck in a split stick near the tracks.  It was …

Allow me to introduce you to a special friend and gifted writer,  David Elliott.  David serves as professor in the Chemistry Department at Louisiana College. Enjoy this warm article. Curt Does That Do Any Good? My family and I moved to a new job in 2000.  One of the features of the job in South Boston, Massachusetts was that I …

A Touching Story of the Heart I spent most of the day today at Alexandria’s Rapides General Hospital as my lifetime best friend, Joe Aguillard, had bypass surgery. We’re thankful to God for successful quadruple bypass on Joe. Continue in prayer for Joe, Judy, and their girls as he recuperates.  Joe fills an extremely important position as President of our …

I’m serious.  I’d rather write a 94,156 word novel than do the back cover and author copy for the same book. The confines of word count increase the tension of saying a lot in a little space.  There’s the knowledge that what’s on the back cover of a book will determine whether someone buys the book or sits it back …

Today a beautiful month of March ends. The dogwoods, azaleas, wild azaleas (honeysuckle) and ’40 shades of green’ of the creek bottoms have been wonderful.  No wonder it’s one of my favorite months. Quote for the day: “The concept of two people living together for 25 years without a serious dispute suggests a lack of spirit only to be admired …

A Hobo’s ‘Easy Mark’ Proverbs 21:13  The one who shuts his ears to the cry of the poor will himself also call out and not be answered. “I’m a thousand miles from anywhere, waiting for a train.” -“Waiting for a Train” by Jimmy Rodgers To call someone an “easy mark” is normally not a compliment. We use it in the …

This is the current back cover copy for A Spent Bullet, due for Summer 2011 release.  I’d appreciate your input.  I need to cut some lines and tighten it. Also, I’m open to ideas on the arrangement of the text. Finally, what parts would you put in bold? Back Cover Copy   It’s late summer 1941 in Louisiana. Over a …

Today’s Proverb: A fool’s mouth is his devastation, and his lips are a trap for his life.**  Enjoy the story below on the hazards of running your mouth. Click on link below to enjoy the birds singing in Dry Creek, LA at The Old House: Birds at Old House 3 18 2011 **Uncle Quincy’s Goose   “He who guards his …