Category Archives: writing

A MOTHER’S LAST WISH by Peter Nolan Smith

After Christmas 1997 my mother entered the final stages of her battle with cancer. These last rounds were not a pretty site, but her beauty remained intact to the end. Several days after the New Year my mother held my hand and said, “I’m so happy I made Christmas.” “Me too.” I thought about John […]

The End of NORTH NORTH HOLLYWOOD by Peter Nolan Smith (unpublished)

PAGE 291 Their lovemaking lasted until midnight. They showered together and packed their bags. They didn’t have much. Vanessa locked the door to her friend’s bungalow. She sat in the passenger seat and Sean got behind the wheel on the Lemans. They bought coffee at a 7/11 on Ventura Boulevard. Sean restarted the engine. “You […]

12:09PM Prosecco High Noon

In 1970 Xaverian-Westwood High School was all-boy. I was a math major. My foreign language was German. Typing 101 was for football players. Our team was State Champs. 9-0 in the Catholic Conference. Typing 101 class was taught by a woman instead of a black robed brother. Every student was male. I took Creative Writing […]

Beckett Vs. Smith

Two men. A giant and a nobody. Can’t get better than that.

Writing Tip 101A – Women Writer’s Know Their Shit

The key to writing is putting the seat of your trousers to the seat of the chair – Mary Heaton Vorse, American journalist, labor activist, and novelist I wrongly attributed this quote to another author. A man. Graham Greene to be exact. I was wrong. It wasn’t the first time and it won’t be the […]