Monthly Archives: December 2021

A guy I used to know writes about a weird idea he has. He wants me to paint one painting for every month him and his lady have been together. In order to meet him to talk about it, I have to travel to a neighborhood full of memories. I don’t go there often. IContinue reading “The 12 months of Christmas”

I look up the route and see I won’t need to write any of it down. It’s a straight shot. I-80 West all the way. I drive out of Chicago at 5am. It’s still dark. Dawn doesn’t come till I’m near the Iowa border. My last in-person bookstore event was at the Green Arcade inContinue reading “Travelling Light”

The email comes out of nowhere. The man who sent it is one of the last people I’d expect to contact me. He’s the owner of a mushrooming network of music venues, cocktail bars, and vaguely chic eateries. It’s an invitation to meet. He says he might have some work for me. He asks, asContinue reading “Lucifer’s bargain”