Award Winner and a few more

Renaissance is a collection of short stories featuring The Forgotten Well, my Florida Writers' Association award winning story. The collection of four stories is only 99 cents: http://goo.gl/bT8MO

One definition of renaissance is renewal of life, vigor, interest, etc.; rebirth; revival.

The stories gathered here are expressions of that idea. Written at different times, for different reasons, they all share the same theme. I think the idea of renewal is an important part of life. We are always looking for ways to better ourselves. Sometimes, we are not aware of it and we receive a message from an unexpected place. Sometimes, the inspiration comes from a long forgotten memory. Whatever the case, we are given an opportunity that can easily slip by in a momentary encounter or even a dream.

These stories may seem bittersweet, but to me they also represent hope.

The award-winning story The Forgotten Well was selected for the Florida Writer’s Association annual collection. I feel particularly honored for winning as the entrants were judged by peer authors.

Poetry Takes Time

I'll admit, it has been a while since the last installment of One. The good news is that it's out now!

Mark Miller's One

Story Nine

Wheels Turning Inward

by Ron Starbuck

Story Nine takes a different turn as Ron shares some amazing poetry. His words are meditative and spiritual. Here's the back cover synopsis: In Story Nine, poet Ron Starbuck explores the world from his Episcopalian background and through various forms of contemplative prayer. These selected poems from his first collection, Wheels Turning Inward, and from his second collection, When Angels are Born, share with the reader an expressive way to view the world. Ron has also been kind enough to include an exclusive poem that can only be found in the pages of One.

I’ve been looking forward to this edition of One for a while now. It is a pleasure to have so many talented people contributing to this series. I cannot put one of them on a pedestal ahead of any other. What I can do is single out Ron for his poetry.

It is true that we have several award-winning poets in this series, but only Ron is contributing poetry. After reading his work, I understand that it takes someone with skill and patience to communicate this level of expertise and emotion. Writing prose, I can belt out a thousand words in less than an hour. I haven’t written a poem for maybe five years. As Ron says, “You cannot manufacture poetry out of nothingness on a strict timeline.” I understand that better now. You don’t magically get that structure and message without the work and dedication.

Ron also shared another idea with me. Besides being an Episcopalian, he has studied Christian theology and Buddhism extensively. He gave me new vocabulary for what we are trying to accomplish with this series. “Perichoresis is an ancient term in Christian theology, which refers to the indwelling of the Trinity, of how the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are so intimately connected within their unity as one that there is an indwelling between them all. And that this indwelling is shared with us, in and through Christ, in the Paschal Mystery of Christ as the Incarnate Word, the Word Made Flesh. How appropriate, since not one of us can imagine living without words, living a life without words in some form.” The concept of interconnectedness predates Christianity far back to the early Buddhists.

That knowledge and insight makes Ron an integral part of One.

Story Nine is available now for ONLY 99 Cents and a portion of that will go to charity. Get yours today - http://goo.gl/f3UXL

Perfect Nothing is Something Perfect

The One series continues with Trestle Press for a March release that focuses on a serious topic.

Perfect Nothing

by Rachel Hunter

Rachel is an award-winning poet and first year medical student. Somehow, she finds time to write. I think it took a lot of courage to share her harrowing story with us. Please take the time to read it and remember she is donating her proceeds to Give Kids the World.

Rachel Hunter says that no one should have expected her to be more than her illness. She became a victim of her own desire and a thing of woe. Then she became something more.

I met Rachel by funny coincidence. I have a series of fantasy novels called The Empyrical Tales and she is about to publish her own novel called Empyreal Fate. Independently, we are both writing about our ideas of a heaven-like place. In that regard, I have to assume we are both romantics, dreamers. I had to have a kindred spirit participate in this series.

When I asked Rachel to write a story of faith, she delivered something quite powerful and very personal. She tells of her battle with the physical and psychological illness called Anorexia Nervosa. I am honored to know that this is the first time she has written about or made her story public.

The thrust of her story is about her relationship with her father and him literally carrying her into the emergency room. As a father, I saw this story from that perspective and it brought me to tears.

One is about faith and belief and sometimes a person’s faith is not in a god, but in themselves.  Rachel is currently a medical student, inspired by the doctors that helped save her life. She is becoming more than she expected to be. Her belief in herself and the power of the human mind is a concept that transcends so many religions and faiths. She is determined to not be defined by her own expectations and that is something from which we can all benefit.

Daniel's Lot Now Available

Put some faith on your Kindle!


Daniel's Lot is now available from Trestle Press on Amazon Kindle.


This Kindle version is Mark Miller's adaptation of the Dove Foundation award-winning motion picture starring Gary Burghoff of TV's M*A*S*H, now available on DVD and soon to be on syndicated cable.


About Daniel's Lot:
Sometimes, our lot in life is just what we need. Meet Daniel Carr, a down-and-out man who divides his days between working a dead-end job and arguing with his wife, the owner of a failing real estate business. Though the answer to his family's financial struggles appears to be a valuable piece of commercial property Daniel has inherited, he remains bound by his promise to his late father to hold on to the land until "the time is right." Finally, losing his job, prompts his wife, Christy, to abandon Daniel and his "sappy Christian stuff."

A chance meeting convinces Daniel that he must be obedient to God's plan for his life, but will Daniel's obedience cost him everything? A powerful story about faith, love, and redemption, Daniel's Lot portrays the struggle to follow God's direction while fighting to keep one's family and integrity alive.


Get it today for only $2.99!

Showcase #7

Recently, I was invited to join the group Writers of the South (USA). It is a small, but enthusiastic group of authors in every type of genre. The group is aimed at supporting and promoting authors in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee.

As we grow, we plan to take several opportunities to showcase the varied and talented people in the group. We will hit it hard over the next couple of days, hopefully gaining some new exposure and introducing you to writings you might not have found otherwise. Looking at the group, there is something for everyone, so be sure to check these posts every day.  The plan is to do this again in a few months.

Today, the spotlight shines on Wynne Huddleston!

Wynne Huddleston is a poet and music teacher with a Master of Music Education degree from the University of Southern Mississippi. Ms. Huddleston’s poetry has been published in over 40 publications. 

Most recently, she announced two of her poems are being published by E*ratio.

She is the winner of several awards including the Enchanted Conversation "Daughters of the Air Contest," and 1st Place Winner of the 2010 Grandmother Earth National Contest--Environmental Poem.