Sometimes the prompt of a partial sentence can get your imagination soaring and your fingers flying. It doesn’t matter if you’re writing fiction, nonfiction, a memoir, or even sci-fi. The nudge of a prompt to form a scene or the story’s opening may be all the inspiration you need. 

One warm spring day, I suggested we hold class outdoors. The birds welcomed us with their soprano notes, the squirrels played tag across the lawn, and the air rejuvenated our senses.  

Rarely do I ask students to write in class. Mainly because I don’t create well under timed pressure. I can virtually hear the seconds ticking away. My thoughts echo — Any words that land on this page will be my worst first draft ever! But on this day, everyone had a suggestion for a partial sentence. The group agreed on one. 

Here is mine. 

Suddenly, there was an explosion…and we were in the midst of hell. The side of the building burst into...

Will you have written that story you’ve thought about for years?

Is the story of your dreams in the hands of readers today?

How will you feel when someone says, Thank you for sharing your story?

I’ve asked myself these questions many times. I still do. I’m not one to rest on my laurels, so my published articles from kayaking to the art of Feng shui and sundry others may count in the general scheme of things, but I know there’s a lot more to come.

You see, my notebooks and journals are overflowing with story ideas. Fiction, nonfiction, and occasionally a poem will surface from overheard conversations. Memories of growing up as a military brat,* the loss of loved ones, and even deciduous trees and broken seashells invite me into their natural worlds without hesitation. And I’m so very grateful. 

It’s as if my DNA is laced with never wanting to miss a thing — even the chance to watch a room full of people sitting mostly...

A few years ago, my dad shared a story from his younger years before he met mom. You see, his father passed away when he was only twelve, and an older brother had died during World War II. Along with his mother and other siblings, everyone had a responsibility to make ends meet. It was a tough time in their family, on the farm, and in our nation’s history. 

After high school graduation, dad worked at a TV/Appliance company. His boss must have seen something special in him because he was encouraged to talk to a military recruiter on his next delivery in town. A short time later, dad enlisted and spent twenty-two years in the military.

Dad's time in the service gave him the ability to leave when called upon, a powerful education beyond books, and an appreciation for history and Asian culture. He often said, “If it wasn’t for the Marine Corps, I don’t know where I’d be today.” Now I knew what he meant.

The question I asked my dad was...