Over the years, I've made it a tradition to write several year-end blog posts. Some on personal reflections, others on the milestone moments Dana …
My 2021 Agenda
(Blogger's Note: This is Part II in a series of year-end blog posts.) Last week, I published the newly developed foundation of core ideas that will guide …
‘Bear’ly a Deer Hunter
My weekly column from The Stone County Leader: “Black bears rarely attack. But here’s the thing. Sometimes they do. All bears are agile, cunning, and …
All Things Self Publishing: Join Our Virtual Retreat Oct. 22-25
If you've ever thought about self-publishing your own book, but just get overwhelmed at the thought of all that's involved, and if you'd like to discuss best …
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When the Dirt Speaks
Here's my debut column for The Stone County Leader published this week. They decided to call it The Flatlander: *** The local real estate agent maneuvered …
The Art of Loafing in a Parts Store
When you think on it, it’s amazing just how much of nothing can go on in a little town. In the seventies and eighties, Monette, Arkansas had at least a half …
Photo of the Week
Inaugural picnic on the grounds of Tranquility Base. 2/29/20 (Photo, Frances Merrell) …
More Than Just a Story
During the last eighteen months and through the process of drafting The King of Highbanks Road, there is something I’ve not shared with you. It’s the kind of …
10 Things I Learned to Love About Home Again
As we wrap up the finishing text for The King of Highbanks Road, I reflect on so many things from the experience of putting it all on paper - and how …
Stop the Presses! But Go to 500!
After eighteen months of writing, and a half-year of (ongoing) editing, we've set Saturday, October 3 as the release date for The King of Highbanks Road. There …
Ten Inspiring People I Met on the Internet and Now Call Friends
Keith Richardson Some time around 2014 my phone rang and showed an unknown number. The caller identified himself at Keith Richardson and said he'd found a blog …
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Giving Tranquility Base Some Breathing Room
Its legal description is Roundbottom Pool Estates, an approximate 50-acre land tract developed in a spectacular river valley near …
The Task is Complete
Some time back around 2010 I was getting desperate. I hadn’t worked in two years and chronic depression had settled in, seeming it might never go away. Dana and …
The Honesty Box
"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely that what others …
Top 10 People Who Shaped My Storytelling
Any writer would have a difficult time counting all the things that affect his or her work. Places, different environments, other writers. Lots of …
The Power of Just Walking Away
“Boys, the best thing you can do with death is ride off from it.” ~ Capt. Woodrow F. Call from the movie, Lonesome Dove Dr. Robert Lewis was teaching pastor at …
Be Teachable
You wouldn’t think it would be the case for someone who’s completed five decades and entered a sixth, but one of the most important lessons I continue learning …
Some Work Thoughts on Labor Day
•There is nothing worse than waking up each morning dreading where you're about to go and spend time for the next eight hours. It's not likely that …
20 Things I’ve Learned in My 50s
•Some days when you get out of bed, it's just going to hurt. •Ibuprofen is a wonderful drug, preventive and otherwise. •No matter how much it disgusts you …
2018 – My Best, Worst, and Other List
Favorite Books Read: Building a Story Brand by Donald Miller; My Southern Journey, Rick Bragg; Learning to Speak God from Scratch, Jonathan Merritt Best Movies …