Growing up in modern American evangelicalism, I have my fair share of cringey memories. Like the time I wore my smug t-shirt that cleverly disguised the name “Jesus” as the Reese’s logo. Or the time I was the only kid in my religion class who knew what the word “incarnation” meant, and all the kidsContinue reading “American merit monger”
Tag Archives: Christian
Calvinist stan
In 2015, I told my husband that I was officially joining the Buffalo Bills fanbase, otherwise known as Bills Mafia. He knew what I was in for, having been born in Western New York, and warned me, “They’ll break your heart.” But that’s the cost of being a fan of literally anything. Once you decideContinue reading “Calvinist stan”
My hot take on Holden Caulfield
My husband is the least pretentious person I know. He likes what he likes, and would never fake it for appearances. It’s part of what makes him so fun to be around. One of the things he would never fake is his contempt for literature. He has no patience for stream-of-consciousness, obscure poetic devices, torturedContinue reading “My hot take on Holden Caulfield”
A gift
I had a speech prepared. Short and sweet. Something I could rattle off before they shoved me out of the house and back into the street. My hands were sweating as I clutched the cool vessel against my heart. As I made my way down the street, I almost turned back a hundred times. EachContinue reading “A gift”
A little taste of home
Sometimes we could have onions. They were crisp and sweet, their sharpness cooled with dill or curds. Sometimes we could have cucumbers. Those were my favorite. Like a slice of water on the tongue. Thinking of it makes me thirsty. Some people say they can’t remember the taste of fruit, or the smell of rain,Continue reading “A little taste of home”
Kaspar/Casper
Some people have asked me why I named my main character “Casper.” Even my dad, who liked the novel, was curious about two Midwestern evangelicals choosing such a name for their son, a name which most any American will immediately associate with a certain friendly ghost. Admittedly, there have been moments that I’ve been embarrassedContinue reading “Kaspar/Casper”
Part 2, Chapter 13 // Though I Make My Bed In Sheol
The Honey Slope Golf Club was not perfect, but it was cheap and it would probably be available. The dining room had been updated sometime in the mid-nineties and the facility boasted fully carpeted bathrooms. He set his computer on Abby’s lap and rubbed his head, which had been throbbing all day. Continue reading “Part 2, Chapter 13 // Though I Make My Bed In Sheol”
Part 2, Chapter 12 // Though I Make My Bed In Sheol
Duplo City had developed to a concerning level of urban sprawl. Even if he had owned any other furniture, it wouldn’t have fit. But rather than becoming more uniform, the city was growing in diversity. Besides Duplos, other building media were now being utilized, including a Lincoln Log church, a Mega Block hotel, a LegoContinue reading “Part 2, Chapter 12 // Though I Make My Bed In Sheol”
Part 2, Chapter 11 // Though I Make My Bed In Sheol
Without a word, he raced to the kitchen and pulled the pan off the heat, Joule still squirming on his hip. Finally he released him, then wiped out the pungent, smoking butter with a paper towel and set the pan on the stove again. Trembling, he dropped the remaining half stick in the pot andContinue reading “Part 2, Chapter 11 // Though I Make My Bed In Sheol”
Part 2, Chapter 10 // Though I Make My Bed In Sheol
Nick had asked him how someone so smart could do something so stupid. He knew he was supposed to let the puppy out every hour for the first few weeks, but even when his phone alerted him, he would turn off the ringer and work for another two or three minutes. Thirty minutesContinue reading “Part 2, Chapter 10 // Though I Make My Bed In Sheol”
Katie Bertola 