Debora's Pen

Enjoy the full cartoon in the December 2015 issue of Ducts

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6 panels, 1 cartoon
Humour/Writing
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"I've started trying to put some logos/photos in the feature piece, and your little girl seemed perfect... I think Debora is very cute. Clean and to the point. You ought to start a newsletter about Debora - brief with a lesson of sort. I think writers would love it. Excited about reading them!"

C. Hope Clark

Editor

Funds For Writers

"I enjoyed your cartoon series"

Brian Scott

Editor

Freelance Writing

"These are cute, I like them."

Lee H. Wilson

Art Editor

Feathertale Review

"Charming! I obviously like the cartoon, tailored-made to fit the theme, even including the date of the emails to coincide with the publication of the journal."

Virginia Howard

Editor

Thema

"This is cool"

Linda Formichelli

Editor

The Renegade Writer

"That was a good comic you sent me. I liked the line drawings, and I thought it was clever."

Bill Kenower

Editor-in-Chief

Author Magazine

"These are definitely cute"

Moira Allen

Publisher

Writing World

"These are very well constructed and interesting"

Leon Ogroske

Editor

Writers' Journal

"These are adorable!"

Nicole Cliffe

Editor

The Toast

Confessions of a stamp murderer

30th May 1931.

An unremarkable date. The British Raj is still lording over the Indian populace even as revolts are cropping up like angry acne in pockets all over the country.

It is an unremarkable day in a small village in the remotest interiors of Cawnpore, the industrial capital city of the United Provinces in north India. On the main road pull-rickshaws ply to and fro, shrilly trilling cycles overbalance into pedestrians and bullock-carts sway along slowly. The cow scrunching on the footpath is placidly chewing the end of the lungi of an irate passer-by who is red in the face from trying to...

Read the full article in the Summer 2014 issue of Ducts
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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

1625 words
Drama
US publication

Getting the hang of love

I am standing at the edge of a steep precipice with wobbly legs protesting and knees knocking together like the prongs of a tuning fork. Never before has vertigo seemed so real! Never before has my comfortable chair at home seemed less boring! Strapped into various harnesses and helmets and things, I am beginning to fully appreciate the “gravity” of the situation. I scarcely have time to further contemplate what is starting to look like a foolishly hasty decision, before I am being instructed on what to do and how to do it. I, however, am too busy concentrating on being able to breathe properly...

Read the full essay in the Summer 2013 issue of Ducts

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Request to read the original essay via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

2020 words
Nonfiction/Humour
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"I like your essay, and it flows well"

Derek Alger

Essays Editor

Ducts

"It's nicely written, which counts for a lot."

Ed Ewing

Editor

Cross Country Magazine

Alaliaic Dialogue

‘I am getting married.’

One eyebrow rises.

‘His name is Vaayu.’

The eyebrow lowers into a straight line. Noncommittal.

‘He belongs to a different caste.’

Blink.

‘A… lower caste.’

Both eyebrows come together. The forehead puckers. Thoughtful? Disapproving?

‘You’ll meet him tomorrow. I’ve told him all about you. He’s great! I’m sure you both will really take to each other.’ My voice rises and sounds defensive now. Desperate, too.

A twitch. We’ll see about that.

‘The wedding’s next month.’

Suddenly both eyebrows shoot up. Accusing. So soon?

‘Right here. I’ve arranged everything. Permissions...

Read the full article in the Winter 2011 issue of Ducts

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

185 wordsDrama
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"Some great gestures and images here, and I like how sparse it is, plus there's a great conflict driving this piece."

Chris Heavener

Editor

Annalemma

"This was very interesting, very compelling. I really liked this piece."

Camille Alexa

Flash Fiction Editor

Abyss & Apex

"The writing is good, and the idea intriguing"

Anonymous

Editor

Fear And Trembling

"Nicely tense, and a good twist at the end."

Krishan Coupland

Editor

Neon

"I did find it crisp and wonderful on a certain level. There's a sense of right and wrong being blurred here and a sense of justice, too."

Antonios

Editor

Vestal Review

"An interesting concept"

Anonymous

Editor (1 of 6)

Flashquake

"A nice idea"

Anonymous

Editor

Necrotic Tissue

The ties that bind

I am around eight years old and totally flummoxed. My mother has just posed the following conundrum to me:
“Two pairs of mothers and daughters went to the market and bought three lemons. They each got a whole lemon. How is that possible?”

Resisting the urge to just stare at her and blurt out that she is joking, I carefully go over the riddle word by word. After five minutes of straining the grey cells, I am nowhere near the answer. Five more frustrating minutes with numerous fractions worked out infront of me, and I utterly give up. Mum smiles and explains, “The two pairs were: a Grandmother, a Mother...

Read the full article in the Summer 2010 issue of Ducts

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Request to read the original article via email for just 99p! (T&C apply)

2025 wordsEssay
US publication

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Words from the Wise

"I liked this essay... I thought your subject and tone were interesting... The description of the family writing its history is very funny... I do like the topic and think there's gentle comedy and potentially something profound about the piece... I'd love to have this essay... You did a marvelous job of bringing the essay to a conclusion, and I had the good kind of chill going down my back as I read your final paragraph. You cogently and eloquently explained the reason for this endearing tradition, and I suspect that many Americans may end up being more than a little jealous of not having such a tradition after reading your account and its meaning... Again, this was really a wonderful result... Congratulations."

Elizabeth Rosen

Essays and Memoirs Editor

Ducts

"I thought this was a very interesting story and compelling to read"

Diana Lyles

CEO

Scribblers and Ink Spillers