Clinton, South Carolina, Sunday, June 18, 2017, 10:15 a.m. In a way, Father’s Day is empty. I’m not one, though a niece, nephews, a great-niece, and great-nephews pretend I am. This I appreciate. In another, it makes me ever more mindful of how I remain affected by my father, who died in 1993. Over the …
Tag: writing
Sometimes I Feel All by Myself
Clinton, South Carolina, June 13, 2017, 2:46 p.m. Donald Trump has changed my life. To some extent, all presidents do. Normally, the sheriff has more to do with a person’s day-to-day life than the president, especially in a rural county, but President Trump has turned me inside-out. I’m not referring to Russians, health care, golf, …
Mothers by the Numbers
Ella, my niece, and Betty, my mother. (Monte Dutton photo) Clinton, South Carolina, Sunday, June 4, 2017, 10:13 a.m. By Monte Dutton Age is mathematical. If I heard someone say that on TV, I would make fun of it. Duh. The appropriate response from the imaginary person on TV? D’oh! Of course. I just got …
I’ve Still Got My Guitar and the Red Sox Going for Me
Clinton, South Carolina, Wednesday, May 17, 2017, 8:54 a.m. Middle of the week. Last night traded one kind of music for another. A trip to Charlotte to see my favorite band, Reckless Kelly, fell through, but I visited my nephew’s lovely children – held them, made faces, sound effects, tossed the older lightly in the …
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Another Stupid Blog about Me
Clinton, South Carolina, Monday, May 15, 2017, 9:36 a.m. In the slug above, originally the time was 7:48. Then 8:39. Then 9:07. I used to write blogs as a means of working my way into a mood conducive to writing fiction. Now I go straight to fiction (as opposed to video) because I can’t come up with …
A Nice Race Story and a Nice Review of a Racing Novel
Clinton, South Carolina, Monday, May 8, 2017, 10:15 a.m. Lots of times, when I’m watching a NASCAR race on television, I think of the early scenes of Days of Thunder, when Harry Hogge is back in North Carolina, on his tractor, while the Daytona 500 is taking place. I’m not sure what occupied Harry with …
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Little Things Mean … a Little
Clinton, South Carolina, Thursday, May 4, 2017, 9:49 a.m. The world has changed in significant ways across the span of my lifetime. Today I’ve decided to write about the insignificant ways. Significance is too intimidating for this day. No one whose cell has service needs “whatever happened to …?” stories anymore. Just yesterday I looked …
As The Salesman Says, You Can’t Afford Not To …
Clinton, South Carolina, Friday, April 28, 2017, 11:15 a.m. I spend a lot of time writing, and I spend another considerable chunk writing about how you need to read … my writing. Tell my whyyyyyy, whyyyy, why, why, why! Whyyyyyy, why should you read my boooooks? Among the reasons is I have expenses. I have …
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Sittin’ Around, Feelin’ Groovy
Clinton, South Carolina, Wednesday, April 19, 2017, 9:33 a.m. It seems as if life is back to normal. For instance, take now. This Is Spinal Tap is on TV. I switched over from The Andy Griffith Show (how’s that for contrast?). The writing of Lightning in a Bottle both strained and inspired me for three …
The Thunder Rolls, but Will the Lightning Strike?
Clinton, South Carolina, Thursday, April 13, 2017, 9:27 a.m. Lightning in a Bottle struck me. It’s my new novel. I’ve written six. Right now I’m making up mind whether to start working on seven or eight, both of which are in progress. I guess the winner gets to be seven. I’m not stuck because of …
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Nightrider's Lament 