Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Random Excellent Story #1

Every so often, as I go clicking around in ezine archives, I run across an amazing story that was published a long time ago. Or, better yet, I find something incredible posted on a writer's blog. Some of these stories melt me into a puddle, or leave me gaping at my laptop, wishing I could have come up with something so good. I've decided that when I have one of these lucky moments, I'm going to start posting links to the stories right here.

Kicking things off, I have this gem: Alabama, by Murray Dunlap. It starts:

Heather was born in Alabama. So was I. This is something I like to say. In Alabama, shrimp and oysters taste a little like champagne and the crab trap haul is fifteen pounds, pulled up hand over hand, the rope stained brown and slick with algae. Blue crabs snap three-inch claws in the air. I know how to reach around from behind and scoop them up without getting pinched. I know how to pick the white meat from the shell and throw out the dirty gills. They call them Dead Man’s Fingers. Heather and I know these things. We were born here. I’m going to ask Heather to marry me, and I’ve got a ring in my pocket to prove it.

Who wouldn't keep reading??!

9 comments:

  1. Thanks Yvette! This means an awful lot, especially right now!

    -Murray

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  2. oh, and my email is murraydunlap@gmail.com... if you'd like to ask me anything. -murray

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  3. Nice find, I enjoyed that story a lot. It has a fluid, dreamy feel to the way it moves.

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  4. Thanks for stopping by, Murray. I think you have incredible talent. Feel free to shoot me a link next time you get a short story published online. Also, if there's a way to purchase your book, Alabama, online, let me know. Couldn't find it on GoodReads or Amazon.

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  5. Hi Yvette,

    How are you?

    i'm sorry to bother you, but I've recently started up a community forum for writers called the The Writer's Chronicle where we can meet and discuss all that is writing with other 'online' writers. Also with the recent addition of some published author members we have decided to set up a section to support published writers and help them promote themselves and their books - as we all know how hard it is to get published and how its even harder to get a large readership!

    I know this email is out of the blue, but i was hoping that you might drop in and take a look around and perhaps join if your interested?


    I'd greatly appreciate it,

    thanks

    Emily Cross

    Writer's Chronicle Link: http://thewriterschronicle.forumotion.net/forum.htm

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  6. yes, that was a beautiful story. I too would be interested in reading his book when it comes out.

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  7. I love Alabama as well. But being an English major and Alabama girl who is blessed to be a friend of Murray Dunlap, why wouldn't I?

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