Instantly the thoughts rush through my conscious. In a flash, while still groggy from the unexpected call, hoping only to fall back asleep, those Continue Reading
Writing
When the Past Burns the Future Begins
Recently, while listening to the Literature of War podcast featuring a friend of mine, Worth Parker, I got to thinking about the written word—the Continue Reading
Seeking Validation
For years, I’ve been trying to get to the root of some of my issues. Many of them stem from a constant need to be validated—whether that’s artistic, Continue Reading
This Ranger GWOT Vet is Nothing Special
Time and time again I have turned my thoughts into the written word. Where it started, I am not completely sure. It just seemed to be Continue Reading
I’m Unable to Speak the Words I Write
I have long debated how to capture these fleeting thoughts and emotions. They exist only in rapidly fading moments. They are quickly captured, boxed, Continue Reading
“Write My Way to Freedom”
I’ve discovered writing to be a tremendous tool to analyze my mental health status because I’m forced to describe my actions, explain my beliefs, and Continue Reading
Ink in Isolation
A friend of mine is in jail. The odds are good that he will go to prison. Keeping in contact with him is difficult. There are certain times when he Continue Reading
Echoes of the Soul: The Spoken Word
This first appeared in Objective Arete and is republished with permission. Humans began capturing their thoughts and experiences through the Continue Reading
Why Critics Attack Writers Instead of Writing Themselves
It’s easy to be a critic. Too easy. In the age of the internet, where a keyboard transforms anyone into an armchair expert, writers—especially those Continue Reading
Common Bonds
For eight consecutive weeks I led a veterans’ writing group. We met for an hour and a half every Thursday on Zoom. There were members in attendance Continue Reading
Jake: My Liberator, My Tormentor
These words are always tormentingly liberating. I fear every phrase, wondering if some passing reader might one day recognize my same utterances. Will Continue Reading
Elements & Principles
As an author whose written work represents a real-time account of my surreal life and stress-enhanced perspectives, I’d like to pause this audacious Continue Reading