Dave's diaries: Life, writing and more

New season, new story

Just in time for the season, my latest short story is a parable about football. “Bobby Dean Goes Viral” appears in the Dead Mule School of Southern Literature, which published another piece of mine last year. In the South, the game is inextricable from faith and life. Of course, there are fiercely devoted fans in… Read more
A pandemic diary: Writer on duty. Call now.

August 24, 2021 Friends, have I got an offer for you. Because SEO isn’t my specialty, I’m asking you to share this post with your network immediately. Don’t sweat: I won’t steer you wrong. This is the real deal, but for reasons I’ll explain directly, y’all need to act right away. Here’s what’s on the… Read more
A pandemic diary: Afflictions past and present

August 19, 2021 On this day 329 years ago, Martha Carrier was taken in a cart to Gallows Hill in Salem, where she and four men were hanged after being convicted in the infamous witch trials. A poor woman with an independent spirit, she’d previously drawn the hostility of her neighbors in Andover, who accused… Read more
A pandemic diary: At the crossroads

August 10, 2021 I have some big choices to make: Compassion or fury? Hatred or empathy? Resilience or hopelessness? Depression or mere frustration? If you haven’t guessed, these are the emotions and impulses rolling around my brain like surfers on a big wave, in light of the ghastly upsurge in Covid cases, hospitalizations, and now… Read more
A pandemic diary: Un-unmasking

July 28, 2021 My daily life won’t be affected by the disheartening but necessary call for vaccinated people in many places to wear masks indoors again. I never stopped using an N95 in public areas, both out of respect for others and to extend my personal shield as far as possible. I take no pleasure… Read more
A pandemic diary: Back into your life it will creep

July 22, 2021 Among the current flood of bad news is the word that a few fully vaccinated people are testing positive. According to this widely-cited study, their most common symptoms are headache, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, and loss of the sense of smell. I got my second dose of Pfizer in March. I… Read more