[Camp Johnson, near Winchester, Virginia—The First Maryland Regiment playing football before Evening Parade.] The first Super Bowl was played January 15, 1967 between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs. Who would have guessed, 50 Super Bowls later,…
Short Stories
The Wall A Short Story by Michael Kenneth Smith From the bomb-shattered second floor window, Helga could see the gray sedan slowly creeping nearer, its slitted headlights piercing the rain and darkness as it weaved between the debris of fallen…
From the bomb-shattered second floor window, Helga could see the gray sedan slowly creeping nearer, its slitted headlights piercing the rain and darkness as it weaved between the debris of fallen buildings. Trembling with fear, she turned to the old…
The following review for SCARRED A Civil War Novel of Redemption appeared in The Civil War Monitor. Scarred is Michael Kenneth Smith’s emotional, fast-paced sequel to his debut Civil War novel Home Again. At the end of his first book,…
December 22, 1864 A thin layer of clouds glowed silver and the nearly full moon provided enough light to see the opposing earthworks to the west. Goma vigorously rubbed the scars on his wrists trying to increase circulation. The light…
What do you get the person who has “everything?” How do you show your appreciation this time of year to the people who make your life easier? How do you survive a road trip to see far-away family with too many…
It’s December! (What???) Time to get the holiday decorations out of storage and to start thinking about where you put those boxes, ribbons, and bows. Of course, you could skip some of those be-ribboned boxes this year in favor of…
Louis Antoine Godey began publication of Godey’s Lady’s Book in 1830 in Philadelphia. The magazine was aimed at the ever-expanding audience of American women, and was intended to educate and entertain. Over time, the publication would morph into an important…
In which we meet Zach, as he sets forth on his journey toward redemption. . . . Chapter 3 Late Fall 1863 A reddish-orange sun rose above the heavily-treed mountains to Zach’s right as he rode away from Knoxville. His…
My school was three miles away. Just walk to Cheshire Road, turn left and keep going. I’d take the short cut, which supposedly lessened the distance by a full mile. I would climb the fence in our back yard—the fence that kept our…