It began as many stories do, with nothing. I wasn't planning to write an endless saga with characters no one has ever heard of. It just happened. Sheriff Pete Terkinberry, and all the other good folks from Maple Valley politely introduced themselves and took over. I was helping to clean out a small barn that …
Balls are everywhere. Balls of different sizes. Some are soft, some hard. Some bounce, some refuse. Whatever the reason, it seems no one wants balls to be near them, because they are always, and in various ways, trying to either throw or hit the balls as far away from them as they possibly can. Picture, …
It was really only a matter of time before the search for Sylvia Meisner became more serious. Oh, not that folks haven't been serious already, they are. They're serious about a lot of things like taking care of all the visitors to Maple Valley that arrive, literally, by the trainload every day. They're serious about …
In case you haven’t been following the news in Maple Valley on a regular basis, I will fill you in. Sylvia Meisner disappeared nearly a month ago. Several people saw and spoke to her one day, she was gone the next. In fact, figuring out who the last person to speak to Sylvia actually was …
The last train out of Maple Valley left the center of town at 9:00 p.m. Many visitors stayed all day to help us celebrate the start of tourist season. We expect all of the trains to be full today and all available tickets tomorrow are gone. Two big celebrations within three days means a tremendous …
Quintin O'Dillmotte has been working very hard to bring our town to complete readiness in anticipation of the Maple Valley Independence Day Celebration. Erasing all potential reminders of the crape paper disaster of last year is more important to him than planning for this year. So far, talk about a repeat has been minimal. Everyone …
If you're going to include a scandal in your story, to be convincing, certain characteristics should be included. Without them you may end up with scattered details and no scandal. How can you include just enough detail without giving away too much? How many pages should it take to discover and resolve a good scandal? …
Even though Maple Valley is a tourist destination for thousands of people each year, it is a real town where people live and it does not escape the characteristics of small town life. People know things about their neighbors they probably shouldn't know. Things the neighbors would rather keep quiet. Some people make it their …
It is a terrible shame the word "scandal" connects to Maple Valley in any way. The citizens of this small town, completely happy to continue in the ways we know, are now, through no fault of our own, tossed together into a chopper yearning to leave nothing recognizable in its wake. The very name, Maple …
O’Dillmotte Funeral Parlor “Where We Lay You Down Easy” is buzzing with activity. Quintin O’Dillmotte, the proud provider of burial services for the citizens of Maple Valley and all of Kertok County, has been on the phone for hours. No, Sylvia Meisner’s body has not been found, dead or alive. Quintin O’Dillmotte is chair of …
A Coffee State of Mind 