John Shore

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“Easter,” a short story by John Shore

Albert Ellman didn’t think he would care — he was surprised that he was even aware — that it was Easter.

Easter hadn’t meant much to him since he was a little boy, and not much to him then. Get dressed up. Go to his mother’s cavernous church. Sit on a bench. Listen to a man in a long dress endlessly drone in a tone that would bore a corpse. Try not to fidget. Fail. Get half the flesh on his arm wrenched off by his mother, who took church more seriously than anyone, probably including the Pope. [Read more…]

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Confucius At Studio 54: An excerpt from “Everywhere She’s Not”

This is from Chapter 7 (“A Fun Day”) of my novel, Everywhere She’s Not. It’s the scene where David, the novel’s protagonist, first meets Franklin, the boyfriend of his close friend, Jerald. David is twenty-three years old; Jerald and Franklin are older than he by about ten years. Jerald owns and runs a seaside motel in San Francisco. This takes place in Jerald’s apartment, which is accessible through a door behind the motel’s front counter. The year is 1979. [Read more…]

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“You Will See That I Have Left,” a short story in letter form

Dear Ronny,

I know that you were right when you were admonishing me before you went to the deacon’s meeting about how no good as a wife I’ve been to you since last week when daddy died. I know it has not been easy for you to have me always so lost to myself since that happened. I know you need all my love and support as your devoted helpmeet right now just when you are getting ready to step into daddy’s shoes as Pastor of Faith Baptist Church. [Read more…]