Scribes Valley Notes

August 31, 2013 is quickly approaching! For the Eleventh Annual Scribes ValleyShort Story Writing Contest , we are looking for stories that enthrall us, leave us breathless, make us say “Wow!” and stay in our minds even weeks after we read them. You've worked hard on your story, pondered every word, developed characters so real you know them personally, and created a setting which pulls readers out of the real world. Don’t keep it to yourself, don't let it sit on your computer yearning for the light of day! Let others read it. Let US read it! Online submissions available.

I’ve written about this before, but it’s such a sticking point with me, I have to vent again about Valentine’s Day. Grrrrrr……. How can love be measured? How can you show your significant other that you love her beyond all others? That’s simple: buy her something. Not just something…something expensive . The more money you drop, the more you love her. Just about every advertisement for Valentine’s Day bobbles has a version of: “Show her how much you care…buy her this.” That bothers me. Love is not something to be taken lightly. It’s a powerful emotion that has toppled regimes, caused an untold number of wars, caused people to take their own lives, and others to lose their minds. How can something so big and commanding be held in your hand? No problem, it fits in a tiny velvet box with a hinge that snaps open. A guy I work with has made himself physically sick the past few weeks, wracking his brain for the perfect gift that will please his girlfriend enough to keep him “...