Barb Dukeman
Bio
I have three books published on Amazon if you want to read more. I have shorter pieces (less than 600 words at https://barbdukeman.substack.com/. Subscribe today if you like what you read here or just say Hi.
Achievements (13)
Stories (198)
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You Believed in Me. Top Story - November 2024.
Dear Carrie, Most of the time I show up to the gym in a Supernatural-themed T-shirt, black mid-thigh shorts, and sneakers that have seen better days. My socks aren’t trendy. My hair is usually in a ponytail held by an 80s-style scrunchie, and I carry my Walmart bottle of water around. Around me I see the young women and buff men with enviable bodies, but I also see the older folks, working out and improving their quality of life.
By Barb Dukemanabout a year ago in Humans
The Queen of Windmere Returns
The river ran backwards on the day the Queen vanished. That was commonly known lore throughout the kingdom of Windmere. None of the Elders knew where it came from, just that it was something that happened a long time ago. Their current queen, Ashland, believed it was her great-great grandmother who disappeared.
By Barb Dukemanabout a year ago in Fiction
In the Dark
There was only one rule: don’t open the door. Thomas knew the rule and followed it faithfully. He lived with his parents until they passed away, leaving their blind son the house and all its contents. He was familiar with every room, every piece of furniture, every door, and felt secure that there’d be no danger from a stupid door.
By Barb Dukemanabout a year ago in Horror
Living through Hurricane Milton
I write to relax. At this moment, October 9, 2024, 1:04 pm, near the Tampa Bay area, I’ve set my phone far from me to stop the obsessive compulsion to refresh my favorite five weather apps. I have 15 of those apps on my phone. I really should take my smart watch off as well. I’ve never had so many notifications from Ring, NextDoor, Facebook, NWS, FEMA, EBS, and even Alexa. The screeching emergency alerts from the NWS cause me to jump out of my skin in panic. This is a sampling of messages that have dinged on my phone, watch, iPad, and computer once every 30 seconds:
By Barb Dukemanabout a year ago in Journal
The Children Matter. Top Story - October 2024.
I follow a mostly-upbeat social media platform that features millions of photos and short videos, and I spend maybe an hour a day scrolling though the pictures, reading the captions and the comments. I often find news items that aren’t reported in popular sources, which then forces me to dig up the facts and uncover hidden truths. Some of the comments are spot-on hysterical. Others, however, get trolled to death until the original poster deletes the photo. Standards, both written and unspoken, are followed, and certain original posters (OP) are famously followed because of their unique perspective on things.
By Barb Dukemanabout a year ago in Pride
