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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Bad Blood and Betrayal. Top Story - August 2024. Content Warning.
Isabella and Ethan climbed on board his cabin cruiser that she discovered was named The Boozer Cruiser. Embarrassed by the bold black print of shame, Bella pulled her wide hat brim down to cover her face. She’d hate to be seen by the other women at the yacht club. The Tampa Bay area had many well-connected families, and to be seen as a party girl would be a crime.
By Barb Dukemanabout a year ago in Fiction
Health Matters
Coralee began her day and started the usual chores at her house. She rubbed some hot water on an old tea towel and dragged the towel across the countertop and under the bamboo chop block. Then she mopped the floor, unhappy and depressed. Her mother, Jenna, had come down for the week and suggested she use common and safer cleansers. Any would do, even natural ones. The house had become messy and neglected, and a musty odor permeated the walls and drapes. Smoke from Marlboro Reds left brown shadows on the walls.
By Barb Dukeman2 years ago in Families
Solstice Circle
My husband's birthday was coming up, and I didn't want to do the hum-drum "let's go out to dinner" deal. What to do? We've seen most the local bands in our area, and I didn't want him to grill dinner for his birthday. My mother joked that his birthday had to be celebrated right because it was on the longest day of the year, the traditional summer solstice. Usually falling on June 21, this year's solstice is the day before. However, he is getting a full moon for his birthday, so that's a win.
By Barb Dukeman2 years ago in Fiction
Dead Asleep. Top Story - June 2024.
At 23, I moved out of my parents’ old house, finally on my own, free. Even though I was moving into a tiny studio apartment, the euphoria of escaping that oppressive house was liberating. The strange experiences and nightmares my sister Eva and I had painfully endured as children in that house faded into the past; after her funeral, I suspected it had something to do with those nightmares. I never wanted to go through that again.
By Barb Dukeman2 years ago in Horror
Truth escaped
(This was my entry for the eclipse contest a few weeks back; because I screenshot the poem from Word, the resulting jpg didn't count as individual words and sadly didn't count. Concrete poetry is difficult to replicate on this platform although I think Vocal is working on a solution. However, concrete poetry is very hard to replicate through AI, and so I thought the shape in addition to the acrostic element would stand out as different. AI has been infesting many writing platforms, school assignments, and social media that it alarms me that some might use AI to create original pieces.)
By Barb Dukeman2 years ago in Poets
Just 105 Miles South of Key West
A short window of time opened during the Obama administration allowing Americans to visit Cuba for family or educational reasons. To celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary in 2017, my husband and I booked a cruise and tour in Havana. My father's side of the family came from Cuba, and I have always been curious about his homeland. Although I don't speak the language, just being there would rekindle interest in my heritage.
By Barb Dukeman2 years ago in Wander
