What is a fable??

Many people think of fables as short stories, with a moral lesson, in which the characters are animals with anthropomorphic qualities.

But the definition of the word "fable" has other aspects too.  For instance, the story does not have to include animals.  It can be more of a short tale of a legendary person or circumstance.

And for me, the word "fable" encapsulates an idea of context: the word itself evokes a sense that the story is going to be set in a time or place that is not modern.

That's how I describe my own fables:  most are set in a small village that exists out-of-time, but for reference's sake, resembles a somewhat mystical community of the medieval period.  :Quaint huts with thatched roofs, mossy hillsides, farmland marked by stone walls, cobbled pathways and hand-hewn wooden fenceposts...  the color green everywhere that is of a hue that kindles an earthen wonder; a return to the organic basics.  Lyrical sentences that flow with a dynamic rhythm, setting an underlying tone that adds to the depth of the story.  The tales are about the common people of that village, and include insights and life-lessons, of a sort, as the characters journey through the scope of the adventures.  Of course many of my fables include plots that are action-oriented or mysteries, but character growth is the primary vehicle of getting the storyline from start to finish.

One of the taglines I think of when it comes to my works is that "We Are All Heroes."  If you read many of my stories, or my novels, you'll find this theme holds true:  I prefer to write about average and somewhat common experiences, and throughout the pages I expand the piece (with sublety, intrigue and complexity, I daresay) to point out the extraordinary within...  My characters are, typically, quite average on the exterior, but I like to illuminate and unravel from the inside-out in order to bring new understanding to the reader of each character's unique traits and heroic qualities.  Each of us is endowed with such things.  As an author I find it my place to bring light to those oftentimes overlooked facets of ourselves.  As one reader told me, "Reading your words is like looking in a mirror.  It's terrifying.  It's revealing.  It's vulnerablity and authenticity, lain bare before me.  At times it brought me to tears."

When I was younger, I was told time and again that character growth was not supposed to be the main point of a work of literature.  I disagreed then, I disagree now.  :Character growth is the only point of a work of literature.  The plot and the theme and even the setting should only play supportive roles in leading up to what the growth of the characters ultimately reveals for those of us who care to bear witness... and those of us who care to join in their journey.

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As I write this blog post, it is early 2022.  I plan to publish one of my fables very soon, and my goal is to publish at least two others this year.  And then continue that trend year after year.  When I was younger, I did not enjoy writing short stories, but a counselor of mine -when I was in my early 20's- pointed out that whether I knew it or not, I am a fable writer.  I'm not sure how she pegged that, but she did.  Well, I've been writing them ever since.  I invite you to click on the Fables page here on my website for a little more info about them.  I'll post another blog entry when my first fable this year is published.  And if you'd like to stay more closely in touch, in order to receive regular updates about my publications, sign up for my newsletter.  -Wishing you well...