by Amanda West | Jan 11, 2025 | Stories
Amy Neese Jones grabs her buzzing phone from her purse and presses the answer button. Before the “hello” brushes her lips, a dear friend on the other end unravels a series of heartfelt pleas. “My wife has been in the hospital recovering from pneumonia. If I can get...
by Amanda West | Jan 11, 2025 | Stories
Buddy Carter settles into the seat facing the sewing machine. Turning the handwheel, he ensures the needle pierces the folded edge of the purple and blue calico fabric. He pushes the toe of his tennis shoe on the presser foot beneath the table. The needle bobs up and...
by Amanda West | Jan 11, 2025 | Cover
Prior to Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty,” the Brothers Grimm published the original folktale in 1812 titled “Briar Rose,” and prior to prescription medication, families relied on gathering wild herbs to ease their ailments. Tina Michelle Johns’ husband helped her unite the...
by Amanda West | Jan 11, 2025 | Feature
Kimberly Williams ripped open the envelope and frantically scanned the letter from the College of Nursing. Her excitement shifted to bitter tears as she dialed her mother’s number. When the phone call ended, Williams had a backup plan. She’d received a rejection...
by Amanda West | Jan 11, 2025 | Feature
At Creekside Farm on the outskirts of the Flat Creek community, the aroma of freshly mowed hay mixes with the salty sweat of the horses. They stamp their hooves on the dirt floor, begging Angela Wojtkowski to lead them out of their stalls and into the sunlight. As the...
