by John McCall
These "pearls" are mainly hints on writing fiction and light
verse, with examples of each (including one story in English that
was dramatized in Spanish). Is their a common thread? Well, there's not
one quote from Franklin.
You see, my writing time has not been dedicated entirely to
Ben Franklin. Over the years I have contributed the occasional article, review
and short story to a variety of publications.
Here is a selection, which will grow as I dust off my
typewritten manuscripts and subject them to the black art of conversion to
digital form. I hope you will enjoy them.
PLEASE NOTE:
Although the subjects and content of these pieces would not be out of place in
today's primetime TV, some of the material does give an adult's view of adult
life, which parents may not want their younger children to experience just yet.
Read for yourself first, before allowing junior to view.
THANKS
I want to thank my friends, Polly Gordon and Morton Jacobs, and especially my
wife, Marjorie McCall, for their expert and patient editorial assistance.
I also owe much to Carol Hoover's Ariadne Press for publishing
my chapter on foreshadowing and to the literary quarterly Vagabond, edited by
John Bennett, for publishing my fiction (not reproduced on this website).
I was especially encouraged by John Bennett's generous comments on some of my
fiction and to the Washington Post for publishing his remarks as well as some of
my verses. (Other verses from “Ben and Verse” have appeared in various
publications.)
As for another story, "The People's Voice," it was originally a radio program,
broadcast in Spanish to Central and South American countries. I'm grateful
to the Voice of America for broadcasting it in its fine series, including
classic short stories. Herbert Morales dramatized the story in Spanish for the
Voice of
America. (Versions in English and Spanish are on the website for comparison by
the bi-lingual, including those learning English as a second language. )
Finally, I thank my friend Paul Stephens for creating this website and for
the uniquely readable way he represented the sounds for my rhyming dictionary.
(I have said my "thankyous" for my verses, called "clerihews" separately.)
PS It's a little weird to thank a book, but, for years I have read the
Chinese classic, the "I Ching," as a collection of essays describing the many
human conditions. It inspired - from an Olympian distance - some crude jingles
on this website.
John D. McCall
October 2005.
