Author Archives: suzanneruddhamilton

Walking always clears my head. Maybe it’s something about the fresh air or the freedom of moving in any direction I want. I love the dense warm summer air as a myriad of sensations hang in the thick atmosphere.  The … Continue reading →

I love sitting out on my lanai writing. Something about the warm Florida air and picturesque green scenes of flora and fauna often inspires me. As I type away on a recent novel, I briefly note a bird sitting on … Continue reading →

Gail’s favorite pastime is browsing through to estate sales. Each sale afforded an adventure into another time. Besides the good deals on antiques, there was something insatiably exciting about exploring a stranger’s past. The anticipation of a new sale never … Continue reading →

Recently we celebrated Mother’s Day with various trappings of appreciation. Flowers, candy, dinner or some bonding event are annual events spotlighting gratitude with a 24 hour expiration. And yet it’s nice to take a breath and reflect on what it … Continue reading →

Running around the house at lightning speed, Jackie searched every nook and cranny, but couldn’t find her homework. And she was late for school. When she reached the living room, she saw looks of terror on her grandparents’ faces. “What’s … Continue reading →

I’ve got that slippery snake now. My new informant, a guy named Lucky, told me Carrington moved his counterfeit operation to a farmhouse outside of town. I can’t figure if he’s lucky, as his moniker says. He spends his life … Continue reading →

Ken hated flying, but his new job had him pounding the people walker conveyor belt in airports all over the world. He was sick of it. It was a constant drudge on an endless carousel of stale sandwiches, overpriced coffee … Continue reading →

It’s a busy night. The Stage Door Canteen is packed with sailors, soldiers, Marines and airmen from nearby training bases. And in a big city like New York, there are an ample supply of young women, called junior hostesses, who … Continue reading →

A brainiac once told me the Dalai Lama said your enemy can be your greatest teacher. That is definitely true for Carrington. He has been a worthy adversary, thwarting me at every turn. Ever since I wrote that first story … Continue reading →

On my family’s continuing journey to map the United States with our brown Oldsmobile station wagon, I learned many things. It was more than just the names and places, but outside of the confines of our hometown, I realized lessons … Continue reading →

Rachel felt as though she were living in a sinkhole of absurdity, delving deeper and deeper into the ridiculous with every passing day. The problem was her husband Hal, but really what he morphed into… a giant ogre of idiosyncratic … Continue reading →

Each day Jackie biked to the beach alone. She sat on the sand, gazing into the infinite golden horizon, searching for the meaning of what happened with her parents’ death by looking into the clouds for answers or solace, she … Continue reading →

By Friday each week, Rachel is on autopilot. Taxing her kids from activity to activity between working, cleaning, cooking and shopping, the only break she gets is at the occasional stop light. Until Saturday. Saturday is the day when her … Continue reading →

As a kid, I had a very strict rule. I didn’t eat anything green. I was a finicky eater at best, but I just hated the awful taste in my mouth. And to make matters worse, my mother wasn’t a … Continue reading →

My wife asked me to go out for a few groceries and believe it or not, I jumped at the chance. It’s silly to say, but somehow I thought retirement would be different. For the last decade, I counted each … Continue reading →

I keep having this reoccurring dream that I’m running down an empty street. It’s darker than a midnight where the dim shadow of a sliver blue moon and the intermittent blink of a couple faulty streetlights cast cruel lonely silhouettes. … Continue reading →

Author’s note: This story will be added to the continuing saga of memoir stories called Tales from the Backseat. As an adult, childhood memories are designed to harken back to the nostalgia of yesterday and at the same time embarrass … Continue reading →

Note: This was an example of dialogue written in two different POV’s, while the core dialogue changes very little for an exercise on dialogue. #1 – Written in 3rd Person POV in past tense Earl came in from his golf … Continue reading →

With the leftovers finally gone, we can reflect on the Thanksgiving holiday and the tradition of giving thanks.   As we all learned in grade school,  the first Thanksgiving feast was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their initial harvest in the New … Continue reading →

Chaos is a friend of mine. Sometimes I wonder if it follows me or do I lead it around? Either way it revels in my wake and I often celebrate both its inconsistency and order. You heard me right. Chaos … Continue reading →

Sitting here on the floor of my closet in front of my empty suitcase for the last hour, I’m not sure what to pack. Maybe I should just fill it until it’s full. That’s ironic considering how empty I feel … Continue reading →

Mira filled another empty cardboard box, labeled it clothes and heaped it on the lowest pile among a forest of stacks.   For a week, she had been cleaning out the home of a lonely woman who passed away without any … Continue reading →

The beach is my favorite place to relax, breathe the fresh sea air in the warming comfort of the sun’s rays and hear a choir of sea birds underscored by the hum of boat engines. I sit with my toes … Continue reading →

I love online shopping. A world of goods are right at my fingertips and delivered to my door. But there’s another sharper side to that coin I discovered when I ordered a small futon online. It arrived on schedule and … Continue reading →

Sometimes, the weight of a day’s decisions seems so heavy, even Hercules couldn’t bear it. Which bills to pay and which to ignore? To break up or move a relationship to another level? Tell your boss to take your job … Continue reading →

Sandy was tired of her world. Drudging to the overworked menial office job she hated left her little time for a life. And more and more her friends peeled off after getting married and having kids, leaving her alone on her hellish daily treadmill.  The nightmare of dating … Continue reading →

I was in the bar in the new adult community I recently move to nursing my Jack Daniels and watching the game when I overheard the strangest conversation. “Are you a pineapple?” the man said. “I’m a green pineapple,” the … Continue reading →

Note: This is a continuation of last week’s story – Rule 30. With ideas of green ink, government paper and presidential profiles swirling in my head, I’m ready to get to work uncovering Carrington’s plot. I rush through the newsroom … Continue reading →

Sometimes being right is an overwhelming burden to bear. But I knew something about this case stunk like a bad fish and Limberger cheese sandwich. They sell those at the food cart down the block from my newspaper, the News … Continue reading →

Author’s Note: What happened to Elphaba after she left Oz? This different take on the story is based on the characters in the musical Wicked. Elphaba walked on the dusty road for miles with only tumbleweeds crossing her path. The … Continue reading →

The dark sky loomed, relentlessly following every step, blocking every turn. I never thought I could feel so powerless.  How could the world twist so out of control that it would target my child? I’ve always trailed my own unconventional … Continue reading →

You may be familiar with my story. I was a poor orphan forced into servitude, and then, with a twist of fate, fell in love with a prince to live happily ever after. That was the real story. The authors … Continue reading →

A few hours into her rem cycle, Norah tossed and turned in her dream. It started with she and her husband sitting across the dinner table. “Carol told me we can get together sometime next week. Can you talk to … Continue reading →

Sarah and her friend Lauren sat in the backseat giggling while showing each other funny memes and fashion dos and don’ts on their phones. Sarah’s, brother Lucas sat next to them with his earbuds tuned to his favorite music, trying … Continue reading →

Note: Here are two versions of a memoir story, one in 1st person and one in 3rd person. This was the challenge to rewrite a short memoir story removing the I, my, and me. Original 1st Person: I’m calling freshman … Continue reading →

As the yellow sun ebbed into the horizon on the vast empty fields, 400,000 sets of eyes stared at the empty stage breathlessly waiting for something to wonderful happen. Richie Havens donned the stage with a lone guitar and a … Continue reading →

The pungent smell of sweat, stinky socks and stale snacks combined with the irritating sounds of arguing children and parents are the sure signs of a family road trip. But one stunning sound can instantly clear the decks of all … Continue reading →

Jean thought dating Todd required a PHD in contrarian. Despite their seven years as a couple, she still found herself constantly shaking her head like a bobble head doll about their relationship. He complained he missed her when she worked … Continue reading →

To Carolyn, being single was both a gift and a burden. She hated sharing absolutely every space 24/7, feeling suffocated and trapped, but she liked having someone to cheer good days and help cry in her wine on bad ones. … Continue reading →

Author’s Note: This is fictional and not about me. Binary choices leave little room for error. So many options drill down to heads or tails, anyway. Turn left or right. Cheese or no cheese. Even a presidential vote has only … Continue reading →

I was never good at math, and yet I sat there in my backseat prison trying to contemplate the required speed of the car to successfully jump out the door and calculate the exact angle of the roll needed to … Continue reading →

I am awake, so I can see, No one will pull the wool over me. My eyes are open, Both ears are peaked, I hear exactly what some people speak. My vision is clear, Whether far or near, Sometimes the … Continue reading →

On a typical girl’s night out, Carolyn, Ellen and Pamela find themselves at a usual haunt where any Friday or Saturday outing could mean either a concert or a cache of drag queens performing their nightclub cabaret. Tonight was the … Continue reading →

Bailiff: Now hearing case 12345, Professor Wolf versus The Notorious P.IG. Everyone rise for Judge Goosy. Judge: I understand Professor Wolf you are the plaintiff in this case and you own some rental property. P: Yeah, he’s a slumlord Judge: … Continue reading →

On their lunch half hour, Peggy and her friends, Cherry, short for Cheryl, Laurie and Shirley always went to the Automat across the street from their secretarial school. At the Automat for just few nickels and in a very short … Continue reading →

As I was driving home from the grocery store I realized, I forgot eggs. Now have to go back tomorrow. It’s frustrating how my formally Fort Knox brain seems now like a sive. A friend of mine told me a … Continue reading →

Carrie was sitting at the bar grabbing a quick lunch. Her best friend Cathy had to work through lunch and couldn’t meet up for their usual midday gabfest. Eating at the bar can be fun, but it can also be … Continue reading →

Ever since language began words have come in and out a favor and have often changed meaning. While Benjamin Franklin used to say privy, we now say bathroom, toilet, can or John. Privy now means being informed of something. Just … Continue reading →

Cleaning out someone’s house after they pass is filled with memories, regrets and sometimes surprises. After their mother’s passing at the ripe old age of 99, Carolyn and Mike agreed to stay in his childhood house and help his sister … Continue reading →

After my divorce and a year of listlessness and whining, my friend Mary signed me up for an online matchmaking service…as a valentine’s day present.  At first, I didn’t want a faceless, heartless computer deciding who was right for me. … Continue reading →

It was 1 AM at night, but the sun was still out. At least it was in my mind. That night, the sun,moon and stars converged and reflected in the shine of my silver metallic 1978 CamaroBerlinetta while I was … Continue reading →

The salad bar is the quintessential object lesson for life. Life is full of choices. This or that. Do I stay or should I go. Each decision impacts other options made both before and after. Maybe you like rabbit food … Continue reading →

“You were supposed to be dead,” a bystander screams glaring at my formerly lifeless body resurrect from the ground. “I feel like it,” I mumble, patting my hands over my chest taking stock of my body. I think I’m ok. … Continue reading →

Traditions abound in the small town of Hope. Over the years, the town has been through many struggles, including opening and closing of factories, hard financial times, and personal losses, but nothing reduces the spirit of their community. Every Sunday … Continue reading →

Like Superman and Clark Kent, my father and Santa Claus were never seen on Christmas at the same time. Every year the drill was the same. At our annual Christmas Eve extended family gathering, my dad would announce to all … Continue reading →

As a movie buff, I’ve always been enchanted by the meet-cute, that’s filmspeak for when two star-crossed lovers meet for the first time. The formulas are tried-and-true giving romance movie lovers a treasure trove of meaningful hopes and dreams wrapped … Continue reading →

As much as the native Americans and pilgrims came together to peacefully feast, the modern Thanksgiving table often becomes the dividing line in every family between political and generational feuds and sometimes great food wars. Sore points of who’s turkey … Continue reading →

When investigating a mystery, you have to break a few eggs and a few rules. One of them is a thorough search of the victim’s home. Some detectives are squeamish about snooping, but it is extremely essential. Many things in … Continue reading →

I like school, but I’m beginning to get the impression that school doesn’t like me.I don’t fit in. I’m not popular. I’m not a brainiac. And I’m not especially talented at anything, yet. I’m still a kid just trying to … Continue reading →

On my daily work trek past the newspaper office, I saw a sign for Lonely Hearts’ personal ads. It’s called a personal ad, but to me it seemed so impersonal. You placed an anonymous ad, with no picture, for what … Continue reading →

Excited about Halloween, siblings Chris, Sarah and Nathan honored their annual haunted house tradition. Since childhood, they visited one haunted house to start the season off with a bang. Each year they choose a haunted house to fit their mood. … Continue reading →

Florida driving is should be considered a contact sport. But upon further examination, I can see why we are the worst drivers in America. After looking at it from the other point of view, I understand why you don’t stop … Continue reading →

Everyone needs a Peter Pan in their life. Just as he opened up a new world to Wendy, in her own magical way, my aunt showed me a completely different way to live. When I was about 10-years-old, I started … Continue reading →

Delilah felt like she was living the “B-side” of life. Just like old 45 records, the A side was popular and the B-side was… not. Everything about her life was average. She had a regular uneventful job that paid the … Continue reading →

I’ve always wondered about U.F.O’s. By attending a Pampered Chef party or roaming through a kitchen utensil store, you can open the door to a new world of objects that make your life easier. Walking down the aisle, a myriad … Continue reading →

Sandy credited her superb organization skills for the planning of her wedding to her longtime boyfriend, Dan. With her wedding binder in hand, she had everything from the flowers and banquet hall labeled, tabbed and categorized to tackle any question … Continue reading →

Are we more similar to other generations or less? People often believe their generation is the greatest, worked the hardest and got the least while other generations claim its them. It can’t be everyone… or can it? This debate is … Continue reading →

Author Note: While this is written in 1st person, it is not me. People envy my life. I travel to exotic locations, meet interesting people and see the world. My image is on billboards, magazines and all over the internet. … Continue reading →

I remember a time when making a phone call took a dime and a search for a phone booth. But now, the convenience of having a phone, address book, email, internet, camera, calendar, photo album, stopwatch, clock, flashlight, and all … Continue reading →

It was late one night and I took my dog out for her final business of the day. I waited as she did her usual search for the perfect blade of grass to drench. It was pitch dark everywhere. The … Continue reading →

Life and love weren’t what I expected. I fell in love with a man, but he turned into a monster. He locks me up in the house and won’t let me out. I have no friends, no family. All I … Continue reading →

Kara said it 100 times a day. “When I grow up, I’ll stay up late.” “When I grow up, I can see what I want online and watch my movies.”  “I can’t wait to grow up and do whatever I … Continue reading →

Suzy and Red sat together on the couch of their family’s home, surveying the “keep” pile, deciding what to take to their new condo in an assisted living center.  At the age of 88, they were both healthy but needed … Continue reading →

Karaoke night was a favorite for Meg and her coworkers. Their watering hole of choice was a pizza pub near their office. Every Thursday night after work, they let their hair down and had a good time. Most of them … Continue reading →

The cabin in the woods was abandoned, but one night a candle burned in the window. That was the night Jack and Diane stayed there. For the last five years, Jack and Diane worked 24/7 to get their organic outdoor … Continue reading →

On Earth 22 in another part of the multi-verse, the ministers on Xena’s world sent several teen agents, including her, to observe high school students on different Earths. Her one-week mission on E1 Earth was to try to find some … Continue reading →

My friend Gloria and I were thrilled to start our long-awaited two-week European cruise. We’d enjoyed long weekend cruises to the Caribbean before, but this was going to be an adventure to view the architecture of the oldest places in … Continue reading →

It was a horrific sight. While having a Martini Monday happy hour chat with her friend Ramona, Carol and her friend’s laughter quickly faded to screams. Ramona’s husband was difficult, to be generous. He was the star football player she … Continue reading →

Jennifer’s world was getting too hard to live in. Day after day, the state of life’s problems were too much burden to bear. Lying awake every night staring at the ceiling, her mind raced. When she came to work one … Continue reading →

I love to travel to Key West. It’s an eclectic place that fosters the last bastion of true bohemianism. It’s weird, wild and wonderful. Every bar looks as though either Jimmy Buffet or a pirate are the proprietors. Dogs sit … Continue reading →

Since I can remember, books were my life. I read at night, I read after school. I always felt completely engrossed in the story. And now I am. When I was about 10, I took my first journey into the … Continue reading →

The alarm clock rang and I hit it without looking. It fell to the floor with a loud bang, so I must have slammed it harder today. I hope it’s not broken. As I was already awake, I decided to … Continue reading →

Peering through the glass I can see life unfold Laughing, singing, experiences only to be told Brief encounters sustain me with bytes in time But won’t satisfy the growing need I feel inside; Life changed so quickly, everything taken away … Continue reading →

note: This is for the prompt – book blurb for the book of your life. This is one aspect of my life that I have written and published a book about, but this is not the blurb for that book. … Continue reading →

Technology can be both blessing and beast. There are so many new things to learn, it can be intimidating. But I choose to think each technological improvement helps our lives. Where would be without the internet or cell phones? They … Continue reading →

Eve sat alone looking around her empty house. It was deafeningly quiet. In the year since her husband died, it had been a whirlwind of must dos. She went through every stage they say and busily performed all the never-ending … Continue reading →

Night 1 There he was laying on the kitchen floor. Next to him was the cast iron frying pan. But what happened? Who could have done this? I was sleeping; did I hear something?  Barefooted, I ran toward the front … Continue reading →

Note: Same picture as other has posted. I sit outside my church wondering if I should go in. I hear the melodic sounds of the congregation singing Christmas hymns. It sounds much better from here than inside. Together, they combine … Continue reading →

author note: This is a completely fictional story written for the journalism prompt. Ft Myers resident Linda Call is mad as hell and she’s not going to take it anymore. At a recent city council meeting, Call used a turkey … Continue reading →

A streak of light came through the window, waking eight year old Ali from her slumber. She rubbed her sleepy eyes and looked at the light in wonder. To her young unfettered eyes, the beam was filled with a rainbow … Continue reading →

Author Note: This was a writing group challenge to write a story with a fictional “what if” scenario about a historical time or event. I am enamored with history and the idea of alternate realities. In this incarnation, a time … Continue reading →

In a pandemic world of limited safe travel, two girlfriends and I decided to take an RV trip to visit another friend a few states away who was isolated, depressed and in need of a boost. With the best intentions, … Continue reading →

From her first step off the el train, Maggie’s eyes widened in wonder. The newspaper accounts and word-of-mouth tales of the grand White City paled in comparison with her green eyes looking at the real thing. After seven years in … Continue reading →

Death and afterlife are one of the common unsolved mysteries of human reality. In popular media, ghosts and aberrations are regular protagonists or antagonists, giving credence to their existence and acceptance in popular culture. But can they really be seen? … Continue reading →

One of the best things about being a kid is exploring and noticing the little things in life. Tyler and his friends were no different.  On a warm summer night, they enjoyed a rite of passage for eleven-year-olds, the backyard … Continue reading →

In the year 2200, women are now the dominating force in the world. After the nuclear WWIII, women around the globe banded together in an unprecedented solidarity of different races, creeds, nationalities, religions and ideologies to create a new order. … Continue reading →

Certain kinds of combinations like spaghetti and meatballs, movies and popcorn, and shoes and socks are famous pairs, but socks and sandals or spaghetti and tuna are definitely not.   What if people were like that? Meredith was. She was … Continue reading →

Living in Florida with summer year-round weather, any given day or night you can sit out on your lanai, screened from bug invasions and watch the sunset with a cool drink. While the homes are close together, many people have … Continue reading →

Before the lexicon “talk to the hand” became popular, I believe I used and saw the idea of that gesture many times. As a parent, you often feel that many conversations with your child, back and forth, can be illustrated … Continue reading →

Ali loved her Noni’s seaside house in Florida. The minute she walked off the plane, she could feel the warm sunshine on her pale cold and wind-battered northern skin. It was so inviting, it enveloped every pore in her body … Continue reading →