"Croutons&Handcuffs" has been accepted to appear in the eclectic magazine "Danse Macabre" scheduled for release on October 4, 2018. 

This one was inspired by my quartet telling me not to forget to bring croutons and our adorable handcuff charm to a chorus coaching session/lunch. Skyline was putting together motivational memory boards and everyone brought something to contribute. The handcuff charm represented Deja Vu since we spent the past two years performing while chained hand and foot, dressed up like prisoners! 

I hope you will enjoy the tale of Moira Hargraves and her run in with a young cop she calls "Officer Friendly."

dmdujour.wordpress.com

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Three years ago, under the gentle nagging of my amazing daughter Joan Herting, I finished a short story inspired by a strange little pioneer graveyard located in the parking lot of a strip mall out in Aurora called "Bed, Bath and Way Beyond." I had published a non-fiction piece in 2012 and played around with this story idea for years, never finishing it until Joanie reminded me to pick up the pen. That story languished under a dozen rejections, causing me to chalk it up as a fun little one-off until the magazine "Dark Fire Fiction" sent me my first acceptance letter.

That initial story sent me on a whirlwind writing journey, with over 60 short story credits to date, "Whistling Past the Veil" a published collection of short stories, a second collection called "Postcards from Waupaca" to be released in February 2020 and a completed novel called "Wet Birds Don't Fly at Night.". I never realized until recently how much writing has helped me, especially in the tough years since losing my mom. It has been creative therapy, something I never knew I was capable of and I am beyond grateful for it.

Thanks to my family: Chuck Herting, Elizabeth Herting (especially for letting me use our name!), Joan Herting and Charlie Herting. Pamela Engel for her editing expertise and Tj Trolly for giving me a decent website photo and my daughter Joan for her amazing designs!  

adelaidebooks.org/whistling.html