Mark Gagnon
Bio
My life has been spent traveling here and abroad. Now it's time to write.
I have three published books: Mitigating Circumstances, Short Stories for Open Minds, and Short Stories from an Untethered Mind. Unmitigated Greed is do out soon.
Achievements (1)
Stories (457)
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Land of the free?
A short time ago, one of my coworkers invited me to attend an online workshop designed to help people learn to speak or improve speaking a second language. She asked me to join her because she thought that my struggle with learning to spell, starting from kindergarten to the present day, might inspire people to continue with their quest to learn English. She felt that my being a published author is proof that language obstacles can be overcome. I was hesitant at first, unsure if my story had any real value to complete strangers, but in the end, decided I would give it a shot.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Journal
Unmasked
It’s really disappointing to me that this pandemic is ending, and everyone is unmasking. With my mask, I could move through crowds of people unnoticed, just one unremarkable person adrift in a sea of humanity. Unfortunately, my life is gradually returning to the hell it’s been since I was 4 years old. People will once again look at me and stare. The careless person who caused the crash walked away unscathed, but not me.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Confessions
Box in a Box
Marty made his daily pilgrimage to the mailbox. As usual, it was crammed with one or two bills that needed paying and a plethora of junk mail. By far, the biggest offender of landfill stuffing is the funeral industry. He always received at least two and up to five letters per week, inviting him to various restaurants. After attending a seminar about burial and cremation options, he was offered a free meal. Marty never thought that caskets and chicken pot pie complimented each other, but apparently morticians do.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Fiction
Reality Check
Now that was a well-deserved weekend off! My back and legs were just killing me, not to mention my arms felt like they were about to fall off. Yes, I really needed this long weekend just to pull myself back together. All the stress and strain that comes with my job would cause someone made with a poorer quality of material to just give up and collapse in a heap.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Fiction
Minute by Minute. Top Story - December 2022.
This was it. The day that was circled in red on my calendar. I reluctantly opened my eyes after a restless night’s sleep, knowing what awaited me. Simple denial, procrastination, appeals to higher powers, none of it worked. This was my fate, and I had to accept it.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Fiction
Destiny vs Legacy
I had entered an obscure writing contest a few months ago and promptly forgot about it. Entering contests has become a hobby of mine, and writing stories is a way to pass the time. I’ve never won or even come in a distant third because the judges never seem to see the mastery in my work. Of course, it might just be that the stories aren’t that good. Whatever the reason, I’ve remained a loser until now.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in The Swamp
History and Those Who Ignore It
Let me start by saying that I am neither a Democrat nor a Republican. I am a proud Independent and a follower of George Washington. To those of you who may be confused by this statement, let me explain. During Washington’s farewell address to the country, he stated (and please excuse the paraphrasing) that the creation of political parties will be the downfall of the nation. So far, he’s been right on the money!
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in The Swamp
Talk to the Wind
Since the beginning of time, stories have been told about people possessing the ability to interpret messages carried on the wind. Today, meteorologists might appear to fall into that category, but their skills are limited to reading wind direction and speed; the wind does not speak to them. The wind speaks to Danny Shu.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Fiction
Memory Box
One of my favorite pastimes is rummaging around antique shops in search of that one special treasure that everyone else has passed by. I was taking a tour of famous historic battle sites and had stopped in Hastings, England. I wandered into a dilapidated, overstuffed shop with an intriguing sign in the window that read, “Lost Things Found Here”. It was just my kind of shop.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Fiction
The Worst Table
I was on vacation exploring famous locations in the historical wild west. As luck would have it, I arrived in Deadwood, South Dakota, on Wednesday, August 2, 2016. It was exactly 140 years ago to the day when James Butler Hickok (aka Wild Bill) was killed. I had to stay and learn all I could about the real man and the legend.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Fiction
Cryptogram
Cryptogram I started my day in the usual way: wake up at 6:30, dress in running gear, leave the house by 6:50, and try to run a 2-mile course through the park in under 15 minutes. My routine came to a halt the moment I opened the front door. A drone with a small package hanging from a grappling device was descending about ten feet above my head. Startled, I jumped sideways. The miniature delivery device continued to within a few inches of the ground, dropped its cargo, and sped away.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Fiction
A Real Snoop
People are always accusing me of snooping around. They say I stick my nose where it doesn’t belong, that I should learn to mind my business. Of course, I ignore these critics because they don’t know what they’re talking about. My detractors have mistakenly labeled my natural curiosity as snooping. Has anyone ever called Columbus, Magellan, Armstrong, or Aldrin snoops? Of course not! They were all great explorers driven by curiosity, and so am I.
By Mark Gagnon3 years ago in Petlife
