Duane Simolke

Duane Simolke is pronounced “Dwain Smoky.” My degrees include Belmont University (B.A., ‘89, Nashville, TN), Hardin-Simmons University (M.A., ‘91, Abilene, TX), and Texas Tech University (Ph.D., ‘96, Lubbock, TX), all with a major in English.

I wrote The Acorn Stories, Degranon, Sons of Taldra, Holding Me Together, The Return of Innocence (with Toni Davis), Selected Poems, and New Readings of Winesburg, Ohio. I also edited and co-wrote the spin-off The Acorn Gathering, donating that book’s royalties to the American Cancer Society.

I was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and live in Lubbock, Texas.

My writing was published in nightFire, Mesquite, Caprock Sun, Beyond: Science Fiction & Fantasy, The International Journal on World Peace, and many other publications.

I’m a fan of Star Trek, Star Wars, Babylon 5, and many other franchises. I also love theater, rock or dance music, travel, cooking, and various Lubbock restaurants.

https://duanesimolke.blogspot.com/

The Acorn Stories

By: Duane Simolke

A cat named Morgana Le Fay disrupts an elderly woman’s love life. Swimming laps in a pool makes a young man reflect on his odd encounters. A little boy wants to protect his mom and his brother. A teacher faces bigotry. An artist falls in love but can’t pay the bills or stay focused. When the sky was falling, they found each other in one special town.From romantic comedy to razor-sharp satire to moments of quiet reflection, these tales explore the humor, drama, secrets, and scandals of small towns.“A lush tangle of small-town life branches out in this engrossing collection of short stories.” –Kirkus Reviews“I swung from sad to happy, angry to laughing out loud.” –Tweetables“...