This is the place where you can find all kinds of free things, from audio to video to downloadable stories. Download, share, and enjoy them. And check back — new stories and other goodies will be added to this section from time to time.

Short Stories

The Mysterious Divination of Tea Leaves – By the mid-2000′s, I had received hundreds of rejection letters for my stories, most of them form letters (“Dear Author …”) or, more insulting, “Not for Us” stamps on the story itself.  I began wondering what kind of person was rejecting my stories, and Ronald Fegman was born.  This satirical and perhaps viciously humorous tale is my imaging what my nemesis, seemingly located at every publishing house, must look like.

Essays

On the Future of Art and Art Criticism – The question “what is art” is both more simple and more complex than it might seem at first glance. Andy Warhol once quipped“Art is whatever you can get away with.” Is it? His observation raises some interesting questions: How does one go about judging a work of art as “good”, “bad”, or “better than” something else?  (link takes you off of this page)

Short Stories, for Members (still free!)

For these stories, I kindly request your email address. No spam, no junk, no stupid offers … just notices about new, free stuff.

Listen to me reading the story:

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The Showdown – A boy must confront a mortal enemy, but in this tale not is all it appears.

A Difficult Case – Two psychiatrists must diagnose and treat a woman who has been admitted to their institution claiming to be one with everything. One doctor believes she is suffering from severe bipolar disorder, but the other begins to see a different and possibly deeper truth, one that threatens to bring his own psyche to pieces.

Zen Stuff

In addition to being a writer, I also happen to be a Zen priest and long-time student of both philosophy and Buddhist practice. These are informal discussions I had with Jun Po Denis Kelly Roshi, a Zen master and the founder of Mondo Zen.  (Links take you off of this page)

Why Enlightenment Is Not Enough – In this delightful and frank discussion, Rinzai Zen patriarchs Jun Po Roshi and Doshin Roshi discuss why meditation and spiritual insight alone cannot transform ourselves or the world.  Provocative and insightful, this discussion lays bear the dilemma around spiritual practice—and offers one powerful solution.