The Pebble: Life, Love, Politics and Geezer Wisdom

by Mark Scheel

Begun as a means of expanding potential readership for the novel-in-progress And Eve Said Yes, the blog The Pebble soon became one of the most-followed series on the online site Scriggler. An eclectic blend of different genres—reviews, humor, politics, current-event commentary, fiction, poetry, memoir, excerpts, opinion, short stories, satire—the series offered the reader a wide array of choice in taste and perspective. Virtually a little something for everyone as well as a fuller acquaintance with the author and his work. The Pebble: Life, Love, Politics and Geezer Wisdom is comprised of those online posts gathered together in one collection. Here the reader will meet some colorful characters such as the Wendy’s breakfast club with the Sage of Johnson County, Clarence D., holding forth on the state of the world. Or some poignant memories of rural America and its inhabitants following World War II. There’s award-winning poetry like the tribute to a father titled “Rain” and short stories that garnered popular acclaim including the indelibly brutal “The Snow Field.” Current events are also addressed such as the Ferguson shooting, Nazi protests, the gay life and the decline of religiosity in America, but all treated from a fresh point of view often at variance with the popular mainstream. Of course, politicians are not to be overlooked here, a favorite target always for the satirical barb. And for the aspiring writer, a good bit of advice and wisdom is there for the taking along the way. Educational as well as entertaining, The Pebble: Life, Love, Politics and Geezer Wisdom is an excellent choice for the bedside table or the beach.

326 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 3, 2015

About the author

Mark Scheel was born and raised on a farm in rural, east-central Kansas. After graduating from the University of Kansas in 1967, and spending a period "on the road," he served overseas with the American National Red Cross in Vietnam, Thailand, Germany and England. He later took graduate studies and taught at Emporia State University and worked briefly as a movie stand-in. More recently he was an information specialist with the Johnson County Library in Shawnee Mission, Kansas, and a member of the board of directors of Potpourri Publications Company. He now writes full time, represented by the Metamorphosis Literary Agency, and has served as a volunteer on the editorial staff of Kansas City Voices magazine. His stories, articles and poems have appeared in numerous magazines such as Kansas Quarterly, The Midwest Quarterly, Cincinnati Poetry Review and The Kansas City Star, and he is coauthor of the book OF YOUTH AND THE RIVER: THE MISSISSIPPI ADVENTURE OF RAYMOND KURTZ, SR. His book A BACKWARD VIEW: STORIES AND POEMS won the J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award from the Kansas Authors Club. His blog series "The Pebble" was collected in the 2015 book THE PEBBLE: LIFE, LOVE, POLITICS AND GEEZER WISDOM and his fiction collection, AND EVE SAID YES: SEVEN STORIES AND A NOVELLA, appeared from Waldorf Publishing in 2019. His next book, the poetry collection STAR CHASER from Anamcara Press, launched in the summer of 2020. His most recent book is the novel THE POTTER'S WHEEL from Clarendon House Publications (2021). Other selections from his writing can be found online at commongroundnews.org and Mises.org as well as http://www.kotn.org/poetry/index.html and https://www.kansaspoets.com/uploads/1... . Additional biographical information is available online at LinkedIn and in WHO'S WHO IN AMERICA.

Reviews

[Edna Bell-Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Pebble is a book equally appropriate for the coffee table or the night stand, readily available to browse through at one’s leisure. Consisting of the series of blog posts on the Website Scriggler, the work is attracting an international following. The more one reads, the more one understands why.

Scheel’s wit and his clever usage of the English language engages the reader with an astounding list of subjects and styles. Mundane, topical, humorous and serious—the material addresses local, national and global affairs as well as repartee with writer friends and conversations with a coffee group at Wendy’s. His commentary ranges from men and women at the top in their field to the everyday person and the “geezer” who is what he is, and says what he thinks.

There's also a good deal of creative writing—poetry, short stories, novel excerpts—blended together in a unique fashion. Aspiring writers may find inspiring approaches to employ in their own literary pursuits.

A further asset is the Scriggler interview with Scheel in the appendix which not only provides fascinating biographical details about his Red Cross service in Vietnam, but also offers cogent advice on the current book-writing scene.

Mark Scheel is an award winning author and an expert wordsmith whose writings you will enjoy, refer to and return to often for his astute philosophical scrutiny of current affairs as well as for your own enjoyment and entertainment.