nineleven

by Donald Capone

A man deals with the loss of his wife on 9/11. This short story is also included in the collection STORIES FROM SUNSET HILL.

Nook

First published December 30, 2009

About the author

Thank you to all 3,705 who entered my giveaway for Piper Van Winkle! The books were mailed out to the winners today, May 16th. Please leave a review. Thank you.

"Fun spin on a classic tale... Thoughtful reflections pepper the narrative, bringing a welcome depth to the story's lighter supernatural elements."
—Publisher's Weekly

Now available from Rockford the Cat Books:
Piper Van Winkle, A Sleepy Hollow Novel
by Donald Capone

17 year-old Piper is a modern-day Rip Van Winkle—except when she awakens in 2021 she hasn’t aged a day. Can she adjust to a strange new world? Will a desperate Russian spy get his hands on her blood, which he believes is the Fountain of Youth? Can the ghost of author Washington Irving return her to 1996 before it's too late?

Thrilled to be published in Prime Number Magazine. Please check out my story "Wreck Center." https://www.press53.com/issue-229-sho...

I have a new story published by River and South Review here:
https://riverandsouth.com/index.php/2...

I have a new story published by Onyx Publications. There is also an audio version followed by an interview with me (second link):
https://onyxpublications.com/get-me-t...

https://www.onyxpublications.com/Edit...

I have a story in the Westchester Review:
https://www.westchesterreview.com/don...

Donald Capone's third novel, PIP VAN WINKLE, A SLEEPY HOLLOW NOVEL, was published May 3, 2025. His second novel, JUST FOLLOW ME, was published by Pen-L Publishing in 2014 and republished by the author in 2018. His stories have appeared in Word Riot, Weekly Reader's READ magazine, Onyx Publications, and Prime Number Magazine, as well as the anthologies Sudden Flash Youth (2011); The Westchester Review 2014, 2013 & 2020; Short on Sugar, High On Honey: Micro Love Stories (2018); See You Next Tuesday; The Ampersand volume 4; and Ten Modern Short Stories 2010. His comic novel, Into the Sunset, is available on Amazon.
https://twitter.com/DonaldCapone
https://rockfordthecatbooks.com
http://www.donaldcapone.blogspot.com/

Reviews

[Kari Trumbo · Rating 4 out of 5]

nineleven is a short written by a husband trying to deal with the loss of his wife in the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001.

I don't want to tell too much of the story because it is so brief and compelling. If you have forgotten, even in small measure, the fear of that day or the swelling of American pride, this short story will remind you. It brings back my feelings of that day so acutely, even in middle-America, the emptiness, hopelessness, shock, and grief of that day and even the days following. I will never forget.

[Kel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart breaking but beautifully written.

[Julie Barrett]

his wife was in one of the towers heading down from 80th floor. He rented a car and drove from FL to NY listening to news on the way. he had dreams, so he saw what happened in this case and other events in his life and the outcome.

[Todd Russell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This 9/11 short story got to me. It's not a typical type of story I read, which is one reason why I liked it. It's about a man dealing with the loss of his wife on 9/11 and it's a poignant reminder of the senseless horror that happened on that fateful day.

One passage in particular stood out and I highlighted it on my Kindle. It described exactly how my wife and I felt when we woke up on 9/11 in Las Vegas and saw the images of the burning building on television.

[Julie Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

nineeleven by Donald Capone
his wife was in one of the towers, heading down from 80th floor. he rented a car and drove from FL to NY
listening to news on the way. he had dreams, so he saw what happened in this case and other events in his life
and the outcome.

[Teri Pre · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not terrible but not great.

[Alison · Rating 3 out of 5]

on my kindle, short story. Hard to rate because of its theme. A man away on a business trip, dreams of what happened on 9/11 and of the lose of his wife.