Jordan J Hall
Bio
I write Historical and Speculative Flash Fiction. Nature and society's underbelly are the focus of my work. Read my debut collection of short stories, Mammoth, Massachusetts and check out jordanjhall.com for more.
Stories (37/0)
A Brief History of Washers
Enjoy this false history of a real game:) Beginning in 1863 the gentle contest of Washers lit its journey to existence. From inception as a tool of destruction in the Civil War, through its success at the 1904 World’s Fair, to the grassroots fervor of today, its path to the hearts of Americans has come in many defiant ways. Whether you learned first-hand from an uncle or played the game independent of your town rules, the institution of Washers has enveloped millions of stalwarts through the years.
By Jordan J Hall2 years ago in Humans
The Cribbage Tournament
Non-Fiction - 2,200 words The year was 1991 and we didn't know anything. But we knew we needed to try, so, we found things worth our effort. We were an audacious 12, or as audacious as 12-year-olds can be in rural Wisconsin. Something about audacity requires an audience to be fully realized. There was no one around to realize us, or who had time to dote on us, so we doted on ourselves. We taught ourselves all the games and then got good at our favorites. Jeff and I found cribbage to be of certain stimuli; the combination of math, strategy, and trash talk was too much to ignore. Could it be the perfect game? Well-paced for chatting, or with drinking-as I would later learn. But when I was 12, I was all about winning, and the pride that comes with besting your friends.
By Jordan J Hall2 years ago in Humans
- Top Story - April 2022
Chlorophyngernails
As seen in Mammoth, Massachusetts: A Collection of Speculative Folk Fiction (Levellers Press 2023) I watched them all summer—lithe bodies, easy smiles—I would have done anything to learn their secret. Since Tabitha and I had split, I’d been feeling the need to explore, and the Horvath boys sparked more than curiosity in me. The pair of brothers seemed never to tire, they practically jogged up ladders, basked in the sun while we took breaks in the shade. What I would consider hoisting, was lifting to them. Packs of shingles were like boxes of crackers to these two. It was my second summer with Mr. Colby, and I learned being a roofer comes with a great amount of stress. Not that other trades don't, just that roofing brings with it a contention with the elements, namely the sun. That ball of fire is really something else, wreaks havoc on your system. Not these two, they reveled in the light. I run five miles every morning and made varsity wrestling as a freshman, but these guys were another level.
By Jordan J Hall2 years ago in Fiction
Quabbin Bobbers
**First published in The Spectre Review Literary Magazine-Oct. 2021** I know the real reason the Falcon Cam got taken down, and it has nothing to do with the cat, like everybody thinks. Most of us here at the Department of Conservation and Recreation contend the initial livestream was a sound idea. People from all over the globe were checking in regularly on the peregrine falcons that nested near the Visitor’s Center here on the Quabbin Reservoir. The DCR could use a bit of good press, our Division of Water Supply Protection does not get many opportunities to shine. It has been an uphill battle since the inception of the Windsor Dam and subsequent reservoir 80 years ago. A godsend for Boston: finally, a reliable and potable water source. Only snag was-they had to flood the Swift River Valley and the towns of Dana, Enfield, Greenwich, and Prescott to build it. Just 2,700 living inhabitants they kicked out, but more than 10,000 when you count the bodies that were exhumed. Turns out, they didn't get all of them. To be fair, those limbs the falcons were carrying were never under the soil.
By Jordan J Hall2 years ago in Fiction
Shell Lake, Wisconsin: What's in a Name?
Place names are often what we claim to be an obvious demarcation of an area. Usually descriptive toward a physical attribute, they can also tip the hat toward the unseen. Some names are honest, some are hopeful, many are ironic but those are fun too. Luck, Wisconsin, for instance or Nimrod, Minnesota, come to mind. Ware, Massachusetts (named after a fish trap- at one point was called the Manour of Peace), is a stone's throw from where I live in Belchertown, Massachusetts (named after a dude). This place used to be called Cold Springs; sounds nice, but tuns out that was just a lazification of Cowles Springs (another dude). Grasse Hill was in the running way back, I digress.
By Jordan J Hall2 years ago in Wander
Book Reviews - The Story of Shell Lake
The Story of Shell Lake A. L. Stouffer 1961 History Best Book Ever? While this may not be the most stunning of titles, folks familiar with my hometown will adore this collection of historical highlights about Shell Lake, Wisconsin. Not only will you find a slew of pictures from the 1880s-1960s, but you will also learn a few hard-to-envision facts. For example, upon incorporation, there were ZERO fish in Shell Lake. This is just one of the tidbits you will walk away with and get details to back it up.
By Jordan J Hall2 years ago in Education
Forrest Fenn's Real Treasure
I Am Thankful for Forrest Fenn and His Treasure For the uninitiated, in 2010 Forrest Fenn hid an actual treasure somewhere in the actual Rocky Mountains and left the only clues to its location in an actual poem. It is the modern-day fairy tale we're all looking for, and the man who made it happen is no longer here. The hunt, and the man, came with a certain amount of intrigue. Forrest was an early, vociferous, and widely respected dealer in art and artifacts of the American Southwest. His name has been mentioned and cleared of scandal, but the fact remains he unearthed ancient dwellings on his property. Forrest lived long enough to see his treasure found and was in awe at the sheer spectacle the treasure hunt became. He left us with more than a box of knickknacks. Forrest instilled the notion that treasure truly can be found.
By Jordan J Hall2 years ago in Wander