Mark Gagnon
Bio
I have spent most of my life traveling the US and abroad. Now it's time to create what I hope are interesting fictional stories.
I have 2 books on Amazon, Mitigating Circumstances and Short Stories for Open Minds.
Stories (309/0)
Masquerade Party. Top Story - July 2024.
At six feet seven inches tall and approximately two hundred fifty pounds, Samael presented an imposing figure when he walked into a room. His physical stature may be impressive, but his demeanor is the opposite. The shy, some might say, reclusive personality that he developed as a young boy followed him into manhood. His favorite job was crunching numbers in a quiet one man back office of a fiduciary firm. He was always polite, greeting his fellow workers with a “good morning” or “good afternoon” as he walked to the back of the office where his little hideaway was located, but never tried to engage in conversations.
By Mark Gagnon2 days ago in Horror
Chaos-Opportunity or Both
The world Lucca had grown up in was no more. The change was as gradual as his transformation from a young boy to a man. There was limited chaos during his formative years, at least none that his parents couldn’t protect him from. Lucca remained shielded from the daily struggles of keeping a job, paying monthly rent, and buying groceries. Occasionally, he would overhear his parents discussing situations that bothered them, but as long as he got to play with his friends and eat when he was hungry, none of it mattered. War and politics were things adults dealt with, not five-year-olds.
By Mark Gagnon8 days ago in Fiction
The Artist
Art world traditionalists never see my work. Oh, they may look at it while driving by in a car or bus, but they never take the time to appreciate my creations. The city fathers consider my art graffiti, a blight on every neighborhood I choose for my paintings. They don’t have a clue as to the time I spend sketching out rough drafts, and measuring the wall so that my creation fits with the exact proportions of the surroundings. I’m not some gang tagger marking my turf with scrawled initials. I’m a genuine artist. Banksy may be more famous than me, but that’s temporary.
By Mark Gagnon15 days ago in Fiction
A.I. and I (me)
The world is so different now that everyone has agreed to allow implants to control our lives. The title of this story is the perfect example. Before my implant, I would have written A.I. and Me, which we all know is grammatically incorrect even though it sounds better. My implant no longer allows me the luxury of making frivolous phrasing errors. The same is true for spelling. How often have we used the incorrect there, their, or they’re in a sentence? Those days are behind us, my friends.
By Mark Gagnonabout a month ago in 01
Watson’s General Store. Top Story - July 2024.
“Oh, Ricky, I don’t know how you found this place, but it’s perfect. This is going to be the best vacation ever!” “It looks like one of those places you see on a postcard or TV travel ad. I only found out about it while sorting through my grandparents’ attic. They kept so much old junk; I’m surprised the ceiling didn’t cave in from the weight. Promise me we’ll never become hoarders like they were, Deb.”
By Mark Gagnonabout a month ago in Fiction
Alter Ego
He knew the man staring back at him in the mirror better than anyone else could ever know him. He was Barnabas, a leader of men, a purveyor of knowledge, a pillar of strength. If he could see these attributes, which the man in the mirror so abundantly projected, why was it no one else could? Things must change. The man in the mirror insisted on it, and that change would happen today. Infused with a newfound self-assurance, Barnabas strode confidently from his one-room hovel, ready to take on the world.
By Mark Gagnonabout a month ago in Fiction
Fish Face. Top Story - June 2024.
Is it safe? Is it safe? It must be safe. I don’t hear any fishing lures plunking into the water or boats with trolling motors plying the surface of my lake. Yes, I said my lake, even though these air-breathing humans treat it and those of us living in its water as theirs. I have been battling with one of them for almost ten years. He started this war, but he’ll never win.
By Mark Gagnon2 months ago in Fiction
What Guys?
When I was very young, I would listen to my parents tell my older brothers to study hard, find something that interest them, and go for it. “The sky’s the limit!” was a favorite phrase of theirs. You can become anything you set your mind to. Our parent's enthusiastic support made them want to excel in school and life, at least until they reached high school. Unfortunately for them, higher education was wrought with distractions. Playing sports, cars, and, of course, girls lured them away from achieving academic greatness. Watching them falter frustrated my parents, but they never gave up hope. Boys will be boys, but eventually, they will become prominent men.
By Mark Gagnon2 months ago in Motivation
Who’s Really To Blame?
I must start this by stating that I am either pro-nor-anti Israel or Palestine. The few people I have met from both groups have always treated me respectfully and I hope they feel I have done the same. What I am attempting to do with this essay is to expose an underlying cause for everything that has gone wrong with Israel and its neighbors.
By Mark Gagnon2 months ago in Journal
Jolly Old England
Some would say I’ve been very fortunate as far as travel goes, and I would have to agree. Mostly because of my jobs, I’ve visited forty-nine of the fifty states and all but two Canadian Provinces. My non-work wanderings have taken me to nine European countries and the continent of Australia. As you may have guessed by the title, one of my favorite places to visit is England.
By Mark Gagnon2 months ago in Wander
Bird Envy
Well, birdbrain, how are you going to get out of this one? You are a thousand feet in the air, dangling from a piece of cloth and a few cables, with a motor that is about to run out of gas. My landing options are ditching in the roiling surf directly below me, or attempting to glide into the nearby tree-covered mountains. Either option will cause me a great deal of pain, if I’m lucky, or death if I’m not.
By Mark Gagnon2 months ago in Fiction
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