Drew Bryan - Writer on Reedsy Prompts

3 Stories

60 karma pts

The Dog Days Challenge

Submitted to Contest #314

“It was the hottest day of the year, and I crushed the Dog Days challenge,” Owen Valencia said as he staggered out of the car and stared into the camera. Even on Grayson’s phone, Henry could see the sweat clinging to Owen’s forehead and pooling above his lips. The occasional bead of sweat dripped from his hair as if he had just gone swimming.Grayson was holding his phone for Henry to watch the new TruReels video posted by Owen. TruReels was Truth Social’s replacement for TikTok when it was banned.“So—”“Cool!” Grayson said simultaneously with...

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The Secretary

Drew Bryan

Submitted to Contest #311

I was dreaming about playing with an orange ball in a pool. I kept pushing it under to keep it from coming back up. Despite my efforts, it kept rising to the surface. At first I used my hands but my arms got tired. Then I tried sitting on it but it threw me off balance. No matter how hard I tried, that little orange ball always found a way to explode into the air.A raspy cry stirred me from my dream. I didn’t know whether it was real or a phantom cry. A side effect of life with a baby.I felt Hannah lift her head off the pillow. That’s when I...

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It Goes by Too Fast

Drew Bryan

Submitted to Contest #293

Red peered out the driver’s side window. The cool mountain air brushed his cheek and fluttered his hair. He extended his arm out the window, slowly turned his hand, and rode the cool mountain air. It lifted his hand but lifted his spirit higher.The radio played Red’s favorite song—the familiar strum of the guitar, the unmistakable folksy twang of Robert Earl Keen’s voice. He sang along with a kind of righteous hubris that only one’s favorite song can summon. His fingers, earnestly drumming on the steering wheel, worked in rhythmic harmony wi...

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Author bio

I don’t think of myself as an author. In fact, I was that kid who hated reading, writing, or anything to do with English class. My high school teachers would find great irony in my hobby now.

But something wonderful happened as I grew older—dare I say, even wiser. I picked up a book and loved it. Then another. Then another. And I found myself wanting to read more and more.

So, what did I do? I put myself through night school for accounting, got a job in public accounting working in tax, and devoted countless nights and weekends to passing the CPA exam. I even got married and produced a couple kids along the way. The loves of my life.

Through that journey, I harbored a dark secret. I longed to read and write. OK, not so dark, but it felt forbidden given the complexity of the journey to become a CPA, the life of public accounting, and the burden on my family. If you’re married to a CPA, you get it, and I’m sorry.

Really, I’ve just traded my nights and weekends spent studying for writing. It’s a wonder I’m still happily married.

I joined Reedsy to start writing, find my voice, share my stories, and hopefully improve along the way.

That’s it for now. Thanks for taking the time to read about me. I’m open to any feedback. Even if you want to tell me my writing sucks. Just tell me why—so that I may suck a little less.