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Janet Brown

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Sep, 2024

Stories (6)

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6 Stories

102 karma pts

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Wake Me Not

Janet Brown

Submitted to Contest #315

Wake Me NotTomorrow is going to be a perfect day.I’ve been telling myself this for weeks—months even—like a prayer whispered into the dark. I repeat it under my breath, silently mouthing the words as I lay on this narrow slab of a bed, as if chanting them might weave some kind of spell, holding back the black tide that waits just beyond my thoughts.I picture it the way you’d picture a place you’ve longed for all your life but have never seen in person—soft around the edges, hazy, almost too beautiful to be real. I imagine waking to sunlight ...

1 like

The Cure for Insomnia

Janet Brown

Submitted to Contest #272

    I suppose the terrifying insanity started on my thirtieth birthday—oh, not that it bothered me to turn thirty, mind you, but it was what happened afterward.    My friends tried hard to surprise me with a huge birthday bash. I knew they were up to something, but I let them have their fun. I oohed and aahed and acted surprised when I walked into the restaurant, and if it made them happy, then it made me happy.    My boyfriend, Steve, disappointed me, though. Oh, I love Steve. He w...

12 likes

Reflections of Tomorrow

Janet Brown

Submitted to Contest #271

Reflections of Tomorrow     Ignatius Carr had always been a creature of habit. Each morning, he awoke at exactly five-thirty, ran ten grueling miles through Brooklyn, and then got to his auto repair garage by nine to begin his work as a mechanic. The routine provided a predictable rhythm in his life, and in the current chaotic world, kept him grounded. But on this particular spring morning, as the sun rose above the skyline of the city into Ignatius’s small apartment, something felt off-kilter. The air seemed electri...

9 likes

Threads of Destiny

Janet Brown

Submitted to Contest #271

Threads of Destiny    The blazing sun hung low in the sky, casting a golden hue across the sprawling plantation fields of Virginia, not yet touched by the civil war raging around them. Dust motes danced in the warm summer light, settling over rows of unpicked cotton that swayed gently in the breeze. Amelia Harrington, the youngest daughter of Silas Harrington, the owner of the sprawling plantation, strolled along the path that gently curved around the edge of the fields. The only thing on her mind were thoughts of the man...

6 likes

The Weight of Forgiveness

Janet Brown

Submitted to Contest #268

THE WEIGHT OF FORGIVENESS     The quaint town of Grayson Mills is nestled among rolling hills and pastoral settings in the western part of Maryland. Within the boundaries of the town exists a venerable, centuries-old property, known as the Heavenly Hills Cemetery. It is here where whispers of the past feel at home among the ancient oaks and weathered headstones. If one searched diligently, they would find the name of Stephan O’Connell resting amid the other residents in the graveyard. Stephan was a man whose untimely deat...

4 likes

Coffee With a Splash of Mystery

Janet Brown

Submitted to Contest #267

COFFEE WITH A SPLASH OF MYSTERY        The morning began as a typical fast-paced work day. The smell of freshly brewing coffee emanated from the Bean Barn, a quaint coffee shop frequented by people en route to their places of employment. Inside the shop, soft New Age music wafted through the air as people lined up to order their favorite morning beverage. Small, round tables were scattered about the place, some folks reading the paper while enjoying their coffee, and chatting with friends. Massive glass windows ...

10 likes

Author bio

As a former police officer and intelligence analyst, I have spent decades writing reports and assessments in these professions, enabling me to get deep into the minds of my characters. During my career, I have served in the Army Reserves, piloted a plane, danced in a Middle Eastern dance troupe, and rehabbed foreclosed properties. I have traveled around the UK, Ireland, and Italy, enabling me to bring to life the historical details in my first novel, "History, Mystery, Murder". My second novel, "A Priest, a Rabbi, and a Baptist Minister: The Murders at Windy Meadows" begins a series in which three clergy help solve murders.
I live and work out of my home in Maryland, in a beautiful, agricultural part of that state. I live with my husband, a retired police officer, where we spend time traveling and volunteering in church and veteran activities - and watching true crime shows!