Marc Rothstein

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Nov, 2022

Stories (8)

8 Stories

137 karma pts

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“Earl's Christmas” by Marc Rothstein

Submitted to Contest #281

Slouched in my ragged, uneasy chair, I gazed out the picture window at the falling snow, wondering how I'd become such a miserable prick. The stroke was just my latest excuse. I was no charmer before that. I was lucky to get away with a numb left side and a slur that sounds like the Novocain hasn't worn off. That ended my construction career, so I felt less than useless long before this virus lockdown.The TV blasted my favorite news channel, pissing me off at the many ways this country was now less American. And this Covid-19 crap... it's ju...

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“My Christmas Miracle” by Marc Rothstein

Submitted to Contest #230

My wife, Dianne, and I sat shivering in Knishes and Dishes, wondering why the heat was off. Every new customer brought a blast of December air through the deli door. We put our coats back on and waited for my daughter, Jamie, and five-year-old granddaughter, Emma, to join us for dinner—the only ones who could make it just two days before Christmas. Emma had picked the place for its chocolate chip pancakes. She was my princess, and her wish was my command. I was the Jewish-light dad. Thanksgiving was mine to enjoy with the kids. Christmas bel...

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“The Sixth Swamper” by Marc Rothstein

Submitted to Contest #218

We sat at a tiny table for two, too close to the front door, at a trendy French café in Florence, Alabama. Every few minutes, the door opened, inviting a dank breeze to our table. The clanking of glasses and din of conversation from the bar behind us was distracting. But we were under a heat vent, by the window, and were chilled to the bone.Outside, a torrent of rain scattered the colorful mix of artsy types, rednecks, students, and professionals—all millennials and younger. The late September wind off the Tennessee River hastened their retr...

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“Redemption Paradise” by Marc Rothstein

Submitted to Contest #217

I leaned over the ferry's railing, captivated by the deep turquoise waters of Lake Huron, as a foghorn's blast signaled our departure from the Tobermory terminal. This was the final leg of my escape from chaotic Chicago. I'd just spent the last ten hours driving the winding roads, trying to unwind how I'd messed up my life. A complete break from my toxic environment made sense. Maybe the island's tranquility would be a balm for my soul and finally silence those fanged voices of self-talk. The last crossing to Manitoulin Island was nearly emp...

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“Uncle Meats” by Marc Rothstein

Submitted to Contest #214

Shit, an accident. Of all places, why here? Morning rush hour traffic slowed to a crawl, and my anxiety rocketed. A poor section of suburban Philadelphia displayed a rundown corner bar, pawn shop, and vintage mom-and-pop grocery store to the disgust of angry commuters. Nicknamed West Conshy because Conshohocken was a mouthful, it glared at me through my driver-side window as my car came to a halt. This was precisely where my life took a detour almost two decades ago. Now, as I sat helplessly in traffic, the hazy details of my past re-crystal...

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“Eric's Gift” by Marc Rothstein

Submitted to Contest #213

"People with developmental disabilities are only handicapped by how much we underestimate them." — D. Kirk Eric Lungrun stood near the top of the world in the center of a concrete rocket landing pad. As a cold wind blew through the tangles of his curly blonde hair, he inhaled deeply, and his chest swelled with pride. Never mind that his task for today was to sweep bits of gravel and leaves from the pad; he was, in fact, on the Esrange Space Center team, the pride of the European Union. Just three years ago, like many other locals, he'd l...

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“The Disappearing Beach Guy” by Marc Rothstein

Submitted to Contest #211

It's been decided that I'll be separated from Dianne, my wife of forty-five years. She'll still be just one floor below me in the independent living section of Horizons, our retirement community, but I'm moving to the Memory Lane section. They said I'm beginning to wander the halls at night, something I'm not sure I do. But Dianne told me they're right, so I'll give it a try. Andrea, my favorite nurse's aide, walked me to my new room. On the outside of my door hung this cool diorama introducing me to my new neighbors. Dianne's impressive han...

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“The Command Performance” by Marc Rothstein

Submitted to Contest #207

The Command Performance "Cut!" The gargoyle director swung his megaphone in my face when he yelled. He stood two heads taller than me when he wasn't on all fours. His fanged smile was both warm and menacing. With a wincing smile, I took a defensive step back and bumped into a set of golden elevator doors. As they slowly opened, I realized how I got here. Bladder cancer had ended twenty-seven seasons and 5000 episodes of my TV show. After tearful goodbyes to my family and friends, I took my last breath. My hospital room flashed blindingly wh...

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Author bio

I’m a chemist who, after working for several large corporations, founded and recently sold a bio-tech company. I’ve always enjoyed technical and marketing writing and decided that in retirement I’d try my hand at creative fiction. Five years ago, I drafted my first Novel, Sarah Smiled. It was an intensely satisfying but challenging learning experience. I then joined Critique Circle, and over the next year, submitted chapters for review. The wide range of expertise in this group helped me hone my writing technique. I passed the edited version through five beta readers and revised based on those comments. I think the book is getting closer to publication quality and am ready for some professional feedback. To continue developing as a creative writer, I’ve submitted over a dozen short stories, of several genres, to critique circle. I’m now submitting some of them to competitions. My long-range goal is to leave behind a trail of work that will be enjoyed by future readers.