Paula Chapman

Author on Reedsy Prompts since May, 2020

Stories (4)

4 Stories

92 karma pts

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“Still Life” by Paula Chapman

Submitted to Contest #110

“Where should we go next?” I scratched my index and middle fingers, raw and red. Eczema again, because I didn’t have enough health issues.     Montie stared at me. “Why can’t you plan ahead, Mason?” She sipped slowly, her pink lipstick staining the striped straw. She did everything slowly.     She looked away. “Sorry. Wrong choice of words.”      “Planning would be no fun.” Was my smirk enchanting or eerie?      “Not to mention you’re running away again...

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“Coming Home to This” by Paula Chapman

Submitted to Contest #74

warning--F bomb, S wordLittle did Penny know that within ten seconds after walking into her apartment with her new baby, the man she loved would show his passion for his male best friend; her priest would announce he'd left the priesthood and pined for her; her father would show his true colors; her best friend's band members would witness a huge reveal; her mother would show some balls; her mother would ask her father for a divorce; she'd tell her father off; she would reveal the identity of her baby's father; she'd reveal who was named the...

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“Then She Smiled At Me” by Paula Chapman

Submitted to Contest #73

I hadn’t played the drums in at least five years. I’d focused on my engineering career, which I was certain would take off. Subsequently, I took a job as a project manager with a company whose specialty was drone technology. And they’d promised me my career would take off, along with the drones.         It wasn’t really clear to me the day I’d been invited to a holiday work party that I’d be given a chance on more than a career boost. If I’d known, I would have brought my drumsticks, and I’d have worn ...

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“Penny” by Paula Chapman

Submitted to Contest #44

Penny could no longer rely on her tank tops and jeans to cover her growing belly. She could not wear the pretty floral mini-skirts her friends back home wore; her clumsy nature would not allow her to even try low platform heels, much less four-inch ones that some of her favorite pop stars wore.There was a lot she could no longer do. She couldn’t eat ice cream, oddly, she couldn’t sleep, and she couldn’t focus. She could, however, burp and fart loudly. Most importantly, though, she could no longer hold her head high since becoming pregnant. B...

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Author bio

Paula Chapman is a freelance writer/editor, blogger and writing instructor who began her career as a junior editor at Holt, Rinehart and Winston in New York City. She also was a reporter, columnist, technical writer and ghostwriter for two educational/business "how to" volumes for the Learning Annex and Keith Harrington, inventor, in NYC. Paula has written and published two books, Vacation and The Supplier. She has penned a three-part police suspense novel series, The End of September, a quotations book and numerous short stories, comedy routines, lyrics and a TV sitcom script. Chapman just completed another novel, Harley's Eclipse, which she hopes to have traditionally published. Paula holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees along with and several writing certifications. She enjoys photography, music, fitness, hiking, camping and travel. Paula is from Manhattan's Greenwich Village but has spent over 30 years in central New York, now with her husband, two children and their handsome Labradoodle, Jimmy.