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Short Story: Freely You Have Received

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After a lifetime of feeling in debt for everything her mother gave up to raise her, Terri Hoffman was glad to move in with her elderly grandparents and do what she could to help out. It isn't an exciting life, but Terri believes nothing's more important than paying her own way through life - until unexpected circumstances force her to look at her goals in a completely different way. This was my entry in the 2007 "More Than Novellas - Love Extravagant Competition". As the link to More Than Novellas is no longer working, I have reposted the story below. Terri Hoffman carefully eased the front door closed. The betraying click of the latch in the lock was louder than she’d thought possible. She grimaced. Perhaps no-one had heard her. “Terri? That you?” The teenager froze. There was nowhere in the empty hall to stash her awkward contraband, but to be caught with it would ruin everything. She stuffed the plaited leather belt into her pocket, but didn’t dare do the ...
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Short Story: A Priceless Exchange

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Amber’s life has been a series of fresh starts and inevitable disappointments, but when a stranger starts visiting the North Queensland pub where she works, Amber dares to dream her life could be different. This unusual young man seems to be interested in her … but how will she handle the news he brings? "A Priceless Exchange" was my entry in the 2006 "Love Extravagant" competition, held to celebrate the 50th Short Story on the More Than Novellas website and I was thrilled to be awarded first place. As the link to More Than Novellas is no longer working, I have reposted the story below. Amber pulled her jacket tight around her as she hurried across the road to the Iron Horse Inn. Despite the ever-sunny tourist brochures, even North Queensland could be unpleasant in winter. She pushed open the door to the aging pub and weaved through the tables of drinkers, the accusing glare of the girl behind the bar made it clear she was late. “Natalie, I’m sorry.” A...
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Changes To Come

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It is spring Downunder in Australia and signs of life are finally emerging in the Tulipfiction.com story garden.  It has been 15 years since any new stories or chapters have been posted to Tulipfiction.com but Lord willing, I hope to start working on the website again. My plan is to post backups of my stories here (and possibly on Substack) and then begin renovations on the website. Google Groups (which hosted the Tulipfiction Newsletter) is defunct, so I plan to migrate the existing newsletter list to Substack once things are up and going again unless I find a better option for readers to be updated when new content is added.  You are welcome to go ahead and join now: I have a number of new chapters of Jacaranda Plains almost ready to share - I am not sure yet whether I will be able to post them on Tulipfiction.com in the interim, or whether I will need to post them here meanwhile (or whether I will chicken out and not post them at all - pray for God’s gift of wisdom and...
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