Douglas
Harold
Jones
writer of stories, teller of tales
Hello! I'm Douglas Harold Jones
I've always loved reading and have been a writer nearly all my life. I was a newspaper publisher at age ten, an award-winning writer–producer in television, a television news executive, and a teller of tall tales to my kids!
Read this month's short story!
Pam’s Thanksgiving
There was something different about waiting for the ferry this time. The weather wasn’t what the tourists usually see, the sun was lower and unable to pierce through the gray clouds, the air colder and the atmosphere less cheerful.
Others standing around her under the pavilion were excited, anticipating the arrival of loved ones for the long Thanksgiving holiday. Given the current state of Pam’s life, she felt more like a taxi driver meeting her fare than an enthusiastic woman anticipating the arrival of her sister. The dread of hearing Judy say, ‘I told you so,’ weighed heavily on her. Judy never liked Darren to begin with. Perhaps she was right, but it was too soon to admit that.
CHECK OUT MY MIDDLE GRADE NOVEL!
Dutty the Un-Invisible Boy
Dutty Livingstone really and truly believes he’s invisible. That might seem strange, that a ten-year-old boy actually thinks he's invisible, but there's a good reason for it. It’s 1919 after the Great War and the Spanish flu have made him an orphan. Two conniving con artists, Auntie Rose and Uncle Eli, move in and convince everyone they’ll take care of Dutty. And do they ever! Auntie Rose orders him around like her personal servant and delights in forcing him to do every single chore, all the while telling him he’s worthless, lazy, stupid and… invisible!
Everything changes one day when twelve-year-old Matty Crawford peeks through a hole in the garden hedge to learn for herself if the rumors about Dutty are true. Matty and two other new friends, Celeste and Stella, help Dutty discover what the Buzzes have really been up to. Together they devise a plan to con the con artists. Dutty must become un-invisible and use tricks, sleight of hand, and the secret of misdirection to stop the dastardly Buzzes before they take away everything he loves.
Fans of Roald Dahl and those who appreciate the charm and heart of Hunt for the Wilderpeople will enjoy this tale of overcoming adversity, discovering self-worth and the power of friendships that will keep you guessing right up till the very last flimflam!