High School Writing Project 2.0
The author names for this project were pen names used for stories that Matthew wrote when he was actually in high school. In order to retain the authentic high school feel and voice present when originally written, the stories were not altered for publication beyond minor updates to modernize them for more contemporary readers. For example, the snail mail chain letter in A State of Mind was changed to an e-mail chain letter and texting was sometimes substituted for other forms of communication between characters.
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Everything To Live For
Rick, a high school senior distraught over his parents' impending divorce, thinks that nobody cares if he lives or dies. The young man's lack of faith in both himself and a higher power leads him to suicide.
Expecting death to be a meaningless void, Rick is surprised to meet John, a man claiming to be his guardian angel. John shows Rick the effect his suicide will have on his friends, loved ones, and even strangers.
Armed with this second chance provided by heavenly insight, only Rick can decide if he has everything to live for.
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It's Not Always Easy
Friends. Fun. Romance. Drama. Danger. HIGH SCHOOL.
Three short stories set among a group of students all in the same psychology class:
It's Not Always Easy – Diane and Abby were best friends. Then Jack entered their lives. Will competition over a cute guy ruin their friendship?
What The Eye Can't See – Who would have guessed that underneath Kelly's silent, sweet personality there was a dangerous and violent girl waiting for her chance to come out?
A State of Mind – Chain letter e-mails don't mean anything. They're only superstition. Right?
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A Tale of Two Teachers
"One was the best of classes, the other was the worst of classes. The two women were supposedly so alike, yet they were so different. They were friends, but we knew not why..."
Includes 3 short essays:
A Tale of Two Teachers takes a humorous look back at the contrasting styles of the author's two sixth grade teachers.
If I Could Be Principal lays out the author's vision for changing her high school.
The Christmas Package tells a simple story of a life lesson learned the hard way.
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The Premonition
Can a nightmare predict the future?
High school sophomore Greg wakes up screaming in a panic. He knows it wasn't just a bad dream. Something awful is going to happen.
Heather, Greg's older sister, insists that he's reacting to nothing more than an overactive imagination. She dismisses as coincidences the previous occasions in which he seemed to predict the future.
Greg can't shake the unsettling feeling that proving his nightmare was indeed a psychic premonition will come at a terrible price!