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Drew Bryan

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Jan, 2025

Stories (5)

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3 Followers

3 Following

5 Stories

77 karma pts

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Rosemary

Drew Bryan

I walked into a bar to watch football. I only gave a damn about the game because I had five of my last three dollars on it. Losing would overdraft my bank account but my bookie didn’t need to know that.Reggie was waiting for me behind the counter. He smirked as he said, “Right on time, Mista Whipple. I saved your seat.”A quarter full highball glass marked my spot.I grimaced and said, “A lot of empty seats in here.”“My main customers ain’t here for the booze.”The weighty thud from someone rolling a skee-ball reminded me that the bar was secon...

2 likes

Smoke and Pine-Sol

Drew Bryan

Submitted to Contest #326

CW: Substance abuse, mental health We passed another dilapidated adobe building (this one’s roof had caved in) as we made our way to Portales, New Mexico. The result of pointing to a spot on the map with my eyes shut. It didn’t matter where my finger landed. I just wanted to get as far away from Garland, Texas as possible.I brought a Louis L’Amour novel, but my dad’s incessant throat clearing made me want to throw the book at him rather than read it.Why on earth did I get in the budget airport rental with this man? Well, despite simulating a...

6 likes

The Dog Days Challenge

Drew Bryan

Submitted to Contest #314

“It was the hottest day of the year, and I crushed the Dog Days challenge,” Owen Valencia said as he staggered out of the car and stared into the camera. Even on Grayson’s phone, Henry could see the sweat clinging to Owen’s forehead and pooling above his lips. The occasional bead of sweat dripped from his hair as if he had just gone swimming.Grayson was holding his phone for Henry to watch the new TruReels video posted by Owen. TruReels was Truth Social’s replacement for TikTok when it was banned.“So—”“Cool!” Grayson said simultaneously with...

9 likes

The Secretary

Drew Bryan

Submitted to Contest #311

I was dreaming about playing with an orange ball in a pool. I kept pushing it under to keep it from coming back up. Despite my efforts, it kept rising to the surface. At first I used my hands but my arms got tired. Then I tried sitting on it but it threw me off balance. No matter how hard I tried, that little orange ball always found a way to explode into the air.A raspy cry stirred me from my dream. I didn’t know whether it was real or a phantom cry. A side effect of life with a baby.I felt Hannah lift her head off the pillow. That’s when I...

16 likes

It Goes by Too Fast

Drew Bryan

Submitted to Contest #293

Red peered out the driver’s side window. The cool mountain air brushed his cheek and fluttered his hair. He extended his arm out the window, slowly turned his hand, and rode the cool mountain air. It lifted his hand but lifted his spirit higher.The radio played Red’s favorite song—the familiar strum of the guitar, the unmistakable folksy twang of Robert Earl Keen’s voice. He sang along with a kind of righteous hubris that only one’s favorite song can summon. His fingers, earnestly drumming on the steering wheel, worked in rhythmic harmony wi...

6 likes

Author bio

I don’t think of myself as an author. I was that kid who hated reading, writing, or anything to do with English class. My teachers would find great irony in my hobby now.

But something wonderful happened as I grew older—dare I say, wiser. I picked up a book. Then another. Then another. And I found myself wanting to read more and more.

What did I do? I studied accounting at night, started a job in public accounting, and devoted countless nights and weekends to passing the CPA exam. I even got married and produced a couple kids along the way. The loves of my life.

Through my CPA journey, I harbored a dark secret. I longed to read and write. OK, not so dark, but it did feel forbidden given the complexity of the journey to become a CPA, the life of public accounting, and the burden it put on my family. If you’re married to a CPA, you get it, and I’m sorry. It’s a wonder I’m still happily married.

I joined Reedsy to start writing, find my voice, share my stories, and hopefully improve along the way.

Thanks for taking the time to read about me. I’m open to any feedback. Even if you want to tell me my writing sucks. Just tell me why, so that I may suck a little less.