My writings span several decades. The published ones are listed on my Writing Resume. Here, I offer the many essays that I never published. They were going to be in a book called Spilled Milk, but I decided to offer them here instead. Anyone may use these pieces or any part of them so long as they note © by Carolynn Zorn and that they are not used or published for compensation.
My Writings:
In Sand 2012 by Carolynn Zorn
Join a retired couple who run a beloved bookstore by the beach. “Beach Pajamas” highlights their unconventional relationship, commitment to the community, and the daily ritual of strolling the beach at sunrise in their pajamas, creating a heartwarming narrative of love, laughter, and the pursuit of a dream.
Beach Pajamas
Photo by Carolynn Zorn
Widowhood
In this poignant poem, the speaker grapples with the profound loneliness and pain of widowhood, expressing a heartfelt plea for guidance in navigating this unfamiliar journey. Through vivid imagery and raw emotion, the poem captures the overwhelming sense of loss and the longing for understanding and support during this challenging time of transition and grief.
Carolynn & Family by Carolynn Zorn
Delve into a mother's anguish as her son and daughter-in-law go missing during a camping trip. Through the ordeal of filing a missing person’s report, she reflects on the unyielding nature of maternal love and the profound need to protect her children, offering a heartfelt insight into the enduring bond between parent and child.
Mother’s Love: To Protect and Serve
The Tryst
Embark on a journey across the Atlantic Ocean through the vividly penned diary entries of a globetrotting grandmother. In her nightly musings, she captures the tantalizing dance of flirtation between a charming widow and a steadfast bachelor aboard a luxurious ocean liner. As the ship glides through moonlit waters towards exotic destinations, anticipation builds for a clandestine rendezvous amidst the sea breeze and shimmering pearls. Dive into this captivating tale of romance and intrigue set against the backdrop of a bygone era of elegant voyages.
Love Letters of a Lifetime
Forward By Dana Reeve
Dave and I told our love story to many people over the years. He told it in his book Dinky Dau: Love, War, and the Corps, and in his book, Some Final Thoughts. I told it in my podcast, WAIT FOR ME: LOVE, WAR, & THE CORPS. We also told our story to numerous friends, relatives, coworkers, and total strangers. They seemed touched. Doesn’t everyone love a love story?
As a writer, I was looking everywhere for opportunities to submit original content. When I came across a notice from Lifetime Movies seeking unique love letters, I wrote to them about our letter. In a few weeks I received a telephone call from the editor. She interviewed Dave and I together and separately before deciding to include our love letter in this publication. The odd part is our love letter had never been read; it was the last one I wrote to Dave that he received on his way to war in Vietnam in 1964. As detailed in our subsequent publications, he threw it overboard unopened.
Although the editor got a few of the facts wrong or the sequence a little off, this was the first time our story had been told to the public. It was fun to see it in print when it came out. Over the years I had forgotten about it. When I was packing to move recently, I re-discovered it. So, I decided to put this note on my webpage. Basically, it’s just a footnote in our life together— but a very poignant one.