People often pull me aside to say they have an idea for a story I should write. Story ideas come to me in every way except that way. I've learned to listen for an emerging tale when my mind is creating. Sometimes the idea for a complicated novel arises from that mass of gray matter, and I hurry to write down the central theme. Often-like in this collection of short stories, there's an urgency to start writing immediately and get it done fast. A short story might barge in between two chapters of a novel. I give it plenty of air, treat it tenderly, and write it. Handful of Pencils fiction is for readers seeking a short creative interlude. Read one story at a time, or all of them at once. The stories are varied and include settings in Spain, Italy, England, and America. This book contains the best of those stories.