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Featured Writer Calvin Beam by J. Smith Kirkland Calvin Beam was born in Philadelphia and received his bachelor of journalism degree from the University of Missouri. He survived a 30-plus year newspaper career during which he worked as a sportswriter at a number of newspapers, some of which no longer exist (he points out that is not his fault). Calvin has been a major participant and leader in writer groups, including The Chattanooga Writers Guild, The CWG Fiction in Hixson group, and an online morning writing habit. He has also been a consistent contributor to each of the Crazy Buffet Club annual collections since 2018. Calvin's Fantasy short works bring to mind the writings of Robert Asprin and Terry Pratchett, with their pun filled quick wit. From wizards to gnomes to quantum mechanics (the kind that fix your vehicle), his characters are believable and likable, even the very flawed ones. You can find Calvin's stories in Crazy Buffet Club collections, Cha...
Interview STZ: How did you become interested in writing fiction? CB: Most of the writers I meet say they started telling stories before they were able to walk. My path was a little different because I grew up in an area where I had access to great sports writers from the Boston Globe, the New York Times, the Philadelphia Daily News and the Washington Post. It was a daily master class in how to tell stories, describe characters and turn a phrase. I also discovered that writing isn’t easy, but it does beat lifting heavy boxes for a living. STZ: Do you enjoy writing in any specific genre more than the others? CB: I am primarily a fantasy writer, because that’s what I most enjoy reading. Plus, unlike science fiction and detective stories, nobody says, “You’re wrong. That’s not how it works.” I can’t write horror – it scares me. Same for romance. STZ: Where do you get inspiration for your stories? CB: A lot of ideas come from reading. Not the details of a...
Pushing Up Roses By Calvin Beam Dickie Ray woke up, and there was a gnome standing at the foot of his bed. Sports Center played a bit too loudly on his television. He felt this should startle him, but he was only inquisitive. “ You’re not what I was expecting,” Dickie Ray said. This was the first line of every conversation the gnome had engaged in since he joined The Firm. “ Not everyone gets The Big Guy,” the gone said. “That doesn’t mean you’re any less important. It’s a vast world out there, and well, there’s a lot of work to do. We try to match our ambassadors to situations.” Dickie Ray was ambivalent about this: Why did his situation match this ambassador? He didn’t want to make an issue of it, so he stayed quiet. The gnome opened a manila folder he was carrying, then looked up at Dickie Ray. “ Would you like a cup of tea before we get down to business?” “ That would be nice.” At that moment, Dickie Ray’s youngest sister, Eunice, knocked on the door, th...
StoryTeller zine showcases people who share their stories through written words, spoken words, and moving images. Whether they are poets, writers, singer songwriters, movie makers, or express themselves through spoken words, they are Story Tellers. Www.CrazyBuffet.Club and Amazon.com 'Pushing Up Roses' Copyright 2026 by Calvin Beam. Reprinted with permission of Calvin Beam. StoryTellerZine.com Editor: J. Smith Kirkland Cover Art: JimmyLee Smith Sale Creek Publishing salecreekpublishing.com