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Discovering Jacob's Body Was Easy—Discovering the Secrets He's Buried Will Prove Much Harder
Nineteen-year-old Nate Watanabe last saw his grandfather, Jacob Barlowe, eight years ago, the night his grandfather killed his grandmother in a drunken rage. His memories of the night are as fragmented as his family which fell apart in the wake of his grandmother’s death. But when his grandfather dies alone and unnoticed outside his Seattle home, Nate returns with his mother, Vicky, to prepare the house for sale. The pair is shocked to discover the house in disarray: Jacob died a hoarder.
Seeing dollar signs in the delays, Vicky decides to call a junk hauler in to clean out the house. She is adamant that they not miss the spring market. Realizing the home and its contents may hold the answers to questions long burning in his mind, Nate, however, has other ideas. He convinces his mother to let him sort through the chaos, promising to finish the work before his classes resume for the spring. Now, he has only a handful of weeks to clean out the house in the hope ofdiscovering the truth about what really happened that night, a truth that has been hiding far longer than any of them realize.
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Andrea Yarbough
Author
My Story
This is the part where I tell you I’ve always wanted to be a writer, that I began writing when I was still in grade school and have always known that I would publish a book someday.
But if I told you that, I would be lying. While I’ve always loved the written word, I’ve loved it as a consumer, not a creator; a reader, not a writer. The truth is, it’s only recently that I began embracing my writer’s identity, and sometimes, I still feel like I’m faking it.
And here’s the funny thing: most of the writers I know feel the same way. If, when you think of a writer, you envision a smartly dressed eccentric clicking away on old-fashioned typewriter while locked away in a cabin in the snow, you’re not alone. But you’re also not correct. Most writers are ordinary folks living ordinary lives writing away in ordinary rooms. And we face the same ordinary insecurities as everyone else. In short, if you’re human, chances are you, too, could be a writer.
So sign up for my newsletter to score some free writing prompts, grab a pen, and join me. Writing is a journey that is more fun when shared with others. I’d love to travel the writing road with you.
My Writing
Level up your core ELA classes by incorporating meaningful creative writing into regular instruction. Artfulness makes it easy!
Discover Andrea’s award-winning nonfiction narrative: On a Sunday Morning in the Golden & Teen Nib 2023 Anthology.
Read Andrea’s latest story, “Slipping Away” in the anthology, The Cost of Our Baggage, and discover other great writers while you’re at it.