Unveil a World of Enchantment: Explore the Best Stories on TxtTale

Survival

SURVIVALWritten by Alicia Pozsony “Based on a true story.” LOGLINEIn the turbulent 1980s, a courageous young girl defies all odds - prejudice, racism, love's complexities, loss, trauma, and her mother's schizophrenia, all while transcending circumstances of growing up. Audiences will be amazed as they watch her struggle with herself, the blurred lines of the relationship with her mother through the decades. Will her ultimate freedom cost her mother’s love? Will she find the strength to finally rise above, or will she remain yearning for connection in her mother's hell? INTRODUCTION‘Survival’ is a gripping and introspective narrative that delves into the c...

THE REAL STORY OF VIETNAM: CORRUPTION, BETRAYAL, AND AMERICAN SACRIFICE

Nothing proved the pen was mightier than the sword than the history of the Vietnam War. The speech writers did an excellent job of creating false scenarios of halting the spread of communism in Southeast Asia and painting an evil portrait of Ho Chi Minh. Yet he remained a staunch ally of the U.S. as we fought the Japanese during WW II. Our government orchestrated a script with a false purpose that did not serve America’s interests. Instead, Vietnam returned to the corrupt and colonialist French, who previously raped and pillaged the country before the war. I will forever remain bewildered by the duplicity, deceit, and betrayal successive American administrations perpetrated on No...

THE SAND PUPPIES & THE VIETNAM WAR

Our guide to the Cambodian encampment would not become available until evening. It stalled us for more than five hours at the holdover in Nha Trang. We hopped on a ride to the beach area. Nha Trang was a favorite R&R spot for in-country personnel. We picked up a couple of beers, two pizzas, and a few bags of chips at the local canteen and headed out for some sun and sand. As we lounged around, two young dogs frolicked in the sand. It was the way they fake bit, puppy growled and rolled over one another that kept our amused attention. One of the guys went to pick one up when a vigilant MP called out. “Hey!” he yelled from the entrance guard post. “Don’t touch th...

They call it Magic Kingdom for a reason

For a stretch of about 13 years, I coached back-to-back sports at Marine Cityhigh school. A decision was made early in that span that our family would celebrate the end of the coaching cycle with a spring break vacation. Following the lead of some great friends and mentors (Mike and Karyn Alley) we decided to expose our kids to the Disney experience.Countless times I would hear of coaches getting out of the profession to “spend more time with their family.” Many times, that statement simply means that the wife is unhappy with the coaches work life balance. I was blessed with an incredibly supportive wife matched with very patient children. I wanted thes...

ECHOES OF VIETNAM: THE UNRELENTING SHADOWS OF PTSD

We obliterated the words forgiveness, redemption, and salvation from our language. We would never find deliverance from the things we did and witnessed in combat. The events were irredeemable and ours to carry for all time. The incidents occurring in the war would forever bring regret, remorse, and depression. It became an incurable illness that could not be out-run, out-trained, out-medicated, or outlived. The name was PTSD, but it did not adequately describe the mental and physical anguish it caused. We came to see the images in our dreams as night terrors. It brought anger at a moment’s notice. And it made us intolerant of others and of those we cared about. We turne...

VETERANS’ SECRETS: WHAT HISTORY WON’T TELL YOU ABOUT VIETNAM

Vietnam Uncensored offers a harrowing exposé of the Vietnam War, challenging the official narrative with a raw and unflinching look at the conflict's true cost. Through personal anecdotes and historical analysis, I reveal how the war was driven by deceit, broken promises, and moral corruption. This gripping account not only explores the devastating impact on soldiers and their families but also criticizes the indifference of politicians who escaped the war's horrors unscathed. Scheduled for release in early November, Vietnam Uncensored promises a stark, honest portrayal of a war that continues to shape the lives of veterans.Proceeds will support the Kaufman Fund, aiding veter...

THE TRUE FACE OF VALOR: WHAT HEROES LOOK LIKE

We all retain Hollywood imprints of what military heroes look like. We believe such individuals possess perfect bodies with strength, skill, and endurance. We see them race into danger, become wounded, and continue to victory. But these fictional heroes do not die. Instead, they claim victory against terrible odds and accomplish impossible feats. And yet, of all the medals won in Vietnam, the men and women who stood up to intense existential threats appeared no more than the boy or girl who sat next to us in high school or college. They represented average Americans taken from a typical life and thrust into the incredible carnage that became the Vietnam War—young men who car...

Domain of the Devil – A Satire on Publishing

When at length, Suresh was finding his moorings at Tihar; Subba Rau was brought in to a near stampede there. Why not, the whole nation knew him by then as the man who had pricked at the Premier’s face. When Suresh enquired what the fuss was all about, Rau said it was but a ‘literary coup’. Probed by Suresh for an account, Rau unfolded the story of his life and times as an unpublished writer. In his mid-forties, Rau was seized with an urge to bring himself onto the fictional stage. So to lend scope for his boundless creativity, he chose the vastness of the ‘novel’ as the setting. And for the medium of expression, he bypassed his mother tongue, Telugu, the Italian of the East. I...

Absurd Proposal

Though not nonplussed at having lost her virginity, Nithya, nevertheless, began pressuring Vasu for the nuptial. Yet, his assurances to tie the knot made her give him more of her own that was till she felt he was taking it easy. When she began denying him the good time to drive home her point that only made him indignant, she could figure out the consequences of his indifference. Thus, feeling vulnerable, she forced herself to humour him even more furthering his fulfillment all the more. But even as he procrastinated over their nuptial, his seed began to evolve in her womb and things came to a head when she missed her periods.When confronted with the development, Vasu could dodge no more, an...

Swap for Nope

"Here is that fact beyond fiction," he began to narrate with a parental pride that didn't escape my attention. "What a handicap it was to be divorced, thought my son; self-service at home and harlot-solace in a brothel; what service and how much solace! Women were ever scary of even wealthy divorcees as if divorce underscores one's incompatibility once and for all, and a whore was no answer for a wife. Surely some featureless young thing could be willing and that's no choice of a wife any way; but a lucky guy could bump into a desirable dame in the blind alleys of the Cupid and that's a rarity anyway; as for affairs, they were seldom, even for the well-heeled in their prime, but as life is m...

EMBRACING CHANGE: THE INDOMITABLE AMERICAN RESOLVE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY

We did not own the power to restrain combat's irrevocable effects on us. We did not see the changes to signify our former world no longer existed. Yet, we never became apologetic for serving our country. Those who served in that terrible war remained honored patriots until the end of all things. I love the U.S.A. and everything and everyone in its borders. Americans are complicated and strange, but we are a fantastic bunch. No other population yields open-minded, fast-thinking individuals who love a good joke, national holidays, and the best of the best the art and sports world can produce. We admire excellence in all its forms and care and typically stand up for the little gu...

‘Untried’ Crime

That day as Dhruva was away with Shakeel and was not expected till late in the night, Radha began scanning Mithya's closets to delve deeper into her past. Not finding any sleazy stuff therein, as she was about to give up on spying, she located a false bottom in the dressing table that led her to many unusual items. Elated at the discovery as she rummaged the shelf, she found Mithya's jottings in a leather-bound book, leafing through which, she came across a story-like entry, Untried Crime, which read thus:That was when Mithya's life was under siege; she faced the unwelcome prospect of divorce, lo, owing to her own infidelity. Barely turned twenty-eight, as she was not for losing th...

Nameless Memory

What a lovely girl she is!’ thought Raja Rao, for the umpteenth time. ‘May not be the ravishing type, but surely she’s the charming kind. Above all, she’s a wifely stuff. Won’t I be able to mould her into a matchless mate? What if I propose to her? It looks like we are of the same caste and that should make matters easy. But then, what of our sub-sects? Don’t they seem progressive to mind all that. But who knows? Appearances can be deceptive, can’t they? Well, even then, one has still to reckon with the gothrams that are to be different for a match to materialize. What an irony, the custom that prescribes alliances between blood relations proscribes sagothra marriages! What’s...

FROM WAR ZONES TO HOME FRONTS: A VETERAN’S JOURNEY TO A SIMPLE DREAM

My buddies and I returned from Vietnam with little expectations of becoming rich men. After succumbing to the worst year of our lives, we all wanted to acquire the love of a good woman, becoming a father, a small house with a back lawn holding a swing set, a barbeque, and a few chairs around a table to have picnics. There would be a garage for a car, a driveway to hold a pick-up, and a front lawn with a flower bed. It didn’t seem like much to the shakers and movers, but it would forever represent enough. Unfortunately, our PTSD made it impossible to work for another, so I started a business. On one deal, the supplier offered the evening of an escort. ...

DAI LIN: THE HAUNTING BEAUTY OF A WAR-TORN MEMORY

There are women whose attraction takes the breath away. Dai Lin was such a person. Her complexion was neither black, brown, yellow, or tan. It appeared the same golden color as an Italian sunset at midday. Her face displayed delicate features fluctuating between Oriental, Black, and European lineage. The bovine eyes reflected your image in an emerald-green halo, captivating your attention. Under the embroidered satin Ao Dai gown, her body moved with the erotic movements of a jungle cat, her legs and buttocks outlined by the contours of her form pressing against the clinging fabric. Dai Lin hid her face in public under a cone straw hat and a drab shawl wrapped around her s...

FROM BATTLEFIELD TO HOMEFRONT: DISCOVER THE CHALLENGES IN VIETNAM UNCENSORED

It was hard to give up on our dreams of home and thoughts of what awaited us on our return. But we did not have an alternative.It became difficult to think about a future beyond the battlefield. Combat dulled the senses.Deep in our hearts, a spark remained of who we wanted to become after the war. But the longer we stayed in Vietnam, the harder it became to remember.How could we know the hardships that awaited when we finally returned? It never occurred we would no longer fit into our former lives. What we thought would appear the same had radically changed.Our dreams of homecoming would sink into the quicksand of PTSD that sabotaged our success. Yet, we did not recognize our transform...

The Mystery of Love

In twilight's hush where shadows blend,The secret whispers never end,A tale of hearts both young and old,In realms of mystery, love unfolds.A fleeting glance, a tender touch,In silent moments, we feel so much,Yet love, a puzzle, cloaked in night,Dances just beyond our sight.It hides in echoes, soft and clear,In laughter shared and tender tear,A tapestry of dreams entwined,A riddle spun from threads of time.Through every kiss and every sigh,Beneath the stars that fill the sky,Love weaves its patterns, subtle, deep,A sacred dance where spirits leap.It lives in moments left unsaid,In whispered vows and silent dread,In every beat, in every breath,Love walks with us through life and death.Its for...

Moonshine Mesa takes the Gold Medal!

Moonshine Mesa takes the Readers’ Favorite Gold Medal for environmental thriller! Criminal clients, a pollution mitigation scam, and a million-dollar double-cross make Moonshine Mesa a dangerous place for an aspiring lawyer, an intrepid deputy, and a moonshining hermit. Go to https://awbaldwin.com.

Kindergarten/Gradinita

I was born to my parents when they were in their earlier twenties, therefore very soon their focus switched back to their personal lives and career. My childcare was delegated to my grandparents, who were also busy with their own things and re-delegate it to my great-grandmother who was then in her early twenties.Unfortunately her health started rapidly declining - a consequence of the slavery in Germany and hunger during the second world war. She did her best to take care of me, but it wasn’t easy with an energetic and curious kid like me.One day my grandmother came from work earlier and saw me in the cold bath - tempering my body, while great-grandmother was having some rest in her bedro...

BATTLING THE UNSEEN: STORIES FROM VIETNAM AND THE COST OF WAR

There was no sense in thinking of what would happen on the next mission. It was useless to extrapolate the future even with advanced logistics. Nothing went as planned, and the enemy proved cunning, relentless, and elusive. We needed to quell the anxiety, plan as best we could, and step into the theater representing the Vietnam War. Were we successful? Ideally, the team would manage to complete our assignments and return uninjured. I’m sorry to say it was not the case. But our training, combat experience, and brotherhood made us into formidable adversaries. Unfortunately, more than 58,000 of my brothers and sisters perished in that war, and 150,000 returned wounded. Th...

THE VIETNAM WAR’S HORROR: FROM DRACULA TO NIXON

Authors bereft of finding material to fill modern-day horror stories need only to finger the pages explaining the Vietnam War. They will find enough terror, suspense, blood, gore, and insanity to fuel any account that will cause the reader to shiver at every page. Nothing happening in that terrible place ever made sense. The enemy appeared and disappeared as trolls and goblins in a mythical tale. They lived underground, climbed steep mountainous terrain lugging piecemeal artillery without the help of helicopters, and emerged again regardless of the numbers we decimated.It was as if the land was a voracious entity demanding to drink our blood. As strange as it now seems, the U...

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Unveil a World of Enchantment: Explore the Best Stories on TxtTale

Categories

Survival

THE REAL STORY OF VIETNAM: CORRUPTION, BETRAYAL, AND AMERICAN SACRIFICE

THE SAND PUPPIES & THE VIETNAM WAR

They call it Magic Kingdom for a reason

ECHOES OF VIETNAM: THE UNRELENTING SHADOWS OF PTSD

VETERANS’ SECRETS: WHAT HISTORY WON’T TELL YOU ABOUT VIETNAM

THE TRUE FACE OF VALOR: WHAT HEROES LOOK LIKE

Domain of the Devil – A Satire on Publishing

Absurd Proposal

Swap for Nope

EMBRACING CHANGE: THE INDOMITABLE AMERICAN RESOLVE IN THE FACE OF ADVERSITY

‘Untried’ Crime

Nameless Memory

FROM WAR ZONES TO HOME FRONTS: A VETERAN’S JOURNEY TO A SIMPLE DREAM

DAI LIN: THE HAUNTING BEAUTY OF A WAR-TORN MEMORY

FROM BATTLEFIELD TO HOMEFRONT: DISCOVER THE CHALLENGES IN VIETNAM UNCENSORED

The Mystery of Love

Moonshine Mesa takes the Gold Medal!

Kindergarten/Gradinita

BATTLING THE UNSEEN: STORIES FROM VIETNAM AND THE COST OF WAR

THE VIETNAM WAR’S HORROR: FROM DRACULA TO NIXON