Land of Lincoln - Stories

Elisha has struggled mightily and unsuccessfully for years to make peace with his faith and his flesh. It’s a battle Marcus knows all too well. When they are brought together unexpectedly by a mutual four-legged friend, each sees something of themselves in the other which leaves them both uncertain and unsettled on a day destined to impact many lives forever.

The world appraised each the moment they were born. While Walter Samson IV stands to inherit his family’s empire, Teyshawn Jones fights every day for a slim chance at a future. Neither can afford to stray from the narrow path before them, yet what each truly wants is the freedom to walk side-by-side.

Note: This story begins four-and-a-half years after Kept Boy to Made Man and seven months after Souris lands in Chicago. While it is not necessary, it is recommended you read those stories first as an introduction to the Land of Lincoln and many returning characters.

Souris (soo-wree) was a happy child in a loving home with perfect parents until everything went horribly wrong. A coming of age tale told over eleven transformative birthdays in which Souris must navigate love, loneliness, and loss to find himself.

John Renkin has recently retired, but his investment firm in The Land of Lincoln is the only thing he can look back on as a success. His painful life and brighter future are revealed in a series of shorts. Each will stand on its own, but the sum will eventually tell his story. Be sure to follow for periodic updates.

Roger Cicero is an enigma. Behind the man’s meticulously crafted facade lies an angry and broken boy. When he is pushed into a case that hits close to home, the successful lawyer is forced to draw on his buried past to save another battered boy’s future.

Joshua struggles with painful memories and emotions when he is invited to his family’s Thanksgiving celebration. His boyfriend Marcus steps in to help him through what promises to be an emotional day as they both peel back another layer of their own childhood trauma and learn that they do, in fact, have many things to be thankful for.

Note: Joshua and Marcus first appeared in We Hold These Truths to be Self-Evident. Many familiar characters from that story as well as Kept Boy to Made Man will make appearances. This story will reveal hints to many character’s futures.

Joshua is living the American Dream, but he knows that his perfect life in the Land of Lincoln is a lie. Things are about to take a major turn, and all it will take is some click bait, a dead president, and an empty bottle of Scotch. A coming out story, and a reflection on mankind's inalienable rights. (Read time: ~ 1 hour)