LAST NIGHT I HEARD HIM CHIRPING

 

Visitors to my story collection have asked, "Where did you get the cool name of your collection?"

Several years ago, I wrote a poem to my wife. 

She was dying. 

Grieving her imminent death and anticipating her profound absence from my life after her passing, I suddenly gave up short stories and began writing some free-form poetry.

In one of those poems about her, I make this observation.

I miss your garden. 

The waterfall splashing 

Into the small pond 

Where the green frog still lives. 

Arnold, you called him. 

Everybody calls their frog Kermit, 

You said, 

But Arnold's a better name.

I wanted to tell you 

Last night I heard him 

Chirping in the dark.

 

I don't really know 

What frogs do at night. 

Sing, perhaps. 

You'd know. 

But I can't ask.

*   *   *

In 2010, I began writing short and flash fiction as a creative way to pass the time.

Sixteen years later, I've been fortunate to have 43 short stories and three free-verse poems published - mostly online, in Canada, the UK, and the United States. 

I continue to write new material each month, mostly when my creative energy is too strong to ignore!

Although I'm submitting less frequently now, several of my stories are accepted for publication every year.

But many are rejected. Over the years, I've come to realize that's just the way it is in the very competitive world of short story submission and publication.

If you're new to writing, just keep at it. Obviously, you need strong material to get a publisher's commitment. That can only come from practice and more practice. Take some writing courses. Read a lot in your favourite genre to understand how the good stuff works. 

And here's a tip, very few published writers will tell you. Spend a lot of time looking at the many sites that list submission requests, then check out each site. After a while - months, probably - you will get an informed feel about where your work might stand a chance of getting accepted for publication.

A couple of years ago, I read a stat that shocked me. On popular online and print publishing sites - the A-team - the chances of getting accepted are less than two percent! So, lower your initial 'get published' expectations to submit to B-team opportunities. Over time, work your way toward A-team publications. It's ok to do this! When you choose writing with the hopes of getting published first, then again and again, you have to check your ego at the door!

Since my published work is scattered across sites on the Internet, I've collected the stories here. 

It's my equivalent of 'one-stop shopping'—just for you!

Browse to your heart's content, enjoy what you choose to read and make a note of a story or two to read later. 

Please share my stories with your friends. Invite them to visit and enthusiastically hopscotch through my collection. 

Some editors have exclusive rights that extend well beyond the official publication date; others allow me to post my story here as soon as it first appears in print. I add to this blog as each newly published piece of my writing becomes available.

In 2026, I confidently expect to have several new stories accepted for both online and hard-copy publications. My goal is to end the year with 50 or more published stories and free-form poetry. 

I'd also like to win or place in one or two serious contests - but we'll have to be patient about that one!

To discover any newly published work, return occasionally to 'Last Night I Heard Him Chirping.' 

Please respect that I retain all legal rights to my stories. Therefore, you cannot just copy and post them elsewhere. But ask me if you want to do something with one of my stories. I'm open to considering your proposal. 

Ask me. 

Don't just quietly 'borrow' it from my page!

Thank you for stopping by.

Don Herald is a retired social worker, educator and change consultant. He performed with a local group as an oral storyteller for many years, sharing various versions of his published and 'in-the-moment' impromptu stories.

 

Currently, he is the delighted caretaker of an almost five-year-old chocolate Labrador retriever. She and he peacefully share a home near Toronto, Canada.

October, 2026