This month, we’ve got an illegal outhouse, methods of death, writing for happiness, and a whole lot more. To submit a first line, email booklifeeditor@booklife.com.

A Few Trivial Felonies

Sandra Sperling

“During the last winter that Rachel Christenson lived in northern Minnesota, she spent weeks shivering in an illegal outhouse.”


Geese Are Never Swans

Created By Kobe Bryant, Written by Eva Clark

“Ok, here’s what pisses me off: when people don’t fucking listen.”


The Most Important Lessons in Economics and Finance

Dr. Anthony M. Criniti IV

“Long before the invention of standardized money, people have contemplated ways to increase their wealth.”


Substantial Penalty

Robert Rhode

“I wonder if my grandmother seriously considered the risks that bright, balmy day in Biloxi when she asked me to rob the family bank.”


Telegraph Canyon

Dan Letchworth

“Ever since I was young, I’ve pictured the methods of death operating the same way as a clock pendulum.”


The Two-State Dilemma: A Game Theory Perspective on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Michael Dan

“Like two lost travelers wandering through the desert, Israel and the Palestinian Authority have spent more than a quarter century chasing a mirage called the two-state solution.”


The War of the Poor

Éric Vuillard

“His father had been hanged.”


When Caregiving Calls: Guidance as You Care for a Parent, Spouse, or Aging Relative

Aaron Blight

“I’d like to invite you to join me in a conversation about caregiving.”


The Write to Happiness: How to Write Stories to Change Your Brain and Your Life

Samantha Shad

“How do we start down the road of writing for happiness? First, let’s accept that we are writers.”