Author: Robert Kirkendall

Writer of fiction and drama, originally from San Jose, California, and currently living in Santa Cruz for the past two plus decades.  My style is heightened realism, and my work is focused is on the Bay Area with universal themes.  There are many reasons why I write, but the main one is enjoyment.  In 2016 I began producing and directing some of my short plays at Community Television of Santa Cruz as live broadcasts.  My more recent works are the novel Redwood Summer (a story of 1990 San Jose) and the two act stage play Dermalogic which received a Zoom performance hosted by Theater for the New City's "On the Air" series.  Recently I helped to write a screenplay with filmmaker Hilary Davidson called TWENTY for Nineteen85Films, and I've completed a screenplay about a young man's final days in Santa Cruz before he escapes that I've titled Leaving Paradise (it's gained some notice on the Film Freeway).  In April 2022 my one act comedy Funhouse was performed live by Manhattan Repertory Theatre in New York, and the following September my two act play Electric Serenade was part of Theater for the New City's Dream Up Festival in NYC's Lower East Village. Click links on menu to peruse my writings.

99 Word Prompt: Sun Silly

https://carrotranch.com/2018/04/05/april-5-flash-fiction/ Horace ran around the town square under the midday sun laughing and whooping while doing flips and cartwheels. "Horace is acting rather strange," a townsperson observed. "He sure is," another concurred. "Must be because it's spring," a third interjected.  "He does act strange when the seasons change." "But this is out of control," the … Continue reading 99 Word Prompt: Sun Silly

Redwood Summer Chapter 16

Jason drove along a San Joaquin Valley freeway through vast expanses of monocultural farmland and enclosed pastures. In the distance he saw the prison, a desolate cluster of rectangular, institutional buildings imposing upon the surrounding open space. He exited off the freeway and arrived at the compound. He stopped at a gate, was checked in … Continue reading Redwood Summer Chapter 16

99 Word Prompt: Balloons

https://carrotranch.com/2018/03/09/march-8-flash-fiction-challenge/ Timmy brought the balloon animal to his family.  "Look at what I got." "Why look at that balloon dog!" his mother said.  "How cute!" "No," father disagreed, "it's a horse." "You're both wrong," grandma interrupted.  "It's obviously a rhinoceros." "Let me look at that," Uncle Wally requested as he took the balloon animal and … Continue reading 99 Word Prompt: Balloons

99 Word Prompt: Black & White

https://carrotranch.com/2018/02/02/february-1-flash-fiction-challenge/ "Trust me, son, you'll like this film," father said as he inserted the DVD.  "It's a classic!" "Oh no, not another black and white movie." "Still a quality film." "But old movies are so dated," the son insisted.  "And they talk so fast you can't understand them." "That's because they were all high on … Continue reading 99 Word Prompt: Black & White

99 Word Prompt: The Edge

(Flash Fiction piece prompted by Carrot Ranch.  Theme: The Edge, for this theme I wrote a piece that's about the original title of a classic dark comedy from 1964, the title of which is revealed at the end.  Link below.) https://carrotranch.com/2018/01/25/january-25-flash-fiction-challenge/ Terry looked over the screenplay he was co-writing and hoped that the alteration he … Continue reading 99 Word Prompt: The Edge

99 Word Prompt: Boots

https://carrotranch.com/2018/01/19/january-18-flash-fiction-challenge/ Cpl. Wildey led his squad through a clearing and into a wooded thicket toward enemy lines on a reconnaissance mission to ascertain troop locations.  The trail they were on approached an enemy headquarters in the distance.  Cpl. Wildey thought he saw movement ahead, so he ordered his troops to sneak up by crawling through … Continue reading 99 Word Prompt: Boots

Redwood Summer Chapter 15

Jason looked over the newspaper classified employment ads as he sat at the kitchen table. David was across from him doing his homework. “Anything promising?” father asked from the living room. “Not much,” Jason answered as he stared at the grid of small rectangles and abbreviated text. “A lot of the same old stuff.” “Budget … Continue reading Redwood Summer Chapter 15

99 Word Prompt: White Flowers

https://carrotranch.com/2017/12/21/dec-21-flash-fiction-contest/ The man stopped when he came across a pleasant sight of white flowers arrayed in front of him.  He wistfully contemplated the field of new growth.  The beautiful daisy, he sighed to himself, Bellis perennis if memory serves me.  He looked across the many bright yellow dots surrounded by snow white petals atop thin … Continue reading 99 Word Prompt: White Flowers

Redwood Summer Chapter 14

Jason took a long drink from a bottle of tomato juice and waited for it to replenish his fatigued body as he leaned back against a three story rack of heavy steel shelves. He relaxed for a bit as he continued to recover from too much alcohol over the weekend. He glanced up at the … Continue reading Redwood Summer Chapter 14