Beneath the Crimson Maples
A person’s life takes many twists and turns before he has become disillusioned with his life; and, fear plays a major role. Whether one is raised in a wealthy family or hails from Milwaukee’s inner city, it does not matter. The game changes. However, when a person ends up on the short end of the stick one too many times, it is hard to keep a straight face. A cast of characters stand out from the Crimson Maples, become fiercely independent while everyone they run into try to keep them from going off the ‘deep end’.
Thirty-eight-year-old siren, Genie Bartusek, a wounded housewife, yearns for one last chance for a smitten dalliance with a significant other when ‘no-nonsense’ Paul stumbles into her presence. Perhaps there is a God working her magic for the forlorn strangers because each have stumbled and become wary of life.
Mark Schoedl was born in Racine, Wisconsin in July of 1960. From a youth to a young man, he cherished the things “all Wisconsin.” From the change of seasons to Wisconsin football, he closely held onto the state’s traditions while secretly questioning everything behind the scenes.
Mark Schoedl was born in Racine, Wisconsin in July of 1960. From a youth to a young man, he cherished the things “all Wisconsin.” From the change of seasons to Wisconsin football, he closely held onto the state’s traditions while secretly questioning everything behind the scene.
Mark Schoedl’s love for writing was ignited by two childhood teachers who saw a spark in his words, a spark that brought life to the page. This early recognition fueled his passion for writing, even when the world seemed to turn a blind eye. His college years were marked by struggle as he grappled with the rigid standards of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Business School. But in the face of adversity, Mark found solace in the English Department. The works of literary giants like Shakespeare, Marlowe, Johnson, and Dryden offered him refuge from the economic theories of Keynes and Friedman.
Despite facing resistance from an English professor who tried to suppress his short stories, Mark persevered. He continued to write, even when his pencil artwork and pastel work were lost in a friend’s stolen box truck. With nothing left but his writing abilities, he turned adversity into opportunity. In 2012, he published two children’s books, “A Place in the Sun” and “It’s a New Day,” drawing inspiration from Aesop.
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