Conversations with Laurel

Laurel shares her 9th short story with everyone--a Christmas story about work/life decisions and a man presented with a dilemma. As a bonus, Laurel reads her personalized version of the beloved poem "'Twas the Night Before Christmas." Find it on her website at leadvillelaurel.com.

Laurel shares her poem "Body Batik" and a prose piece called "Enigmachine" on the topic "The Body." She talks about her mother and the aging process, and laughs about "saggy parts."

Jerry Fabyanic--author, columnist, radio show host, and denizen of Mother Earth--talks with Laurel McHargue about his novel "Sisyphus Wins" and about growing up as a gay man in a time when coming out was not acceptable. He discusses his philosophy of life, strides in the LGBTQ community, and the Georgetown Christmas Fair where he and dozens of other authors will have their works available (Decembe...

Short story #8 includes a surprise phone call, a young boy, and a genie in a bottle. What could go wrong?

This fun fantasy was inspired by a flash fiction challenge to write a fantasy story set in a dog boarding kennel and including a flashlight! Enjoy!

Paul Thaler, author of "Bronxland," discusses his new coming of age story and the tumultuous decade of the '60s in America. His story will bring you back to your middle school years, regardless of where you grew up.

June Trop, Associate Professor emerita at the State University of New York at New Paltz, talks about the inspiration for her Miriam bat Isaac Mystery Series, her years of teaching middle school science, her twin sister, and lots more!

Laurel recounts the craziest race her husband, Mike, ever participated in: A pack burro race up Mosquito Pass and back during a Leadville Boom Days weekend. He raced with a rent-an-ass from Curtis Imrie (RIP) and met the legendary Ken Chlouber for the first time as well. This is a crazy-ass story with some poignant moments.

Alison Sandoval is a Silver Queen after completing the Leadville Race Series two-day race: a 50-mile mountain bike race on a Saturday followed by a 50-mile foot race the very next day, starting at over 10,000' elevation and climbing through mountainous terrain from there! And she is the one who inspired her husband (who is the current record holder for the Leadman race) to start competing!

Short Story 6 is a fictional story inspired by nonfiction bees coming back to life!

Chuck Bost is an 85-year-old Leadville native and he has stories to tell! He's also about the nicest man you'll ever meet. A miner like his ancestors, Chuck talks about what Leadville was like "back in the day" and what he has done for work and for fun all these years.

Laurel interviews her husband, Mike McHargue, a four-time Leadman and two-time titanium man, about racing and sacrifice and suffering and some fun things too. As the Emergency Manager for his county and as a volunteer for Search and Rescue, he has experienced more unusual physical challenges than the average bear. Listen to his philosophy on pushing past self-imposed limits and on the different "t...

Brent Goldstein's bucket (list) is empty after completing the 2018 Tour Divide, but he's back in Leadville to compete in his 12th Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race! Brent races for the First Descents (FD) Organization--he's the Chairman of the FD Board--and is working on a book about his experience riding the Tour Divide and working with the FD organization.

Rest in Peace, Gracie. Thank you for the light you shared with me, and with everyone who knew you, not long ago. (1/25/2020) Some might say that the Tour Divide would challenge the fittest among us. After all, this annual bicycling epic spans 2,745 miles between Banff, Canada and Antelope Wells, NM, right on the Mexican border. Some might even say that a person with Multiple Sclerosis would be a f...

What would you do if the internet and your phone service were down and you had no idea when or if they'd be restored? This happened to Laurel on August 1st. Find out what she did!

Wesley Sandoval broke the record for the Leadman Race in 2016. Find out why he signed up for this epic ultra-endurance high-altitude race series and how he convinced himself to go for the record. Also find out what it's like to compete with a brother! Wesley's race experience has truly been a family affair.

Would you ever ride with your partner on a bicycle built for two? Listen to this special episode with tandem racers Jana and David Zangerle and learn what it takes to cross the finish line with someone very close to you--physically and emotionally!

Rodrigo Jimenez, 41-year-old resident of Leadville, Colorado, is competing in his 5th Leadman competition in the Leadville Race Series. Listen to the incredible story of how he started racing, and stay till the end to hear how running for 100 miles above 10,000' elevation makes him feel!

Laurel recalls a serene paddleboard experience on Twin Lakes in Lake County, CO; the day inspired new scenes and characters (a fire-breathing dragonfly and a tortured octopus) for the second novel in her Waterwight series: Waterwight Flux.

Elden Nelson (a.k.a. "Fatty") has two decades of Leadville 100 Mountain Bike Race finishes under all of his belt buckles! Find out what makes him continue to come back to compete in one of the toughest races known to mountain bikers. See our visit on YouTube: https://youtu.be/j_uB2oVVtBk

Laurel shares her morning routine, a walk to "The Turn-Around Tree" with her friend John Orville Stewart, and how it has inspired characters, scenes, and plot twists in her novels...and a deeper friendship based on a shared goal.

My story "Tanked" for the 2018 NYC Flash Fiction contest. The challenge? Write a story of no more than 1,000 words using the following elements: Genre: Ghost Story Object: Bottle of Champagne Location: An Aquarium

A story about twin girls who uncover the mystery of their mother's death with the help of some supernatural birds.

Don't call her a cute little old lady. There's something about people who grew up on a farm. Octogenarian Marge Dorfmeister shares a lifetime of experiences, her poetry, her humor, and her ideas about the end of life.

Marvin and Lisa Sandoval discuss their experiences with the Leadville Race Series and what it takes for anyone, including YOU, to finish these epic endurance races! This is the third in a special series about these renowned races in Leadville, Colorado . . . races that start at 10,200' elevation!