Alan Loewen: Author, Storyteller, Dreamer

The day after Easter Sunday, I’ll begin a new chapter of life as I retire after 30 years serving as pastor of the Heidlersburg/Mount Olivet Charge of the Church of the United Brethren in Christ. Serving these congregations has been one of the great privileges of my life. Retirement doesn’t mean slowing down — just shifting gears. My plans include: 1. Gradually moving from our home in Heidlersburg to Chambersburg. 2. Finishing the three novels that are so close to completion. (Retirement writing plan: finish three novels. Suspected obstacle: feline manuscript management.) 3. Starting a YouTube series that respectfully addresses common questions and objections about Christianity. 4. Taking some time to sort through my online connections, remembering old friends — especially those we lost during COVID — and letting go where needed. (That part will be bittersweet.) 5. Taming my massive library and reducing it by about 50% — likely with much weeping and wailing. 6. I’m also slowly rebuildin...

  Keep your eyes open for a new release from yours truly. A blend of SF and detective noir. Target is a February 28th release.

Last night at my writers' group, we were given a prompt and ten minutes to respond. As February 14th is Valentine's Day, we were told to write about something or someone sweet. For your flash fiction pleasure, here is what I came up with: Love in the Time of Chocolate by Alan Loewen ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Have you heard about the Gingerbread Man? How about something sweeter? My good friend Gus Polinski was a world-renowned chocolatier, a master of the sweeter arts. His craftsmanship was par excellence, and his little shop in the backwaters of Harrisburg thrived. His truffles, brownie bites, peanut butter swirl, salted caramel, chocolate-covered strawberries, pretzels, nuts, and mini tarts had pushed many a poor unfortunate into type 2 diabetes, much to the joy of the local endocrinologists. Less than a week ago, he came and urgently rapped on my front door. “Craig,” he said, blocking my front door. “I need your help. I’m being hunted down by assassins and enforcers from Hershey...