Those Stories is a humorist storytelling website.
I currently write the website myself. I’m Derek Kessinger.
Those stories, often fiction but rarely entirely made up, draw delight from the confusing way that life often works.
I look to pay tribute to American Humorists in the stories—people like Mark Twain, Kurt Vonnegut, Mike Birbiglia and Jerry Seinfeld.
Before reading further, I’d just like to say that I hate the About Me page. If you have a better About Me page ideas, please let me know!
Sign-up for our newsletter to receive stories in your inbox.
Those Stories is the gap between how we think life works and how it unfolds. The uncomfortable truths between life, newsfeeds and media, comfortably fictionalized.
My stories live in that awkward space where expectations collide with reality—where well-intentioned people make questionable decisions, where office politics defy logic, and where relationships reveal our most absurd tendencies. Also, sometimes there are vampires.
Each day, I take an observation that might otherwise be a passing thought or frustrated tweet and transform it into a narrative that aims to do three things: delight you with unexpected turns, connect with your own experiences, and subtly shift your perspective on something familiar.
You’ll find characters who might be your coworkers, your neighbors, or possibly you on that day you thought your brilliant plan couldn’t possibly fail. There are no heroes or villains here—just perfectly imperfect humans navigating a world that rarely follows the script we’ve written for it.
Whether examining the sociology of restaurant waiting lines, the psychology of family vacation expectations, or the peculiar dynamics of adopted golf holes, these stories invite you to recognize yourself and then laugh at what you see.
Welcome to the gap between how we think stories should be told and how we can delight in telling them.
About Derek Kessinger, of Those Stories: I’ve been a singer, hockey announcer, journalist, head of a lemonade company and creative consultant. I am a lover of Denver sports and amusement parks.