41 posts by Malik White

January 24, 2025

10 Collage Pieces by Joe Suh

Posted by Malik White in Featured Posts, Fine Art, Member Writing & Art

We have something special for you all on FC this week. Our Arts and Design barista, Yucen Yao, has been working hard since she joined, and we finally have a chance to show some of the work she has curated for us. First up, we have a set of collage pieces by Joe Suh. I especially resonated with Joe’s artist statement because I feel like it embodies what Fictional Café stands to be – a creative space for artists to express and share their passions. I’m happy Joe decided to share his work with us, and I hope he shares more of his creations with us in the future. Artist Statement: My personal practice focuses on the physical and meditative exploration that comes from creating physical collages in a digitally dominated profession. As a contrast…

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January 18, 2025

“Wire Man” by Andrew Newall

Posted by Malik White in Featured Posts, Writing

*Featured image courtesy of FenesiKinga on Pixabay.com* Heroes can come in all shapes and sizes, and Andrew Newall proves that in his wonderful piece, “Wire Man”. This is a very unique story that I’m sure all of you will enjoy, and I look forward to seeing more stories from Andrew in the future. A little man made from one rod of wire, no more than eight inches tall, shrugged off his motionless pose and walked to the edge of his high shelf to look across the studio. Strewn with drawing and painting utensils, it was standard chaotic clutter uplifted by striking watercolours, pastels and models lying here and there. The artist had left for lunch. That familiar sound of the door locking signalled play time for the wire man and his colleagues. Papier mâché figures…

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January 7, 2025

8 Poems by John Grey

Posted by Malik White in Featured Posts, Member Writing & Art, Writing

*Featured image courtesy of Tama66 on Pixabay* Happy New Year! Let’s kick it off with a wonderful set of poems from longtime FC contributor, John Grey. CAR NERD On his wall, he’s hung a poster of an automobile cutaway. It’s his version of Miss August in a swim-suit. The poster’s so detailed you can see the ball joint, the bushings, tie rod, disc brake rotor, universal joint. The tiny boxes with the arrows are unnecessary. He knows each part by name and function. I’m a book worm. I accept that. But he’s this other kind of worm, hatched in floor pans, fed on exhaust, dressed in STP. And, on his dresser, there’s this photograph of a bright red mustang circa 1965. One loving glance at it and he’s on the highway, foot to the floor, …

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December 9, 2024

“Ashes to Ashes” by Brian O’Dea

Posted by Malik White in Featured Posts, Member Writing & Art, Writing

*Featured image courtesy of MiVargof on Pixabay* We start off strong this week with a very unique piece from Brian O’Dea. “Ashes to Ashes” is Brian’s first work on FC, and I sincerely hope he creates another great piece for us to read in the future. Ashley Fetterman When she checked ‘yes’ on the note I slid into her locker, I knew I’d finally found the feeling all the songs and movies promised. Before Christmas break, we were married behind the swing sets in sacred preteen ritual before our teary eyed classmates. Her blue eyes watered as we swore to one another to always share our snacks, to always sit by one another in assembly, and to never let a teacher, principal, or any power pry our hands apart. After just one semester of elementary…

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December 3, 2024

Three Poems by Roger Singer

Posted by Malik White in Featured Posts, Writing

*Featured image courtesy of Michelle_Raponi on Pixabay* Hello FC readers! We’re coming back from the Thanksgiving holiday with three excellent poems from Roger Singer. Roger excels at writing immersive lines that really captivate the reader. Don’t just take my word for it, have a look below! MIDNIGHT DINER fogged windows low lights strangers in and out wooden booths aged vinyl cigarette stains on tables edge unmatched silverware yesterday’s coffee paper towel napkins ketchup fingerprints on the menu the waitress torn hairnet stained apron name tag upside down it’s a harbor for the lost and alone MOTEL ROOM #13 the key turned to the right the door knob to the left a strong aroma walked slowly out the door of the unkept room shattered sunlight coursed through a torn curtain the only window bandaged with black…

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November 19, 2024

Five Poems by James Cole

Posted by Malik White in Featured Posts, Writing

*Featured Image courtesy of Aaron Burden on Unsplash.com* This week we have James Cole in his first appearance on FC. James combines his unique style with clever and thoughtful word play. We hope to see more of his work in the future! What would you wonder if wondering was free? What would you wonder if wondering was free? Would you wander in widdershins with stark jubilee? Would you invest in smart rhetoric and declare no designs, and make certain statements your heart undermines? If wonder was easy and you could spare its expense would you wonder like Arp and eschew common sense? If wonder went on sale with a bright yellow tag could you wonder like bread in a shelf-stable bag? If you wondered with warranty and budgeted first would you save your receipts and…

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November 3, 2024

COUNTRY, CURATORS & CONSTABLE: Political Thoughts & the Fitzwilliam Museum – By Steve Sangapore

Posted by Malik White in Featured Posts, Member Writing & Art, Writing

Hampstead Heath | John Constable | 1820 | On Display at the Fitzwilliam Museum Steve Sangapore was recently featured on FC not too long ago, but with Election Day on the horizon for Americans, we felt like we needed to share this excellent piece as well. Like all of Steve’s previous pieces, he sparks a very insightful discussion on an incredibly complex topic. Take a look, and remember to vote if you haven’t already! I am a firm believer in the fundamental message of Dr. Martin Luther King. An individual’s character is the true measure of a human being, not our superficial branding that is a matter of the universe’s roll-of-dice like ethnicity, gender or place of birth. Our virtue, character and morality are what we have the power and freedom to control. Equally, I…

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October 23, 2024

“The Morality of Having Children”

Posted by Malik White in Member Writing & Art, Writing

My Responsibility as a Not-Yet Father, by Steve Sangapore *Featured Image courtesy of Ricky Turner on Unsplash* Steve Sangapore has returned! Steve always comes in with interesting and thought provoking pieces, but I think this is his best one yet. Don’t just take my word for it though, take a look and see for yourself! Birth, school, work, children, death. It’s just… what we do. Or at least what society expects of the average person. I was born, I went to school, and I have a career. So the next giant life milestone in this five-part existence is having children. Over the years I have done a great deal of thinking about the ethics of having children and how I can personally justify it. The central concept I’ve wrestled with most is whether or not…

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October 4, 2024

“A Life Lesson From Jimi” by Fiona Sinclair

Posted by Malik White in Writing

*Featured Image courtesy of Thomas Kelley on Unsplash.* It’s always a pleasure to see a returning writer on FC. Fiona Sinclair, an excellent writer who has published with us before, has written a new piece that is guaranteed to keep you interested from the beginning to the end. Tom first heard about it crouching over an illicit transistor built by an enterprising boy in tech class. It was breaktime, he and his mates were tucked behind the outer wall of the gym; their “secret” hiding place teachers turned a blind eye to.  Each band Radio Caroline announced was met with a choric wail by the boys, because most knew attending the festival was a fantasy.  Except for Tom. I could go, he thought to himself, tallying in his mind his not inconsiderable savings account, product…

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September 26, 2024

“Satan’s Shadow” by Thomas J. Misuraca

Posted by Malik White in Writing

*Featured image courtesy of Peter Forster on Unsplash* Today we have an excellent horror piece by Tom Misuraca. We don’t get a lot of horror, so this is a welcome treat on FC. Tom is also a prolific writer, so we hope to see more from him in the future! The decrepit station wagon sped out of town. Russell clutched the wheel, squeezing until his biceps bulged. Next to him sat his wife, Trudy, her flesh and clothes caked in mud. Her long, curly hair frizzed by the swamp humidity. Russell felt immaculate compared to her; only his boots were dirty. “It is done,” Trudy repeated over and over, rocking in her seat. They drove away from the sun and away from the evil presence that had haunted them. Russell feared they would never escape….

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