July 12, 2023

Shehab Hossain’s Mesmerizing Light Paintings

Digital photography has opened up a plethora of new forms of creative expression, such as you see here in the works of Shehab Hossain. But who better to explain his artistic process than the artist himself? I bend and freeze time in my photos. What’s your superpower? I am a Bangladeshi/Nigerian/American artist specializing in urban night photography and light painting. My craft is making photos of my light painting strokes in urban environments. I use various camera exposure durations to paint objects and places with light. My strokes become a performance as I dance my orchestrated layers of light through a scene while drawing and painting objects to build my composition. At times, I use existing light sources and trails to complement the scene. The shutter closes and freezes the movements and light strokes within…

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July 7, 2023

“EOS10” by Justin McLachlan

Posted by Ruby Fink in Audio Arts

Follow the adventures of Dr. Ryan Dalias on an intergalactic travel hub on the edges of deep space. Doctors in space, a deposed alien prince, a space pirate and a fiery nurse who’ll help you win your bar fight, written by Justin McLachlan. Dr. Ryan Dalias arrives on EOS 10—an intergalactic travel hub on the edges of deep space—on a mission to save the station’s chief medical officer … from himself. Series Premiere starring Dan Barry, Justin McLachlan, Charles Lipper, Lena Winter, and Natalie Cutcher. After Dr. Urvidian comes to grips, sorta, kinda, maybe just a little with his new and not entirely voluntary sobriety… he learns a secret about Dr. Dalias. Starring Dan Barry, Justin McLachlan, Charles Lipper, Lena Winter and Natalie Cutcher. While Jane plots a new relationship for Dr. Dalias, Dr. Urvidian…

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July 3, 2023

“The Retribution Squad,” A Novel by J.M. Henderson

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Book Reviews

If you’re upset by the shenanigans in American politics and government, this is a story for you. Author J.M. Henderson, a veteran and lifelong observer of the American Way, pulls no punches in this novel about eight patriots who go after the insurrectionists and their ilk who defiled Congress and attempted to stop Biden’s presidential election vote count on January 6, 2021. The Retribution Squad, born from the chaos of the January 6 insurrection in the nation’s capital, is operating outside the law. Led by old timers and vets, they are on a patriotic crusade to defeat the forces plotting an even bigger, more successful, much more deadly insurrection. They risk life, limb and incarceration to carry out lethal operations against the greedy and power-hungry who are destroying the Constitutional fabric of American democracy. Will…

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June 30, 2023

“New Tricks,” by Fiona Sinclair

Posted by Mike Rochester in Writing

Lugging shopping up the path, she leaned against the back door to open. Dumped bulging bags on the kitchen floor, exhaled with relief; the food shopping, top of her weekly chore list, was completed. “You shouldn’t have left me alone,” her husband grinned as Olivia entered the sitting room. A grumpy “Oh” as she plonked herself down on the sofa and regarded him with a frown. She wondered when they had tacitly agreed to this division of chores. Whilst she tackled the weekly shop, her husband checked his emails and pottered about the internet. Oblivious to her body language he turned the laptop to face her. “What do you think of this?” On the screen, a motor bike, retro in shape, glossy black with chrome trim. “It’s pretty,” she replied, wondering where he was going…

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June 26, 2023

“No Man’s Ghost,” A Novel by Jason Powell

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Book Reviews, Interviews

The Fire: Is fire alive? Does it possess intent or emotions or is it simply one of the four forces of nature, indifferent to human life? What would a fireman say if you asked this question? We asked Jason Powell, author of No Man’s Ghost, a brand-new, engrossing novel about a rookie New York fireman. See the interview with him following the Chapter 1 excerpt where he answers this question. No Man’s Ghost: This may be the most popular quotation among firefighters: “Let no man’s ghost ever come back and say his training failed him.” The Tale: Charlie Davids, freshly graduated from the New York City Fire Academy, is starting his first day at the firehouse. He’s considered on probation and thus called a “probie” by the other firefighters at Engine 99 and Ladder 88,…

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June 23, 2023

“The Great Detectives of Old Time Radio”

Posted by Ruby Fink in Audio Arts

Are you ready for a mystery? Get ready to unleash your inner sleuth. Every day Monday-Saturday, Host Adam Graham will feature a different detective audio drama from the Golden Age of Radio. Our current mystery-solving line-up of radio detectives includes Sam Spade, Yours Truly Johnny Dollar, Dangerous Assignment, Philo Vance, and Tales of the Texas Rangers. Whether you’re wanting to listen to a mystery before going to sleep or enjoy some drama while driving, or just feel nostalgia for old-school radio fiction, we have you covered with six audio dramas every week. First up, “The Man Called X: Operation Cabal” Ken goes to a country in the southern hemisphere to prevent a revolution. Original Air Date: May 27, 1952 Next up, “Yours Truly Johnny Dollar: The Cut Bono Matter” Johnny continues his investigation into the…

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June 18, 2023

19 June, 2023

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Guest Posts, Writing

Two Works for Juneteenth by Cori Sims I am . . . More like an eclipsed sun, I am Shade under a tree The stout beer in your gullet A mouth of a cave The skin of the polar bear I am Ever present, inescapable Behind your eyes I began in your mother’s womb And will swallow you with delight In your end No thing is beyond my reach Above the clouds and stars Or deep in the cracks of the mind I hold no fear Of what I am All I must do is Be ** Know Thyself to be Seen A conversation last week with a dear friend revealed a door, a chance to expand a philosophical concept and apply it to Juneteenth, the recently nationalized commemoration of the militia event that drove…

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June 12, 2023

Impact! A Sci-Fi Trilogy by C.K. Westbrook

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Book Reviews, Interviews

We conclude “The Impact Series” Trilogy with volume 3, “The Judgment” How we got here: We recently attended a book fair where we met the author, C.K. Westbrook, and were intrigued by “The Impact Series,” a science fiction trilogy: The Shooting, The Collision, and The Judgment. In each volume the story, told a day at a time, is that of Kate Stellute, who works for the United States Space Force in the near future and while out for a run is abducted by an alien. She becomes its media connection to the people of earth, who are warned they must change their ways or be obliterated. The first two books explore events that raise the stakes for human life on planet earth. Now, in this the book, we learn just what we have to ante…

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June 9, 2023

“Suspense” produced by Jim Widner

Posted by Ruby Fink in Audio Arts

On September 30, 1962 a major milestone in radio drama came to an end with the final episode of the long running series, SUSPENSE, produced by Jim Widner. Ironically, the episode was titled “Devil Stone” and was the last dramatic radio play from a series that had its roots in the golden age of radio. What began as a “new series frankly dedicated to your horrification and entertainment” took on a life of its own mostly due to the talents of some outstanding producers and adaptations and original stories from the cream of mystery writers of the time. The golden age of radio was truly the golden age of SUSPENSE as show after show broadcast outstanding plays which were “calculated to intrigue…stir [the] nerves.” It was the series’ first producer, William Spier, who set the framework of rules…

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June 7, 2023

Our Writer in Residence Hikes the Grand Canyon

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Interviews, News

Rachel Gonzalez, Fictional Café’s Fiction Writer in Residence, recently completed an adventure known as the “Grand Canyon Rim-to-River-to-Rim” hike. In April, 2023, Rachel and three friends started at one edge, or rim, of the Grand Canyon, hiked down a vertical mile to the bottom, along the Colorado River, and then back up – about 17 miles in all. AllTrails says this hike on the South Kaibab, Phantom Ranch, and Bright Angel Trails, is “Generally considered a challenging route.” Here, in words and images, is the tale of Rachel’s adventure as told to Fictional Café. Very special thanks to Becky Armendariz for her photography. Fictional Café: Hi, Rachel. Challenging indeed! When did you hike it? Rachel: Hi, Jack! We went out April 13th. We were staying at Bright Angel Lodge, which was also our exit point from…

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