January 14, 2022

“The Hidden People” by The Dayton Writers Movement

Welcome back Fictional Cafe listeners and Happy New Year! In honor of a new year of fun audio adventures, we’d like to present for your listening pleasure the award-winning podcast, “The Hidden People,” written by Dayton Writers Movement. The Hidden People is an urban fantasy that crosses all genres, building a dramatic and emotional story with comedy, action, and horror. Join us in a strange world filled with shocking twists and surprises. A world where nothing’s as it seems. Following the continued success of Unwritten, Dayton Writers Movement began work on The Hidden People in late 2017. The cast, featuring both Unwritten alum and new voices, joined the writers and producers in 2018 to rehearse and record season one, twenty-two episodes packed with game-changing twists that kept even the cast and crew on their toes….

Continue reading →

January 13, 2022

“The Coldest Hour,” Poetry by Zoey Collea

Posted by Mike Rochester in Writing

The Coldest Hour The mountains, the mountains set adrift on a tundra of pickled grass Springing up like nubby hairs on that of a newborn’s scalp I haven’t taken the time to learn a second language Though the sun burns through the window onto my hair and I can almost smell it burning To know every word inside and out like my favorite song on the café radio at the moment of the day when light slips into its cremation and becomes a dusting around office buildings and parked cars I hold my bag tightly to my side the layers of clothes I have on makes it hard to concentrate, but someone told me that distraction is actually a good thing. When I reach home, I empty the stale coffee I purchased some at the…

Continue reading →

January 11, 2022

“Dead Dreams,” by Sandeep Kumar Mishra

Posted by Mike Rochester in Writing

In his dreams, Rajan searches for the ghosts. He hunts for them, tracing their footsteps in the dirt. He is back in his hometown—he knows these roads. The moonlight shivers on his skin. The crooked streets rattle around him. His heart burns in his chest. Baba, mama. Where are you? He runs, following the path laid out for him. The streets smell like smoke. Everything is hazy and deserted, shuttered up and locked away. He knows his neighbors behind each door, but no one steps out to help him. They’re too scared. Rajan is terrified, too, but he keeps running. Please, if I could just see you one more time. I didn’t know it would be the last time. I would have said so much more. Baba, mama. When he looks up, the ghosts are…

Continue reading →

January 4, 2022

“Dinner with Jim-J34719,” by Nicholas Schroeder

Posted by Mike Rochester in Writing

A small Italian restaurant in downtown Seattle, Earth—May 10, 2650. Peter: [enters and sits down at a table near the back of the restaurant] I’m supposed to meet a friend of mine here. Did you see someone come in right before me? Waiter: I believe it went to the restroom. Jim-J34719: [arrives] Pete! How are you? Peter: It’s been ages. I haven’t seen you since the last trade meeting. Jim-J34719: Yeah, that’s part of the reason I asked to meet. Peter: Interesting choice. Jim-J34719: Well I know you always loved Italian food. Peter: Jim, is everything okay? Jim-J34719: No, nothing serious—more of a moral crisis. Peter: Are you collecting that favor I owe you? Jim-J34719: No, I just need a friend: someone to talk to. Peter: Well you got it! It will be like our…

Continue reading →

December 31, 2021

“Painting with Morris,” Visual Art by Morris Wiener

Posted by Mike Rochester in Fine Art

Artist’s Statement: My seventh grade teacher, Miss Steinberg, told us that since we would be graduating into high school the following year, we should all have some idea of what we wanted to do with the rest of our lives. She informed us that the following day, each one of us would be asked to come up to the front of the classroom and briefly explain what we wanted to become and why. Well, I don’t believe that anyone was too pleased with that . . . I certainly wasn’t. Not because I didn’t know “what,” but rather, I didn’t know “how.” How am I going to explain to a group of pretty tough guys and girls (most of them played baseball, badminton or basketball) that I wanted to be an artist? Somehow, I got…

Continue reading →

December 29, 2021

“A Look Back,” Poetry by Duane Anderson

Posted by Mike Rochester in Writing

A Look Back Look at the past, look at the present. My before and after pictures, one in my teens, head full of hair, one in my sixties, head full of nothing. Where were all the things learned from all the years in between, but time took hold and all was forgotten Look at one, full of potential, then look at the other, head turned around to see what happened. Estate Planning Offers It was confirmed I was getting older after receiving an email on an estate planning webinar addressed to the Class of 1975, and then sending it right during the coronavirus pandemic, to a group that I was a part of, the higher at-risk age group. Was it bad timing or a coincidence, but hoped their message…

Continue reading →

December 26, 2021

“The Grudge Store,” by Richard David Bach

Posted by Mike Rochester in Writing

(Advertisement) THE GRUDGE STORE Are you holding a Grudge, but don’t know what to do with it? We can help. Grudgestore.con is the online repository for those who are carrying Grudges but don’t have the time nor space to hold their Grudges themselves. Our satisfied customers select the level at which each Grudge is to be maintained, from an intense boil to a low simmer, with an option to slowly cool to room temperature. We have a cryogenic unit for those who wish long-term cold storage, and microwave reheat capability in the event a dormant Grudge requires rekindling. Our flat-rate annual membership comes with the privilege of reviewing each Grudge once every 90 days to ensure that the Grudge is intact, valid, and worthwhile retaining. Additional visits and revisions are available at small additional fees, and we have quantity discounts for those with multiple Grudges. …

Continue reading →

December 24, 2021

“Tales of Christmas” by KSL Podcasts

Posted by Ruby Fink in Audio Arts

Merry Christmas Eve Fictional Cafe Listeners! In honor of the season, we’d like to present “Good-bye Christmas” by KSL Podcasts and “A Green and White Christmas” by Kiro Radio. This Christmas, Seattle Radio Theatre and KIRO Radio return with the magic of a LIVE old-timey radio drama. This holiday radio play written and directed by Seattle Radio Theatre founder Feliks Banel, finds a 1950s Seattle family trying to celebrate their Christmas Eve tradition of visiting the old Frederick & Nelson department store downtown, when an ill-timed snowstorm threatens to upend everything. But a Frederick’s doorman and department store Santa goes above and beyond to try and make it a meaningful Christmas for everyone. Starring many favorite voices from KIRO Radio, and featuring live sound effects! KIRO is a sister station to KSL NewsRadio. In this original radio play, two men who used…

Continue reading →

December 20, 2021

“Thousand Faces,” Poetry by Gazala Khan

Posted by Mike Rochester in Writing

1. Thousand Faces Ten thousand we saw in a blink, It’s not daffodils moving along with zephyr, With the bounties showered in plains. This time, it’s the migrants. The migrants, Fighting two deadliest pandemics: COVID and hunger. The latter is familiar And former is in voices everywhere. The beads of sweat rubbed by red gumcha* never evaporated, The yearning to return home is discernible. One of them named Sakina walked a thousand kilometers for days So did many others. The kaccha house** awaited her arrival But the journey never culminated. Abandonment commenced, The invisible guest reigned Bleeding toes, sunburnt faces and many empty stomachs Fastened their way to homes. Beyond every pain, the rest of us numbed still moved on. And the second harrowing journey began. * Hindi word used in India to describe cotton towel for wiping sweat. ** A kind of…

Continue reading →

December 16, 2021

Founder Jack’s New Novel and a Great Offer

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Book Reviews, News, Writing

Get a book and a chance to do some good at no extra cost! Fictional Cafe Members: Enjoy a great read and support cycling safety too! If you ride a bike, as I do, you might be interested to know we ride one of the most innovative machines in world history. Bikes became popular in the 1800s because of a shortage of horses caused by – whoa! would you believe a volcano eruption? – and henceforth were called “hobby horses!” Before they made the first airplane fly at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, the Wright Brothers had a bicycle shop where they sold (doh) bikes named “Van Cleve” and “St. Clair.” Mark Twain wrote a ludicrously humorous article about his experience riding – and falling again and again – from a “penny farthing” bicycle, pictured here. I got…

Continue reading →