September 13, 2020

“Leap of Faith” — An Ekphrasis Poem by Mark Blickley

Image by Mark Blickley Leap of Faith I’m a dead frog and I don’t say this with any pity or understanding or shame, it’s just an observation that people seem to like us, like us a bit too much because they like to push hooks through our jaws and cast us out to sea, as well as amputate us for fine dining and draw us as a cartoon shuffling cigar smoking smart ass, and they like to blame us when they choke on the phlegm in their throats, and they swear that some of us give them hideous skin infections while the evil ones enjoy tossing us into their steamy potions as the younger ones imitate us with a game of leaps and crashes, perhaps because we abandon our young and we larger ones like to…

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September 10, 2020

What “God” Is: A Philosophical-Scientific Essay by Steve Sangapore

Posted by Mike Rochester in Fine Art

Pictured Above:LIBERATION72″ x 48″ x 1.5″Oil, mirror, and 24k gold leaf on canvas2020 What God Is (WITHOUT THE WOO WOO) Why God is the Pursuit of Meaning The evolution of the concept of God is one of the oldest, deepest and most important developments to ever have risen out of the human psyche. Throughout almost every culture on Earth we have seen evidence of belief in the divine. The idea of God or a creating force has evolved from the earliest known manifestations represented as human-animal hybrids, to pantheons of intervening superhuman gods, to God as man made flesh on Earth, to more contemporary notions of God as the totality of the universe and its contents. Humans in their desire for answers to life’s most pressing questions have creatively reimagined and transformed God over the…

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September 8, 2020

“Danger in Plain Sight,” a Novel by Burt Weissbourd

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Writing

Editor’s Note: We’re pleased to be publishing an excerpt from Burt Weissbourd’s fifth novel here at the Café. Burt is a strong writer with a background in Hollywood movies, and it shows in Danger in Plain Sight. It’s tough, it’s suspenseful and it has strong forward movement like a good Mickey Spillane novel. This is Burt’s first Callie James thriller, which climbs aboard the Weissbourd novel train behind three Corey Logan works and one non-serial novel set in Wyoming’s Yellowstone Park. In this opening scene, we find Callie James working in her restaurant when her ex-husband Daniel shows up unexpectedly. If you like Danger in Plain Sight, you’ll probably be clicking away to get some more on Amazon. The following excerpt is drawn from the first two chapters, so let’s get to it! Chapter One…

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September 6, 2020

“Yodeling in the City” A Short Story by Marc Littman

Posted by Mike Rochester in Writing

“No more yodeling, John, I can’t stand it!” Joan clutched her ears like she was clinging to a stout tree in a hurricane. I peered at my wife’s pained visage, a face that after 40 years I no longer tried to spare any torment, and shrugged. “Maybe I’m calling out to you, if only you could hear.” “Like I’m a fat cow in the Alps and you’re a shepherd?!” Joan cried. “We live in New York, John. People don’t yodel in the city.” Peering through our expansive windows at a Matterhorn of concrete, I started to warble but stifled the urge. Taking a different tack, I pivoted to confront Joan. “Elmer does.” “Elmer’s a peasant, he belongs in the Alps. He and Julie Andrews can sing their hearts out!” Joan volleyed back. I took a hit but stood my ground. “Yodeling is more than singing, Joan. The subtle pitches and measured breathing, it calms me, and it reminds me of our younger days. Remember when we used to…

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September 4, 2020

“Another Shade of Crime” A Podcast by James Hayes

Posted by Ruby Fink in Audio Arts

How does a man survive 80 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit? What’s the true story about Hurricane Katrina? Why did 9-year-old Asha Degree pack a bag in the middle of a stormy night and disappear? And how did serial killer Samuel Little kill 80 people without the police finding out? These are the stories you won’t find on other podcasts. The stories that often go unnoticed. The victims that are lost to time. Producer and Writer James Hayes, Sound Engineer and Co-Producer Liam O’Brien, and Host Carl Ellis Grant will answer these questions in Another Shade of Crime. A monthly true-crime podcast about crimes committed to and by people of color. Because crime does not discriminate. Episode 1: This is a story about the 1976 trial of Ronnie Long for burglary…

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September 1, 2020

Bill Wolak — Collage Art as a Mirror Image

Posted by Mike Rochester in Fine Art

Image Pictured Above: “When Summer Unlocked All the Doors” The joy of collage is finding the endless connections between seemingly unrelated things. In some collages, the juxtaposition of ordinary with the delirious diversity of dream imagery forces the mind to make contact with the marvelous. Each collage is an invitation to view the world differently. What is most unexpected suddenly becomes as familiar as an old friend’s favorite song. I make collages out of all kinds of materials. Most are made out of paper engravings. Many collages are digitally generated or enhanced. To begin a piece, I select some sources—either color or black and white. If I’m using magazines or prints or old books, I cut out some images or parts of images that interest me. Then I start working on a background or some other sort of chance construction. Much is left to fleeting insights. …

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August 30, 2020

“The Break From HOKAIC” with Jason Brick

Posted by Caitlin in Guest Posts, News

Editorial Note: We’re excited to announce a new monthly feature from writing coach and longtime FC Barista Jason Brick. In this column, he’ll bring you news and advice from the writing world. Greetings all! As many of you know, I run a weekly newsletter of useful, fun, or amusing pieces of writing industry news called The Break From HOKAIC (my own term for the writer’s daily grind, which stands for Hands On Keyboard, Ass In Chair). As writers and lovers of writing yourselves, The Fictional Cafe thought you’d enjoy some highlights for your information and entertainment: VICE magazine took a real look at how much can be reasonably made publishing online. Check out this list and review of free online publishing platforms for new writers. A report on virtual writers retreats during the pandemic Writing advice delivered…

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August 27, 2020

Zach Piggott, Guest Blogger — MFA The Online Way

Posted by Mike Rochester in Guest Posts

Editor’s Note: Zach Piggott, recently featured writer on FC, shared in his bio that he had attended Southern New Hampshire University’s Online Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program. We were curious about his experience with this type of learning (especially considering how impactful it may be for students in 2020), so we asked him if he’d write a piece for our blog. Here’s his take on the fully remote MFA. MFA The Online Wayby Zach Piggott In 2017 I was adrift. I was working at an escape room (a fun job, I can’t lie) only part-time while my wife worked full-time. My dream of creating and writing the stories for video games was evaporating more and more every day. My wife and I had just gotten married but there was a nagging feeling…

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August 24, 2020

“The Beholder,” A Short Story by Fiama Mastrangelo

Posted by Mike Rochester in Writing

You blink your eyes open and stretch your arms above your head. You’re wearing an extra-large cotton t-shirt this morning—one that you got for free in your freshman year and never threw out. Your dark brown hair is splayed out on the pillowcase and is exceptionally messy. I wonder if you were feeling lazy or if you just didn’t care what I would think when you decided on this look last night. We can work on that. I watch you get up and move into the bathroom. I can hear you washing your face, brushing your teeth. You turn on the shower and the noise of running water fills the room. No steam, it’s cold water. Hot water will age you, remember? I wouldn’t like that at all. I told you that your legs felt prickly last night. I wonder if you remember that this morning, while you…

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August 21, 2020

“The Encounter,” A Collegiate Audio Drama

Posted by Ruby Fink in Audio Arts

Produced by The School of Visual and Performing Arts at Liberty University, The Encounter is a serialized radio drama that introduces its audience to two seemingly utopian societies. However, for a few young people the search for perfection and a greater truth lies just beyond their borders. Written by Jordon Jarrett, Colton Grellier, Kim Camancho and Phillip Sitterding, the story follows Picasso (Neal Brasher), Violet (Hannah Glavin), Stylus (Cody Carwile) and many more talented voice actors on a journey of introspective discovery. Episode 1: Learn about one of the mountaintop cities–the Peak of Defiance. Picasso (Neal Brasher) hears a lovely song that haunts him, allowing him to see a vision of a third city that no one else can see. In Defiance, learn how the city runs and meet Ultraviolet (Hannah Glavin) and Stylus (Cody Carwile). Ultraviolet…

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