A celebration of writing in verse from across the Pacific Words have a power If you sling them like pebbles At ponds of the mind Forty-three good ones But a single star review Gets under my skin She said yes! Said yes! Happiest day of my life ‘cos now I’m published How did it take four Hours to write fifteen lines? Erased sixty-two I must get this done Deadlines are near, too damn near Hey! What’s on Netflix?
Round 5 in the Fictional Cafe Anthology Contest
OK, fans and foes, the technical difficulties have been ironed out and we’re back in the ring, ready to watch – er, read – two new competitors! They’re slugging it out for your votes, so please, don’t let them down! Fictional Cafe Contest Voting Round 5
The 400th!
Last month, we received notice of the 400th member of our Fictional Café Coffee Club. This was a milestone moment for us, so we wanted to share the news and introduce the 400th member to you. Coffee Clubbers, please meet Dianne Patten, who works in the Staples Print Services Center in Burlington, Massachusetts. She’s wearing our Fictional Café hat and holding our brand-new FC coffee mug. Congratulations, Dianne! We’re happy you’ve joined our community and delighted that you’re Our 400th! Like our new mug? Stay tuned to learn how to get one for yourself!
NEW! Rounds 3 and 4 of the FC Anthology Contest!
Dear Coffee Clubbers – Sorry to say, but we’ve had some system difficulties over the weekend that kinda messed up posting new rounds. We apologize, and want you to rest assured we’re all over this and getting it fixed so the contest will run smoothly going forward. Here are Rounds 3 and 4 for you to read and vote on. Enjoy! I’m delighted to see how good the writing is in all the entries, and am really looking forward to seeing who wins and will be making an appearance in our first and forthcoming book. I’m sure the writers will appreciate your interest, and your vote! Fictional Cafe Contest Voting Round 4
Round 3 of the FC Anthology Contest!
Hi Coffee Clubbers – here’s the link to the new works – fiction and poetry – for you to vote on. Enjoy! I’m sure the writers will appreciate your interest, and your vote! Fictional Cafe Contest Voting Round 3
Join the Fun! Vote for your favorites in the FC Anthology Contest!
There’s a new pair of contestants every 48 hours. Click here to read and vote. Your participation makes our contest more fun for everyone, so please jump on in! And here’s what to expect over the next few days. Literary Round 1 (Mindy Windholz vs. Dee Home) Genre Round 1 (Bill McStowe vs. Joanna Ghazali) Poetry Round 1 (Judy Wood vs. Annie Tventenstra) Literary Round 2 (Mike Mavilia vs. Jack Rochester) Genre Round 2 (Beth Roper vs. Peggy McAloon) Literary Round 3 (Natalie Rodruigues vs. William Cook) Poetry Round 2 (Dee Home vs. Suman Chatterjee) Literary Round 4 (Natalie Rodruigues vs. William Cook — another one) Genre Round 4 (Joanna Ghazali vs. Chelsea Keenon) Poetry Round 3 (Alison Whittenbeck vs. Michael Larrain) Literary Round 5 (Jane Ward vs. Jake Simons) Poetry Round 4 (Judith Manzor vs….
It’s October Already? Some Really Big News!
Whoa, what happened to those lazy, crazy days of summer? Or “Indian Summer,” that Fall event that it’s politically incorrect to be called? They just flew by, and here we are, us New Englanders, bracing for a cold, snowy winter. But at least we still have a glimmer of hope for a colorful leaf-turning October and, of course, Halloween. So with those thoughts in mind, we plan to bring you some season-changing creativity month. We baristas are trying to select works we’ve received that link in on an October-y theme without resorting to outright horror, ghosts, spooks and trick-or-treating. We’ll get you something new each week in fiction, poetry, art, podcasts, and – NEW!- video. If you want to pumpkin-up your java before you sit down with our offerings, by all means do so! But……
Inside an Amazon Bookstore: Rachael Allen, Our Intrepid Correspondent, Reports
A Summer at Amazon Books by Rachael Allen You walk into a bookstore. Something is different, you think. You pay for a cold brew from Peet’s Coffee & Tea, located in the rear of the store, then walk around, assessing. Perhaps it’s the orientation of the books: they all face out, squared shoulders, as if presenting their best selves to a potential new owner. Perhaps it’s the black review cards tacked below each book, giving you booklover22’s opinion on why All the Light We Cannot See was so moving. Perhaps it’s the devices zone in the middle of the store. A couple pokes at a tablet, while a little boy dances to Ed Sheeran, whose music is now spouting from the voice-activated speaker, per his request. Perhaps, too, it’s your awareness of the store name…
A Quartet of Poems about Coffee by Jake Aller
Editor’s Note: What could be better suited to the Fictional Café than some coffee poesies? Author Jake Cosmos Aller delivers four steaming, rich cups of his today. Pour yourself a cup and enjoy them! Ode to Coffee Mistress of sacred love Sacred Lady of desire You start my day Setting my heart on fire With your dark delicious brew And throughout the day Whenever the mean old blues come by You chase them away With your bittersweet ambrosia brew Every time I inhale your wicked brew I am filled with power, light, and love And everything is all right Jack It is all good If only for a few fleeting minutes I love you oh coffee goddess In all your magical forms In the dark coffee of the dawning day In the sizzling coffee in…
Breaking News: The Fictional Cafe Anthology Contest Begins!
Great news from Jason Brick, our Anthology Barista, who’s been working hand over fist to get this incredible Fictional Cafe Anthology Contest going for your favorite authors and artists. It begins tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 26! Here’s a brief intro, with more details tomorrow. Greetings! At long last, the Fictional Café writing contest is launching! Here’s how it works. For the next month and a half, each weekday will feature a contest between two submissions: fiction, poetry, and art. When it a contestant’s day to compete, they will receive a link in an email. Contestants click that link and are taken to a website with their story and another contestant’s story. FC Coffee Club members, FC visitors and just about anybody else you can think of gets to vote for which work they like the best….