November 17, 2020

“Your Rising Moon,” Poetry and Photos by Jon Meyer

Editor’s Note: We present the poetry and photos of Jon Meyer, paired together as he has done in his book, Love Poems from New England: reflections on states of mind and states of heart. This excerpt is reprinted with the permission of Brilliant Light Publishing, L3C. Copyright © 2020 by Jon Meyer. All Rights Reserved.  *** Jon Meyer‘s previous book “LOVE POEMS FROM VERMONT: reflections on an inner and outer state” has won these awards: Reader Views Choice: Best National Poetry Book 2019/2020 Best Regional Book 2019/2020 Best Northeast Book 2019/2020 2nd Place Travel/ Nature 2019/2020 Next Generation International Indie Book Awards: Finalist: Poetry 2019/2020 Finalist: Gift/ Specialty 2019/2020 This is his first feature on The Fictional Café.

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November 13, 2020

11th Hour Audio Productions by Owen McCuen

Posted by Ruby Fink in Audio Arts

From the twisted and dark audio files of 11th Hour Audio Productions, comes a little belated Halloween Horror. But first, a little about this collaborative company: October, 2011, producers, actors and designers from FinalRune productions and Aural Stage Studios gathered in a mill in Biddeford, Maine to record, post-produce and release a horror production for Transcontinental Terror. The result was James Comtois’ Ogle Award-winning “Intensive Care.” Alex wakes in a run-down New England hospital with foggy memories of a car accident. He asks nurses about his missing girlfriend, Elizabeth, but can’t seem to get any answers. In fact, he can’t seem to get anything straight from anyone. And – was that a scream in the distance? Sometime back in September 2015 they decided they wanted to produce a quick horror audio drama, just for fun. In Intensive Care fashion,…

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November 11, 2020

“Teddy Levine,” Poems by Robert Cooperman

Posted by Mike Rochester in Writing

Teddy Levine, on Line to Buy Girl Scout Cookies, Outside the Wild Weed Dispensary: Denver “The Girl Scouts of Colorado have decided it’s now cool to peddle their baked goods outside marijuana dispensaries.” —The Denver Post Jesus-freakin’-Christ, this woman’s taking all day, can’t make up her mind, so she’s demanding free samples of every variety. The girls behind the table roll their eyes, but afraid to tell her to screw off, so the scout leader informs her, with a smile tight as a dolphin’s rear end in a rip tide, “I’m so sorry; we can’t break open boxes.” Madam Entitled stalks off as if a butcher had tried to pass off gristle for T-bone. Finally, it’s my turn! But I forget what I want, the kids snickering like I’m already stoned, which, I confess, I am, a little. I point, while the ounce in my pocket gets hot as a fired .45 on old TV westerns, when cowboys rode off into the sunset, free as mustangs, and schoolmarms waved goodbye and tried not…

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November 9, 2020

“Barry and the Trumpet,” A Short Story by Nancy Kissam

Posted by Mike Rochester in Writing

Barry always wanted to play the trumpet. Sure, he was a lemur and that made his dream a bit more of a challenge, but he had faith in himself. “Listen,” Barry thought, “if I could peel a mango in an hour, I can certainly learn to play the trumpet. How hard could it be?” As it turns out, pretty hard. Barry had a sister. Actually, he had twelve sisters if you counted his nine half-sisters. Lemur dads were not known for sticking with one partner, not that his mom cared one wit about it. “Good riddance,” she once told Barry. “That guy got on my last nerve. Did you know he’d constantly accuse me of going out at night? ‘Of course I go out at night, I’m nocturnal. Ya dummy.’” Barry’s sister, Colleen, always tried to encourage Barry. If he was inclined to hang from…

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November 5, 2020

Free IPNE Writer’s Conference Starts Today!

Posted by Mike Rochester in News

Independent Publishers of New England (IPNE) is hosting a virtual conference for all writers this Friday and Saturday. Free and open to everyone! Check out the details below. FREE WRITING AND PUBLISHING CONFERENCE! Please Join Us for IPNE’s 9th Annual Independent Publishers & Authors Virtual Online Conference, Nov. 6-7, “Publishing During the Pandemic!” Conference Details and Registration at IPNE.org Are you planning on writing a book? Already working on one? Are you interested in learning more about the publishing process, from manuscript to published work? How to build an audience? “Publishing During a Pandemic” is the theme of the 2020 Conference, presented for you on Zoom over two days, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6 and 7. There’s no charge to attend and you don’t need to be a publisher, published author, an IPNE member, or…

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November 3, 2020

“Black Oranges,” Poetry by Mbizo Chirasha

Posted by Mike Rochester in Writing

BLACK ORANGES Xenophobia my son I hear a murmur in the streets A babble of adjoining markets Your conscience itching with guiltiness like Genital leprosy Your wide eyes are cups where tears never fall When they fall the storm wash down bullet drainsand garbage cities ii) Come nomzano with your whisper to drown, Blood scent stinking the rainbow altar. Darfur, petals of blood spreading, Perfume of death choking slum nostrils Slums laden with acrid smell of mud and Debris smelling like fresh dungs heaps Fear scrawling like lizards on Darfur skin Kibera. I see you scratching your mind like ragged linen Smelling the breath of slums and diesel fumes The smoke puffing out through ghetto ruins is the fire dousing the emblem of the state iii) Belly of Zambezi ache with crocodile and fish Villages piled like heaps of potatoes against the flank…

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November 1, 2020

“Accidental Magic,” An Art Exhibition by Brian White

Posted by Mike Rochester in Fine Art

Artist’s Statement: My work is about embracing the unexpected mistake. It forces me to react in ways that change patterns. I like to think of it as accidental magic. Every so often it appears and feels like a reward for being patient or paying attention. Like you’re inside a mesmerizing piece of music heard for the first time and there is no doubt this is exactly what is supposed to be happening. *** About Brian White: I grew up in Southeastern Virginia, graduated from Maryland Institute College of Art, and live in Livingston, Montana. I enjoy floating the river, printmaking and sign painting. To see more work, visit my website. This is his first feature on The Fictional Café.

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October 30, 2020

“Bleeding of the Hedges” — An Audio Drama

Posted by Ruby Fink in Audio Arts

“Bleeding of the Hedges Arc 2: The City of Brambles,” written by Carol Foley and Joshua J. Price, is a fantasy story of a world where normal humans and Fae are struggling to co-habitate in the same world. With many different supernatural creatures discovering their powers, the humans are nervous that they will take control. For some, it’s political, for others, being different is a death sentence. It has been 23 years since the daughter of the god Pan was sent to the modern world and raised by mortals. As a young adult, she has risen to fame as a pop star. Her presence is awakening more and more of her kind which has the mortal world in a state of panic. Sides are being chosen and a war between Fae and humans is rising….

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October 29, 2020

Free Writing and Publishing Conference Next Week!

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in News

Independent Publishers of New England (IPNE) is hosting a virtual conference for all writers next week. Free and open to everyone! Check out the details below. FREE WRITING AND PUBLISHING CONFERENCE! Please Join Us for IPNE’s 9th Annual Independent Publishers & Authors Virtual Online Conference, Nov. 6-7, “Publishing During the Pandemic!” Conference Details and Registration at IPNE.org Are you planning on writing a book? Already working on one? Are you interested in learning more about the publishing process, from manuscript to published work? How to build an audience? “Publishing During a Pandemic” is the theme of the 2020 Conference, presented for you on Zoom over two days, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6 and 7. There’s no charge to attend and you don’t need to be a publisher, published author, an IPNE member, or even a…

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October 28, 2020

October Edition of “The Break From HOKAIC”

Posted by Mike Rochester in News

Editor’s Note: We’d like to welcome back our new monthly feature bywriter, writing coach, and longtime FC barista, Jason Brick. Here’s his October edition of writing news from around the web. 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. As writers and lovers of writing yourselves, The Fictional Café thought you’d enjoy some highlights for your information and entertainment: ASU posted a list of the common traits among the best writers 7 Hacks to help you start writing A cute article about writing for kids while you’re raising some How to organize an effective writing group How to write better dialogue The latest salvo in an ongoing discussion about trans rights and author responsibility A great video on…

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