July 21, 2019

” To Whom It May Concern” A Short Story by Claire Sartin

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Member Writing & Art, Writing

I am dressed my best to do it, if that helps: a classy dress with large floral black and white print that falls just below my knees. It is strapless with a sweetheart neckline, the kind that looks good on everyone. I must have bought the dress for a special occasion, but I found it shoved in the back of my closet, unworn, tags still attached. The dress makes it appear less meaningless. I didn’t know of my attacker until after it happened. I didn’t even realize it had happened until months later. When I woke up there was just one man standing by the bed. I heard a variety of beeps all around me and a faint consistent ticking sound that seemed to be coming either from right below my head or inside my ear. I opened my eyes and stared up at a white…

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July 18, 2019

Startling Flash Fiction by Arya-Francesca Jenkins

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Member Writing & Art, Writing

WHATEVER YOU DESIRE When they are together, her nose turns up automatically at everything he says, her head turning to observe passersby or leaves quavering on a tree, incidentals, he, the point from which she departs to engage in everything. This is how it almost always is. He has no idea, even while cultivating his fevered impulse to draw her in, make her look into his eyes, respond to the hand holding hers as he inquires what she would like to eat and drink—life’s menu, always at her disposal, proffered by him. His drone of words tickles their fecundity. Everything so green. He has never seen her more beautiful, wearing the ring he gave her, a diamond perhaps too large. But what is love, if not extravagant? She demurs at his suggestion for the wine, then lets him choose her appetizer and entrée. This makes him smile. He knows her, and she, in turn, appreciates being able to settle into the cushion of the life he is creating for her with such dexterity…

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July 14, 2019

Ellen Rachlin: Poems of Survival

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Member Writing & Art, Writing

Strategy Cannot be hit …well maybe hit but not marred and if marred, put that thought aside; just stare at open, fast to strike surfaces, then look nowhere but the eyes. In spacetime, there should be no difference between what opposing fighters see and measure, but here the arc of a kick holds mixed coordinates, so it’s best to move at all times because moving is winning, winning is moving; punishment is achieving victory. Nearby there are always judges, and rarely, a referee. Continuity Rage wore itself out on no-name turf between opposing hills, in the end, claiming Crown and…

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July 13, 2019

Ruby Fink is Our New Associate Editor, Audio Arts

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Audio Arts, Member Writing & Art, News

We’re very pleased to announce Ruby Fink’s promotion to Associate Editor of Audio Arts. Ruby began working with Fictional Café in the fall of 2016. We published her “Mickie McKinney, Boy Detective,” podcast series, which she wrote, directed and managed to get produced by bribing the actors with pizza. “Mickie” ran serially on FC in 2017. Ruby studied Film Production at Chapman University’s Dodge College, with a minor in Narrative and Dramatic Literature. She has her own production company, Faux Fiction Audio, in L.A. We offered Ruby the podcasting baristaship shortly after running the Mickie McKinney series, and since then she has been a major FC contributor and collaborator. She has brought us – and you – audio works from Jack J. Ward’s Electric Vicuna Productions, Kennedy Phillip’s “Magus Elgar,” M. “Josh” Donnelan’s “Six Cold Feet,”…

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July 10, 2019

John McKernan: A Deeper Look

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Member Writing & Art, Writing

MIDNIGHT PHONE CALLS FROM MY ALIAS Quit pretending you are still a teenager That girl at Wal-Mart keeps asking about you Have you written your obituary yet? Which of President Kennedy’s sluts did you like best? I’m not frightened Are you? Where have you been hiding? Making any money selling cheap fireworks? Why don’t you visit me anymore? Sure Go ahead Enlist in the Marine Corps Here are some verbs to help you out Crawl Slither Sneak Snivel Grovel Let me tell you something you need to know You want a crate of chocolate chip cookies? Buddha walked through the door showing us the new tattoos His entire body a geranium covered in blue and green and black and yellow and red What would it take to make you speechless? A maniac’s kitchen knife to cut out your tongue DIAMONDS OF SWEAT Drop to the dry ground Tiny explosions of dust A large serving of memory please In a chilled wine glass With slivers of yesterday I always…

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July 6, 2019

The Saturday Night Podcast: “Kinetic Fortress: A Narrative Interrupted”

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Audio Arts, Podcasts

As William N. Robson used to say on the “Suspense” radio dramas, “Listen . . . Listen, then . . .” as we present a surreal, ultra-contemporary podcast by JoAnne Maffia. A pseudo-biographical narrative, it delves into the mind of a woman trying to understand her identity in a world that, she feels, forces her to defend and justify it. As she grapples with her creative demons, her mind has become a kinetic fortress leading to what appears to be . . . but that’s for you, the listener, to determine. Listen, listen then, to “Kinetic Fortress.” Originally broadcast on PRX, used here on FC with the author’s permission. https://www.refoundsound.com/radio-works “Practise07” featured art painting by Tadao Ando, https://www.deviantart.com/taodao/art/practise07-319848260

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July 5, 2019

“Wash, Rinse, Dry… Repeat” by Zee Mink

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Member Writing & Art, Writing

Lie, then smile with penitent lips, as you continue to cheat Wash with repentance. Rinse with remorse, Dry tears of regret Repeat It is your anemic nature, your compulsive rogue swagger Coffee break room champion, scalawag bragger My own weakness, craving your wayward arms My insanity, always falling for your charlatan charms I am the princess of poor personal choices Never listening to the warnings of my inner voices My logical head knows, my deceiving heart excuses The blatant deception, the revolving heart abuses I tell myself to walk. NO RUN away and never look back He’ll change, this is the last time he’ll jump the loyalty track Truth be known, I am the genuine liar, the authentic phony I could have a steak, instead I feast on cheap baloney My table is set, same old menu, no wisdom served today Eating with a spoon of shame, digesting familiar foul play Zee writes from…

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July 2, 2019

Keith Kennedy: Feeling the Angst

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Member Writing & Art, Writing

Too Busy for Suicide I’m awfully sorry to be awfulIt was the camera – you see it, in the corner I was afraid that if I didn’t fall in lineThey’d make me wear a rose-colored shirtThey’d make me kill my family So I said what they wanted to hearI told them of your discretions, making sureNot to elaborate too far, so theyDidn’t find out what horrible things you’ve doneTo my ass, in my mouth, while the others watchedThey are sorry, too, for doing what they had to. When Pink was Heart I craved your body like a mindNo matter where the dead birds fellI changed my course to walk behindI stared at skin ’till I grew blind And when you dressed I felt the flames …

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July 1, 2019

“Broken” by Susi Bocks

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Member Writing & Art, Writing

What a freakish awakening this morning. My guts felt heavy, as if they contained weighted stuff like rebar with concrete. I felt sick but unable to purge because it would hurt more coming back up. “Why risk more injury?” I thought to myself. It was going to be an enormous challenge to make it through this day if this beginning was any indication. I pulled back the covers unmajestically to expose my left leg draped over the side, deftly anchored in between the mattress and box spring to help me propel upwards. It was not an easy feat. All the while, creepy flashbacks kept jutting into the brain space behind my eyes: struggling, hands, choking, bright lights, and a sense of foreboding as thick as pudding – a feeling of being under the control of another but not knowing who…

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July 1, 2019

Breaking News at The Fictional Cafe

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Member Writing & Art, News

We’d like a few moments of your time to share some special Barista News with you. Even though we’re 100 percent volunteer, non-commercial, and free for everyone to submit and read, that doesn’t mean there aren’t people working hard to bring Fictional Cafe to you. So we want to introduce several people who are making, and have helped make, Fictional Cafe what it is today. Every creative work submitted to FC is juried by two or three baristas. In the beginning, six years ago, all of that work fell on two baristas’ shoulders – Jack’s and Caitlin’s. What’s truly wonderful is that we have attracted talented people in all of our creative categories who have a voice in choosing what we publish. They all appear on our Baristas page. The people you’re about to meet…

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