November 20, 2017

Announcing the FC Anthology Contest WINNERS!

Posted by in News
Announcing the FC Anthology Contest WINNERS!

Your baristas are delighted to announce the winners of our contest for the first Fictional Café Anthology: Genre Fiction 1st Place: Bill McStowe, “Love What You Find” 2nd Place: Beth Roper, “Ghost of an Idea” 3rd Place: David Sharp, “Lucy’s Monster” Literary Fiction 1st Place: Mindy Windholz, “Mirabilis” 2nd Place: Jenny Cokeley, “A Daisy by Any Other Name” 3rd Place: Amy Rivers, “Death and the Glutton” Poetry 1st Place: Suman Chatterjee, “A Beautiful Mind” 2nd Place: Allison Whitbeck, “Eyes” 3rd Place: Judith Manzoni Ward, “Sunday Morning Dreamscape” First place winners will receive our beautiful new FC coffee mug. Second and third place winners will receive a FC baseball hat. All winners will be featured in our forthcoming anthology, which is scheduled for publication April 15, 2018.   IMPORTANT: To receive your awards, please send an…

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November 18, 2017

Web Video: “The Bachelor: The Untold Story,” Episode 2

Posted by in Web Video
Web Video: “The Bachelor: The Untold Story,” Episode 2

As promised, here is the second episode of “The Bachelor: The Untold Story,” a satirical take on ABC’s hit TV show, “The Bachelor.” It’s the inspiration of Amanda Knapic and Charlie Parker, video auteurs from L.A. We debuted Episode 1 as our new web video feature yesterday. If you missed Episode 1, go here. Then come back and watch Episode 2 here. (11:35) And if you enjoyed Episodes 1 and 2, you can watch all seven of ’em here. Enjoy! And please let us know how you like this new video feature.

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November 17, 2017

Introducing [drumroll] WEB VIDEO! “The Bachelor: The Untold Story,” A Parody

Posted by in Web Video
Introducing [drumroll] WEB VIDEO! “The Bachelor: The Untold Story,” A Parody

Editor’s Note: We thank Natalie Rodriguez, our Video Barista, for introducing us, and now you, to this newest addition to the Fictional Café ‘zine: video! We plan to bring you a new video each month, beginning in January, 2018. This month, we introduce a parody-satire of the world-famous show, “The Bachelor.” It’s called, “The Bachelor: The Untold Story.” We’re publishing the trailer and first two episodes today and tomorrow, but it’s a seven-part web series you can watch in its entirety on YouTube. Here’s  how it came to be in the words of its creators. *** What started off as a “you know what would be funny?” conversation turned into three insane months filled with laughs, friendships, and the beginning of Charles-Manderz & Sons, a production company run by Charlie Parker and Amanda Knapic. “The…

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November 16, 2017

“The Green Sock is Good” – A Short Story by Riham Adly

Posted by in Member Writing & Art
“The Green Sock is Good” – A Short Story by Riham Adly

“How can you possibly go to work wearing these?” I looked down at my feet and smiled. “What’s wrong with them?” I pretended not to notice. “You’re wearing mismatched socks and one of them is green for Heaven’s sake! That’s bad luck,” Bob, my all-knowing husband, hollered, before pointing his index finger at my feet. Must admit though, the look on his face was priceless. “I don’t have to be a neat-freak like you, and besides they’re both clean. No holes in the soles, and contrary to your belief, green brings good luck.” His frown deepened as I started laughing. I wasn’t making any sense believing mismatched socks brought good luck, but they did—this pair at least. It all started last week when I was late for work. The alarm didn’t go for some reason,…

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November 14, 2017

An Art Show from French Painter Anne-Marie Guilleman

Posted by in Guest Posts
An Art Show from French Painter Anne-Marie Guilleman

If you just happen to be in the city of Brest, France this week, you’ll want to visit Galerie ZonZon, at 50 rue Emile Zola. You’ll be greeted by the gallery’s lovely owner, Daniele Maguet, and shown the work of Anne-Marie Guilleman hanging on the gallery walls. Although Anne-Marie’s paintings tend to depict subjects near or on the water – after all, she calls Normandy, on the northern coast of France, home – there is a je ne sais quoi about her expression, not only in the scenes but also in the people she depicts. She calls this, “marines nocturnes.” Here is a sampling. Please click on the work for a full-screen view. A St. Petersburg wharf   (in the city of) Brest and beyond   Brest: rue Siam trolley tracks   Evening lights under…

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November 8, 2017

Last Day to Vote! Round 2 of the Championship Playoffs

Posted by in News
Last Day to Vote! Round 2 of the Championship Playoffs

Today, Sunday, November 12, is your last chance to vote in the final Playoff Round! All voting ends at 11:59 p.m. EST tonight. Winners will be announced tomorrow, Monday, at 6:00 p.m. EST. After you’ve voted for these works, they winners of Rounds 1 and 2 will compete for the Championship. Here are the contestants and the link where you can cast your vote: Allison Whitbeck, “Eyes” vs. Judith Manzoni-Ward, “Three Poems” Melissa Campbell Leon, “Loves” vs. Amy Rivers, “Death and the Glutton” Jenny Cokeley, “A Daisy” vs. William Masters, “Siren’s Lament” Click here to begin reading and vote for your favorite stories. Fictional Cafe Contest Championships final Round Voting ends Sunday, November 12, at 11:59 p.m. Let’s all vote so we can learn who our champions are!  

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November 6, 2017

Resurrection: A Novel by Kylie Stewart

Posted by in Member Writing & Art
Resurrection: A Novel by Kylie Stewart

The Legend Series follows the mystical tale of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Arthur, now known as The Duke of Avalon, is a cursed man living in the modern world, desperate to break the curse that has plagued him for over a century. Forced to live a thousand years watching his beloved Queen live hundreds of lives just beyond his reach, he has now made active strides to make her his and break the curse.  Alexandria York is just a normal young woman, an artist, striving to make her mark on the world. When she meets The Duke of Avalon, she is catapulted into a world where the impossible is possible, and her Dragon of a Duke is her King. Alexandria must make peace with her fate and chose the love…

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November 5, 2017

Championship Playoffs, Round 1: The FC Anthology Contest Continues!

Posted by in News
Championship Playoffs, Round 1: The FC Anthology Contest Continues!

Last week we wound up the rematches. Today we launch the Championship Playoffs of The FC Anthology Contest. Without further adieu, please read the following works and vote for your favorite(s): Round 1, Fiction: William Cooke, “Winter’s Walk” vs. Amy Rivers, “Giving up the Ghost” Mindy Windholm, “Mirabilis” vs. Mike Mavilia, “Triumphant Return” Joanna Ghazali, “Night Shift” vs. Beth Roper, “Ghost of an Idea” Round 1, Poetry: Judy Wood, “Winter Moon” vs. Suman Chatterjee. “Beautiful Mind” Click to get those votes out, and thank you for participating! https://www.fictionalcafe.com/fictional-cafe-contest-championships/

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November 1, 2017

The FC Anthology Contest Resumes!

Posted by in News
The FC Anthology Contest Resumes!

Dear Coffee Club Members, Contestants and Friends Everywhere, It’s time for the rematches. We had a lot of ties and some no-votes, but here are the Round 1 playoffs! Jane Ward for “Diplomacy” vs. Natalie Rodriguez for “Tongue Tied” Peggy McAloon for  “Elle Burton” vs. Bill McStowe for “Love What You Find” Dee Horne for “Catalupa” vs. Annie Tvetenstrand for “Musee” Please click here to cast your votes and check in on Thursday for Championship Round 1. https://www.fictionalcafe.com/fictional-cafe-contest-championship/  Voting ends at 11:59 pm November 2nd. Yours Truly, Jason

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October 26, 2017

Paula Park’s Tree Photography

Posted by in Fine Art
Paula Park’s Tree Photography

Artist’s Statement: I gravitate toward trees, as I grew up in a forest and I find being surrounded by trees soothing. As you can see from my photos, I don’t photograph with my eye for splendor and colorful foliage. Trees to me touch a darker quieter spot in myself. Rain, fog, and trees go together for me; they speak to the soulful and reflective side of ourselves, a dark wisdom. Please click on the images to see in full screen view. Editor’s Note: The poet Joyce Kilmer wrote, “I think that I shall never see / A poem as lovely as a tree.” Our hearts go out to Paula Park and the people of Sonoma and Napa Counties, California, who have lost so many of their beautiful trees and, all too often, more. Rejoice that the…

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