July, 2019

Seeing Stars by Jim Bates

The last thing he thought before he hit the water was that she was right, he had been an idiot to dive off that cliff.

Jim lives in a small town twenty miles west of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He was raised by two strong women, his mother and his aunt, and hopes his writing reflects the positive influence they had on his life. His stories have appeared in CafeLit, The Writers’ Cafe Magazine, A Million Ways, Cabinet of Heed, Paragraph Planet and Mused – The BellaOnline Literary Review. You can also check out his blog to see more: http://www.theviewfromlonglake.wordpress.com.

 

 

Stark White by Maxine Flam
Trepidation fills my being because I can’t remember why I am in a straitjacket sitting in a rubber room. I hear footsteps. Oh my God.
Maxine Flam lives with her African dwarf frogs, fish, and mystery snails in North Hollywood, California. She enjoys feeding nuts to the four squirrels that live in the palm tree on her property. She has two Associate Arts degrees: one in Natural Science and one in Liberal Arts from Los Angeles Valley College. She has been published several times in the Op-Ed section of the Los Angeles Daily News.

 

 

Four pieces by Ellie Fabe
Brave New Pink 1964

Bell bottom Levis spin the sky paisley
telephoning ’til someone answers—
“One moment please—London calling…”
Eau de cologne!
Who hangs up on those chances?

Evening Green 1973

Old pop songs on the radio
masquerade in fields frosted with silver
slipping off
(in boots made for walking)
urgently searching for Muguet de Bois

Prairie Gold 1970

Set out for sunrise, Dr. Scholls—
in the shimmering heat
we crack like secrets in a magazine
lollipops fade
and sleep
just before it rains.

Peppermint 1974

Charlie Brown never saw how it turned out
He was just kind—
cool with a dog
and a world of kids
shuffling to his house

Ellie Fabe is an artist and singer/songwriter in Cincinnati. She loved toenail polish, but doesn’t wear it anymore. In 2016 she illustrated a new edition of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Illustrated By Ellie Fabe. http://www.elliefabe.com http://www.beautypanicpress.com

 

 

Stitch by Stitch by Natalie Ratzke

In out. In out. Needle piercing fabric. Button eyes and yarn hair. Pointed needle pinned through a fabric heart. Finally, the sound of utter silence.

Natalie Ratzke is a college sophomore and exotic animal caretaker.

 

Fairy Tailor by Victoria Molloy

Her wings did not fit quite yet. Maybe they just needed to be let out a bit. A little breathing room and she could fly.

Victoria Molloy is a happily devoted mother and wife. While most things in Victoria’s life are geared toward or pertaining to her boys, the one “girlie fuss” she always finds time for is a good pedicure. Victoria also loves all things winged (even has done indoor skydiving to see what it’d be like to fly), it’s what drew her to this title.

 

Dangerous Liaison by Gail Aldwin

Mollusks are slippery and warm
between lips and tongue.

Spear a carrot then slice the meat,
watch the blood pool.

Amaretto sponge cleans the palate.

Gail Aldwin’s published work includes a collection of short fiction Paisley Shirt which was longlisted in the Saboteur Awards 2018, adversaries/comrades a poetry pamphlet and The String Games, her debut novel, which has been longlisted in The People’s Book Prize for fiction. Getting to the next stages depends on public support. If you enjoyed Gail’s story please cast your vote. Click on the link below, scroll down to add your details, tick yes or no to receive the newsletter then submit. Voting ends 15 October 2019. Thank you for your support. https://peoplesbookprize.com/summer-2019/the-string-games. You can find Gail on Twitter @gailaldwin, on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/gailaldwinwriter/ and on her blog https://gailaldwin.com

 

 

Seven pieces by Tyrean Martinson

Vampire State Building

At the top step, Sarah paused, her pulse beating hard in her throat.
“Did we lose them?”
“Mostly.” I bared my sharp fangs.
She screamed.

Vampire State Building, Take 2

We held the elevators for late, single tourists on full moon nights.
Wooed them with the view.
Showed them who they could be, then drank.

Kiss Me at Midnight

I threw a masquerade, trapped him in a corner, and kissed him at midnight under a bold moon.
Enchanted, he would never leave me again.

Kiss Me at Midnight, Take 2

He knelt at midnight inside the fairy ring and brought the cold wet frog to his lips.
Transformed, he hopped happily away with his love.

Crown Me Already

I tapped my spiked heel and glared at my boy toy. What was his problem?
He turned to my flat-heeled sister and crowned her instead.

Pretzel My Buttons

I messed up again.
Buttoned my shirt wrong, one side of my collar brushing my chin.
It happened when I was guilty, alone with him.

Love Affair in Times Square

Every weekday, they met in Times Square.
But one morning, she wasn’t there.
Her face lit up the news screens above: murder-suicide by her husband.

Tyrean Martinson is a writer, daydreamer, teacher, and believer with a new hint fiction

series out in e-book. Ashes Burn, Seasons 1-7 follows the lives of three characters in a fantasy setting through over 200 hint fiction episodes. Tyrean can be found online at https://tyreanswritingspot.blogspot.com/

 

Stitch by Stitch by Clarissa McFairy

Her needles click-clacked the names of those bound for the guillotine. Madame Defarge smiled. This scarf was her best colour. A bright red. Sunset red.

Clarissa McFairy lives in Cape Town, South Africa. She writes short stories and poetry for anthologies, at home and abroad. Her poem, La Mia Musa was a vox poetica 2012 Best of the Net nominee. Her poetry book, Strange Bedfellows, published in the USA (Red Dashboard LLC Publishing) is available at Amazon.com. Clarissa says she writes as the muse grabs her and whirls her around the dance floor of life.

 

 

Advertisement