"Snow falling on the Seine. It was half-past-two and it was quiet as it gets with the heavy falling snow and Hector was just starting to cross the Pont Neuf, heading home after a long night of writing. He was alone and cold and slightly drunk. Icy fog crawled across the river. The lights of … Continue reading From ONE TRUE SENTENCE by Craig McDonald
Happy New Year! “The Party” by Richard Kalich
Tired of being a stay-at-home and a couch potato, Charlie P gives a gala New Year’s Eve party which not only he but nobody else attends. Even Charlie P was surprised at the turnout. To be sure, this is the best party he’s never been to. The one he would least have wanted to miss. … Continue reading Happy New Year! “The Party” by Richard Kalich
Promotion in Australia on Dec. 15: KILLARNEY BLUES (read excerpt)
Excerpt from KILLARNEY BLUES by Colin O'Sullivan "Cathy is ignoring Janet’s requests to open the door. She stays in the same position. On the floor. On that nice soft carpet. Her legs are stretched out in front of her. Her head hangs low. She is a collapsed marionette. But who will pick up the strings … Continue reading Promotion in Australia on Dec. 15: KILLARNEY BLUES (read excerpt)
Excerpt: The Running Kind by Craig McDonald
“It is a long road that has no turning.”— Irish proverb 1 No happy ending ever started in a bar. The old friends had chosen to murder the afternoon drinking in the shadowy hotel pub mostly to evade December’s bitter chill. “All I’m sayin’ is that any son of a bitch who sets off … Continue reading Excerpt: The Running Kind by Craig McDonald
Kat and Edward at Christmas
Jackie Mallon about her story in our Christmas collection GIFTS
Excerpt from Gifts: Bittersweet Christmas Stories by Kevin Stevens
From “The Return of Eddie Sloan” by Kevin Stevens: “She checked on Wardell. He was fast asleep, dreaming of sugar plums. All the doors were locked. The backyard was deserted and the thin cover of fresh snow showed no footprints. In the parlor, the Christmas tree stood lightless and lonely, the angel on top askew. … Continue reading Excerpt from Gifts: Bittersweet Christmas Stories by Kevin Stevens
Excerpt from Gifts: Bittersweet Christmas Stories by Colin O’Sullivan
From “Be Good for Goodness Sake” by Colin O’Sullivan: “It is Christmas Day and they are having Christmas dinner, and Anita is trying her best to enjoy herself, trying to acclimatise. But the dreams keep coming back to her, the nightmares, the flashbacks, she doesn’t even have to be asleep, all she needs to do … Continue reading Excerpt from Gifts: Bittersweet Christmas Stories by Colin O’Sullivan
Excerpt from Gifts: Bittersweet Christmas Stories by Craig McDonald
From “Echoes” by Craig McDonald “You two are the closest thing to family I have, Hem, and it’s Christmas and that’s about the giving. You’ll just have to live with the receiving, you righteous son of a bitch.” Hector pointed to the gift for our son. “I’ve got no brother or sisters, so I’ll never … Continue reading Excerpt from Gifts: Bittersweet Christmas Stories by Craig McDonald
Excerpt from GIFTS: Bittersweet Christmas Stories by Jackie Mallon
From “Blue and Unassuming under a Christmas Star” by Jackie Mallon: “In Sean Kat recognizes not a point of conversation anymore but the repository for all her frustrations. “Give that money back, you little shit. Go on, hand it over.” She holds out her hand and several shoppers gasp. “Come on, it’s Christmas, let it … Continue reading Excerpt from GIFTS: Bittersweet Christmas Stories by Jackie Mallon
Excerpt from GIFTS: Bittersweet Christmas Stories by Richard Kalich
From “The Party” by Richard Kalich: “The entire affair was catered by the world’s greatest chefs, and platters of sumptuous foods were served by geishas in kimonos and men in black. Champagne flowed like April rain. Every guest was given a token of appreciation for not attending, diamonds and gold; and for those who didn’t … Continue reading Excerpt from GIFTS: Bittersweet Christmas Stories by Richard Kalich
Excerpt from GIFTS: Bittersweet Christmas Stories by David Hogan
From “Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White” by David Hogan: “It’s because of this spark that Mary called her brother, Brendan, back to Boston just before Christmas when he’d have preferred to be with his own family. It’s because of this spark that Brendan is now gathering leaves on this grey and bitter December morning. … Continue reading Excerpt from GIFTS: Bittersweet Christmas Stories by David Hogan
Excerpt from GIFTS: Bittersweet Christmas Stories by Sam Hawken
From “Feliz Navidad” by Sam Hawken: “It’s Christmas tomorrow,” Mr. Martinez told Raúl one day. “I know. There is a lot of talking about—” “I know what they’re talking about. They’ve been on about it all week. Don’t listen to them.” “But something must happen on Christmas,” Raúl insisted. “Maybe something will,” Mr. Martinez … Continue reading Excerpt from GIFTS: Bittersweet Christmas Stories by Sam Hawken
Excerpt from GIFTS by Hadley Colt
From “Slay Belles” by Hadley Colt: “Given his very reason for needing the disguise, and his attendant obligation to escort Selma to her misbegotten agency Christmas party, Ace desperately needed to find some way to pack a piece for swift and easy access. Looking down, he settled on his right, fur-topped Santa boot. Yes, an … Continue reading Excerpt from GIFTS by Hadley Colt
“Outside your Bedroom Window in the Rain” by Colin O’Sullivan
Been struck down with the neck hernia thingy again, thus the posts here have been a bit scant.
Never mind, I’m still rifling though old poems and stories and casting them out to see where they land. Who knows, there may be a “Collected Poetry” book someday, or a “Complete Shorter Fiction of”…you never know.
Here’s a poem, from the mid-nineties I reckon. Another one about rain (must be the Irishman in me).
Outside your Bedroom Window in the Rain
Wrapped,
a warm blanket,
your rich black hair
festoons the pillow.
Wrapped
in home things:
the soft rug that
takes to your toes,
the piano
you tinkle
every now and then,
the grandfather clock
and its quaint chime.
No need to stir
I’m outside
upping my umbrella.
Rain beats a thousand rhythms,
we’re both as sheltered.
Tonight you do not hear my puddle dance,
tomorrow you will not know my…
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A poem by Colin O’Sullivan – From A Bunch
I wrote two poems about budgies yesterday but somehow managed to accidentally delete them both. The poems were about how I’m not, repeat not, having a nervous breakdown. Although after losing both files I may rethink the whole not having a nervous breakdown thing…
There was a time when I wrote happy romantic little ditties. Like the one below, called From a Bunch.
In the meantime I’ll try and retrieve the poems (about the angry and obsessed budgies) from the bowels of the computer (both birds were called Franz) and also locate a poem I wrote on a napkin last week called Dead Flies. Psychiatrist’s couch here I come!
(Too much time listening to Swans, methinks)
Every little flower
and every myth
amaranthus
lotus
magnolia
daisy daisy
soon I will
tread among the weeds
and pick someone like you.
For a riveting novel about music and people’s secrets and relationships and drama…
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“The Nihilesthete”. Excerpt from the first novel of “Central Park West Trilogy” by Richard Kalich
"My studio apartment has all the features of an artist’s garret now. Everything careless, lackadaisical and purposefully strewn about. The only thing missing is the proverbial skylight, but I do have bay windows and a park view. Still, Montparnasse it’s not. There are canvases everywhere: rolls of canvas, stretched canvas, some stretched and mounted on … Continue reading “The Nihilesthete”. Excerpt from the first novel of “Central Park West Trilogy” by Richard Kalich
Excerpt: Roll the Credits
FRANCE: 1940 In the old days, if a horse stumbled three times you shot it in the head. As far as I was concerned, our driver had just made his second stumble. Well, arguably it was his third if you counted a certain slip of the tongue earlier in the late-morning. I’d wondered at Billy’s … Continue reading Excerpt: Roll the Credits
War is over… not quite yet
“You don't write about the horrors of war. No. You write about a kid's burnt socks lying in the road.” ―Richard Price Read here an excerpt from FRANCESCA, when the heroine’s home town of Dili, capital of East Timor, was invaded by the Indonesian army:
Excerpt: The Great Pretender
1 THE STRANGER “Perception is reality, that’s how the saying goes, isn’t it, Hec?” Hector Lassiter, novelist, screenwriter, and for the moment, literary executor, looked down at all the chilly pedestrians scurrying through the autumn wind tearing along Fifth Avenue. The fierce wind made eyes water and noses run down there. Up here the wind cut to bone. He … Continue reading Excerpt: The Great Pretender
Excerpt: Central Park West Trilogy
From The Nihilesthete 1. Something interesting happened to me today. As I was walking home from the subway after work, I stopped to watch an artist draw a picture of Christ on the sidewalk in front of the Maine Monument. There was a crowd surrounding the artist, but one area was left open purposefully. This … Continue reading Excerpt: Central Park West Trilogy
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