May Featured Author: Neetu Malik
May 14, 2019 by Neetu Malik in category Featured Author of the Month tagged as May Featured Author of the Month, Neetu Malik, Poet's Day, poetry
Neetu Malik’s poetry is an expression of life’s rhythms and the beat of the human spirit. She draws upon diverse multicultural experiences and observations across three continents in which she has lived. She has contributed to The Australia Times Poetry Magazine, October Hill Magazine, Prachya Review, among others. Her poems have appeared in The Poetic Bond Anthology V and VI published by Willowdown Books, UK, NY Literary Magazine’s Tears Anthology and Poetic Imagination Anthology (Canada).
Her poem, “Soaring Flames”, was awarded First-Place by the NY Literary Magazine (2017). She has also been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, 2019 for her poem “Sacred Figs” published by Kallisto Gaia Press in their Ocotillo Review in May, 2018.
Neetu lives in Pennsylvania, USA.
0 0 Read more
May Featured Author: Neetu Malik
May 7, 2019 by Neetu Malik in category Featured Author of the Month tagged as Author of the Month, Neetu Malik, poetry
Neetu Malik’s poetry is an expression of life’s rhythms and the beat of the human spirit. She draws upon diverse multicultural experiences and observations across three continents in which she has lived. She has contributed to The Australia Times Poetry Magazine, October Hill Magazine, Prachya Review, among others. Her poems have appeared in The Poetic Bond Anthology V and VI published by Willowdown Books, UK, NY Literary Magazine’s Tears Anthology and Poetic Imagination Anthology (Canada).
Her poem, “Soaring Flames”, was awarded First-Place by the NY Literary Magazine (2017). She has also been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, 2019 for her poem “Sacred Figs” published by Kallisto Gaia Press in their Ocotillo Review in May, 2018.
Neetu lives in Pennsylvania, USA.
May Featured Author: Neetu Malik
April 30, 2019 by Neetu Malik in category Featured Author of the Month tagged as May 2019 Featured Author, Neetu Malik, Poet's Day, poetry
Neetu Malik’s poetry is an expression of life’s rhythms and the beat of the human spirit. She draws upon diverse multicultural experiences and observations across three continents in which she has lived. She has contributed to The Australia Times Poetry Magazine, October Hill Magazine, Prachya Review, among others. Her poems have appeared in The Poetic Bond Anthology V and VI published by Willowdown Books, UK, NY Literary Magazine’s Tears Anthology and Poetic Imagination Anthology (Canada).
Her poem, “Soaring Flames”, was awarded First-Place by the NY Literary Magazine (2017). She has also been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, 2019 for her poem “Sacred Figs” published by Kallisto Gaia Press in their Ocotillo Review in May, 2018.
Neetu lives in Pennsylvania, USA.
Featured April Authors: Janet Elizabeth Lynn & Will Zeilinger
April 29, 2019 by Janet Elizabeth Lynn and Will Zeilinger in category Featured Author of the Month tagged as A Slylar Drake Mystery, hard-boiled mysteries, Janet Elizabeth Lynn, Will Zeilinger
Published authors Will Zeilinger and Janet Lynn wrote individually until they got together and created the Skylar Drake Mystery Series. These hard-boiled tales are based in old Hollywood of 1956-57. Their world travels have sparked several ideas for murder and crime stories. This creative couple is married and live in Southern California.
The next Skylar Drake Mystery, fifth in the series, GAME TOWN is available now and yes…they are still married!
Game Town
Excerpt
Janet Elizabeth Lynn & Will Zeilinger
Two o’clock in the morning. I’d just left the Emmy Awards ceremony at the NBC Television Studio in Burbank. All of Hollywood and its finest had shown up to honor the best of television for 1956. The winners and losers were either at a party celebrating or hiding somewhere licking their wounds. My partner, Casey Dolan was in the passenger seat. It was pouring rain when we left Burbank, but seemed to be lessening as we headed away from the valley.
We’d been hired by Epic Studios to escort a couple of their up and coming starlets to and from the event. In truth, we were their bodyguards. The motion picture and TV studios weren’t taking chances with their human investments.
The two young ladies in the back seat were passed out cold. I suspected they’d had a little too much Champagne before and during the ceremony.
I drove through one of the most exclusive and expensive neighborhoods in Los Angeles. Ahead we spotted a lot of activity on the street. Dolan sat up and stared at the mess ahead, “What the Hell?”
Several police cruisers and what looked like government cars were lined up in front of a house. As we got closer, I saw the address. 859 in brass letterabove the front door – the address where I was to deliver the girls.
I parked at the opposite corner. Dolan said, “I’ll stay here and keep watch on the girls.”
When I sprinted up the wet sidewalk and ducked under the yellow police tape, I heard a familiar voice.
“Drake, over here!” It was FBI Agent Olivia Jahns
I followed Jahns into the mansion where the body of a woman in a pure white coat with a white fur collar was sprawled on the hardwood floor at the foot of a marble staircase. Her light blonde hair and fur coat were soaked with blood. The handle of a knife protruded from her waist.
“Who is…?”
“The victim’s name is Silver Brovor-Smith. She’s the mother of Holly Becker, one of the young ladies in your charge.”
We looked out the front door. The press had already gathered on the front lawn which didn’t help the chaos as the street.
The two starlets came running past me, “No!” Holly yelled when she saw her mother’s body on the floor.
Theresa, the other young lady, shouted, “Oh my God. Oh my God!” She struggled to join her friend Holly, but Dolan had his hands full, holding her back from the scene.
I took Holly by the shoulders and turned her away from the bloody scene. She looked toward the stairway.
“What did you do to her?” Holly shouted at an older man wearing a white tuxedo coming down the stairs. Holly broke away from me and ran toward him. She began kicking and punching him, screaming, “What did you do to her?”
Several officers pulled her away, but she continued kicking and flailing, “You killed her!”
The Skylar Drake Mystery Series
0 0 Read more
Kiss Me, I’m Irish by Jaclyn Roche
April 25, 2019 by marianne h donley in category Apples & Oranges by Marianne H. Donley tagged as #Charmed Writers, Flash Fiction 2019, Jaclyn Roche, Short Stories, The Charmed Connection
Last month in the Facebook Group, The Charmed Connection, members of Charmed Writers posted some flash fiction short stories in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Charmed Connection members voted for their favorite stories. The top four stories will be published this month on A Slice of Orange.
Our last story in this series is by Jaclyn Roche.
Jaclyn lives in the woods of Maine on a Mountain next to a lake and shares her version of utopia with her husband, two sons, two giant fur babies, two tiny feather babies and a few toads! Jaclyn’s short story, “Harvest of Memories” was published in Charmed Writers Presents: Flash Fiction 2019.
Follow her on social media:
Kiss Me, I’m Irish
Angela had never been to a Saint Patrick’s Day party and had no idea what to expect having been raised outside of the U.S. She supposed she expected a big grand event rather than the tame one she drove up to. Walking up the sidewalk lined with garden beds, screeching bagpipes drifted out of the opened windows. A squeal of the pipes nearly sent her hands to her ears. No professionals here. Laughter from inside kept tune with the squeaks and shrieks coming her way. Her knees trembled. Angela turned about to head back for her car. The front door to the cottage swung open and the screen door caught the Irish flag before it swung into the house.
“Angie! Welcome!” James’ smile was wide, wider than usual and mossy green eyes brighter than normal. His freckled cheeks tinged with a rosiness he got while drinking or exercising and Angie knew there wasn’t any exercising going on at the moment. He wrapped his long strong arms around her.
“Hey sweetie,” Angie’s feet dangled in the air from his burly bear hug. James smacked her lips with his leaving them wet and tasting of whiskey, “into the good stuff already, I see.” Her feet touched the tile and he grasped her hand dragging her through the one-story home.
“I can’t wait for you to meet my parents. They’re going to love you!” James
spoke fast and his pitch elevated. He skipped off to the kitchen with her in tow.
The pit-pat of her heart now revved up to a fast thudding against her chest. Her breath hitched in her throat as they crossed the threshold into the aromatic room causing Angie’s stomach to growl loudly and uncontrollably. Oh no. Angie bit her trembling lip. Her hand would have shaken if it weren’t still encased in James’. And now that his warm grasp left her it did shake.
“Well, hello there, Angela.” Mrs. O’Conner’s auburn hair was peppered with gray at the temples. Her slight hands reached out to clasp Angie’s darker bronzed one. “Welcome to the family.” She brought Angie in for a hug; her smile genuine. Her eyes kind and caring as she let go and turned towards the buffet stacked with goodies. “Now, let’s get you fed before Boomer here gets onto the table and eats everything.”
Boomer, their French Bulldog, danced around Angie’s feet. The poor thing decked out in a shamrock springy headband that said “Kiss Me” on one clover and “I’m Irish” on the other. Angie burst out with laughter and picked the dog up receiving wet sloppy kisses all over her face. How perfect. Her jitters left and she fell in love all over again with James’ family.
We hope you enjoyed Jaclyn’s story. You can read the other stories in the series here:
Fiona Malone’s Fesh by Veronica Jorge
The Last Serpent by Angela Pryce
Payment in Kind by Roxy Matthews
Read Jaclyn’s short story, “Harvest of Memories” in Charmed Writers Presents: Flash Fiction 2019
Nothing Found
1 0 Read more
Featured Books
COME MIDNIGHT
A routine flight turns into a suspenseful race through the remote jungles of Honduras
More info →
PIVOT
Three friends, each survivors of a brutal childhood, grew up together in foster care. Now as women, they’re fighting for their lives again.
More info → COLTON 911: CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE
From hunting cattle rustlers
To being hunted by a killer
THE DECEPTION
When missing turns to murdered, one woman's search for answers will take her to a place she never wanted to go…
More info → IF I CAN’T SLEEP, YOU CAN’T SLEEP
Disturbed and Disturbing Bedtime Reading to Inflict on Naughty Children . . . Of All Ages
Five fairy tales and five short stories to perplex and disturb!
