In ‘Contraband’, Juan Pablo Mobili poignantly and introspectively reflects on his past; not dwelling on it but returning to key pivotal moments of his life, into vignettes that have shaped his life experiences and making sense of his memories and echoes of the past, to learn from and to carefully document moments that some of us might share or relate to; from our own cultural, social and spiritual experiences in this earthly existence. In Mobili’s own words, he states, “What we will read and has become quite true for him; is that he doesn’t so much write about the past … Continue reading Don Beukes Reviews ‘Contraband’ by Juan Pablo Mobili

Books lead to films. Read one and you’re reminded of something you watched the other day. New material refers to past releases, either directly or in roundabout ways. Genres cross over, involving similar concepts, tropes, devices. Writers and directors lift, pay tribute, re-imagine, claim as their own and take it a step further in the name of compelling art. Pick up the trail and we end up making extraordinary connections. Welcome to Connection Degree Three … Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein… Rupert Goold’s True Story… Yorgos Lanthimos’ The Lobster. Three stories that concern unlikely couples, pairs brought together through a set of … Continue reading ON THE DANGER OF CRUSHING DUALITIES

I am a first time unpublished writer, who after almost eight years, has just completed my memoir and am getting ready to start submitting to literary agents. In the meantime, I have decided to submit some of my work and excerpts to writing contests.  I am sixty years old and live in Lunenburg, Massachusetts with my husband and three rescue dogs. I love pasta, baking, and anything chocolate. And, when I’m not working on my book, I love spending time with my family, especially my new granddaughter, and my mother,  who has not been well. I also enjoy gardening, reading, … Continue reading Theresa L Prokowiew

On an unseasonably cool July morning in Chicago, equivalent to David Copperfield, Judge Santiago Burdon was born on a Friday.  The Bronte sisters, Keats, Burns and especially Dickens inspired his study of English Literature. He attended Universities in the United States, London and Paris focusing his studies on Victorian novels and authors. His short stories and poems have been featured in a variety of magazines, on-line zines and podcasts;  The Remnant Leaf, Stay Weird  and Keep Writing, The Dope Fiend Daily, Independent Writer’s Blog, Spillwords, The Beatnik Cowboy, Down in the Dirt Magazine, Eskimo Pie, The Stray Branch, Anti-Heroin Chic, … Continue reading Judge Santiago Burdon

Salim Yakubu Akko is a Nigerian writer and poet. He has his works published/forthcoming in Applied Worldwide, World Voices Magazine, Trouvaille Review, Ice Lolly Review, ILA Magazine, Scratch Poetry Magazine, Upwrite Magazine and elsewhere. He has also been shortlisted for the 2021 Bill Ward Prize for Emerging Writers. Grief as My Uncle I’ve learnt how to speak in my motherland as how a toddler learns how to walk the language of grief I was taught how to count as how young poets reckon poetry lines the colours of grief grief is my mother tongue the language I learnt from my … Continue reading Salim Yakubu Akko

A former contributor to The Village Voice and Rolling Stone, Robert Levin is the author of “When Pacino’s Hot, I’m Hot, a Miscellany of Stories and Commentary” (The Drill Press), “Against Mental Health: Short Stories” (Cyberwit) and “A Robert Levin Reader: Fiction • Commentary • Jazz” (Cyberwit). He is also the co-author and co-editor, respectively, of two collections of essays about jazz and rock in the ’60s: “Music & Politics,” with John Sinclair (World Publishing) and “Giants of Black Music,” with Pauline Rivelli (Da Capo Press).  The Shooter Emerging from the john with her coat draped over her arm and … Continue reading Robert Levin

Janice Mathis lives in Acworth , GA with her husband of 36 years. She works as a Medical Assistant and Referral Coordinator for a private Physician group. She has worked in the medical field for over 30 years. Janice has always enjoyed music and poetry, but has only taken to writing seriously in the past three years. Using writing as an emotional outlet, she finds inspiration in the beauty of nature, the emotional dynamics of relationships and love of her family.  She has previously published a collection of poetry, “Clouds in the Looking Glass”,  through Kindle Direct Publishing, and most … Continue reading Janice Mathis

Ahmad Al-Khatat was born in Baghdad, Iraq. His work has appeared in print and online journals globally. He has poems translated into several languages such as Farsi, Chinses, Spanish, Albanian, Romanian. He has published some poetry chapbooks, and a collection of short stories. He has been nominated for Best of the Net 2019 and was also nominated for the Pushcart Price 2020. The Finest Cigarette  On the first day of the new year, I light the finest cigarette up and sip a cup of black coffee by myself, then write about hope on the typewriter. The night born with stars … Continue reading Ahmad Al-Khatat

Shelly Norris ripened in the wild west on a farm in Wyoming. She hails from a long line of post-Civil War migrants, pioneers, scofflaws, and illegitimates; wherever there is a “bastard” break in the lineage, that’s her line of people. She currently resides in the woods of central Missouri with her husband John, two dogs, and seven cats. Please, don’t judge. Working in the shadows grading sub-par college essays, advocating any 12-point font other than Calibri, and editing for other writers, she has been slow to send forth her own writings into the cold world of rejection and possible publication. … Continue reading Shelly Norris

Stephen House has had 20 plays, 3 short films, and several exhibitions produced. He has won many awards and nominations as a poet, playwright and actor. He’s received international literature residencies from The Australia Council to Canada, Ireland and USA, and an Asia-link India literature residency. His chapbook “real and unreal” was published by ICOE Press Australia. His next book is out soon. His poetry is published often, and he has performed his acclaimed monologues, “Appalling Behavior” and “Almost Face to Face” widely. Stephen’s play, “Johnny Chico” has been running in Spain for 2 years and continues. dead men’s clothes … Continue reading Stephen House