Princess Olivia by Joy Son Once upon a time there lived a lonely princess. She had a strong, wealthy king as a father but he paid little attention to his daughter and didn’t care if people starved in the village. In fact, he mostly only cared about money. Although Olivia’s father didn’t pay much attention to Olivia, he still loved her and cared for her. The one thing he was doing wrong was keeping Olivia away from the village that was once a happy place, full of laughter and singing. Olivia longed to go to the village and make sure the villagers were warm before the cold fell and winter moved in. Whenever Olivia tried to ask her dad a question, he would interrupt her right in the middle of a word. One Tuesday afternoon,…
“Painting for Personal Joy,” by Hume Baugh
Artist’s Statement: I’ve been painting for five years. I am mostly self-taught. When I started painting, I decided right away that I was going to paint for my own joy, not to please other people. I wasn’t going to worry about whether the paintings were thought to be good or bad but was going to celebrate whenever someone found something in them. I have worked in other artistic contexts and there is always pressure to do well, to excel. But what this resolution regarding painting did for me was free me to simply play. Like when I was a child and I had paints. Sheer playing. This has been my method of operation since. I learn all the time, I am always experimenting, facing challenges, correcting mistakes, following unexpected paths – that is part of…
The Joyous Poetry of Kufre-Udeme Thompson
I Feel Like Dancing I woke up this morning–– when the night was making love with the day: Mbodibo all over my body! when the sun was about to be conceived; I felt my spirit yearning; my pulses ticking, for a thing I fought in vain to understand. Then just when the tiny sweet voices of birds–– Ebomo nkuku, kuku! began to escape the thick bushes behind my hut, resounding new songs of joy and laughter–– my feelings became clear as the mirror; I understand now my long deepest yearning: I really, really feel like dancing! The urge far surpasses the desire for a woman, but `tis with a woman I want to dance–– Nka iferi, to be precise: the smartest and darkest of all, who’ll twist to my desired feat. I swear, I feel like dancing! Play me the evil drum made with human flesh–– the flesh of an old woman will give a spirited rhythm; Ntap nkanam, ntap nkanam nkanam. Let Anansa sing me the tune–– Anansa, the water goddess of the Ifa Ibom nation. I want to dance ekombi; Oh, ekombi itiad ntokon! Let me return to the past. Oyebap, oyebap Bokondo! I want to sway with the ancient; Fetch me my wrapper! Ekombi is…
“Madison on the Air” by Chrisi Talyn Saje
Happy Valentines Day Fictional Cafe Listeners! Do you love old time radio? Don’t know anything about old time radio? Well, if you enjoy comedy, we’re the show for you. Follow Madison Standish, a modern day influencer, as she gets zapped back into the Golden Age of Radio. Actual OTR scripts adapted! It’s as if the MST3K/Riff Trax guys were in the movies they riff. Every episode is stand-alone. Start at the beginning or jump to a title that grabs you. New episodes premiere the first of every month! When modern day twenty-something, Madison Standish, finds herself transported into old time radio dramas, her first stop is “Dragnet.” Partnering up with Sergeant Joe Friday, Madison must help track down a missing woman, and all evidence points to foul play. With the backdrop of 1950s Los Angeles,…
“Armageddon Series” Season 2! By Terry Tibke
As much fun as it is to dive into new stories (and, let’s be honest, get totally lost in them), it’s just as thrilling to welcome back ones we already know and love. So, even if I’m a bit late to the party (sorry, Terry—I swear I’ll get my timing right someday), I’m excited to present The Armageddon Series, Season 2! I didn’t create this audio adventure, but I’m more than happy to be your enthusiastic tour guide through the mayhem. Season 2 promises just as much fun, drama, and apocalyptic chaos as the first—if not more. So, whether you’re revisiting or tuning in for the first time, brace yourself. The end of the world has never been so entertaining! On a planet of feuding dragon tribes, a young dragonrider named Turim Gliderlance has become…
“A Life Lesson From Jimi” by Fiona Sinclair
*Featured Image courtesy of Thomas Kelley on Unsplash.* It’s always a pleasure to see a returning writer on FC. Fiona Sinclair, an excellent writer who has published with us before, has written a new piece that is guaranteed to keep you interested from the beginning to the end. Tom first heard about it crouching over an illicit transistor built by an enterprising boy in tech class. It was breaktime, he and his mates were tucked behind the outer wall of the gym; their “secret” hiding place teachers turned a blind eye to. Each band Radio Caroline announced was met with a choric wail by the boys, because most knew attending the festival was a fantasy. Except for Tom. I could go, he thought to himself, tallying in his mind his not inconsiderable savings account, product…
National Poetry Month 2024: Four Sonnets by Kai Jensen.
Kai kicks off NPM with an excellent collection of themed poems. Welcome to FC, Kai. Enjoy the blue ribbon! Desperado (Boneless Café) These short, bright autumn days, the sky a lighter blue than summer’s as though it’s fading with the year. The bay nudges into the land saying, Look what wealth of sparkles I bring. The fronds of the palms along Lamont Street dangle, relaxed, like a gunslinger’s fingers above the holster – or is that me, confident I can draw something out of all this loveliness to fly and pierce your heart? And like the desperado, I’m willing to gamble in this dangerous game of letting beauty enter us, my own flawed life. Boneless Café again Karen, on her way to a meeting, covered in zig-zags, stops to say hello as the track riffs…
Mexico’s Legend of “La Llorona” in Story and Song
Debuting an Extraordinary Realization from Auteur Philip Gabbard and Fat Unicorn Society Studios The Fictional Café is thrilled to join in the worldwide release today of Philip Gabbard’s stunning work, “La Llorona.” He wrote the story, wrote and orchestrated the music, and produced this video, which features a heartbreakingly beautiful duet. This truly incredible visual portrayal of the legendary La Llorona stars Angela Muniz in her debut performance, accompanied by Mexican recording artist Federico Valdez. In just three minutes, “La Llorona” will take you on a journey through centuries of folklore and cultural heritage, revealed with a new artistic perspective on this age-old story. Take a listen, enjoy, peruse the lyrics and read the interview with Phil below. We would love for you to share your thoughts in the Comments section, and please share this post with…
“Snowbirds” Created & Written by Linda Andersson
“Snowbirds” is a Audio Fiction Drama – A Quirky Female-Led Comedy/Crime Series created and written by Linda Andersson. Four New York City women have a group mid-life crisis when a bagman friend involves them in a jewelry smuggling sting. Starring:Gina Glass as StephanieDenise Warner-Gregory as LizAJ Carter as JakeStephanie Johnson as RandiGwenith Knight as FrancoLinda Andersson as Mish Starring:Gina Glass as StephanieDenise Warner-Gregory as LizAJ Carter as JakeStephanie Johnson as RandiGwenith Knight as Franco Starring:Gina Glass as StephanieDenise Warner-Gregory as LizAJ Carter as JakeStephanie Johnson as RandiGwenith Knight as Franco We hope you enjoyed listening to “Snowbirds”, written and created by Linda Andersson. Produced by Linda Andersson and Gina Glass. Linda Andersson is a writer/director/producer and a member of the Television Academy (EMMY’S ®).Although she originally wrote “Nobody Parks in L.A.” as a live action…
“The Retribution Squad,” A Novel by J.M. Henderson
If you’re upset by the shenanigans in American politics and government, this is a story for you. Author J.M. Henderson, a veteran and lifelong observer of the American Way, pulls no punches in this novel about eight patriots who go after the insurrectionists and their ilk who defiled Congress and attempted to stop Biden’s presidential election vote count on January 6, 2021. The Retribution Squad, born from the chaos of the January 6 insurrection in the nation’s capital, is operating outside the law. Led by old timers and vets, they are on a patriotic crusade to defeat the forces plotting an even bigger, more successful, much more deadly insurrection. They risk life, limb and incarceration to carry out lethal operations against the greedy and power-hungry who are destroying the Constitutional fabric of American democracy. Will…