492 posts by Jack B. Rochester

June 7, 2023

Our Writer in Residence Hikes the Grand Canyon

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Featured Posts, Interviews, Member Writing & Art, News

Rachel Gonzalez, Fictional Café’s Fiction Writer in Residence, recently completed an adventure known as the “Grand Canyon Rim-to-River-to-Rim” hike. In April, 2023, Rachel and three friends started at one edge, or rim, of the Grand Canyon, hiked down a vertical mile to the bottom, along the Colorado River, and then back up the opposite side to the other rim – about 17 miles in all. AllTrails says this hike on the South Kaibab, Phantom Ranch, and Bright Angel Trails, is “Generally considered a challenging route.” Here, in words and images, is the tale of Rachel’s adventure as told to Fictional Café. Very special thanks to Becky Armendariz for her photography. Fictional Café: Hi, Rachel. Challenging indeed! When did you hike it? Rachel: Hi, Jack! We went out April 13th. We were staying at Bright Angel Lodge,…

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June 5, 2023

Impact! A Sci-Fi Trilogy by C.K. Westbrook

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Featured Posts, Writing

We continue “The Impact Series” Trilogy with volume 2, “The Collision” We recently attended a book fair where we met the author, C.K. Westbrook, and were intrigued by “The Impact Series,” a science fiction trilogy: The Shooting, The Collision, and The Judgment. In each volume the story, told a day at a time, is that of Kate Stellute, who works for the United States Space Force in the near future and while out for a run is abducted by an alien. She becomes its media connection to the people of earth, who are warned they must change their ways or be obliterated. As the author writes: As the world continues to reel from the shooting, Kate must race to save humanity from more horrific violence. After escaping an angry, dangerous mob, Kate Stellute and her neighbor…

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May 29, 2023

Impact! A Sci-Fi Trilogy by C.K. Westbrook

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Featured Posts, Writing

We recently attended a book fair where we met the author, C.K. Westbrook, and were intrigued by “The Impact Series,” a science fiction trilogy: The Shooting, The Collision, and The Judgment. In each volume the story, told a day at a time, is that of Kate Stellute, who works for the United States Space Force in the near future and while out for a run is abducted by an alien. She becomes its media connection to the people of earth, who are warned they must change their ways or be obliterated. As the author writes: Life will never be the same for Kate. After almost every gun owner worldwide turns their weapon on themselves in a terrifying fifteen-minute window, Kate Stellute, like the rest of the population, searches for answers. The mass shooting is enormous…

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May 27, 2023

Staying Safe Is Not A Random Act

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Book Reviews, Featured Posts

Barista Jason Brick’s New Book About Family Safety We are constantly reminding others to stay safe, but it took our own Jason Brick to put some weight behind the idea with his work and his new book, Safest Family on the Block: 101 Tips, Tricks, Habits, and Hacks to Protect Your Family at Home, at School, and in the World. Just published, it’s already a #1 best seller on Amazon, and for good reason. We’re starting Memorial Day weekend which is perennially a three-day accident waiting to happen. We cannot be too careful on bikes, in cars, swimming, barbequeing – anything, really. In this book, author Jason distills his knowledge into important, simple tips any parent can use to protect their loved ones at home, at school, at work, and abroad . . . all…

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May 4, 2023

SPECULARIS: A New Art Exhibition in Boston

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Featured Posts, Fine Art

Steve Sangapore, a Boston artist and formerly Fine Arts Barista at The Fictional Cafe, is one of the most innovative creators it’s our privilege to know. He paints, sculpts, writes philosophy and hosts fascinating exhibits. In all his creative pursuits he’s always welcome at The Fictional Cafe. This week, Steve and fellow artist Rob Sullivan open a new art exhibit at Boston’s Fountain Street Gallery. This ambitious show of painting and sculpture brings to life its title, a Latin term that directly translates to “you watch” or “you look.” The work invites viewers in with its combination of traditional and modern practices and, echoing the contemporary specular, involves aspects of lenses and mirrors. Whether communicating transparency, the beauty of form or human spirituality, it is as if the artist is portraying images through a lens….

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April 27, 2023

Our National Poetry Month Finale: Vera West

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Writing

Please welcome Vera West, The Fictional Cafe’s Poet in Residence, who shares her thoughts about our National Poetry Month celebration: chickadee I’m not always angry but I am mostly melancholy, thinking about those little potholes of memories riddling a twisting road of disappointment; these memories jar me: pancakes, carnivals, front yard barbecues, black fridays and pastel pink egg hunts, nicknames no one else called me; these memories always jarred me, they’re so different than the standard of both back then and now. ** thinking of you Things you did right: encourage me to be authentic, drive me around town, instill independence, and push high expectations. [I want to be somewhere in the middle, between the good and the bad, between emotion and logic, but I’m stuck in extremes. either I miss you terribly or hate you…

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April 25, 2023

Week Four: Eric Forsbergh, Susan Simonds, and Eric Goodman

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Writing

Two Erics? How did that happen? Is it a coincidence or kismet? Let’ give ’em both a read before we decide. Here’s our first, Eric Forsbergh. The Love Poetry of Eric Forsbergh My Lucky Jacket My lucky jacket drapes me pleasingly: a cross between the wings of victory and an asbestos fire suit. A cloth talisman, it buffs my confidence to polished brass. After all, I wore it during our initial kiss. It’s my fabric shield the eyes of trolls roll off. On my motorcycle, in the rain, I swear this jacket wards me from a lightning strike. You’re my loving skeptic. You claim it’s not a coffin or a cure. You claim what counts will rise within my skin. My lucky jacket? Some days it’s like a rescue blanket made of foil: shiny and…

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April 18, 2023

“The Great Adverb War” by Russ Lopez

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Writing

Time out from our celebration of National Poetry Month for a fun, witty short story about the nemesis of all writers: the adverb. Or is it? The Merriam-Webster Dictionary states, “Adverbs are words that usually modify—that is, they limit or restrict the meaning of—verbs. They may also modify adjectives, other adverbs, phrases, or even entire sentences. Got it? Read on. The Great Adverb War A Short Story by Russ Lopez To nearly everyone’s surprise, the most contentious divide among Provincetown’s writers was not fiction vs. nonfiction, prose or poetry, or even the need for an Oxford comma, though Benji Camarillo’s husband had famously threatened to file for divorce over his refusal to use one after the penultimate noun in a series. No. The large, historic writing community in town violently splintered over adverbs. The war…

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April 18, 2023

Week Three: John Kucera, Jaya Abraham, Gopal Lahiri

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Writing

Poet and fabulist John Kucera entertains us with two poems and two fables, an ancient form of narrative intended to entertain and instruct. Compass Clouds and storms hover Over us like a lost thought. A strange idea we once had to build a log cabin together and explore worlds beyond our own. But our lives were surmounted by menial tasks and we never got around to our plans like the campfire and the sunsets and the paintings of a dry winter and the umbrella of youth closing slowly but surely on all these things we remember later in our circles of routine. We were both deserted but they were also forgotten. Our plans, still changing, and guiding us today like the compass above a rooftop and the wolf we patted at the Indian neighbor’s house,…

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April 14, 2023

Jeff Corwin: Trust in Vision

Posted by Jack B. Rochester in Fine Art

Over the years, Jeff Corwin has taken photos out of a helicopter, in jungles, on oil rigs and an aircraft carrier. Assignments included portraits of famous faces, including Bill Gates and Groucho Marx and photos for well-known corporate clients like Microsoft, Apple, Rolls-Royce and Time/Life. After 40+ years as a commercial photographer, Corwin has turned his discerning eye to fine art photography. Corwin has carried his vision forward, to see past the clutter and create photographs grounded in design. Simplicity, graphic forms and configurations that repeat are what personally resonate. Visual triggers are stark and isolated vistas: a black asphalt road cutting for miles through harvested wheat; an empty, snowy field with a stream creating a curve to a single tree; or a small barn, the roof barely visible above a barren hillside. Trusting his…

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