Saturday, January 23, 2010

Paula Ray: Writer Spotlight

My recommended writer/poet/musician of the week is the ever-melodious, Paula Ray. Her work is an amalgam of playful rhythm and muted rage. “Sometimes I want to be smothered. I want to feed my screams to someone else…” from Break Me.

I’ve never heard her create magic on a saxophone, but the inflection of her aptly labeled Musical Pencil cries out to be heard:
“Why did I chose the sax?
Because it spoke to me and said,
“press your lips against my grain,
cradle me against your womb,
release the wind within your mind
and I will send your screams, sorrows,
and sighs star-ward
until the sunburned sky
showers you with blues.”
from Horn of the Devil Sounds Sweet.

She can tease our senses with evocative verse:
“I was one of working girls,
taking innocents into my private room,
teaching them fingering and tonguing tricks,
how to blow soft, make it scream loud,
get high, and growl. It was all about diaphragm,
rhythm, flow, and letting go.”
from Sax Lessons.

And then, turn our world upside down in thirteen perfect words:
“You shake me up to watch,
my mind fall in flakes,
your amusement.”
from Inside the Snowglobe.

It would be an injustice not to mention her outstanding flash fiction, composed with the same stunning, muse-inspired instrument. “She took the pen in her hand, it was still warm and sweaty from his palm, she could feel his pulse thumping beneath the engraved gold plating.” from Abigail’s Song.

Do yourself a favor and become a fan.

Works of interest include:

Shoots and Vines: Inside the Snowglobe

Everyday Weirdness: Abigail’s Song

Word Riot: Break Me

Strange Road: Sax Lessons and Horn of the Devil Sounds Sweet


Visit Paula’s blog “Musical Pencil” and be prepared to sing:

Paula Ray: Musical Pencil



All work cited is Copyright 2009 Paula Ray, all rights reserved

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The Clarity of Night: Forgotten Ornithology

Jason Evans, attorney, writer, and twilightkeeper, has been hosting a Silhouette Short Fiction Contest on his bustling blog, The Clarity of Night. The challenge was to scribe a flash of 250 words or less on a provided image. My story, Forgotten Ornithology is entry #142.

The Clarity of Night: Forgotten Ornithology

Writers came out of the woodwork for this one. Many of my favorite writing friends have submitted their stories:

David Barber: Nature Is Cruel

Lee Hughes: The Mending of the Broken

Michael A. Kechula: Terrible News

Jodi MacArthur: Midnight Feathers

Michael J. Solender: Jumper

John Wiswell: No Sam For You

Jeffrey S. Callico: Window Seat

Go to the index link below for a full directory of all writers entered in the contest:

The Clarity of Night

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Preditors and Editors: Surrogate Fruit

In case you’re in the voting mood, my story Surrogate Fruit seems to have been nominated in the Horror Short Story category over at the Preditors and Editors site.

Preditors and Editors: Surrogate Fruit

Of course, I’m not alone. Fellow writers Robert C. Eccles, Brian Barnett, Jonathan Pinnock and Graeme Reynolds can be found there as well. So vote for your favorite.

Wednesday, January 6, 2010

The Poem Factory: Defrost & The Supper Table

I’m finally back to this blogging thing. I hope everyone’s holiday was magical. Yes, the day job is zapping all my energy and leaving very little room for writing. But I’m not gonna let them beat me. Anyway…

Author and editor, Salvatore Buttaci has been kind enough to publish two poems of mine, Defrost and The Supper Table in the Winter 2010 Issue of The Poem Factory.

The Poem Factory: Winter 2010 Issue

He’s featured some great work by some gifted writers. An author that should be familiar to you all, Jeanette Cheezum has a very heart-felt piece, Hope featured as well. Enjoy!