50 to 1

January 7, 2012 Issue: Old Long Since

2012-01-07T22:08:00.000-05:00

Another year in the books, another round of "Auld Lang Syne" sung by the masses. I've always wondered what the real words were to that song, since I'm pretty sure the only times I've heard it sung correctly were when I was watching It's A Wonderful Life. Turns out, the literal translation of the title is Old Long Since, and while that is not quite grammatically correct, it somehow makes more sense to me then a lot of other things this time of year. In this new issue of 50 to 1 we look at some fantastic new work from KC Kovacs, Mark Boss, Andrew Stancek, Harry Pauff, Abigail Wyatt, Chuck Dillon and John C. Mannone.

Paul is going to have to start treating politics like a spectator sport if he's ever going to be able to take it seriously again.

Thanks A Lot by KC Kovacs

2012-01-07T22:01:00.002-05:00

Thanks A Lot by KC Kovacs

Oatmeal stuck to the inside of the bowl like dried cement, resistant even to the Brillo pad she expertly wielded. The metal scraped and squealed as she dragged it along the bottom curves. Her glance moved to the remaining pile of dishes. One more thing he was never good for.

KC Kovacs wanders the universe, trying to remain as anonymous as possible. You probably don't know her, even though you think you do.

1st Line by Mark Boss

2012-01-07T22:01:00.001-05:00

1st Line by Mark Boss

The smell woke her - something thick and coppery.

Mark Boss writes novels, which are available at most online booksellers. He blogs at: www.chimpwithpencil.com.

Juicy by Andrew Stancek

2012-01-07T22:01:00.000-05:00

Juicy by Andrew Stancek

Eve stretched, plucked the radiant apple off the high branch and bit. Tart juice oozed down her chin, lingered, rolled down one breast. She bit again. She glanced at her sleeping companion and his snake. She shook him, thrust the apple into his hand. “Eat.” She realized they were naked.

Some of Andrew Stancek's recent fiction appeared in Pure Slush, A Twist of Noir, Right Hand Pointing, Prime Number Magazine, Istanbul Literary Review and others. THIS Literary Magazine nominated him for a Pushcart Prize.

1st Line by Harry Pauff

2012-01-07T22:00:00.002-05:00

1st Line by Harry Pauff

The day I put a piece of bologna into the CD player and cranked the volume up was the day I knew I had to go to rehab.

Harry Pauff drives a green car, enjoys sushi and loves writing.

The Home-Coming by Abigail Wyatt

2012-01-07T22:00:00.001-05:00

The Home-Coming by Abigail Wyatt

The house is cold, biting, bitten, gnawed at by winter. Upstairs, a woman sobs as a new-born infant howls. At the foot of the stairs, between peeling walls, a grey-faced young man seems to hesitate. His eyes take in the first floor landing and then slide towards the still-open door.

Abigail Wyatt writes for her life near Redruth in Cornwall. She resents having to go to work and lives in fear that she will just run out of time.

1st Line by Chuck Dillon

2012-01-07T22:00:00.000-05:00

1st Line by Chuck Dillon

No one makes it through a lifetime without doing something incredibly stupid, and as of last night, I was no exception.

Chuck Dillon is a question wrapped in an enigma wrapped in bacon.

Afghanistan on Christmas Day by John C. Mannone

2012-01-07T21:59:00.000-05:00

Afghanistan on Christmas Day by John C. Mannone

Snow fell thick and the ground grafted its new skin. Clouds gathered over the scarred land: months of abuse, the black-and-blue hills, pounded. Even the tanks and their turrets were covered and silent. White landscape delved into gray sky. And there was peace on Earth, at least for one day.

John C. Mannone has been nominated three times for the Pushcart. His work appears in Conclave, The Medulla Review, Rose & Thorn Journal, Hinchas de Poesía, The Pedestal, Magnapoets, Glass, Lucid Rhythms, Prime Mincer and many others. He is the poetry editor for Silver Blade, an adjunct professor of physics in east Tennessee and serves as a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador. Visit The Art of Poetry.

December 3rd, 2011 Issue: The Long Haul

2011-12-03T13:42:00.002-05:00

November was a crazy month, let me just say. 50 to 1 went on a bit of a hiatus as I tried to concentrate on my novel. Yes, you read that correctly. Did you know November was National Novel Writing month? These guys did, and challenged folks to write a 50,000-word novel in thirty days. Somehow I decided it would be a good idea to get involved, and settled in for The Long Haul.

This issue brings you the work of Benjameno Ĉarlo Kraŭs, Marta Pelrine-Bacon, Michelle Morouse, Sam Cicero, Glen Binger, Mary Ann Back and Jill Simons.

Paul managed to make it to 47,300 words in his novel, if you were wondering.

Self Interview, Part 13 by Benjameno Ĉarlo Kraŭs

2011-12-03T13:41:00.001-05:00

Self Interview, Part 13 by Benjameno Ĉarlo Kraŭs

So if everyone’s on drugs, when do you know your use has become a problem?

When you find yourself cutting open the mesh gym shorts whose pockets held the fifty gram bag you went through, in order to get at the previously-unattainable bits that were stuck between the folds.

Benjameno Ĉarlo Kraŭs is a poet, polyglot, editor of two journals, publisher of Diamond Point Press, founding member of Poems Without Borders, web designer, nonfiction writer, essayist, literary critic, literary translator, and inventor of the poetry form quincouplet. People often ask him how he manages to do so many projects at once.

Drifting Through Space by Marta Pelrine-Bacon

2011-12-03T13:40:00.001-05:00

Drifting Through Space by Marta Pelrine-Bacon

Eden Ashe was the last astronaut on the moon. The others went to Mars and then into deep space. She never heard what happened. She watched the lights go out around the earth. When they no longer answered her radio signals, she climbed the debris of the spacecraft and jumped.

Marta Pelrine-Bacon is a writer, artist, teacher, mom and wife, living in Austin, Texas. For her art she takes the rough drafts of her novels and short stories and cuts up the pages to make pictures or whatever else comes to mind. She drink too much coffee and speed skates. She has had a fairy tale published in the online journal Cabinet des Fees, and her art published in a few other places, too.

1st Line by Michelle Morouse

2011-12-03T13:39:00.001-05:00

1st Line by Michelle Morouse

Once in a while, she received checks from him in random amounts, like royalties from some long ago, one-hit wonder.

Michelle Morouse is a life-long Michigan resident, pediatrician and novice writer.

The Mayor's Shower by Sam Cicero

2011-12-03T13:38:00.005-05:00

The Mayor's Shower by Sam Cicero

Lately, the mayor was having a harder time mustering the courage to get out of the shower every morning. The warm water would flow all around him until the tub overflowed. Once he heard the neighbors bang and shout, “We’re being flooded!” he knew it was time to get out.

Sam Cicero was born in the woods along the Northern New Jersey coast in an age of great darkness: the Reagan years. He survived the wicked times by eating cast offs from a local pizza shop. He is the founder and head editor of the literary zine Lo Fidelity.

1st Line by Glen Binger

2011-12-03T13:37:00.001-05:00

1st Line by Glen Binger

Fingers crossed behind her back, she promised him that it was his son – it had to be.

Glen Binger writes things when he isn't in grad school, defending America from becoming more stupiderly dumber. He was born in space.

Mr. Starks by Mary Ann Back

2011-12-03T13:36:00.001-05:00

Mr. Starks by Mary Ann Back

Mr. Starks is unnerving. His smile is taut when he comes to call. His eyes, black and merciless, mask an insatiable hunger.

I catch my reflection in the mirror and see that he has returned. Trepidation is gone. It’s time for our midnight stroll – and time for us to feed.

Mary Ann Back, of Mason, Ohio, was awarded the 2009 Bilbo Award for creative writing by Thomas More College. Her writing has appeared in many publications, including: Short Story America, Every Day Fiction, Bete Noir, Eclectic Flash, The Loyalhanna Review, Flashes in the Dark and Flash Shot.

I Envy the Girl in Line in Front of Me at the DMV by Jill Simons

2011-12-03T13:35:00.002-05:00

I Envy the Girl in Line in Front of Me at the DMV by Jill Simons

There are two types of people at the DMV: those who look impeccable because they know they are getting their photo taken, and everyone else. I’m everyone else since I chose to pull my hair into a clip and insist they do not take a picture for my new license.

Jill Simons is a elementary school teacher. She's usually creating stories for her students, but can sometimes find the time to write for grown-ups too.

November 5, 2011 Issue: The Warmth

2011-11-05T17:55:00.000-04:00

Seems like the weather is finally starting to behave true to form. That storm we had last weekend was a doozy. Another one of those, and I'm going to start missing The Warmth of summer even more. This issue of 50 to 1 features the work of Michaela Halsey, Sander Blome, Chris Dize, April Johnston, Stefanie Snider, Edward Garza and Adam Johnson.

Paul had waaaaaay too much candy this week. Curse you, Halloween. Curse you.

Royal Flush by Michaela Halsey

2011-11-05T17:54:00.005-04:00

Royal Flush by Michaela Halsey

You are delirious.

You sit at your poker table, cards in hand, playing with all the people you have ever wanted to meet. The devil cracks a fart, fans it with his tail. Unconcerned, he says: “Whose empty seat?”

The irony bemuses you. “Jesus is coming.”

Michaela Halsey, a recent college graduate, means no disrespect.

Sleep Aide by Sander Blome

2011-11-05T17:54:00.004-04:00

Sleep Aide by Sander Blome

Kathy, SunGate’s shapely housemother, finally responds to Will's advances. “Sneak into my bedroom after meds.” Sting croons “Message in a Bottle,” Kathy coos, “Just cuddle” and Will reaches underneath Kathy’s nightgown.

“Out!” Kathy yelps. Right then, Restoril’s dazing effect grips Kathy’s bedmate.

At breakfast, Kathy tests Will’s befogged memory. “Rested?"

Sander Blome denies life as a bipolar twice a day when he medicates. Now a British and American Literature major at University of South Florida, he is at work on a first book of poetry. www.sander-blome.blogspot.com.

Into the In-Worlds Below by Chris Dize

2011-11-05T17:54:00.003-04:00

Into the In-Worlds Below by Chris Dize

We stepped off the porch and followed the path around the house and down into the woods where the ferns grow ankle-high, brush your calves like lace and canvas the entire ground and the pathways to the in-worlds below. “Whatever you do,” Penelope warned, “don’t go off the path here.”

Chris Dize is a recent law school graduate who lives in New Jersey and is currently studying for the bar exam and watching his sanity and creativity slowly disintegrate.

HPV by April Johnston

2011-11-05T17:54:00.002-04:00

HPV by April Johnston

As I lie on my back, feet spread wide, organs numbed, his gloved hands inside of me, I don’t know which one of you did this to me – who left the virus that invaded the cells that multiplied and shape shifted and threatened to kill me – but I blame you.

April Johnston is a professor and former newspaper reporter who lives and writes in West Virginia. She can confirm that it is both wild and wonderful. Read more of her work at http://littlestbaglady.wordpress.com/

I've Been Meaning to Tell You by Stefanie Snider

2011-11-05T17:54:00.001-04:00

I've Been Meaning to Tell You by Stefanie Snider

Their passionate clinch ended with the director's call. She pulled back, embarrassed by the catcalls offstage.
He thumbed errant lipstick from below her mouth.
"Let's go, babe." Her boyfriend, in the wings.
A smile fluttered on her delicate lips.
"He'd never let me, if you were straight."
"Of course. Right."

Stefanie Snider wishes she could get paid for sleeping, because she's really good at it. Her first published story can be found in the soon-to-be-released Short Sips: Coffee House Flash Fiction Collection 2 from Wicked East Press.

Thank-You Letter by Edward Garza

2011-11-05T17:54:00.000-04:00

Thank-You Letter by Edward Garza

Dear family members and friends,

Thank you all for your kind wishes concerning the health of my beloved wife, Mabel. As I now know, my Mabel caught a bad case of the syphilis. So as for news, sadly, there ain't much to offer - she is still dead.

Sincerely,

Orville McLean

Edward Garza lives in Houston, which he asserts is a captivating city, if you know what you’re doing. He works as a consultant at the University of Houston’s Writing Center and is a staff writer for the magazine Stryve. He enjoys Houston’s winters, mixing iced tea with lemonade to make an Arnold Palmer, and running, one of his favorite addictions. Additional work can be found in The Aletheia.

Lucky Break by Adam Johnson

2011-11-05T17:53:00.000-04:00

Lucky Break by Adam Johnson

A blinding flash. The power behind the arc was overwhelming. The sound, deafening. It knocked me off my feet, flinging me onto the grass. The earth was scorched where the heavens struck, inches from where I stood. My senses returned. The drum-roll of rain overcame the ringing in my ears.

Adam Johnson is a student who loves to write about whatever is on his mind at the time.

October 15, 2011 Issue: Take It There

2011-10-15T18:22:00.000-04:00

This New York weather has been bumming me out lately...can't we just settle on 75 and sunny every day and 60 every night? But at least we have the cool stylings of 50 to 1. This new issue, Take It There, brings you work from David Meuel, R.S. Pyne, Robin Meister, Ryan Hill, Chad Pollock, Ella Kennen and Mike Entile.

Paul will start writing a 50,000-word novel in roughly 16 days, and hasn't even started thinking about what the story will be yet.

Names by David Meuel

2011-10-15T18:21:00.000-04:00

Names by David Meuel

When Patrick and I lived together, his mother called me a whore. When we got married, she told me to call her Mom. I said I might—if she’d stop calling me a whore. Now, we don’t speak, so we don’t call each other anything.

David Meuel began writing short fiction pieces last year at the tender age of 60. To date, more than 30 of his stories have been published in 20 different e-zines. In addition to 50 to 1, these include Bartleby Snopes, Toasted Cheese and LITSNACK. David works as a freelance marketing writer for Silicon Valley companies and lives in San Jose, California.

Inked by R.S. Pyne

2011-10-15T18:20:00.000-04:00

Inked by R.S. Pyne

At an old friend’s funeral, Adam looked at his faded tattoo and remembered. At ten, the swastika was just a dare; even if needles stuck in a cork was not the best method. Now the malformed design looked more nasty than Nazi. Twenty years on, his childhood seemed far away.

R. S. Pyne is a writer from Wales who lives with two good dogs and one bad one. Also a cat with plans to take over the world. Credits include: Albedo One, Aurora Wolf, Bards & Sages Quarterly, Fifth Di, Hungur, Lacuna, Neo-opsis, Silver Blade, Undead of Winter and others.

The Right to Bear by Robin Meister

2011-10-15T18:19:00.000-04:00

The Right to Bear by Robin Meister

Her incessant worrying about fetal alcohol syndrome and autism filled a notebook. But he was only born with a birthmark beneath his right eye; her reward for choosing life over death. “It’s just a hobby,” he tells her now, beaming, showing her how easily the magazine snaps into the barrel.

Robin Meister lives in Buffalo, New York, where she finds joy in dumping a dozen organic lemons into a clear glass bowl, but not because the sun never shines here. It does. A lot.

1st Line by Ryan Hill

2011-10-15T18:18:00.000-04:00

1st Line by Ryan Hill

There’s a certain level of orchestrated privacy associated with riding the bus: everyone knows what everyone else is up to, so we all pretend to be blind and deaf until after someone’s left.

When not working a day job in the wilds of suburbia, Ryan Hill dreams of better tomorrows, and writes at http://www.ryanunderhill.blogspot.com.

Catfish and the Cub Scout Pack by Chad Pollock

2011-10-15T18:17:00.000-04:00

Catfish and the Cub Scout Pack by Chad Pollock

Slingshot, rock, scurrying rodent, this was Cub-scout taxidermy gone too far. Catfish considered his obligations to Pack 118, considered whether to teach the boys a more excellent way--carbon dioxide, for example--but he was not the Cubmaster. He was a wastrel with time on his hands and community service to fulfill.

Chad Pollock is a librarian and writer living in Fayetteville, AR. He enjoys books but does not enjoy noodling. Learn more at www.chadpollock.com

Town Hall by Ella Kennen

2011-10-15T18:16:00.000-04:00

Town Hall by Ella Kennen

“What are you doing about the wolf menace?” someone asked to raucous applause. The councilman took a swig of water, trying to ignore his throbbing temple. This could have all been avoided, he thought, if that little girl in red’s mother hadn’t let her walk through the woods by herself.

Ella Kennen thinks short. Check out more of her fiction and nonfiction for children and adults at http://ellakennen.wordpress.com

Never the Victor by Mike Entile

2011-10-15T18:15:00.002-04:00

Never the Victor by Mike Entile

The manacled racoon lowered her head and inched her way to the culvert opening to accept the kill shot. No barking or hissing; the pain overwhelming any desire to fight. The trapper administered the coup de grace and hoped the rest of his traps would be empty.

Mike Entile has been writing historical fiction since his short story based on Custer's Last Stand won an award at his junior high's science and art fair over forty years ago. Unfortunately, the last thing he's ever won.

September 24, 2011 Issue: One More Theory

2011-09-24T20:57:00.001-04:00

It's a crazy age we live in. Things are constantly changing, so we must reevaluate our world and ourselves. We are forced to be scientists: We will always have to come up with One More Theory. This issue of 50 to 1 features work by Andrew J. Stone, Chris Rhatigan, J. Alfred Costanza, Paul Beckman, Ryan Werner, Jessica Knauss and Michelle Morouse.

Paul is moving to Queens...stay classy, New Jersey.

They Say I'm Sick by Andrew J. Stone

2011-09-24T20:56:00.003-04:00

They Say I'm Sick by Andrew J. Stone

The room walked around my eyes counterclockwise. The man sitting in the sun burnt chair clinched his chin in criticism. My forehead sweatclouds and the scratch of the pen on paper drones over silence. The psychologist suddenly stops recording my voice and asks how I feel. Dead, I feel dead.

Andrew J. Stone lives and writes in Southern California with iced coffee and mint tea. His previous publications have probably been posted on his Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/AndrewJStone1.

Guy With A Barbed Wire Tattoo by Chris Rhatigan

2011-09-24T20:55:00.001-04:00

Guy With A Barbed Wire Tattoo by Chris Rhatigan

Cobra left the club shitfaced, pissed off and, unbelievably, sans pussy.

And some bum had broken into his Civic.

“What the fuck is this?”

Bum turned, fists flush with coins. Cobra crushed his skull with the car door.

Now to get rid of the body… Fuck it. Just a bum.

Chris Rhatigan is the co-editor, along with Nigel Bird, of the crime anthology, Pulp Ink by Needle Publishing. He talks short fiction at Death by Killing.

1st Line by J. Alfred Costanza

2011-09-24T20:54:00.002-04:00

1st Line by J. Alfred Costanza

“From this moment forward, I’ll be a new man!” she shouted after the operation.

J. Alfred Costanza is unemployed and lives with his parents in one-night cheap hotels and sawdust restaurants with Jujubes.

Communication That Works For My Parents by Paul Beckman

2011-09-24T20:53:00.002-04:00

Communication That Works For My Parents by Paul Beckman

He tried to call home — he really did, but his voice wasn't strong enough and once again his wife didn't believe him, so he did the only thing he could think of when she gave him that look — he gave her the silent treatment, which was something she could believe.

Paul Beckman is a real estate salesman, photographer & writer of short fiction. Sometimes his fiction shows up in his real estate ads.

1st Line by Ryan Werner

2011-09-24T20:52:00.001-04:00

1st Line by Ryan Werner

We’d been following the mountain lions for years, and the only thing they held in common is that they all, when presented with the option, walked fifty miles north into Canada and died at the base of the same hill.

Ryan Werner is a janitor in the Midwest. He runs the music/literature project Our Band Could Be Your Lit.

Buyer Beware by Jessica Knauss

2011-09-24T20:51:00.002-04:00

Buyer Beware by Jessica Knauss

Our first night, the previous owners’ grandfather, all wafting essence and cold emanations, floated up to the ceiling, where he resembled a cobweb. Mother extended the mop and pushed at him until he became those blobs that look like spider egg sacs. Don’t worry, the house isn’t infested with spiders.

Jessica Knauss is a fiction editor at Fireship Press in Tucson, Arizona. She has published fiction, poetry, and nonfiction in numerous venues and is working on a novel set in medieval Spain. Get updates on her writing at her blog: jessicaknauss.blogspot.com.

Shuttle Bus by Michelle Morouse

2011-09-24T20:50:00.004-04:00

Shuttle Bus by Michelle Morouse

He’s muscular, thick around the middle, wearing jeans with a rip at the knee, hair aggressively short. She reminds herself that any hair is a plus at her age. Still, why not grow it out, show it off? She resists the impulse to touch him, just his shoulder...

Michelle Morouse is a life-long Michigan resident, pediatrician and novice writer.

September 11, 2011 Issue: Indelible

2011-09-11T16:39:00.003-04:00

Originally I wasn't going to wax poetic about today, or recount where I was 10 years ago when the greatest national tragedy of our generation occurred, but somehow it's inescapable. I may have been witness to one of the most terrible things a human being is capable of, but for a time afterward, I was also witness to the best humanity has to offer. The memory of that day is, and will always be, Indelible.

This new issue of 50 to 1 brings you work from Don Dolan II, Justin Grimbol, Court Merrigan, Danica Green, KJ Hannah Greenberg, Sandra Ketcham and Greg Keuhn. Thanks to all for submitting.

Paul will never forget.

Look by Don Dolan II

2011-09-11T16:39:00.001-04:00

Look by Don Dolan II

She's got that look, yeah, he knows it when he sees it. Face molded into a smile that will never recede, a false warmth, but her eyes will always reveal the coldness that she holds. For him, it's typical, very much so, but he doesn't mind. And neither does she.

Don Dolan II lives in Mississippi and loves to think about the nostalgic days. He doesn't much like sauerkraut, but loves potatoes, except the skin. He also loves both cats and dogs.

Sex With Aliens by Justin Grimbol

2011-09-11T16:39:00.000-04:00

Sex With Aliens by Justin Grimbol

The alien is just a big heart that has a vagina.

“Have you ever met a Bantolian?” it asks.

“No,” I say.

“They’re just big tongues. They’re really sexy.”

Whenever the alien and I have sex, it brings up another alien race. I think it likes seeing me get jealous.

Justin Grimbol lives in Portland Maine. His novel, Drinking Until Morning, was published by Black Coffee Press.

Long Christmas by Court Merrigan

2011-09-11T16:38:00.004-04:00

Long Christmas by Court Merrigan

He brought her home to Wyoming. She smiled nonstop. An uncle loudly asked about her line of work. Before she got pregnant.

       Prostitute, he told them. Grandma decided her hearing really was going. Kids were asked
       to play elsewhere.

       Outside, she made her first snow angel, cheeks ashen with cold.

Court Merrigan has been published widely, including PANK, Shotgun Honey and Evergreen Review. You can find links here. He lives in Wyoming's banana belt with his family and works at Eastern Wyoming College.

1st Line by Danica Green

2011-09-11T16:38:00.003-04:00

1st Line by Danica Green

I spent the morning drinking Irish coffee out of my AA mug, trying to figure out whether it was ironic or apt.

Danica Green is a UK-based writer who lives in an attic and concussed herself on a beam earlier today. Also, the end of the 50 to 1 guidelines advised her to go outside, which she did, and got wet. Her work has appeared at 3AM Magazine and PANK and is scheduled to appear at Smokelong Quarterly, Eclectic Flash and Short, Fast and Deadly. Occasionally she does things here (http://danicagreen.webs.com/) and it's very exciting.

Fat Fish by KJ Hannah Greenberg

2011-09-11T16:38:00.001-04:00

Fat Fish by KJ Hannah Greenberg

Lambert wished for fat fish every morning of his turn babysitting. Herpacia, however, not only meant to stay abroad, hunting deep waters and surfing, but had, as well, sent notice; she wouldn’t be returning. The zoo had space. Alone in their nest, the new father played polo with the egg.

In another lifetime, KJ Hannah Greenberg taught Feminist Sociology at Rider University. These days, she makes up stories. Look for Don't Pet the Sweaty Things, a compilation of seventy of Hannah's brief fictions, Bards and Sages Publishing, Mar. 2012.

Territory by Sandra Ketcham

2011-09-11T16:38:00.000-04:00

Territory by Sandra Ketcham

Three peacocks stand guard as a dog tiptoes toward a barn. Peering in, the dog's focus splits between a rain puddle in the far corner and a dancing bug, caught in a silver web to his right. Sensing the dog's distraction, the peacocks attack. Fur and feathers fill the barn.

Sandra Ketcham currently lives in Orlando where she works as a full-time freelance writer and editor. She has fiction forthcoming in Gone Lawn and LITSNACK & poetry recently published or forthcoming in Bicycle Review, Anemone Sidecar, Red Booth Review, Counterexample Poetics and others. Sandra has a strong aversion to llamas.

Ambush by Greg Kuehn

2011-09-11T16:37:00.000-04:00

Ambush by Greg Kuehn

The daisy chain exploded and they were upon us. The rusty copper stench of blood lingered amongst other smells: cordite, CLP, gunpowder, fear. We pushed through like white bloods cells through influenza, shooting and maneuvering. And when the fog cleared, we buried our dead and honored them with our lives.

Greg Kuehn writes literary fiction and Southern literature. He is currently a senior English education major University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Upon completion of his degree he plans to pursue a career as a high school English teacher, a soccer coach and a writer. Mr. Kuehn served eight years in the United States Marine Corps and deployed to Iraq twice before receiving an honorable discharge in April 2011. His website is www.greg-kuehn.com.

August 27, 2011 Issue: Go Ahead And Live

2011-08-27T17:21:00.000-04:00

You don't need anyone's permission. You don't need to wait for approval. You don't need to run this by your boss or your parents or your spouse. Forget it all and just Go Ahead And Live. The new issue of 50 to 1 showcases the work of Gay Degani, Krista Bunskoek, Samantha Hall, Cat Landgraf, C. Jak Mussington, Cathy Eaton and Joseph S. Pete.

Paul can't say he's ever been a big fan of pina coladas, nor does he enjoy getting caught in the rain (I'm looking at you, Irene).

So It Is With Mothers by Gay Degani

2011-08-27T17:20:00.000-04:00

So It Is With Mothers by Gay Degani

She hates the ruby ring he gave her, preferring her baubles set with garnets, her pianos upright, her meals in the company of TV crime. She ignores messages from her ambitious Wall Street son complaining of insomnia, but in the midnight dark, she remembers their trailer park days, and calls.

Gay Degani's stories can be read at Metazen, LITnIMAGE, Night Train, and Corium among other venues. Nominated for a Pushcart, she edits EDF’s Flash Fiction Chronicles, blogs at Words in Place, and works as a staff editor at SmokeLong Quarterly.

Workin' Everywhere by Krista Bunskoek

2011-08-27T17:19:00.001-04:00

Workin' Everywhere by Krista Bunskoek

I watched the busy suits striding purposefully, without eye contact, and yet no body contact, on their way to work in the city this morning.

I watched the busy worker ants scurrying in alignment along their two-way routes, and yet no accidents, accomplishing their business on my deck this morning.

Krista Bunskoek, working from home, enjoys her newly found flash hobby. She's also appeared in 365 Tomorrows.

A Hospice Without Windows by Samantha Hall

2011-08-27T17:19:00.000-04:00

A Hospice Without Windows by Samantha Hall

Mark a human’s passage from day to night with an absence of light. Take initiative, and make the decision to imitate celestial bodies. Become a God. Before Death does his only work, ask yourself: is pretense good enough? Your job depends on your ability to switch between nightlights and overhead.

Samantha Hall currently studies at Ohio University, where she goes out often but writes more. She hopes someday to put her trivial knowledge to work and win an episode of Jeopardy! She’d like you to visit her blog at http://sammihall.wordpress.com/.

Happy Hour by Cat Landgraf

2011-08-27T17:18:00.003-04:00

Happy Hour by Cat Landgraf

He was a hilarious drunk, best known for telling dirty limericks at inappropriate times. Nothing like those angry alcoholics who got violent, or drove cars into trees, or worse. But that didn’t make the news any happier when his family learned he’d finally drunk himself to death.

Cat Landgraf lives and writes in St. Louis and received her journalism degree from the University of Missouri. Her short fiction first appeared in the school’s literary magazine, but her advertising copy appeared regularly in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, where it was run over in driveways everywhere. Thump. Thump.

Hello, Again by C. Jak Mussington

2011-08-27T17:18:00.002-04:00

Hello, Again by C. Jak Mussington

I masturbate to strangers walking down the street. All of them have your face. I started saying, “hello” to anyone. I'm desperate. Some say, “goodbye.” Some kind of listen, twirl their hair. I'll have sex. I'll tell them to call me. They’ll leave. I’ll open the shades. I’ll masturbate again.

C. Jak Mussington lives in Inje, Gangwon-do, South Korea. She is forthcoming or published in Nap, Negative Suck, The Delinquent, Metazen Magazine, Yes, Poetry and New Wave Vomit. She doodles at: http://littleuglydoodles.blogspot.com

Kitchen Secret by Cathy Eaton

2011-08-27T17:18:00.001-04:00

Kitchen Secret by Cathy Eaton

From the fridge, I harvested strawberries: the taste of summer that mom wouldn’t experience again.

My niece giggled. “We hid the cake.”

After mixing berries and Ensure into a crystal glass, I set a rosebud on the tray.

My birthday hadn’t been swept away in the heaviness of Mom’s cancer.

Cathy Eaton has taught fiction writing at NHTI – Concord’s Community College for eighteen years. Following her post-grad work at Breadloaf School of English at Middlebury College, she spent her recent sabbatical writing fiction.

A Fistful of Tickets at the Church Parking Lot by Joseph S. Pete

2011-08-27T17:18:00.000-04:00

A Fistful of Tickets at the Church Parking Lot by Joseph S. Pete

At the carnival midway, he braved the beaucoup of g-forces on the Zipper, a bludgeon-like turkey leg and the hope-snuffing odds of the shooting gallery. He had thought daredevilry would render her pliant to his touch, but thoughts were as reliable as a parking lot made magic once a year.

Joseph S. Pete is a journalist, combat veteran and connoisseur of fine things, like White Castle sliders and mead. He knows enough of the German language to say hello.

August 12, 2011 Issue: As The Fog Settles

2011-08-12T09:01:00.002-04:00

This new issue of 50 to 1 has been a long time in the making - life has been busy (a mite too busy, if you ask me) but now we should be back on track. So, spread the word and let's keep this thing going! As The Fog Settles features work from Stephen V. Ramey, Alexander J. Allison, R.S. Pyne, Declan Tan, KC Kovacs, Jenny Caitlin and Robert Vaughan.

Paul was just on vacation, but he already feels like he needs another one. Also, he apologizes heartily for the delay in publishing, and promises that as long as he has submissions, it won't happen again.

Posture by Stephen V. Ramey

2011-08-12T09:01:00.001-04:00

Posture by Stephen V. Ramey

Husam awaits his moment at the Karadah polling station while the men ahead of him are patted down. The vest, weighted with explosives and one thousand chromed nuts, pulls at his shoulders, yet he refuses to slump. "This is an instrument of jihad," the imam would instruct, "not poor posture."

Stephen V. Ramey's work is upcoming at The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts and flashquake and has been published recently in Pure Slush, Caper Literary Journal and Eschatology, among others. He co-edits the annual Triangulation Anthology from Parsec Ink.

Justice by Alexander J. Allison

2011-08-12T09:01:00.000-04:00

Justice by Alexander J. Allison

"The jury are ready, Your Honour."

"Stand and present the verdict."

"In the case of 'Finders' vs. 'Losers,' the court finds the defendant a keeper and the prosecution a weeper."

"The court will be adjourned for a ten minute recess. I hereby rule that the monkey-bars are mine."

Alexander J. Allison is published widely in print and online, most recently including work in Kill Author, Metazen, Pangur Ban Party and Willow Springs. He can be contacted through Facebook.

Headlines by Jenny Catlin

2011-08-12T09:00:00.004-04:00

Headlines by Jenny Catlin

He hopes they write something eloquent about him, because this time he’s gonna hit the big time, and he would like a record.

He checks the knot, wants to be absolutely sure he doesn’t make any mistakes.

The morning headline reads “Man finally commits suicide after ten failed attempts.”

Jenny Catlin lives in Los Angeles. She is a reader, writer, artist, art museum employee and student.

1st Line by R.S. Pyne

2011-08-12T09:00:00.003-04:00

1st Line by R.S. Pyne

Bethany started all the trouble with her talk of things from beyond the grave and, in the end, the things decided to stay.

R.S. Pyne is a writer from Wales who lives with two good dogs and one bad one. Also a cat with plans to take over the world. Credits include: Albedo One, Aurora Wolf, Bards & Sages Quarterly, Fifth Di, Hungur, Lacuna, Neo-opsis, Silver Blade, Undead of Winter and others.

Interior by Declan Tan

2011-08-12T09:00:00.002-04:00

Interior by Declan Tan

As their flat planned to murder them with dust, he walked in, untied his shoelaces. She was standing there, eating a piece of fruit over the sink.

“It’s too juicy,” she said, the pear in her hand.

“It’s too juicy,” he said, mockingly.

“Fuck you.”

He kicked off his shoes.

Declan Tan is a freelance journalist from London. He also sometimes teaches English as a Foreign Language. Both these things make him sweat a near-fatal volume of perspiration.

1st Line by KC Kovacs

2011-08-12T09:00:00.001-04:00

1st Line by KC Kovacs

Some days are like anvils - if you believe anvils will fall out of the sky and crush you right when you're in the middle of something important - and today is one of them.

KC Kovacs wanders the universe, trying to remain as anonymous as possible. You probably don't know her, even though you think you do.

The Wife by Robert Vaughan

2011-08-12T08:59:00.000-04:00

The Wife by Robert Vaughan

He thinks everything is his. Well, I’ve got news, he’s misinformed. I’m not some piece of furniture, a wall unit. Not a garbage bag, or a trophy on his disheveled shelf.

So when he introduces me as the wife, or as missus next time, I’m going to split.

Start over.

Robert Vaughan’s plays have been produced in N.Y.C., L.A., S.F., and Milwaukee where he resides. He leads two writing roundtables for Redbird- Redoak Studio. His prose and poetry is published in over 125 literary journals such as Elimae, BlazeVOX, and A-Minor. He is a fiction editor at JMWW magazine, and Thunderclap! Press. Also hosts Flash Fiction Fridays for WUWM’s Lake Effect.
His blog: http://rgv7735.wordpress.com.

June 23, 2011 Issue: My Only Art

2011-06-23T17:43:00.002-04:00

This brand new issue of 50 to 1 is dedicated to a very good friend of mine, because today is his birthday and I like being nice to him, on occasion. My Only Art brings you work by William Henderson, Craig Eldon Reishus, Rafael Coira, Jessica Otto, David Meuel, Megan Lent and Velvet Loggins.

Paul will, one day, have an apartment that smells of rich mahogany.

Just Love by William Henderson

2011-06-23T17:43:00.001-04:00

Just Love by William Henderson

You have to risk everything for love, because love doesn’t give you a choice. It leads you down a rabbit hole where someone will be waiting for you, checking his pocket watch, telling you that you’re very late. Then, a land the two of you will create begins to form.

William Henderson works as a freelance writer, editor and copy editor, and is a full-time father to his children, Avery and Aurora. He is working on a memoir, House of Cards. He can be reached at wil329@yahoo.com, on Twitter @Avesdad, and through his blog.

1st Line by Craig Eldon Reishus

2011-06-23T17:43:00.000-04:00

1st Line by Craig Eldon Reishus

Deirdre had a Dublin mother, a Cockney father, a lesbian nanny and a Waldorf education – I didn't have to ask her twice to be my drug mule.

Craig Eldon Reishus lives as a single south of Munich, north of the Alps, and is an anti-nuclear activist, anti-night club piano player, all-around pro-Web guy and translator of a broad score of films and books. He originates from Fort Smith, Arkansas. www.reishus.de

Itinerants by Rafael Coira

2011-06-23T17:42:00.000-04:00

Itinerants by Rafael Coira

She gripped her baby tightly as the green men swarmed into her house. They had lights on their heads and big black eyes. Their heads swiveled mechanically back and forth.

“Get down on the floor.”

Her husband was going to jail. Where she was going, who knew?

Rafael Coira is a recent law school graduate currently studying for the bar exam and writing fiction in his very limited spare time.

The Flood by Jessica Otto

2011-06-23T17:41:00.001-04:00

The Flood by Jessica Otto

The road stretches until the seams fill with water; lapping at the concrete, curious and fickle like the memory of a tide. When the road becomes a river it does not twist like light in a prism or shatter and remake itself by magic. A river is more open minded.

Jessica Otto lives in the marshland of Arkansas with her husband and many cats. She is earning an MFA in Creative Writing at Goddard College and edits trapeze magazine (@trapezemag), a twitter zine of speculative fiction and poetry. Her chapbook "Wormwood" is published by Ten Pages Press.

Gunpoint by David Meuel

2011-06-23T17:41:00.000-04:00

Gunpoint by David Meuel

I empty my pockets for the anxious, cursing man. He tightens his grip around that little steel executioner. His finger, glazed with sweat, hugs the trigger’s narrow fang. My life or death is just the matter of a squeeze. But I’m not scared, because it all seems like a movie.

David Meuel has published more than 100 poems, a dozen short stories, and numerous articles about subjects ranging from marketing communications to video games. He lives in San Jose, California, where he spends far too much time fretting about climate change.

1st Line by Megan Lent

2011-06-23T17:40:00.000-04:00

1st Line by Megan Lent

She had three personalities, which was already awkward, until puberty came and they all started trying to fuck each other.

Megan Lent once had a dream that she went bowling with her high school literature teacher, Carlton from Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and Henry Kissinger. She won by a landslide. She has stuff at Metazen and at Housefire. She thinks you should check out http://apostrophetothestars.blogspot.com for a good time. (By "good time," she means her snarky literature blog.)

Lost Causes by Velvet Loggins

2011-06-23T17:39:00.000-04:00

Lost Causes by Velvet Loggins

“I want to love my virginity,” he says to me. Before he realizes his mistake, I laugh in his hollow face, beneath the hallowed one of the crucifix in the church. The nun, our teacher and our sexual fantasy, says, light a candle to St. Jude.

Velvet Loggins is critically-acclaimed. The television program "Hoarders" was based on her childhood. She's an amateur and she loves you lots, tatertots.

June 5, 2011 Issue: All The Way Home

2011-06-05T19:15:00.005-04:00

This brand new issue of 50 to 1, All The Way Home, has absolutely nothing to do with childhood games or little piggies (very sorry to disappoint) but it does have a lot to do with fantastic writing. This issue showcases Robert Vaughan, Kelly Whitley, Philip Tinkler, Matthew Dexter, William D. Hicks, C.S. Roberts and Helen Begley.

Paul is dazed and confused, and not the funny, high-school-movie-from-1993 kind.

Rejection by Robert Vaughan

2011-06-05T19:15:00.004-04:00

Rejection by Robert Vaughan

They listened to Everything But the Girl in her tiny room tucked beneath the staircase. When he tried to kiss her, she ran to the bathroom to throw up. Alone in her room he prayed aloud before he swallowed the entire bottle of Nembutal.

Robert Vaughan’s plays have been produced in N.Y.C., L.A., S.F., and Milwaukee where he resides. He leads two writing roundtables for Redbird- Redoak Studio. His prose and poetry is published in over 125 literary journals such as Elimae, BlazeVOX, and A-Minor. He is a fiction editor at JMWW magazine, and Thunderclap! Press. Also hosts Flash Fiction Fridays for WUWM’s Lake Effect. His blog: http://rgv7735.wordpress.com.

Anticipation by Kelly Whitley

2011-06-05T19:15:00.003-04:00

Anticipation by Kelly Whitley

Moira sat at the diner counter, nursing a stale donut, a bottomless cup of coffee and a black eye.

The cops would find Rex soon enough and her soon thereafter.

She picked at spatters of his blood on the pink field of her dress.

Might as well have another cup.

Kelly Whitley has been writing long pieces for years, and enjoys the art of flash.

1st Line by Philip Tinkler

2011-06-05T19:15:00.002-04:00

1st Line by Philip Tinkler

“Babies are just assholes waiting to happen.”

Philip Tinkler was born in the bucolic north of England. He has been published in the Mad Hatters' Review, Skive Magazine, Red Fez, Word Riot, The Dream People, and Six Sentences, with work forthcoming in Full of Crow. He lives in NYC with his words and woman. More ramblings can be found at philiptinkler.com

Four-Way by Matthew Dexter

2011-06-05T19:15:00.001-04:00

Four-Way by Matthew Dexter

Intersection traffic arrives as you can see the eyes and lines on their faces even, odd expressions equals one split second where we make ineffable love, you: female behind dark glasses? Can you see me as you disappear, veering into madness and sadness like teardrops as the windshield wipers weep?

Matthew Dexter lives in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. He can be found here: MatthewBDexter.wordpress.com

1st Line by William D. Hicks

2011-06-05T19:15:00.000-04:00

1st Line by William D. Hicks

I stared at the window and screamed “Don’t jump” before I realized it was me who was about to kiss the ground.

William D. Hicks lives in Chicago by himself (any offers?). Contrary to popular belief, he is not related to the famous comedian Bill Hicks (though he’s just as funny in his own right). Hicks will someday publish his memoirs, but they will be about Bill Hicks’ life. His poetry appears in LITSNACK, Cannoli Pie, Outburst, The Legendary, Horizon (Canada), The Short Humour Site (UK), The Four Cornered Universe, Save the Last Stall for Me and Mosaic.

Tomorrow Comes Today by C.S. Roberts

2011-06-05T19:14:00.002-04:00

Tomorrow Comes Today by C.S. Roberts

The barrel of the gun feels cold against my temple. I wipe the beads of sweat from my forehead. Like so many times before, my heart sinks in my boots. I lower the gun. Not today. There’s always tomorrow.

At thirty years of age, C.S. Roberts' midlife crisis is still ahead of him. He nevertheless has the urge to buy a ridiculously expensive car. Sometimes he tries, and sometimes successfully, to write something at csrobertsblog@blogspot.com.

The Rest of the Afternoon by Helen Begley

2011-06-05T19:14:00.001-04:00

The Rest of the Afternoon by Helen Begley

We’re no longer children. Our parents don’t invite pedophiles to Christmas lunch anymore. Now, we pretend that my brother isn’t stoned as he nods off in my father's chair. After we’ve phoned my sister in Vermont, we eat our turkey and pudding, then sleep the rest of the afternoon away.

Helen Begley is a Melbourne song writer and musician who likes to have a crack at writing just about anything; albums, poems, stories, blogs, scripts, reviews, emails, phone numbers. She has a B.A. from Latrobe University in Music and English. She teaches songwriting, guitar, and ukulele. Her favourite food is cake.

May 18th, 2011 Issue: Because We Can

2011-05-18T21:38:00.001-04:00

Sometimes we don't have a good reason for our actions. Perhaps we tire of waiting, or of being still. Sometimes we just do things Because We Can. This issue of 50 to 1 showcases work by Meg Tuite, Ryan Underhill, Viona Lam, Alex Miller, Debbi Antebi, Shea Newton and Tyler Koch.

Paul is wishing he could take the frogs and crickets with him when he moves to NYC someday.

Nepotic Heist by Meg Tuite

2011-05-18T21:38:00.000-04:00

Nepotic Heist by Meg Tuite

My brother called me a prison probability. I told the pansy to shut-up, shoved four candy bars down his pants. The fat lady lurched from behind the counter, grabbed his collar, half the stash, yelling, “Hey, snot-nosed delinquent!” After mom whooped him, I snuck in, “Hand it over!”

Meg Tuite's writing has appeared in numerous journals including Berkeley Fiction Review, 34th Parallel, One, the Journal, Hawaii Review and Boston Literary Magazine. She is fiction editor of Santa Fe Literary Review and Connotation Press. Her novel "Domestic Apparition" is available via San Francisco Bay Press. She has a monthly column “Exquisite Quartet” for Used Furniture Review. Her blog: http://megtuite.wordpress.com.

1st Line by Ryan Underhill

2011-05-18T21:37:00.001-04:00

1st Line by Ryan Underhill

One of the most fascinating things about death is the process by which a body stops being a he or she, and becomes an it.

Ryan Underhill plucks words from the ether and tries to put them in the right order. His work can be found at http://www.ryanunderhill.blogspot.com

Beetles by Viona Lam

2011-05-18T21:37:00.000-04:00

Beetles by Viona Lam

He had spun. He had spun around and out and up and the shining, glowing green beetles that parked themselves on the panels in front of him, the beetles who spoke a language he could not speak, who blinked and blinded his eyelids with streaks of pink; they mocked him.

Viona Lam is a writer from Singapore who thinks thinking is adorable.

After Many Restless Nights by Alex Miller

2011-05-18T21:36:00.000-04:00

After Many Restless Nights by Alex Miller

He decided it while driving to work -- weaving through traffic, trance-like, thinking only of the girl.

He would ask her out. She would say yes. Probably she would say yes. He turned up the radio and accelerated, felt the thrum of music and pistons. He would ask her out.

Alex Miller has previously been published at Fiction365. He's an editor at a weird newspaper in Tennessee. He could use a vacation.

1st Line by Debbi Antebi

2011-05-18T21:35:00.001-04:00

1st Line by Debbi Antebi

Slowly his eyes surrendered to the strong pull of sleep - first the wheel and then his life slipped from five limp fingers.

Debbi Antebi has work published in 50 to 1, Apollo’s Lyre, Short, Fast and Deadly and several other publications. She lives in Istanbul, Turkey. Visit her @debbisland.

Your Face Is Herpes On My Mouth by Shea Newton

2011-05-18T21:35:00.000-04:00

Your Face Is Herpes On My Mouth by Shea Newton

I hope you hear me talking in my sleep. I hope I say some terrible things and you can never forgive me even though I probably wasn't even talking about you. That's the terrible way I want things to end. Both of us feeling ugly without ever really understanding why.

Shea Newton lives in Idaho where the seafood is flown in and the potatoes are free.

Untitled by Tyler Koch

2011-05-18T21:34:00.000-04:00

Untitled by Tyler Koch

I walked in and said hello to my lover, but she didn’t say anything back. She just smiled like usual, her white teeth always perfect behind rosy lips. Her gaze followed me around my room. “I’m changing, don’t look.” But her eyes never changed. The picture remained the same.

Tyler Koch is a junior attending college in north Florida. He aspires to become a writer one day, but until that point he is studying psychology with hopes of helping people lose weight. He has also written high school sports for the local paper in Winter Garden, FL.

April 27th, 2011 Issue: Asleep On Our Feet

2011-04-27T20:45:00.001-04:00

The title of the new issue of 50 to 1, Asleep On Our Feet, fits the last few weeks of my life fairly well, I think. My sincere apologies for its lateness. This issue features work by Carmen Rabil-Eichman, Peter LaBerge, S.G. Rogers, Joan Gilfillan, Daybert Linares and Kyle Hemmings.

Paul is behind on pretty much everything writing-related, and worse off for it. He would love it if someone would please "loan" him a winning lottery ticket so he can spend less time working.

1st Line by DAMM

2011-04-27T20:44:00.000-04:00

1st Line by DAMM

His only reclamation was that the regret festered as he chewed it, a sad, clumpy bubble gum of should have been.

DAMM was born raised and will probably die in Glenwood Springs Colorado. He is father to two lovely daughters Kira and Hunter, has traveled the Western United States by box car and thumb, and genuinely believes in mankind to be decent. His work SlackJack was published in the Slingshot Litareview and can be found hanging around (entirely too much) at dammswordworld.wordpress.com.

Manhattan Love Story by Kyle Hemmings

2011-04-27T20:42:00.000-04:00

Manhattan Love Story by Kyle Hemmings

In city windows, we look like, sad steroidal aliens. To whom do we belong? It’s 5:30 a.m. and wet. I want another cup of coffee, black, no sugar. On a dance floor of spilled liquor and sweat, we acted out our fantasies of white swan heartbreak.

Kyle Hemmings is the author of three chapbooks of poems: Avenue C (Scars Publications), Fuzzy Logic (Punkin Press), and Amsterdam & Other Broken Love Songs (Flutter Press). He lives and writes in New Jersey

1st Line by Daybert Linares

2011-04-27T20:41:00.000-04:00

1st Line by Daybert Linares

"Lemme tell ya something ‘bout them strippers: don’t look at ‘em in the eyes, or the guilt will kill ya every time you throw ‘em money."

Daybert Linares published his first short story at the age of 19, and since then more of his works have appeared in online and print magazines such as Skive, Silenced Press, Bateau, Necrotic Tissue, The Acentos Review, and a number of flash fiction anthologies. He lives in Tallahassee, Florida.

Cherry Pie by Joan Gilfillan

2011-04-27T20:40:00.000-04:00

Cherry Pie by Joan Gilfillan

The guy on the check-out asked if she wanted a hand to pack. She shook her head and gave him her store card.. He swiped it but didn’t ask why she’d bought 27 razors, 5 packs of blades and a jumbo bottle of cherry mouthwash. She didn’t tell him, either.

Joan Gilfillan wrote a children's book for her niece's Christmas. She doesn't think she's read it. Maybe when she tires of Barbie.

Swan Song by S.G. Rogers

2011-04-27T20:39:00.002-04:00

Swan Song by S.G. Rogers

The man gloated at the crossword puzzle he’d found in the back of the in-flight magazine. He had spent the last three and a half hours answering each clue, in ink. It had been slow and methodical work, but he had triumphed at last.

And then the fracking plane crashed.

S.G. Rogers is a freelance writer based in Savannah, Georgia. In a former life she was a lawyer and an actress. She is the author of the novel Jon Hansen and the Dragon Clan of Yden. To find out more about S.G. Rogers, go to www.childofyden.com.

Sour Strawberries by Peter LaBerge

2011-04-27T20:38:00.001-04:00

Sour Strawberries by Peter LaBerge

Nathan stuck his tongue out at Sarina and she mimicked his words. She threw sand at him and he threw it back until there were seas of sand in the pleats of her dress and in the front pocket of his blazer. Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Sowerberry.

Peter LaBerge is a high school student who was recently introduced to poetry. He is the runner-up for the 2011 Elizabeth Bishop Prize in Verse, and his work has been published in Leaf Garden, Burnt Bridge, The Blue Pencil Online and many other publications.

1st Line by Carmen Rabil-Eichman

2011-04-27T20:37:00.000-04:00

1st Line by Carmen Rabil-Eichman

Swallowing, without a blink, the dark shot of whiskey and dragging long from her cigarette, she spat on the old wooden floor and said, “Let’s do it.”

Carmen Rabil-Eichman is an Associate Professor of English, living in Greensboro, North Carolina. She has recently received two Pushcart Prize nominations for her poetry.

April 2nd, 2011 Issue: Revel In The View

2011-04-02T21:54:00.001-04:00

It's a crazy world out there (take it from a part-time New Yorker) - sometimes you just have to let the river take you, sit back and 'Revel In The View.' The new 50 to 1 features work by Sander Blome, Judy Samuels, Arthur D. Casciato, Robert E. Petras, James Kowalczyk, Jim Harrington and Jamie Loftus.

Paul frequently wonders why no one has invented teleportation yet. He's also totally insane, as evidenced by his participation in Not Without Poetry's poem-a-day challenge for the month of April.

Fiery Love by Sander Blome

2011-04-02T21:52:00.005-04:00

Fiery Love by Sander Blome

Crying, she wipes frantically at a fallen cigarette ember. The burn hurts; the ruined thin white blouse hurts more. The new purchase was meant for my parents. She’s seeking their acceptance before we live together. Sobbing, she blurts out, “I’m a failure. Nothing ever works.” Immediately, I propose.

Sander Blome maintains his stability by writing poetry and fiction from his residence in Southwest Florida. A writing tutor by profession, Sander is adding to his engineering and law degrees this fall, entering the literature program at the University of South Florida. His credits are listed at Trim, http://sander-blome.blogspot.com.

1st Line by Judy Samuels

2011-04-02T21:52:00.004-04:00

1st Line by Judy Samuels

John didn't consider himself a junkie, preferring the term "pharmacuetical connoisseur" to describe his extracurricular activities - he only wished his parole officer had the same penchant for self delusion.

Judy Samuels lives in Maryland and watches way too much television. Her flash fiction has been published by Short, Fast and Deadly, Postcard Shorts and Thunderclap Press.

1st Line by Arthur D. Casciato

2011-04-02T21:52:00.003-04:00

1st Line by Arthur D. Casciato

Zsa Zsa was late again — he always was — but this time it had nothing to do with marriage.

At an earlier time, Arthur D. Casciato was A-Rod’s doorman in Seattle. Nowadays his home race track is Monmouth in New Jersey. He is proud to have had two poems, “transversions” of Catullus, appear recently online at Poor Mojo’s Almanack, the first time he’s been published by a giant squid.