Look up. Now look down. Words can evoke both of these horizons. So stretch and get ready to read some. 'Up and Down' is the new issue of 50 to 1. The featured authors include: Paul Mullin, Russell Streur, Joanne Sheppard, Jonathan Howell, Ethan Swage, Amanda Tanay, and Jason Lea.
Glen is excited for the World Cup!
The Grieving Process by Jason Lea
Jenny found Jason and Wrinkles upstairs, blindfolded, drunk and playing Russian roulette with an unloaded gun. Jason is her husband. Wrinkles is the stuffed dog with which he used to sleep as a kid.
Jenny removed Jason’s blindfold and kissed him on the cheek.
"I miss her too," she said.
Jason Lea is a crime and fire reporter for The News-Herald, a daily newspaper in Ohio. It is his job to talk to people on the worst day of their life. Occasionally, he likes to write other things, also.
Jenny found Jason and Wrinkles upstairs, blindfolded, drunk and playing Russian roulette with an unloaded gun. Jason is her husband. Wrinkles is the stuffed dog with which he used to sleep as a kid.
Jenny removed Jason’s blindfold and kissed him on the cheek.
"I miss her too," she said.
Jason Lea is a crime and fire reporter for The News-Herald, a daily newspaper in Ohio. It is his job to talk to people on the worst day of their life. Occasionally, he likes to write other things, also.
1st line by Amanda Tanay
The nighttime gloom hovered overhead as we waited to be blanketed in the darkness that would destroy our existence.
Amanda Tanay holds a B.A. in English from William Paterson University and an M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. As a Copy Cditor, Freelance Writer and Editor, and an aspiring novelist, she spends most of her days and nights surrounded by words. She lives happily in New Jersey with her wonderful husband and beautiful daughter.
The nighttime gloom hovered overhead as we waited to be blanketed in the darkness that would destroy our existence.
Amanda Tanay holds a B.A. in English from William Paterson University and an M.A. in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University. As a Copy Cditor, Freelance Writer and Editor, and an aspiring novelist, she spends most of her days and nights surrounded by words. She lives happily in New Jersey with her wonderful husband and beautiful daughter.
Extracted by Ethan Swage
After Grandpa died, Grandma emptied the shelves above his workbench. She scrapped all but one of the jars he had packed with oddball findings: the jar filled with teeth. Grandpa's father—Grandma's secret crush—had extracted them during the Depression in true back-alley dentist fashion: one punch at a time.
Ethan Swage is a New Jersey–based writer/artist/photographer whose work has appeared in Flashshot, The Legendary, Everyday Weirdness, DiddleDog, and 50 to 1.
After Grandpa died, Grandma emptied the shelves above his workbench. She scrapped all but one of the jars he had packed with oddball findings: the jar filled with teeth. Grandpa's father—Grandma's secret crush—had extracted them during the Depression in true back-alley dentist fashion: one punch at a time.
Ethan Swage is a New Jersey–based writer/artist/photographer whose work has appeared in Flashshot, The Legendary, Everyday Weirdness, DiddleDog, and 50 to 1.
BFF by Jonathan Howell
He looked straight into his friend's solid green eyes surrounded by dark purple orbits from a different kind of intersteller travel. His friend needed money as usual. This time he asked holding the wooden handle of a snub nose revolver close to the hip. He thought, "what are friends for?"
Jonathan Howell is the product of the Internet: a mental wanderer far past attention deficit disorder. He is paid to wrangle the law and is educated in computers. He tries to find time to paint, program, and write. http://www.mechanic-al.org
He looked straight into his friend's solid green eyes surrounded by dark purple orbits from a different kind of intersteller travel. His friend needed money as usual. This time he asked holding the wooden handle of a snub nose revolver close to the hip. He thought, "what are friends for?"
Jonathan Howell is the product of the Internet: a mental wanderer far past attention deficit disorder. He is paid to wrangle the law and is educated in computers. He tries to find time to paint, program, and write. http://www.mechanic-al.org
Underground by Joanne Sheppard
Commuters on the Circle line speak of a man. Gets on at Aldgate.
Then takes out a novel and reads.
Aloud.
I listen to most of Perfume before one night he says, “I can’t help it. Head injury.”
I nod. “Wolf Hall next?”
“Okay. But it’s very long.”
“I know.”
Joanne Sheppard originally hails from Ware, a small town just outside London. She now lives, inexplicably, amid the dark Satanic mills of Salford, Greater Manchester. She has a degree in English Literature and works as a press officer and copywriter.
Now aged 34, she started writing fiction at the age of three and has never really stopped. However, being English, she waited until last month before submitting any of her work for publication on the grounds that she didn't want to appear pushy. Her first ever flash-fiction submission was kindly accepted by Short, Fast & Deadly.
Commuters on the Circle line speak of a man. Gets on at Aldgate.
Then takes out a novel and reads.
Aloud.
I listen to most of Perfume before one night he says, “I can’t help it. Head injury.”
I nod. “Wolf Hall next?”
“Okay. But it’s very long.”
“I know.”
Joanne Sheppard originally hails from Ware, a small town just outside London. She now lives, inexplicably, amid the dark Satanic mills of Salford, Greater Manchester. She has a degree in English Literature and works as a press officer and copywriter.
Now aged 34, she started writing fiction at the age of three and has never really stopped. However, being English, she waited until last month before submitting any of her work for publication on the grounds that she didn't want to appear pushy. Her first ever flash-fiction submission was kindly accepted by Short, Fast & Deadly.
Pittsburgh Street by Russell Streur
They walked together, hand in hand that night, from the cantina to her room. Common lilacs bloomed along the Soo Line tracks. She led him to her mouth and then her arms and bed. Pulled him finally to his feet. They stood, needle marks in the moonlight, on Pittsburgh Street.
Russell Streur is a born-again dissident residing in Atlanta, Georgia. His work has been published in the United States, Ireland and Switzerland. He has recently opened the doors of The Camel Saloon, a bar for dromedaries, malcontents and jewels of the world. First drink is on the house: http://thecamelsaloon.blogspot.com/
They walked together, hand in hand that night, from the cantina to her room. Common lilacs bloomed along the Soo Line tracks. She led him to her mouth and then her arms and bed. Pulled him finally to his feet. They stood, needle marks in the moonlight, on Pittsburgh Street.
Russell Streur is a born-again dissident residing in Atlanta, Georgia. His work has been published in the United States, Ireland and Switzerland. He has recently opened the doors of The Camel Saloon, a bar for dromedaries, malcontents and jewels of the world. First drink is on the house: http://thecamelsaloon.blogspot.com/
Acoustic by Paul Mullin
“Dude, we are so totally indie.”
“You wouldn’t be indie if a plaid comet crash-landed on your head. Gimme last week’s Styles section.”
“Yeah well at least my moleskin is real, dickhead. And no, not done yet.”
“Fuck you. Finish that PBR and let’s go cash our trust fund checks.”
Paul Mullin has a blog called The Germ of the Idea where he posts much of his work. Check it out.
“Dude, we are so totally indie.”
“You wouldn’t be indie if a plaid comet crash-landed on your head. Gimme last week’s Styles section.”
“Yeah well at least my moleskin is real, dickhead. And no, not done yet.”
“Fuck you. Finish that PBR and let’s go cash our trust fund checks.”
Paul Mullin has a blog called The Germ of the Idea where he posts much of his work. Check it out.