Wow, it took a while to put this issue together. There were so many good submissions and it was hard to choose just seven. But these made the cut. Good work, contributors. 'BATTERY POWERED' features work from: Nina Roselle, CS DeWildt, Justin Grimbol, M. Abran Garza, Rebecca Gaffron, Kat Nove, and Jordan Castro. A lot has been going on with 50 to 1. I've been altering the layout and the delivery and the guidelines; so this issue took more than usual to create. But that's okay! It's worth it. In the next few coming issues I plan on changing the archives to make them more accessible and easier to navigate. Try it out. So expect that in the near future. Otherwise, enjoy this awesome issue and, as usual, relax. You're at 50 to 1.
- Glen
Blues for My Brother by Nina Roselle
My brother played the blues. He died young when he surrendered himself to the dark tones that surround us all in the middle of the night. I think of him as a song untitled; a sad, sweet, low toned sax softly playing solo, with notes that wax and wane eternally.
Nina Roselle lives in North Carolina and is working on a book of short stories.
My brother played the blues. He died young when he surrendered himself to the dark tones that surround us all in the middle of the night. I think of him as a song untitled; a sad, sweet, low toned sax softly playing solo, with notes that wax and wane eternally.
Nina Roselle lives in North Carolina and is working on a book of short stories.
An Interesting Find by CS DeWildt
The man scanned tables full of junk at the swap meet. He found an antique lamp bought it for a song. At home, he polished the lamp with a greasy rag. Smoke filled the room with the smell of strawberry incense.
“Can I borrow a buck?” The genie asked.
CS DeWildt lives and writes in Tucson, Arizona. His stories have appeared in Bartleby Snopes, The Horror Press, Mobius Magazine, Static Movement. His story "A Glass of Water" is scheduled to appear in Word Riot October 2009.
The man scanned tables full of junk at the swap meet. He found an antique lamp bought it for a song. At home, he polished the lamp with a greasy rag. Smoke filled the room with the smell of strawberry incense.
“Can I borrow a buck?” The genie asked.
CS DeWildt lives and writes in Tucson, Arizona. His stories have appeared in Bartleby Snopes, The Horror Press, Mobius Magazine, Static Movement. His story "A Glass of Water" is scheduled to appear in Word Riot October 2009.
Low Tide by Justin Grimbol
A razor clam cuts my finger. Blood drips down my wet hand. It stings badly but my girlfriend calls me a pussy before I get a chance to complain.
‘You are so mean!’I tell her.
'Why don’t you go write about it in one of your poems?' She says.
Justin Grimbol lives in Shelter Island, New York. He hopes one day to create a full book filled with nothing but fifty word short stories.
A razor clam cuts my finger. Blood drips down my wet hand. It stings badly but my girlfriend calls me a pussy before I get a chance to complain.
‘You are so mean!’I tell her.
'Why don’t you go write about it in one of your poems?' She says.
Justin Grimbol lives in Shelter Island, New York. He hopes one day to create a full book filled with nothing but fifty word short stories.
1st Line by M. Abran Garza
He wished he’d never been born, so he traveled back in time to convince his parents never to want him and discovered—they never did.
M. Abran Garza is a hopeful and buoyant storyteller who has recently taken his hand to writing. He enjoys edifying the idiom while sacrificing semantics. He and his exquisite wife, their two exceptional children and a fish named Sparky, reside in a small garden home on the outskirts of San Antonio, Texas.
He wished he’d never been born, so he traveled back in time to convince his parents never to want him and discovered—they never did.
M. Abran Garza is a hopeful and buoyant storyteller who has recently taken his hand to writing. He enjoys edifying the idiom while sacrificing semantics. He and his exquisite wife, their two exceptional children and a fish named Sparky, reside in a small garden home on the outskirts of San Antonio, Texas.
History Repeats by Rebecca Gaffron
One guy. One bike. One joint. One girl. One mid-night picnic in the park. One hook-up. One perfect night. One text after another. One brush-off. One lesson learned the hard way. One guy. One bike. One joint. One guy. One bike. One joint. One girl. One smile. One more time…
Rebecca Gaffron is a sometimes writer, sometimes procrastinator and hopes she will be forgiven for both. Her stories can be found in a variety of print and online journals and at her virtual home: www.rebeccawriting.wordpress.com.
One guy. One bike. One joint. One girl. One mid-night picnic in the park. One hook-up. One perfect night. One text after another. One brush-off. One lesson learned the hard way. One guy. One bike. One joint. One guy. One bike. One joint. One girl. One smile. One more time…
Rebecca Gaffron is a sometimes writer, sometimes procrastinator and hopes she will be forgiven for both. Her stories can be found in a variety of print and online journals and at her virtual home: www.rebeccawriting.wordpress.com.
Satanic Rituals Made Easy by Kat Nove
Ronnie sucked blood from the puncture wound, then tossed Midnight into his cat carrier and placed it on the front lawn. Frightened children in Halloween costumes scurried past. She went to the kitchen cupboard, opened a can of catfood and fried it up for dinner. “More for me,” she cackled.
Kat Nove is a native Texan and her idea of a perfect day would be to sleep until noon, wake up and eat lunch and then take a nap. All this would take place somewhere other than Texas. The link to her blog is http://katnovian.com/.
Ronnie sucked blood from the puncture wound, then tossed Midnight into his cat carrier and placed it on the front lawn. Frightened children in Halloween costumes scurried past. She went to the kitchen cupboard, opened a can of catfood and fried it up for dinner. “More for me,” she cackled.
Kat Nove is a native Texan and her idea of a perfect day would be to sleep until noon, wake up and eat lunch and then take a nap. All this would take place somewhere other than Texas. The link to her blog is http://katnovian.com/.
1st line by Jordan Castro
I feel like ripping her face off and putting her face on my face, then running around and ruining her life or something, as her, then giving her her face back,’ he thought only half-sarcastically, for the third time that day.
Jordan Castro is 16 and blogs at www.smokingonanemptystomach.blogspot.com. He is on the border of maybe being / definitely being a bitch.
I feel like ripping her face off and putting her face on my face, then running around and ruining her life or something, as her, then giving her her face back,’ he thought only half-sarcastically, for the third time that day.
Jordan Castro is 16 and blogs at www.smokingonanemptystomach.blogspot.com. He is on the border of maybe being / definitely being a bitch.