Volume 14, Issue 11 – Pithead Chapel
COVER ART BY SUSAN POLLET FICTION CABBAGE SOUP WEEK BY NINA Y. MORAGON ONE OF GOD’S FAVORITES BY HAL WRIGHT CREEPS BY MELISSA BENTON BARKER THE NEED IN HER EYES BY RACHEL EPHRAIM &nbs…| Pithead Chapel
i could die in a field of wildflowers if they would have mei could sift through November leavesquiet as a birdsearching for answers to cosmic questions while rain pelts the windowsand the cookies in the oven grow tall, like little domesi could write tales of kings and queens, of sorcerers and witches and warlordsconjuring images […]| The Used Life
when i go into the forest, i am often overcome by an unshakable sense that silence is a placenot a building, but a cosmosand when i plant my muddy boots on the welcome mat, i am there to visit, to knock on the door of silence and, if i am lucky, be invited in for […]| The Used Life
there is no time to wastedawdling with what might have beenthe dishes still need stackingthe coffee to be drunki awoke one October morningand put on a Blue Öyster Cult recordwhile i fed the plants and folded the socks, etc. it was rainingand i scribbled a poem quite spontaneouslyon a piece of scrap paper it said:may […]| The Used Life
what of the mistress of enchantment?what of the wren splashing his wings in a pile of autumn leaves,or the sudden treasure of a blood moon?have you forgotten, or do you still keep stonesin your back pocket for wishing, etc.?is your body a place where dreams are nurtured—not dreams of power and fortune—but the child-kind, those […]| The Used Life
COVER ART BY SUSAN POLLET FICTION CABBAGE SOUP WEEK BY NINA Y. MORAGON ONE OF GOD’S FAVORITES BY HAL WRIGHT CREEPS BY MELISSA BENTON BARKER THE NEED IN HER EYES BY RACHEL EPHRAIM &nbs…| Pithead Chapel
Ann Handley reflects on her interview with BJ Novak and shares 10 nuggets he shared on how to be more creative.| Ann Handley
Calling all upper elementary and middle school ELA teachers!| We Are Teachers
I can’t believe what I saw. Charlie and I sat in his living room. Toto, Charlie‘s dog, a rescue who seemed a mix of German Shepherd and poodle, sat quietly by Charlie’s side. I knew that Toto‘s pre…| roughwighting
White Face, Foreign Hands has won First Prize in the Workplace Racism category of the 2025 Black in White Poetry Competition. Drawn from experiences working in NHS hospitals, it explores racism, exceptionalism, and the lingering legacy of colonialism.| Musings from a Stonehead
In Wishful Thinking, Dennis Johnstone reimagines the genie myth through a bleakly comic lens — where every wish exposes the futility of human logic and the price of understanding. A philosophical satire on cause, contentment, and collapse.| Musings from a Stonehead
She wrote letters to him,every now and then.No address to send to, though.Quietly sat a folderon her desktop,knowing its strengthto hold so much within itself,promising herto be therein her lonely moments. P.S. ‘Untitled’ to me is about envelopes without a recipient’s name. Letters written but never sent. It is also the folder on her desktop … More Untitled| The Bespectacled Mother
They accused me of not speaking to them.They made sure I heardwhen they complained to their ownabout me not speaking to them. They acted as victimsbecause I did not speak to them.All they saw was me disrespecting themthrough my silence.They saw the quintessential bad person in mefor not speaking to them. But did they ever … More The Whispers Spoke| The Bespectacled Mother
Sometimes I wonder if all the questions I carry will ever find their answers.I try to make sense of them through writing and through my reflections. Some days, my words ease the restlessness a litt…| The Bespectacled Mother
Scroll through any streaming service, and you’ll see it: mystery is trending again. Dark thrillers, cold-case podcasts, “whodunit” reboots — they all prove one thing: people never stop loving a good puzzle. For young adults today, that fascination runs even deeper. We live in an age of instant answers, yet we crave mystery. We want […]| Jack Ronald Cotner
BLR Editor Danielle Ofri hosts Sandeep Jauhar, Rana Awdish and Theresa Brown for a fascinating conversation about getting illness onto the page.| Danielle Ofri
They packed their suitcase, dreaming of a new life – a new city, a new home. They imagined the city would offer fresh experiences, a vibrant world to discover, and memories waiting to be made…| And Miles to go before I sleep...
Welcome to the two hundred and seventy-fourth edition of Fiction Monday. “A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” —Father Faber … More Fiction Monday – 274| Void Thoughts
Soft morning whispers, alarm chimes startling dreams far, day will never wait! … More When Morning Calls| Void Thoughts
Welcome to the two hundred and seventy-third edition of Fiction Monday. “What makes night within us may leave stars.” —Victor Hugo … More Fiction Monday – 273| Void Thoughts
In a life filled with all sorts of uncertainties, a loyal friend— a must-have! Nothing is as dear, as precious, as wonderful— as the company of a friend. … More Friend| Void Thoughts
Often I thought I was stuck, my life—an unfortunate side effect of circumstances. My voice and reasoning never to be heard, I was told, until I decided not to be labeled as a victim of circumstance…| Void Thoughts
Hi, friends. The eleventh installment of my tanka series titled “A Tanka Trio (11)” is now live at Gobblers by Masticadores. Each of these installments contains three tanka (be sure to click this link or the link below to read all of them). Many kind thanks to Editor Manuela Timofte for publishing these tanka. Very much appreciated, Manuela. “A Tanka … Continue reading “A Tanka Trio (11)” published at Gobblers by Masticadores| Silent Pariah
Greetings, friends. My poem “My Life Reads Like a Suicide Note” is now live at Hotel by Masticadores. I’m so thankful to editor Michelle Navajas for publishing this unusually dark and intense poem.…| Silent Pariah
Lets not clash against the salty gales of nature Expired is not our affection for her Though the water choppy and cold Sturdy the oak of our vessel, heavy are…| Fourteen East
Here’s my response to Rebecca’s October Poetry Challenge over on Fake Flamenco. Theme this month: wind or breath. Form: haibun. You can find her prompt post here: https://fakeflamenco.com/2025/10/21/october-2025-poetry-challenge-2/ Haibun Autumn proper and of course there is wind everywhere, gets into all sorts of nooks, breaks open what was closed and fills what was empty. ThisContinue reading "Autumn haibun, by Britta Benson"| Odds & Ends – Poetry Blog
Photo by Seray D. Mesebuken on Pexels.com Just a wee something written during an expressive writing session tonight. I haven’t posted on my poetry blog in quite some time. Here goes: at the e…| Odds & Ends - Poetry Blog
Sometimes, as men, we neglect the sacred duty of sharing our feelings. We usually wait until it’s too late. Many thanks to Michelle at Hotel Masticadores for publishing my poem inspired by Donny Hathaway’s classic, “A Song for You.” Happy Saturday, my WP family. “We Are Alone Now” by Nigel Byng I feel like such […]| Helping You To Succeed
In approaching this piece, I asked myself what the enduring impact of imperialism on island nations in the Caribbean looked and felt like to me. I explored themes related to our struggle for autonomy, the continued exploitation of our people and resources, and the ongoing deprivation faced by islanders. I attempted to juxtapose this feeling […]| Helping You To Succeed
They say the God on the plateau Is the same one in the village belowBut I grew up, resting my head on God’s pillowWhere morning clouds are painted golden yellow It is a humble home, my castle in the skyYet the air drifts cooler, and birds don’t seem so highEven the trees never appear to […]| Helping You To Succeed
The wait is over — Sweetbriar is blooming worldwide. We’re thrilled to announce that Sweetbriar, the beloved debut poetry collection by Rowena Liwanag Suarez, is now available globally on Amazon — in all formats. From the vibrant streets of Tokyo to a quiet café in Paris, Sweetbriar is now just a page away — ready to find its home in the hands […]| Helping You To Succeed
Do you have a struggling writer? Take a look at these 5 tips for teaching creative writing in homeschool.| Great Peace Living
We share our experiences -what we call- guerrilla marketing with flyers. In a world where so much communication is fleeting and digital, holding something tangible offers a rare sense of authenticity. Let my sister and I talk your through the old fashioned phenomena of distributing advertising brochures.| Paula Kuitenbrouwer
this is a totally work of fiction not inspired by any events that happened today or anytime or by any people. In the bleak January of 2035, Huda Ziade stared at her terminal, the blue light casting harsh shadows across her face. The air around her smelled like burnt silicon and broken dreams. Her breath […]| Tara Tarakiyee – Techverständiger
As longtime readers of this blog might be aware, I’ve long been skeptical of machine learning and its so-called “intelligence”. The AI industry, aided by clueless futurists and grifters, has abused our tendency to anthropomorphize what are essentially statistical processes, whether it’s transformer architectures, diffusion models, or large language models (LLMs). Scientists and politicians, out […]| Tara Tarakiyee – Techverständiger
(this is fiction based on fictional events that never happened any comparisons or similarities to real life events or people or computer programs are a sign of an over active imagination) Dramatis Personae Act I Scene 1 Lysse sits before a bank of glowing screens, his brow furrowed with strain. A robotic figure, Xzlibius, stands […]| Tara Tarakiyee – Techverständiger
things take shape in us suddenlyand let us go just as suddenlythese days of tender leaves remind usthe doves, too, racing like comets across the skyas if to say, there is no miracle other than thisand as for youdo you have the grace to let goof that which has let go of you?do you walk […]| The Used Life
how do we measure the anatomy of a moment?perpendicular, perhapsor with great color,incredulous as that may soundtake, for example, a sip of coffeein millimetersor a hunk of gravityon the breakfast tablewhere we sit in astonishmentas the eggs grow coldtime tells us that we exist with radio-like precision,but that, too, is a lie:a nickel in the […]| The Used Life
COVER ART BY NATALIE NEE FICTION ANY MAN’S BETTER THAN NO MAN AT ALL BY BIZZY COY DOG DOG DOG DOG DOG DOG DOG DOG DOG DOG DOG DOG DOG DOG DOG DOG DOG DOG DOG BY KATIE BURGESS HI…| Pithead Chapel
A sardonic poem about online forms, conditional logic, and the absurd quest to prove our validity in digital systems that keep rejecting us. Witty, exasperated, and darkly human.| Musings from a Stonehead
The story of my life is wide and deep Yet when I write of it, it’s narrow and steep My past was daughter, student, wife, and mom Well, now my present includes writing wom(an)| roughwighting
The Faculty Creative Project Seed Grants, administered by the Office of the Vice President for the Arts (OVPA), cultivate creative research and catalyze projects with the potential for far-reaching impact. | Stanford Arts
By Allison K Williams Ever been to a funeral for someone you don’t know? Maybe your spouse’s coworker’s spouse, or your mother’s friend’s cousin. You felt the warm, hu…| The Brevity Blog
People are trapped in yesterday’s memories and tomorrow’s plans.No one knows how to live in today anymore.The past is replayed, the future is bought and sold, but the present is ignored. Then someo…| And Miles to go before I sleep...
Welcome to the two hundred and seventy-second edition of Fiction Monday. "You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great." - Zig Ziglar … More Fiction Monday – 272| Void Thoughts
“Who told you it’s empty? I saw light there last week,” chided little Mary. “Everyone knows that house has been vacant for years, Mary.” Joe couldn’t believe the stories his sister came up with these days. For a five-year-old, she was quite creative. “Stop lying, Mary,” scolded Joe. … More The Vacant House| Void Thoughts
Welcome to the two hundred and seventy-first edition of Fiction Monday. “The first step toward success is taken when you refuse to be a captive of the environment in which you first find yourself.”- Mark Caine … More Fiction Monday – 271| Void Thoughts
Welcome to the two hundred and sixty-ninth edition of Fiction Monday. "It is never too late to be what you might have been."- George Eliot … More Fiction Monday – 270| Void Thoughts
When the perturbed mind reflects, chaos gleams pristine in its own reflection. … More Pristine Chaos| Void Thoughts
Hey, everyone. I’m excited to share some good news with you. My poem “The Daisy Ring” has been nominated for the 2026 Best of the Net Award. It’s an honor for me, and I’m so grateful to editor Michelle Navajas of Hotel by Masticadores for thinking highly enough of my poem to nominate it. What’s … Continue reading My Poem “The Daisy Ring” Nominated for 2026 Best of the Net Award| Silent Pariah
Greetings, folks. Gobblers by Masticadores has published the latest installment of my short haiku/senryu collections titled “A Few Haiku (21).” These small collections consist of six haiku and/or s…| Silent Pariah
Just a little note to say that my teensy, tiny poem ‘hope’ has just been published by Whispers & Echoes. You can read it here: https://whispersandechoesmag.home.blog/2025/09/29/hope-britta-benson/ Thanks!| Odds & Ends – Poetry Blog
Here’s my response to this week’s W3 poetry challenge, set by Jaideep Khanduja. You can find Jaideep’s prompt poem and guidelines here: I took liberties. Some. The poem just went …| Odds & Ends - Poetry Blog
The Thomas Wolfe Scholarship was generously endowed by Frank B. Hanes Sr. in 2001 to recruit the best and most creative undergraduates to Chapel Hill. The post Meet a Tar Heel: Radian Hong awarded the 2025 Thomas Wolfe Scholarship first appeared on The Arts and Sciences Foundation.| The Arts and Sciences Foundation
Time Passes, Love Remains by Bianca Alina I can’t recall how many days have gone by since that moment. It could be three days or possibly longer. I’ve lost track of time. Perhaps I’ve been sitting here, fingers poised over the keyboard and my gaze locked onto the immaculate blank page for an eternity. Time […]| Helping You To Succeed
I am so chuffed to be nominated for Best of the Net. It’s always an honor to be appreciated by the people you admire and look up to for their incredible talent. To Mike- Silent Pariah – Utley, Francisco Bravo Cabrera, Dawn Pisturino, Joni Caggiano, Bianca Alina Luchescu, Ms. Maggie Watson, the multi talented Robbie […]| Helping You To Succeed
[silence]workgrindbreak.repeat.hoperots.nothingmeansanything.thenend.[silence]…[silence]godmyth.priestslie.prayerfails.faithrots.nothingwaits.[silence]…[silence]voteclown.spinscheme.breakpromise.lo…| Musings from a Stonehead
Excitement comes in many forms when you're 4 years old.| Life at No. 22
Creatures from the Deep, paper collage, 2025 it is the nature of things to be undone the swiftness of birdsthat coaxes the weather from the winethe octopus from the coral perfume, etc.it is the nature of the mindto wanderamong rebellious flowersshoes untied, grocery bag full of poems and other space junk| The Used Life
everything that ever waswill be again every morning, the orange juice is shakenthe coffee, stirredsalt tossed over the shoulder for luck, etc.the planets synchronize to make this happenthough it is…| The Used Life
These 135+ character flaws help you create layered personalities and high-stakes conflict. Perfect for building emotional, believable characters in your short story, novel or screenplay!| Neil Chase Film Inc.
While "said" is the go-to dialogue tag, there are many other ways to say “said.” Here, we explain when and how to choose an alternative.| Knowadays
Music: I can touch hearts without a single word.Writing: And I can make a thought last forever.Music: When I end, people still feel me. I call it resonara – the echo that stays inside.Writing: When I end, people can return to me. I call it inkscape – the world a page can hold.Music: You keep … Continue reading Resonara & Inkscape→| And Miles to go before I sleep…
Image credit; Peter Thomas @ Unsplash I came back to the place where we first met. The same table was waiting, with two cups set on it. I ordered what we had ordered that day, hoping to feel close …| And Miles to go before I sleep...
Welcome to the two hundred and sixty-ninth edition of Fiction Monday. “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.”— Mark Twain … More Fiction Monday – 269| Void Thoughts
I’m here every night, patiently waiting for your eyes to find me.| Void Thoughts
Welcome to the two hundred and sixty-eighth edition of Fiction Monday. “Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away.”— Unknown| Void Thoughts
“Prudent; Rational”© 2025 by Michael L. Utley “I think it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights. That is a prudent deal. It is rational.” Charlie Kirk, April 2023 ….. San Ysidro McDonald’s massacre, San … Continue reading “Prudent; Rational”| Silent Pariah
Hi, everyone. The tenth installment of my tanka series titled “A Tanka Trio (10)” is now available at Gobblers by Masticadores. Each of these installments contains three tanka (be sure to click this link or the link below to read all of them). Thank you, Manuela Timofte, for sharing these tanka with your readers. You’re a wonderful editor and I … Continue reading “A Tanka Trio (10)” published at Gobblers by Masticadores| Silent Pariah
Hello, everyone. My poem “The Grief of Winter” is now available for your perusal at Hotel by Masticadores. I’m grateful to editor Michelle Navajas for publishing this poem. Thank you so much …| Silent Pariah
Featherfall(An allegory.)At first light,under a bruised sky,the First Raven rose—hackles oiled,black mood on black air.”Freedom!” he cried,the Conspiracy lifted with him—razor beaks,tun…| Musings from a Stonehead
“In the digital economy, the relevance of direct, personalized, and impactful communication cannot be overstated, particularly for B2B businesses where […]| YGL Enterprises
The self-taught poet will explore his craft in a formal creative writing class for the first time at UNC-Chapel Hill.| College of Arts and Sciences
Here’s my response to Sadje’s WDYS picture prompt. Somehow, her prompts always find me at the right time. 8am, Monday morning, and ready to write, while also looking for a little distraction. You can find Sadje’s full post and guidelines here: https://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2025/09/15/what-do-you-see-306-15-september25/ blue and brokenheart dryfrom a hundred firstsgaspsin full colourshadows prop uppossibilitieswill you waitforContinue reading "blue and broken, by Britta Benson"| Odds & Ends – Poetry Blog
Image credit; Peter Thomas @ Unsplash Here’s my response to Sadje’s What Do You See photo prompt. You can find her full guidelines here: Inside outI want a view I can hearthe coming and…| Odds & Ends - Poetry Blog
It is always a joy to write for Hotel masticadores. Today my romantic poem, Celestial Drift has been published by Michelle Navajas. My thanks to Michelle and her team for their commitment to supporting and encouraging writers from across the world to pursue their creative dreams. Please click the link below if you are so […]| Helping You To Succeed
Creative writing pedagogy can enrich vocational teaching by emphasizing process over product, embracing failure, and prioritizing revision. This approach fosters courage, openness, and trust in students while encouraging them to take risks and learn from their mistakes. Ultimately, self-trust and experimentation lead to personal and professional growth.| vocation matters
Intro Dear friends, Welcome to our W3 Poetry Prompt, which goes live on Wednesdays at The Skeptic’s Kaddish. You may click here for a fuller explanation of W3; but here’s the ‘tld…| The Skeptic's Kaddish 🇮🇱
It’s April 3, some two weeks after the release of Xhenet Aliu’s second novel, Everybody Says It’s Everything (Random House), and the award-winning author has come home. “Southern is my origin story as a writer,” said Aliu, who was on campus for a reading with celebrated poet Jason Labbe, ’01. Labbe, now an instructor in […] The post The Next Chapter appeared first on News at Southern.| News at Southern
DAVID CAPPS, MFA ’16 A poet and professor of philosophy, Capps is the author of six chapbooks, most recently, Fever in Bodrum (Bottlecap Press, 2024) and Wheatfield with Reaper (Akinoga Press, 2024). Advice for someone who dreams of becoming a published writer Be humble; read the classics; read widely, both in terms of era and […] The post Writers Muse appeared first on News at Southern.| News at Southern
Lesley’s recent comment about enjoying surrealist poetry prompted me to gather these four poems—each a philosophical romp dressed in absurdity—for her enjoyment. The Gut Instinct GambitWhat is intu…| Musings from a Stonehead
Tweedledum, Tweedledee, and the Indecent Moon is a surrealist parody of philosophical debate—where logic wears gloves, clouds gossip, and the moon mediates nonsense. A playful duel between percepti…| Musings from a Stonehead
Image is from Pexels This is another easy post, similar to the one I posted yesterday, where I share some of my life and how I use my fantasy world. The same world that got me into trouble with tea…| Mybookworld24
there is chatter over coffee this Sunday morning, while the clothes on the clothesline billow softly in the breezeTuesday’s jeans, grass-stained and spilling over with the tales of oak trees,which …| The Used Life
the world doesn’t offer us hopeit does, however, offer us the possibility of transcendence and that’s something, believe me, i’ve practiced step one: tread lightly. each spoonful of earth contains …| The Used Life
where do the stories go,and from where do they come? do they leave us in our sleep,as autumn clings to the shoelaceswith dappled paintbrush and a forlorn smile?it is better to make room for that wh…| The Used Life
Magic in the Air, paper collage, 2024 there is a measure of innocencein all thingstake the raccoon, for example, with his little moon eyesor the fawn on her curious legsthere is a measure of unreal…| The Used Life
We've rounded up some excellent Superhero-themed writing prompts to boost your imagination and inspire you to create your own superhero stories. Let’s get started!| JournalBuddies.com
Take a look at these 10 short story ideas. You'll also see advice on how to write a short and a breakdown of a very famous 6-word short story.| JournalBuddies.com
These fictional story prompts for kids of any age group will help you write great short stories about all kinds of topics!| JournalBuddies.com
Here are some things to write about to give you ultimate writing inspiration. Crack open your notebook, journal, or laptop, and get going!| JournalBuddies.com
Here are 26 fun and easy-to-use creative story writing inspiration and story prompts to help spark your imaginative and creative fires. #StoryPrompts #CreativeWritingIdeas #JournalBuddies| JournalBuddies.com
Image Source: Generated by AI Each night, I burn another unsent letter. The fire is warm, but the ashes seem to whisper everything I never said. In the quiet, my regret feels louder than the flames…| And Miles to go before I sleep...
Welcome to the two hundred and sixty-seventh edition of Fiction Monday. “Sunsets are proof that no matter what happens, every day can end beautifully.” — Kristen Butler| Void Thoughts
In the midst of never-ending what-ifs and might-bes, the journey is never easy— weighed down by worries umpteen.| Void Thoughts
Hello, everyone. My new short creative nonfiction story titled “The Graves of Saint Paul” is now live at Hotel by Masticadores. I’m truly grateful to editor Michelle Navajas for sharing this…| Silent Pariah
When our house burnt to the ground, the thing I remember most was standing in the rain, praying it would put out the flames. Ever since, I’ve had a love-hate relationship with summer rains. As a ki…| Helping You To Succeed
BY CARMEN MARCUS It was the summer of 1984 and Lady Di was just about to marry my toy gorilla, Gogo. My mum was standing watching the rain and then she did something extraordinary. She thrust her hands through the glass pane of the back door. My dad grabbed Lady Di’s (aka Barbie) long wedding […]| The Writers' College Times
I researched a lot before I began writing about psychic dreams and found out that I already knew more than most. Many don’t believe that dreams tell us the future, but I was just a 12-year-old when…| roughwighting
Start developing your unique writing voice to connect with your readers.| The Write Life
When I was little, rain meant freedom.Puddles were playgrounds, and each splash felt like magic.I’d race barefoot through wet streets, clothes clinging, laughter echoing louder than thunder. Now, the rain finds me at a window.The glass is fogged, the bench outside glistens, and I sit still, watching.The puddles wait, but I don’t move. Somewhere between … Continue reading From Puddles to Windows→| And Miles to go before I sleep…
