Category: Editor Picks

Editor Picks, General Fiction, Historical, Short Fiction

Week 530: Tuncking; A Warning From Diane About More Corporate Slime Trails; Six Gems and Some High End Funny Bizness

ireneallison12

A Word is Born

Human friction is often caused by a powerful negative response to something another person says is true. An exchange of loud exchanges of not listening to the other person occurs. You see it in bars all the time. Words spill from mouths, fists fill the temporarily emptied maws and loosened teeth are the innocent victims. Dentists prosper. Yet the situation is usually considered resolved.

Continue reading “Week 530: Tuncking; A Warning From Diane About More Corporate Slime Trails; Six Gems and Some High End Funny Bizness” →
All Stories, Editor Picks, General Fiction, Latest News, Short Fiction

Week 528: What’s in a Title; The Votes Are In and Genre Overkill

ireneallison12

Naming Stuff

I like interesting titles. Now, these are not items to be confused with lying “clickbait” nonsense, but titles of books, movies and songs that stray from the norm. Often, as is the case of the cheap 60’s Spaghetti Western God Forgives, I Don’t, the item fails to live up to the title (but, to be fair, it is an interesting little film regardless). And sometimes certain interesting titles almost guarantee a good picture. The two Sergio Leone “Once Upon a Time…” films are classics, as is Quinton Tarantino’s exceptional Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. There is also one called Once Upon a Time in Mexico that I’ve heard good things about (starring Johnny Depp and Penelope Cruz, both excellent performers), yet I’ve somehow yet to see it (I hope to fix that someday soon).

Continue reading “Week 528: What’s in a Title; The Votes Are In and Genre Overkill” →
All Stories, Editor Picks, General Fiction, Short Fiction

Week 526- Humourisk

ireneallison12

Of all things considered entertainment, comedy is the hardest to explain. Whether you spell it humor or humour (being based in the UK we will go with the latter), to my satisfaction no one has ever defined what makes something funny in one sentence.

Continue reading “Week 526- Humourisk” →
All Stories, Editor Picks, General Fiction, Short Fiction

Week 524: Seeking Alfie X

ireneallison12

(Andy in his natural habitat)

For years astronomers have theorized about the existence of another ninth planet in our solar system to replace Pluto, which was demoted to some other category of pointless rock for reasons only clear to the pocket protector faction of human society (I suspect the astronomers conspiring with the makers of the solar system charts you see in classrooms; Pluto was the victim of planned obsolescence).

Continue reading “Week 524: Seeking Alfie X” →
All Stories, Editor Picks, General Fiction, Short Fiction

520: Don’t Touch that Dial, More Words From the TV Generation

ireneallison12

In Stephen King’s On Writing he mentions that he is among the last generation of writers who learned to read and write before television became a staple of American life (as I’m sure was the same in other developed nations as well).

Continue reading “520: Don’t Touch that Dial, More Words From the TV Generation” →
Editor Picks, General Fiction, Short Fiction

518: Toys and If I’ve Hit Girls in Leotards Once I’ve Done it a Million Times

ireneallison12

Toys

During my decade at Goodwill I had many jobs. I recall one fondly: Toy evaluation. It involved going through the massive amount of donated toys and separating the trash from the saleable.

Continue reading “518: Toys and If I’ve Hit Girls in Leotards Once I’ve Done it a Million Times” →
All Stories, Editor Picks, General Fiction, Short Fiction

Week 516: More Wonky and Wise Words

ireneallison12

 

Wonky Words

This week I again lost the battle of prescription v. “perscription.” It is a secret (well, not anymore) shame that inspires another look at certain words.

We all have our prejudices. These range from the meaningful to the downright insipid. Oddly, I find foolish prejudices more interesting and perhaps better telling of a person’s character.

Continue reading “Week 516: More Wonky and Wise Words” →
All Stories, Editor Picks, General Fiction, Latest News, Short Fiction

Week 514: Happy New Year; Honesty; Six Honest Writers and Confessions

ireneallison12

Welcome to 2025

In the technical sense, last week, at the conclusion of the Hellworld Hellweek run (by our six lovely writers),  was Week 513. So, as we open this brave year of 2025, we will keep pace with ever fleet time the best we can. Thus, here we are at the end of week 514. A Happy New Year to All–and now on with the usual show.

Continue reading “Week 514: Happy New Year; Honesty; Six Honest Writers and Confessions” →
All Stories, christmas hellweek, Editor Picks, Short Fiction

Week 512: Ho Ho No!!!

ireneallison12

Ho ho humbuggery

I am tired of PC Christmas. I figure a grown up can endure the Christian God for about six weeks every year without becoming a whiny child about it. Most of us knew that Christmas was bullshit growing up, but I never turned down a present from Santa nor have I ever failed to drop a coin in the Salvation Army bucket.

Continue reading “Week 512: Ho Ho No!!!” →