Tag: short stories

All Stories, Editor Picks, General Fiction, Latest News, Short Fiction

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

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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).

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All Stories, Editor Picks, General Fiction, Short Fiction

Week 526- Humourisk

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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.

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Fantasy, Humour, Short Fiction

The Insolence of the Lambs: A Feckless Fable by Leila Allison

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Our cast

Re-education Story Lady………Dame Daisy Kloverleaf

Truant Officer Aye………………Beezer Baw

Truant Officer Nae…………… Barkevious Baw

The Lamb Sextuplets…………..Themselves

Principal …………………………Penrose the Flying Weasel

The Bogey-Sheep……………..Juan Gee

Superintendent Renfield………Herself (actually drunk, a method actress)

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Fantasy, Humour, Short Fiction

Anita Knows by Leila Allison

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Act One: What Goes Up Eventually Leaves a Crater

Nowadays, the amazing comeback of the boy band, the billigits, is all the rage in Saragun Springs. The cycle of fame travels extremely fast in fantasy realms. For six weeks the boys (natives of the Springs) were flying high, superstars in the Springs’ sister realm called Other Earth; launched by the spectacular success of their debut album, meet the billigits (billigits do not use capital letters). Yet six weeks later, the band imploded, and the billigits were just another pockmark in the town of hasbeenville.

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All Stories, sunday whatever

Sunday Whatever – John the Revelator by Dale Williams Barrigar

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John Lennon in his Pickwick glasses is like a character from a Charles Dickens novel, or much like Dickens himself in his concern for social justice and his endless sympathy for the literal, and figurative, orphan, outsider, and underdog. Lennon can also fruitfully be compared to perhaps the only other English writer of the nineteenth century who rivals Dickens in staying power and popularity. Like Lewis Carroll and his beloved, living Alice, Lennon’s life was all about expanding the mind, and through the mind, the heart.

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Editor Picks, General Fiction, Short Fiction

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

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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.

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All Stories, christmas hellweek, Editor Picks, Short Fiction

Week 512: Ho Ho No!!!

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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.

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Editor Picks, Fantasy, General Fiction, Short Fiction

Week 506: A Big Announcement; Surreal the Deal; Five Great Values; Crystal Ball Questions

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A BIG ANNOUNCEMENT

First, before the Big Announcement, our thanks go to Doug Hawley for taking the helm last week. We look forward to extending further invitations to do so to our frequent writers and site friends!

Next week will feature our annual anniversary post. This year is special because it marks ten years for Literally Stories. There will be the many special features we add to our anniversary wraps plus an abundance of new ones. We have been working on this since summer and we hope to see one and all next week. As always, bring the kids, show up drunk, clothing is optional.

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All Stories, Editor Picks, General Fiction, Latest News, Short Fiction

Week 503: Further Adventures in Wildlife; Six Pack of Encouraging Words; and “Like, Boo, Dude”–PDQ Peety’s List of 80’s Halloween Horror Films

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Wildlife

I have either finished turning invisible or the local wildlife considers me as threatening as Jane Jetson. The wild things are taking advantage of our slipping sense of surrounding and are slowly, yet steadily organizing. I present three instances for your examination. (And although some of you will not detect acts of duplicity in these seemingly random events, I say that is what they want us to believe.)

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