Wild Violet Featured Works: Week of Nov. 4 (Health)
As health care continues to dominate the national discussion in the United States, our contributors tell stories that all, in some way, relate to health. In Jonathan Persinger’s short story, “Vanishing Twin Syndrome,” a college art student wrestles with family guilt at a party. In Wes Oldham’s “An Hour in Special Ed,” an IT support person gets an inside view of a special needs classroom. In a short story by Shani Thomas, “Christ’s Salvation,” a doctor helping during an ebola outbreak reaches out to a boy orphaned by the...
Read MoreWild Violet Featured Works: Week of Oct. 28 (Halloween)
For Halloween, this week’s contributors take us through dark passageways, where there may (or may not) be ghosts and other supernatural beings. In the short story “Infection” by Steven J. Bitz, a paranormal investigator and closet skeptic comes face to face with a truly terrifying experience. Deborah H. Doolittle’s poem, “The Ghosts in the Mountain,” tells the story not of a haunting but of the ghostly clues to a forgery. In a short story by Chris W. Martinez, “The Basement,” a college kegger goes terribly awry, thanks to a hidden...
Read MoreWild Violet Featured Works: Week of Oct. 21 (Loss)
Loss can take many forms — from death to the loss of a way of life — and this week’s contributors find ways to cope with those feelings. In Ron Torrence’s short story, “The Long Walk Home,” a general comes to terms with the circumstances of his son’s death. In Channel Brenner’s poem, “What I Can’t See,” a mother finds a way to move on after losing a child. In Chris Drew’s short story, “Achilles’ Last Stand,” a music journalist shares personal insight into the true story of a rocker’s...
Read MoreWild Violet Featured Works: Week of Oct. 14 (Parenting)
Parenting leads to both challenging and rewarding experiences that most people could never have anticipated beforehand. This week, our contributors examine different aspects of parenting: In Yasmin Tong’s essay, “Learning How to Love and Let Go,” she shares the rewards and challenges of trying to adopt through the foster care system. In David Linebarger’s poem, “SAT Scores,” dedicated to his daughter, he contemplates the meanings behind a big life event. In Thais Derich’s essay, “The Magic of Eating a Banana,” she delves into the...
Read MoreWild Violet Featured Works: Week of Oct. 7 (Cats)
My cat, Luke, protects our house When we put out a call for works involving pets, all that came were cats. Perhaps it’s because cats look so mysterious: they allow us to project onto them all our emotions. Or perhaps there really is something ineffably marvelous about cats. You be the judge. In Margaret Karmazin’s science-fiction story, “Brodsky,” a woman begins to suspect that her cat may be keeping secrets. The poem by Pamela Hill Epps, “At My Feet,” explores the relationship between humans and cats. In Barbara Kussow’s poem,...
Read MoreWild Violet Featured Works: Week of Sep 30 (Love, Part 2)
In honor of my wedding anniversary, which was this past weekend, this week marks the second of a two-part look at love. This time, our contributors tackle some of love’s thornier challenges: Mary Julia Klimenko’s poem, “Blue Hydrangea,” explores the mixed feelings of fear and desire that can accompany love and sex. In Julia Ryan’s short story, “Dunkirk Dilemma,” a World War 2 nurse honors a dying soldier’s wish and finds herself on the front lines of a war against homosexuality. Kaitlin Deasy’s poem, “Tsunami,” shows...
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