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The Jester
Creative Writing | Steven Zingerman
When the cursed jester doll from an estate sale brings a legendary slasher killer to a coastal town of Westport, California, it awakens a legacy of horror that refuses to stay buried. Generations ago, Aleron—a jester betrayed by a king—laid a curse on the unjust. Now, his vengeance returns in...
Read MoreJack Nicholson and the Supreme Art of Acting.
I am taking this opportunity to pay homage to one of my preferred American actors: Jack Nicholson. In my view, he represents a master of his craft. His greatness stemmed not from the commercial appeal of the characters he played, or the ease or popularity of its scripts, but from...
Read MoreAgnes (Glass Animals) – A Brief Retrospective
Music Reviews | Vincenzo Barone
What strikes me most about “Agnes” is how it completely strips away the clever wordplay and quirky character studies that define most of Glass Animals’ work. Instead, we get Dave Bayley at his most vulnerable, processing the suicide of a close friend through music. The result is something rare in...
Read MoreLet’s Shamelessly Talk About Pink+White
When I stumbled upon one of the previous Inspiration Station’s pick, Frank Ocean’s “Pink + White,” I was quickly intrigued. But I’ll admit, I couldn’t help but chuckle at our Head of Media’s reference to the TV series “Shameless” as the song’s introduction point. As someone with let’s say…a complicated...
Read MoreThe Medicine We Need: An Introspective on “Common Side Effects” and the Ache of Impossible Cures
Television Review | Rebecca Aldermann
I keep thinking about that pigeon. In the opening moments of “Common Side Effects,” Marshall Cuso, this wild-haired, perpetually shirtless mushroom enthusiast, kills a pigeon to prove a point to his old high school friend. Not out of cruelty, but to demonstrate something impossible: he brings it back to life...
Read More“Illinoise” at the Park Avenue Armory Review
When considering where it fits into performance and critique, it most draws comparisons to Beyonce's “Lemonade” or even the Talking Heads “Stop Making Sense” before it could be compared to a more “traditional” musical theater adaptation of a musician's discography (in example “Girl from the North Country”).
Read MoreThe Show That Couldn’t Touch Anyone: On Pushing Daisies
Television Review | Leandro Colon
Lee Pace you are a sexy beast.
Read MoreDUSTY IS BETTER THAN WET
Creative Writing | Steven Zingerman
A widow buys a quiet bird for a quiet house. The pet shop says dusty droppings are better than wet ones. By August, the town is counting the sick, and the bird is still eating.
Read MoreA Map of Canada: On Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You”
The image of love as the touching of souls is borrowed from the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke, which Mitchell has acknowledged. What Mitchell does with the borrowing is the interesting part. She does not just quote the idea. She takes the idea and turns it back on the lover....
Read MoreThe Work That Disappears
"I do not want to make this essay too tidy. There is something hard about the kind of life I am describing. To work on systems that disappear when they succeed is to accept a particular relationship with recognition. You will not get a parade. You will, in many cases,...
Read MoreCan You Still Hear My Accent?
Creative Writing | Layla Adawieh
"I tell my father I need a ticket to leave Lebanon in a week. Years later, when he tells me he’s building a house on our village’s hills for me to inherit, I don’t have the heart to tell him I won’t be coming back."
Read MoreThe Wish and the Cost: A Critical Look at Obsession
Curry Barker’s Obsession arrived in American theaters on May 15, 2026, carrying the kind of pre-release expectation that usually crushes small horror films. It came out of TIFF’s Midnight Madness block the previous September with strong word of mouth, sold to Focus Features for a reported fifteen million dollars after...
Read MoreErin Roberts’ Reluctant Slasher: Clown Shoes & Crimson Shadows
Creative Writing | Steven Zingerman
Some monsters wear masks. Erin Roberts just wears clown shoes. Erin Roberts never asked to be the world’s most sarcastic vampire hunter. He definitely didn’t ask to become president of the brand-new Vampire Hunter League of America. One chaotic book later, he’s stuck leading a team of colorful slashers, a...
Read MoreElizabeth Catlett: A Solo Show but not an Isolated Show
The exhibition, Elizabeth Catlett: A Black Revolutionary at the Brooklyn Museum is a solo show, but it does not isolate the artist. Or perhaps Catlett’s work itself rejects isolation.
Read MoreSeeing Yourself: A Brief Essay on Media Representation
I was seven years old when I first realized I didn’t look like the heroes in my favorite stories. It wasn’t a dramatic revelation – just a quiet moment during Saturday morning cartoons when I noticed that none of the characters on screen shared my features, my skin tone, my...
Read More“An-My Le: Between Two Rivers” Exhibition Reflection
Each image shows the viewer scenes of the American military, and as the description in the MoMA’s gallery dedicated to her work indicates, it is a point of view on the peacetime activities of the armed forces as they move through the world. The tranquility is misleading, but not so...
Read More“Orlando” Reflection
To focus on transformation, as this play so clearly does, is to reject the classification and rigid boundaries of any particular form. And here also is where “Orlando” shines, making a comedy from a drama, existing in all times at once while still progressing through time, making the crew’s cleaning...
Read MoreUnfinished Bussiness
Creative Writing | Steven Zingerman
Ron Harper thought the worst thing that could happen in college was being invisible. Then he died—and it stuck. Now a ghost classified as an Unfinished Business Person, Ron is trapped in an afterlife run like a cosmic bureaucracy, where the only way out is solving his own murder. Teaming...
Read MorePineshade Phantom
Creative Writing | Steven Zingerman
The river never forgets. Forty years ago, the town of Pineshade watched the masked killer known as the Phantom vanish into the black waters of the Silaq’tem. They told themselves it was over. They were wrong. Now Whispering Pines Amusement Park has turned the real murders into a multimillion-dollar haunted...
Read MoreCan’t Find What Doesn’t Exist – Christopher Moltisanti’s Elusive Arc
Television Review | Anthony Villacosta
I’ve watched “The Sopranos” a lot. You won’t find me saying that I’ve seen it too much but some would say it’s getting pretty close. Let’s talk about it. Spoilers ahead for a 25 year old show. “The Sopranos,” renowned for its intricate character studies and psychological depth, masterfully uses...
Read MoreLet’s Talk About The Ball: A League of Their Own
A conversation on the uncertainty of the ending of the 1992 film, A League of Their Own.
Read MoreFlash Essay – What The Hell Was “Homeland”?
In the troubled and often flatout bizarre landscape of post-9/11 television, “Homeland” stands out as perhaps one of the most egregious example of how more traditional, if not antiquated, understandings of white feminist narratives can be weaponized to perpetuate and justify islamophobic violence. The series, which ran from 2011 to...
Read MoreA Constitutional Question the Court Decided It Didn’t Want to Answer
When the Supreme Court handed down its decision this morning that states may bar transgender girls from girls’ and women’s sports teams, the headline wrote itself: a 6–3 majority upheld laws in West Virginia and Idaho restricting female athletics to biological females. What the headline obscures is how the majority...
Read MoreOVERHEATED RIVALRY: The Long Game Comes To An End
Creative Writing | Eduardo Escober/ E.R. Escober
This story is a work of fan fiction, born from imagination and deep respect for the characters’ original context. The ending you’re about to read is my personal interpretation—one of many possible paths for Shane and Ilya’s journey. Other fans might envision different outcomes, some more hopeful, some perhaps...
Read Morelast dawn of humanity
The Last Dawn of Humanity by rowdy rood . Chapter 1: Echoes of the Fallen City The concrete arteries of the city lay fractured, choked with the dust of fallen titans. Twisted rebar clawed at the bruised sky, skeletal fingers reaching for a sun that offered no solace,...
Read MoreClassics from the Public Domain – The Tell Tale Heart
Creative Writing | The Olive Branch Review
Introducing Classics from The Public Domain The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe Editor’s Note: We are thrilled to launch a new feature at The Olive Branch Review: Classics from The Public Domain. In a space dedicated to amplifying contemporary voices, we recognize the importance of honoring the literary...
Read MoreThe way we talk
This may not be the post for everyone. If you are in a mood for reflection, understanding and some mourning, this could be you.
Read MoreMy Favorite Shot in The Phoenician Scheme
Creative Writing | Josephine Hicks
A short discussion on the filmmaking style of Wes Anderson and some thoughts on his latest film, The Phoenician Scheme.
Read MoreAn Acquired Taste
The skin is fuzzy with hair against her tongue.
Read MoreReviewing the Song of the Month: Red Wine Supernova
"Red Wine Supernova" by Chappell Roan is a spellbinding track that merges pop with ethereal tones, showcasing Roan's unique voice and storytelling prowess. With its vivid imagery and emotional depth, the song navigates themes of love, identity, and liberation. Roan's artistry shines, making "Red Wine Supernova" a standout piece that...
Read MoreThe Blackwood Curse
Creative Writing | Steven Adlai
Detective Liam Walker stood before the crumbling Victorian mansion, a towering edifice of forgotten grandeur now cloaked in a shroud of decay. The Blackwood family had vanished without a trace, and the old house seemed to be the key to unraveling the mystery. An ominous air hung over the property,...
Read MoreDoubt Your Doubts
Creative Writing | Raymond Jones
"...A woman has been liking on you. That's it. That's the whole sickness." Her voice didn't rise. It went lower. "And it has eaten you alive. Because you don't know what to do with a thing you didn't con somebody into."
Read MoreThis is the Way Democracy Ends
Opinions and Advice | R. Joseph Acosta
"This is the way the world end. This is the way the world ends This is the way the world ends Not with a bang but a whimper."
Read MoreThe Serpent’s Covenant
Creative Writing | Steven Adlai
"The memories flooded back like a torrent of poison. The hollow eyes of the damned, the children weeping in perpetual darkness, the generations destroyed by this curse. Women clutching their throats as invisible hands strangled them, men driven to gibbering madness, their minds shattered like mirrors reflecting only horror. Liam...
Read MoreA Brief but Extensive History of the Mad King and His Rule Over the United Counties of New Britain
Introduction: Gressconsin It is unclear exactly how or when the argument started. Some scholars place the fight’s genesis in mid-August, others early July. Some say it began as a bet, others as a friendly hypothetical, and still others as a matter of spontaneous public hysteria. For an event that has...
Read MoreThree for the Week – July 24
Jake Gilmore breaks down some hot new songs. Please go stream "Becoming a Stranger" by Go Public, "Indu" by Greg Freeman, and "Breaking Atoms" by Chuck Strangers featuring billy woods and Zeroh. Support under-appreciated artists!
Read MoreA Man Is What He Don’t Do
Creative Writing | Fenton Wexler
Ray had run a fence crew for thirty years and he had carried on with a woman out of Federalsburg for eleven of them, and Barbara had found out in 1990 and thrown him out and taken him back in six weeks. It was known. It had been known so...
Read MoreMy Uncle, My Nightmare
Creative Writing | Steven Zingerman
After a terrifying call from her long-dead "Uncle Tony" on her late-night paranormal radio show, radio host Lydia finds herself plunged back into the nightmare she thought she escaped as a child. What begins as a personal haunting quickly spirals into something far darker. A string of brutal ritualistic murders...
Read MoreAmerican Fiction: A Tale of Two Films
"Monk is a frustrated novelist who's fed up with the establishment that profits from Black entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, he uses a pen name to write an outlandish Black book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of...
Read MoreThe Sky Between Us (mlm)
Creative Writing | Rain Melody
For the first time in years, Luca wondered what it might be like to sit beside someone who didn’t expect him to be anything at all.
Read MoreAll The Things They Didn’t Say: Heated Rivalry and The Ugly Story Behind a Pop Song
I yearn to yearn. Do you?
Read MoreAnnabelle’s Bracelet
Creative Writing | Joseph Pelizzari
Her lips wanted a cigarette but her mouth wanted a slice of pepperoni pizza.
Read MoreA Window into the Present – Understanding Fascist Italy to Grapple with Fascist America
Yes, yes, I know that what I have written is quite long and that it might not be for everybody. I would still recommend you reading it in it’s entirety. However, as my children would say, the “too long, didn’t read” is please Vote!, Vote!, Vote! lest we go the...
Read MoreTHE BLUNDER OF THE PINK PANTHER
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
They say don't judge a book by its cover. However, people are eager to judge others or situations based on appearances or preconceived notions. In matters of physical confrontations, it’s a good idea not to underestimate others based just on their appearance. Overvaluing ourselves may prove a fatal mistake. A...
Read MoreA Hero’s Journey
In the mountains of North Carolina lies a small town secluded by fresh green oak trees and lined with dirt paths called Murphy. In Murphy everybody knows everybody because ‘downtown’ consisted of five stores and two bars; in a town so small, there isn’t a lot of room for hostility....
Read MoreSilence is Deafening
Creative Writing | Picasso's Girl
Silence, in its most harrowing form, is not the mere absence of sound but an excruciating cacophony of unspoken words. The human mind, wired for connection, does not interpret silence as void….it amplifies it into an insidious symphony of uncertainty and apprehension. When one anticipates a voice, a response, an...
Read MoreThe Colors, Oh the Colors
Creative Writing | Lonnie Belcrow
There is a particular quality of light that belongs exclusively to the past. Miriam had come to understand this slowly, the way one comes to understand most important things, which is to say reluctantly, and only after a great deal of unnecessary suffering. The light of memory, she had decided,...
Read MoreOld Friends
Creative Writing | Rain Melody
Ash and Mari are old childhood friends who were separated by their differences but have always been neighbors. Upon graduation, Ash has completely changed and Mari seems interested in wanting to be her friend again, feeling guilty for the way they ended, but Ash trusts no one except her childhood...
Read MoreTeen Titans: Kori’s Playlist
Creative Writing | Jennifer Loforte
The upcoming graphic novel Teen Titans: Starfire is coming out being written by Kami Garcia and illustrated by Gabriel Picolo. Picolo created a playlist for Kori a year before the book came out, so I decided to go by each song one by one and speculate what was to come...
Read MoreO’ Brother Where Art Thou?: A Uniquely Southern Odyssey
A review of the 2000 Coen brothers film, O Brother Where Art Thou?
Read MoreThe Seed Library
Creative Writing | Vincenzo Barone
Mara opened the door of the old branch library at six in the morning, the way she had every Tuesday for the past three years. The lock still stuck. She still kicked it. The hinges still complained in their tired metal voices, and she still loved the sound. The building...
Read MoreJean Jacket
Creative Writing | Taryn Elease
His scent worn into the fabric Smile worn into my head Records scratch as snow falls and laughs echo off the walls Soaked sheets hold the goodbyes never spoken Seagulls sing the songs of your journey Dancing in the basement of my old house Playing the memories like a broken...
Read MoreThe Rightest Way
Part of me hopes you have no clue what you did to me, and the other hopes you do. Because if you didn’t know, that means I’m not defending a villain. But if you did, then at least I know my pain is justified.
Read MoreDefending Downtown Rochester, NY: The First Part
Culture and Cuisine | Grace Farrell
As described on its Instagram page (@nativerochester), Native is “casual upscale dining in the heart of Rochester, NY”. I came in hungry but with no expectations at all, and I found the experience to be a pleasant piece of evidence validating my strong belief that people are really missing out...
Read MorePEPE LE MOUCHE
Caution!. Sometimes we fall victim to our desires.
Read MoreLike the Flower
Calla will check her arm in the morning. Sober, in a different light, some name she half-invented outside a kitchen with bad tiles. She says her name again. It gets absorbed into the peeling wallpaper.
Read MoreModest Mouse’s “Ocean Breathes Salty”
In the realm of music videos, few capture the intricate dance between nostalgia and foreboding as poignantly as Modest Mouse’s “Ocean Breathes Salty.” Directed with a delicate touch, the video weaves a narrative that feels both intimately personal and universally relatable. It invites viewers into a world where childhood innocence...
Read MoreIt’s a Bug’s Life
Creative Writing | Steven Zingerman
A young couple, Brian and Jennifer, recount their unsettling experience at a roadside motel in Texas.
Read MoreIntrusive
FWC25-The Uninvited | Katharine Hanifen
The mind is an ugly place to be, especially when it isn't your own.
Read MoreNOSFERATU. A GOTHIC TALE OF TRAUMA AND REDEMPTION.
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Some fear the night because, with the darkness, evil visits us and terrifies our dreams. Our dreams become the arena where all our fears, terror, and unwanted desires are set free for combat. Our conflicted desires and impulses show up in a disjointed cartoon-like reel. Our dream is a mental...
Read MoreReviewing the “Soft & Quiet” Trailer
There’s something undeniably captivating about movie trailers. I know, it might seem odd to profess a love for what essentially amounts to a two-minute advertisement, but hear me out. In the same way that a well-crafted *Fruit Loops* commercial can make you crave a bowl of colorful cereal, a skillfully...
Read MoreErosion Has Become Assertion
A companion piece to "The Rise of Mussolini and Lessons for Modern Democracy," July 2024
Read MoreNotes on Silence
Speaking things into existence is an adorable concept and all but you must actually open your mouth.
Read MoreTHE LANDSCAPE HAS ABANDONMENT ISSUES
I am currently wedged in a ventilation duct that is precisely the width of my own optimism---which is to say, significantly narrower than it looked from the floor---arguing with a 17th-century oil painting. A merchant named Cornelius stares at me from across the room with judgmental intensity, while my target,...
Read MoreBUYER BEWARE
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
In these times, more than ever, we must become Homo Economicus, as introduced by John Stuart Mill. We must be "rational and self-interests agents", not to maximize our wealth but to maximize our protection. We have arrived at a moment in history where the class struggle is less than relevant,...
Read MoreThe sky’s veil to bed
When the sky takes off her day clothes and slips into her night gown
Read MoreCautionary Tales
Under smoky skies, parents hover near their children, eyes flicking to the unbarred window as they decide to tell the story one more time. For good measure. The children grip their sheets as the words roll over them, renewing the ever burning fear that fills their lungs. What a brilliant...
Read MoreIf I Had His Face
She had the same eyes as her brother. Same jaw, same crease in their brows when they argued. Their mother had said so their whole lives, strangers said it, photos said it. She had always loved that, the sense of being matched, of belonging to someone. She had never hated...
Read MoreWhen Bridges Break – Chapter One
Creative Writing | R. Joseph Acosta
Nick and Tyler proceeded to drink together until some more brothers funneled in as the afternoon classes wrapped up and by 4pm, the fraternity was throwing an impromptu party. For the rest of the night, Nick did not feel the weight in his chest or the pit in his stomach....
Read MoreIn My House Is Where You Should Be
"And maybe that is the final loss. The loss of having someone in your life in a way that is visible and shared. What remains is private. Internal. Yours alone."
Read MoreTurned To Tin
Did you hear it? The lock.
Read MoreDull Leaf Trail
Creative Writing | J. Lynn Carr
Birdie can’t help but feel lied to.
Read MoreThe Loch Ness Monster is Very Real
Back in June of 2015, I was a senior in high school. I’d spent the majority of the last four years of my high school experience having next to no fun at all in the name of beefing up my college application. My days consisted of eight hours of IB...
Read MoreEchoes of a Fading Dream: “The Deer Hunter” in American Consciousness
Allston Alexander's piece offers an exploration of 'The Deer Hunter,' delving into its depiction of post-Vietnam America, the shift from industrial to service economies, and the enduring impacts of war on mental health and community. It reflects on the film's critique of the American Dream, highlighting its relevance in understanding...
Read MoreTripping over my hallelujah
I wasn’t doing to bad when it happened, I was on the verge of a breakthrough and then I lost you, I found myself tripping over my hallelujah of a new beginning A new way of living, but how do I live when I lost you your heart beat that...
Read MoreThe Worm
Creative Writing | Mike Jimson
The bus was crossing the border between South Carolina and Georgia when Troy decided that eating the brownies his roommate had given him was a bad decision. Time stretched out, an initial wave of pleasant floating slowly overrun by creeping terror.
Read MoreFive Characters in Search of an Exit: Plato and The Twilight Zone
Creative Writing | Abigail Logan
I am currently in a course exploring the philosophical and psychological themes of "The Twilight Zone". This piece (this post is excerpts from it) is regarding the episode "Five Characters In Search of an Exit".
Read MoreHotel California
FWC25-The Uninvited | Tamara Jean Luckinbill
A swooning rocked through her chest, letting the music course over her skin as she sang along. “You can check in anytime you like, but you can never leave.” Fyrn’s hips swayed as she mumbled the melody. She dove into the malaise of smoke and noise in the dimly lit...
Read MoreThe Killing of a Sacred Deer: a Film Review
From the very first frame, Lanthimos’ masterful exploration of the “sins of the father” theme grips the audience, transcending a simple cautionary tale to delve deep into the intricate tapestry of guilt, responsibility, and the far-reaching ripple effects of our actions. “The Killing of a Sacred Deer” unfolds with a...
Read MoreThe Last Room (Horror)
Creative Writing | Rain Melody
Seven rooms. One truth. Leave before dawn.
Read MoreI Was Thinking About Space And Not The One Between Us
My own thoughts. Based on the song, "In Another World," by EJAE.
Read MoreThe Ember Crown
Creative Writing | Rain Melody
In elder days, in the shadowed land of Eldrath, where stars hung low as lanterns of fate and rivers whispered spells unto stone, there rose a kingdom wrought not of iron nor gold, but of flame. Its citadels did shimmer with towers of heat-glass, and its banners bore the mark...
Read MoreShadows in the Godfather Saga: Exploring the Ignored Story of Mama Corleone
Film Review | Allston Alexander
Allston Alexander critiques "The Godfather" for its narrative neglect of Mrs. Corleone, arguing that her sidelined role diminishes the film's portrayal of Italian-American culture and reflects broader issues of gender representation in cinema.
Read MoreTHE CURSE OF BLOOD AND WINGS: A TALE OF SISTERLY BETRAYAL
FWC25-Hunger | Eduardo Escober/ E.R. Escober
From a full length novel called Not My Bowl Of Rice, A telenovela/cookbook
Read MoreThe Off-Season
"I'm not going to be it," she said at last. Gently. Definitively. "I want to be clear before you start building something in your head, because I can hear you starting. I'm not the thing you come home to when the city stops working. I had that. I had eleven...
Read MoreEtheric Double
There's evil twins and doppelgangers and the dark, uncanny specters in the other-sides of mirrors that betray their otherness with the occasional malevolent wink at one's own unblinking eyes, and all that. But that's not how any of this works. It's both more banal and pervasive than any of that.
Read MoreTo Retell Or To Rewrite?
Creative Writing | Josephine Hicks
Where do the lines of retelling and rewriting begin and end? And what does this mean for the historical punching bags of ancient myths: the women?
Read MoreThe Much Needed Resurgence of Human Creativity in the Age of AI-Generated Art
Francis C. Sorvino explores the resurgence of human creativity in the age of AI-generated art. As AI-produced content saturates the advertising landscape, Sorvino argues that the value of authentic, emotionally resonant human artistry is paradoxically highlighted, leading to a renewed appreciation for the irreplaceable qualities of human-generated art.
Read MoreThe Strawberry Earrings
Creative Writing | Bri Rose-Baker
For years, she wished for something other than gray, but had never known what that was. It was like asking someone that never left the mountains to imagine the sea, impossible to the point of not knowing it was even a possibility.
Read MoreSamson Rockwood Reviews Some Music
Music Reviews | Samson Rockwood
As you sit in a dimly lit room, headphones on, the opening notes of Radical Face's "Always Gold" envelop you. The acoustic guitar and Ben Cooper's haunting voice weave a poignant tale of two brothers. "We were tight knit boys," he sings, each word heavy with emotion. The song's simplicity,...
Read MoreONE DEAD END AFTER ANOTHER
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
If human life is a journey, as the cliche goes, our daily lives become the road that we travel. It happens that for some individuals, the streets they travel along, with indecisions and misfires, take them to dead ends. During his journey, Jason U. reached a dead end. He had...
Read MoreAunt Jane’s Will
Creative Writing | Sai Marie Johnson
How did I wind up here? That begins a story that started with the death of my mother, and my becoming the ward of my Aunt at the age of nine. She had always been somewhat of an eccentric, and as aforementioned I was not allowed beyond the sitting room...
Read MoreMario Vargas Llosa, Nobel-Winning Peruvian Novelist, Dies at 89
Mr. Vargas Llosa, who ran for Peru’s presidency in 1990 and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2010, transformed episodes from his personal life into books that reverberated far beyond the borders of his native country. Mario Vargas Llosa, the Peruvian novelist who combined gritty realism with playful erotica...
Read MoreWadfa
Creative Writing | Layla Adawieh
On an early morning in the North of Lebanon in the 90's, four kids face their fear of the old lady who lives in an alley across their building. Twenty years later, one of them revisits the same spot and finds she cannot trust her memory of the event or...
Read MoreThe House of The Spyder
FWC25-Borders | Donovan Santiago
Sin will lead to an endless space with no rhyme or reason. Only in the end will it all make sense.
Read MoreTribal Courts & Legal Innovation
Legal Technology: The Importance of Its Incorporation “Equal justice under law… is perhaps the most inspiring ideal of our society. It is one of the ends for which our entire legal system exists… it is fundamental that justice should be the same, in substance and availability, without regard to...
Read MoreI am Moe Greene
Walking down the bustling streets of Las Vegas, I couldn’t shake off this odd feeling nipping at the edges of my consciousness. It was another scorching day in my city, a city I had practically willed into existence from the barren desert. The familiar hum of activity, the chime of...
Read MoreSo You Want to Join a Boycott: How to Consume Less
Opinions and Advice | Hannah Erbe Smith
A successful boycott is a sustained effort. This calls for long-term adjustments in our spending habits and a reexamination of our relationship with consumption. Reflect on your spending habits and understand how you can stick it to large corporations, reduce impact, and save money. I've compiled 13 actionable, simple steps...
Read MoreThe Maturation of the Lady Liberty: An Essay on Civil War Era Literature
The human affinity for the personification of various concepts, objects, and ideals is quite fascinating. As a collective, the citizens of the United States have done a particularly admirable job of assigning a human persona to this young nation. With all of its backgrounds, influences, moral corruptions, and philosophical contradictions,...
Read MoreMastering the Art of Healthy Studying: A Guide to Avoiding Burnout During Finals Season
Educational | R. Joseph Acosta
As the much-dreaded finals season approaches, it’s essential to equip ourselves with healthy study habits that not only optimize our learning but also help prevent burnout. While finals can be an incredibly stressful time for many of us, finding the right study methods and striking a balance between work and...
Read MoreFrom Kung Fu to Anime Cosplay
"The influence of anime has seeped into various aspects of Black popular culture. Music videos by artists like Megan Thee Stallion incorporate anime aesthetics, while Black designers create streetwear inspired by favorite series. This fusion represents a unique cultural exchange, blending Japanese visual styles with Black American experiences."
Read MoreAyahuasca Dreams
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Three friends embarked on an adventure of a lifetime deep in the Amazon in search of hidden pleasures. A world of surprises and mystery welcomed them, and they barely managed to escape with their lives. In the end, they were betrayed by their deepest desires.
Read MoreOnly the Second Worst Experience I Ever Had at the Town Center Mall in Boca Raton, Florida
Creative Writing | Alexis Barrett
It wasn’t supposed to happen tonight.
Read Moremy entry- the unfaced man
Note- sorry its short i hope you liked this short story also if you read the name of the chapters together it leaves a foreshadowing note which i thought was cool. -rowdy also this was made possible with the help of kind people who looked over the first version so...
Read MoreFirst Meeting
Creative Writing | Valerie Gregorio
Our first meeting was fated but wasn't meant to last.
Read MoreHouse Of Horrors
Creative Writing | Rain Melody
Mara came to the house to disappear. She didn't tell anyone where she was going. She left her phone in a trash can at a gas station two towns over. She paid in cash. She wanted to be untraceable. Forgotten. The house was perfect for that...
Read MoreIt’s Turtles All the Way to Phillip
Creative Writing | R. Joseph Acosta
Beyond the far reaches of our cosmos, past our comprehension of the limitations of space, lies the edge of the universe. At that edge, with the weight of all existence, balances perfectly on the back of a turtle. His name is Leonard, and he is quite large. As it would...
Read MoreThe Many Clowns of Newark
Alright get this: a die-hard Sopranos fan, born and raised in the heart of Jersey, counting down the days until The Many Saints of Newark hit the screens, right? I’m talking about yours truly. See, I’ve been living and breathing these characters for years, and the thought of diving into...
Read MoreLeandro Colon Talks About His Mistakes
I’ve never claimed to be lucky in matters of the heart. As for smart? That’s a judgment others have been eager to withhold from me. Some might call this piece a confession, others a cautionary tale. However, I’m not seeking absolution, and you can choose to digest and interpret my...
Read MoreThe Diary of a Madman
He wanted to be a part of her life. He just forgot to ask.
Read MoreA Quiet Between Stars (mlm)
Creative Writing | Rain Melody
His sanctuary was stitched together with quiet details: star charts inked in fading precision, tea mugs with stories in every chip, and the soft, rhythmic hum of the telescope chasing constellations. Silence was his shield. It asked nothing, revealed nothing, and gave him space to simply be. Then Giovanni arrived,...
Read MoreRocks Are Neat, But So Too Are Inorganic Nanoparticles…
In January of 2022, I was living in Laramie, Wyoming working a job I loved, surrounded by friends I adored, with no plans to leave much less, return to where I grew up in Rochester, NY. In April 2022, I found myself in Rochester. This was a deeply difficult decision...
Read MoreThe Creature in the Corner
Creative Writing | R. Joseph Acosta
In R. Joseph Acosta's gripping narrative, Joel Portnoy grapples with his inner demons and an unsettling presence that haunts the fringes of his perception. Struggling with loneliness and the search for meaning in a small New England town, Joel's encounter with a mysterious creature becomes a metaphor for his fight...
Read More“We the People” … Means all of us.
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Is hate and its twin siblings, bigotry and prejudice, as old as humanity? Probably yes. It dated to the moment the first man woke up, stood up and stretched, opened his eyes, and looked across the river, realizing he was not alone. To his surprise, at a short distance, he...
Read MoreA Library Farewell
Creative Writing | Francis C. Sorvino
In the quiet sanctuary of a library, Eleanor and Henry forge a bond over shared stories. As life pulls them apart, they make a pact to reunite in five years, a promise that sustains their friendship across distance and time. Their reunion, a testament to enduring connections, reflects the timeless...
Read MoreThe Radioactive Spider’s Last Letter
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
On the last days on planet Ludus, one Radioactive spider possessor of uncanny wisdom and high dose of cynicism, struggled to appease his conscience considering his past immoral decisions. Perhaps as a justification for his rotten actions, questioned the whole validity of its existence, the planet and the universe that...
Read MoreThis is How I Like to Talk About Poetry
Sandra Harkness pauses from writing poetry so she can write about poetry. In this essay, she embarks on a captivating journey through the evolving landscape of modern poetry. Exploring themes from the free-spirited forms of contemporary verse to the deep societal reflections in today's poetic expressions, Harkness skillfully navigates the...
Read MoreBrief Reflections: My Last Law Class Ever
As I sit in my last ever Law Class (secured transactions, don’t ask me any questions – I was confused all semester)… It is a bittersweet moment. Starting law school on zoom during the pandemic made the experience a bit isolated, but I am thankful for my zoom study group...
Read MoreClay Pigeons and My Blood: The Official/Unofficial May Song Review
In his latest review, Jake Gilmore ponders The Olive Branch Review's recent trend of featuring actors' musical endeavors as Songs of the Month. While he finds Michael Cera's "Clay Pigeons" charming and clever, Gilmore suggests that the publication should focus more on up-and-coming musicians. He passionately recommends Rachel Chinouriri's "My...
Read MoreNeither Pro-Palestinian, Nor Zionist. Just Pro-Human.
Opinions and Advice | P.R. Thompson
The periodic eruptions of armed conflicts on our planet, with their irrational blood-shedding, death, destruction, and the loss of innocent lives, seem permanent features of our daily lives. Most recently Ukraine- Russia, Palestine-Israel, and Sudan-Sudan occupied our “news”.In a world of great ironies, one is that Israel, a country founded...
Read MoreEmbracing the Future: How Network Latency and Predictive AI Models are Changing Our Daily Lives
Today, I wanted to have a little chat about something that’s been on my mind lately: the ever-evolving world of technology and its impact on our day-to-day lives. In particular, I want to focus on two seemingly unrelated things that are slowly but surely becoming intertwined: network latency and predictive...
Read MoreThe Algorithm of Love
Creative Writing | Andrew Dollis
And no. This work does not need a featured image. This isn't a picture book.
Read MoreA Man in Love is Like a Mortally Wounded Stray Dog.
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Love, the ever binding force of the universe, always rides along with her twin: Destruction. It may render Men deranged , or like wandering, wounded stray dogs; for Love is a prison from which Men are only freed by death. Man, the ever-eager beast, Brutus, lunches himself eagerly with hardly...
Read MoreCreature Feature
Creative Writing | Steven Zingerman
In the shadowed woods of Washington State, Sidney and Martha Jones sought refuge from the greatest tragedy of their lives — the mysterious disappearance of their fourteen-year-old son, Billy, in the Great Smoky Mountains. But some nightmares cannot be escaped. When a towering, telepathic creature known as B2B begins visiting...
Read MoreERIN ROBERTS, RECLUANT SLÄSHER
Creative Writing | Steven Zingerman
Erin Roberts, the awkward black sheep of a legendary slasher family, fails spectacularly at every kill. More at home with vampire myths than knives, he’s the Slasher League of America’s biggest liability—until his latest target doesn’t die. She’s a vampire nursing a 1950s grudge against his bloodline. One lost mask...
Read MoreYour Hands On My Insides
Leia once met a girl, and it ruined her life.
Read MoreThe Taste of Her
When Mira was small, her mother never said I love you. She said, Finish your plate. She said, Don’t waste what feeds you. Years later, when her mother’s body thinned to transparency, Mira began cooking for her. At first, she thought it would save her. But hunger, she learned, was...
Read MorePublishing Insights: Knowing the Difference
In this article, Claire Kroening explores the different publishing routes available within the industry, followed by common scams to look out for when submitting.
Read MoreThe Bird
FWC25-The Uninvited | Dante Guerra
Lucio stood like an anxious dog wagging his tail at his owner, when he heard a bird sing with the voice and melody of an uncanny familiar song. He turned and stared at the bird sitting on the roof of his house. Lucio's entire body itched, from his skin to...
Read MoreNaples ’98
Creative Writing | Raymond Jones
Naples: where the nights are hot, the whiskey is cold, and Francesco Sarracino's life is about to go up in flames. Caught between an exhausted wife, a demanding father, and a golden-haired goomar, Francesco thinks he's got it all figured out. A little nightlife here, a dash of family man...
Read MoreMiracle Drug
Nobody could have prepared me for the side effects. I took the first dose as a Nor’easter hit, the colloquial name for a big old storm, buffeting the cheap windows of my studio apartment, letting in a little whistle of cold air as the burning fluid was injected into the...
Read MoreTHE COUNT VON RECKLINGHAUSEN’S LOVE STORY
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
What is love, if not an illusion, a make-believe that we convince ourselves of? It's in human nature to see what they want to see despite evidence of the contrary. In the business of love, it seems that our deeply seated needs, longings, and wants color our perception of reality....
Read MoreThe Woman in 4B
Creative Writing | Rupert Nemo
"He didn't tell her. Not that night. But he thought about it. Thought about her question. Thought about her eyes in the dark, watching him like she was reading something written on his skin."
Read MoreBoy In The Attic (mlm)
Creative Writing | Rain Melody
The attic became his refuge. Dusty, dim, and forgotten. He dragged up a mattress, a lamp, and a stack of books he never read. It was quiet there. Too quiet. Until Liam showed up.
Read MoreI’d Like to think that I will be okay
Creative Writing | Jane Simpson
I’d like to think that I’ll be okay. That the rain will stop someday. The pain will simply leave. My mind can just be at ease. I’d like to think that I’ll be okay. Or that is what I used to say. At ages 9, 13, 17, and 21...
Read MoreThe Creative’s Manifesto
You've closed your eyes and let all of this happen to you. This is my plea for a change. This manifesto is your call to arms, your permission slip to unleash holy hell on the oppressive mainstream. Packed with blistering rage and revolutionary fire, it's a Molotov cocktail begging you...
Read MoreReflections on a Coffee Cup
The coffee spilled down the car's jet black exterior. The small girl had left the coffee cup resting on top of the car's trunk. I waited inside the coffee shop for the wrath from hell.
Read MoreSequins and Shadows
Creative Writing | Johannes Monk
Dmitri leaned against the worn wooden counter of the dimly lit bar, the air thick with the scent of stale beer and cigarette smoke. It was the kind of place where the regulars had permanent stools and the jukebox was perpetually stuck on the same few soul and disco tracks....
Read MoreClematis
The balcony, in the end, was always hers.
Read MoreThe Lost Parents of the Cul-de-Sac
FWC25-Hunger | Besufekad Tadesse
Before either could get their bearings, the creature in the cage popped up on their feet, yanked their body so violently that the connected tubes pulled apart, pushed the door wide open, and jumped on Dad quickly and ferociously. The creature began biting into Dad’s neck and extremities, tearing at...
Read MoreTaking the Leap: Finding the Courage to Commit to Your Career Path
Professional | R. Joseph Acosta
As we navigate the ever-changing world of work, many of us face the daunting task of choosing a career path. Whether you’re fresh out of college, contemplating a career change, or just feeling uncertain about your current direction, committing to a specific career can be downright scary. But fear not,...
Read MoreLow Water
Creative Writing | Fenton Wexler
This is a horror story. But so is life. This is a Fenton Wexler original work. And for that, you are welcome.
Read MoreLeg Night
Being a single parent was rough, especially in Fresno. An expensive town between the Sierra Nevadas and the Pacific. Of course everything is expensive nowadays. Looking at the moon’s position in the sky, the thing in the night sighed and walked back into the club whose air was more cigar...
Read MoreThe Creaky Door
FWC25-The Uninvited | Evan Baughfman
Behind him, the basement door slowly creaks open. Dave peers over the top of his seat. Shadows seem to creep up the basement steps and inch their way across the living room. Dave walks to the door, grabs its knob. He peers into the basement’s black maw.
Read MoreNot The Godmother: Fresh Kills
A review of the 2023 film, Fresh Kills
Read MoreBoys Will Be Boys. Not Thugs Or Gang Bangers
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Parenthood is one of those activities that you can only afford to get right. The consequences are too dire. Life is not fair and gives you no choices. You must do with what you have and do it right, regardless of your circumstances. Others will question your methods, even consider...
Read MoreThe Clean up
Creative Writing | Steven Zingerman
They came to haul junk. They unlocked a family secret that refuses to stay dead. A chilling tale of grief, possession, and the one job that should never have been taken. Perfect for fans of occult horror and sinister haunted-object stories.
Read MoreWhy You Should Become a Writer for The Olive Branch Review: A Platform for Growth, Connection, and Opportunity
Tech | The Olive Branch Review
Are you a young professional with a passion for writing, a desire to connect with like-minded individuals, and a hunger for personal and professional growth? If so, we have the perfect platform for you! The Olive Branch Review is a collaborative blog posting website that brings together young professionals to...
Read MoreThe Sahara Was Once a Rainforest
....
Read MoreRebellion in Technicolor
Film Review | Anthony Villacosta
Anthony Villacosta delves into "The Grand Budapest Hotel," exploring its narrative rebellion and aesthetic defiance against a backdrop of cultural homogenization. Through vivid analysis, Villacosta reveals how Wes Anderson's film is a manifesto for beauty, complexity, and the enduring power of storytelling in challenging the status quo. A must-read for...
Read MoreRecipe for Necromancing
Creative Writing | Tamara Jean Luckinbill
This is a tale of a middle aged woman who lived in a forest alone. She was a lightworker in the darkness who cast her words of wisdom and healed death’s kiss. Someone who revived the beating of an inanimate heart once again. It is about the spells of a...
Read MoreAsh and Thorns
Creative Writing | Rain Melody
In the ruins of Viremoor, when the moon is high and the wind is still, a blue flame flickers—and a voice calls out for someone who will listen.
Read MoreKin
Creative Writing | Dante Guerra
Do you believe in evil? In good? Do you believe there are angels and devils and a God, gods? How can anyone say none of this is real? One thing is certain. Terror is certain.
Read MoreNINO’S REVENGE
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Revenge: to avenge (oneself or another), usually by retaliating in kind or degree. It is also defined as an opportunity for getting satisfaction. P.R Thompson narrates an instance of revenge that was as sweet as it was unexpected.
Read MoreBattles in Bensonhurst
Creative Writing | Robert Bulova
The moment stretched between them, impossibly thin and razor-sharp. Maria’s eyes—deep brown, almost black in the low light of Giuseppe’s—held a thousand unspoken words. Michael felt himself drowning in them, in her, in the possibility of everything and nothing. Memories cascaded through his mind like a film reel spinning out...
Read MoreJIMMY MEETS SPONGEBOB
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Life can be rough for a kid sometimes. The adults around him/her often do not realize how their actions cause deep wounds in the child's soul. The child frequently escapes to the only possible place: imagination. There, love, friendship, and compassion are to be found in abundance. In the imaginary...
Read MoreDare To Be Unironic: Road House
A (too passionate) discussion on irony and Road House (1989)
Read MoreHome Fried Discomfort
Creative Writing | Jane Simpson
“Hey Darlin’” sends warmth down my spine. I am home and feel loved by the stranger who did not make eye contact with me as they greeted me. Grease thickens the air.
Read More“Moonwalk”
Creative Writing | Joseph Pelizzari
The thick rug warmed under my criss-crossed legs. Pins and needles descended down my legs to my feet, prickling them, though I dared not move. The room was as still as stars, crystalized in time, fragile. I heard my father breathing through his mouth as he always did. A low,...
Read MoreGrace
Creative Writing | Nina Merchant-Kuncewicki
"Bittersweet blue beauty that skipped a generation." This is a ghazal about my daughter and mother. I love the challenge of formal poetry forms and the creative constraint they impose. A ghazal is a particularly interesting type of love poem, with a repeated refrain that reinforces the theme. I thought...
Read MoreThe Dinner Bell
Creative Writing | Alfonso Celano-Neal
Standing by the dining room window, he watched a crow perched on the far end of the ledge. A faint bell rings from deep within the home. Dinner time. --A bit of flash fiction to close out the final end-of-semester dept. meeting.
Read MoreImaginary
FWC25-The Uninvited | Lisa Curry
I made up an imaginary friend named Polly, a kid just like me except better.
Read MoreDead Sisters Society
“Tell us how you died. When, where, what- who are the suspects?" “Why?” Elizabeth smirks. “We’re here to help you solve your murder.”
Read MoreThe Lover, The Man, and The Sleep Masc.
He’s sitting in those sheets, the same charcoal-colored ones I used to grip in the middle of the night. His head is probably on my pillow: the one that I claimed my first night there because it was just the right balance of firm and soft. It would have helped...
Read MoreRot
Creative Writing | Kate McClintock
I don’t regret what I did. I want to be really clear about that. The university counselor said that this is my chance to tell my story, my chance to be heard, and in my story, I don’t regret what I did. I do regret what happened. I don’t think...
Read More3:20 AM. Time For the Headlines.
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Joseph Koper for weeks ambulated around his home like a penitent in Dante's inferno. Always nauseous, tortured, with butterflies in his stomach. His sleep was worse than normal. He was now having nightmares. He kept on dreaming about being chased in the dark of the night, by someone with a...
Read MoreIt’s a Wonderful Nightmare in the Neighborhood
FWC25-The Uninvited | Steven Zingerman
In the quiet cul-de-sac of Pike Street, some legends refuse to die. For generations, parents warned their children about Wilson—the boogeyman said to haunt the woods behind the elderly Georges’ house at Number 14—a feral son. A military experiment gone wrong. A creature that only hunted those under twenty-one. Most...
Read MoreThe Quiet Child
Creative Writing | Rain Melody
A Psychological Horror Tale
Read MoreI Would Do Anything.
Cat would do anything to protect her girlfriend, Brie. Anything.
Read MoreTHE PILE
Creative Writing | Vaughn Cockayne
Deputies Earl and Connie are tasked with delivering an eviction notice to a dilapidated house on Elmer St. However, the house is filled with invisible defenders who attack outside forces with vicious and cold dispassion. The resulting siege of the house on Elmer St. threatens the security of the quiet...
Read MoreStrange Mama
“Dada!” The baby stood clutching her crib bars, rocking violently back and forth. It was bedtime, and as had been the case every night since the Heller’s move to the new house, she refused to go to sleep. Her reasons varied. Hungy, she sometimes claimed. Or she shivered in place...
Read MoreTwo Sides of the Same Damaged Coin
R. Joseph Acosta explores the profound impact of foundational relationships in shaping the lives of two of television's most iconic antiheroes, Don Draper and Tony Soprano, in this compelling analysis. Through a deep dive into their tumultuous backgrounds—particularly their relationships with their mothers—the article elucidates how these complex figures embody...
Read MoreNest
Creative Writing | Nina Merchant-Kuncewicki
We have lived in this small house for three years; On this nondescript California street, Birds nest in the awnings every April, Twice now in the front and once in the back. The cat trills through the dirty bay window, As feathered builders shape a dwelling of Twigs and...
Read MoreGlimpses from Göttingen
Culture and Cuisine | Jane Simpson
The landscape is a myriad of colors. While deep greens engross most of the city, deep warm hues of reds, oranges, yellows, pinks, and even lila (purple) appear through the leafy canopies.
Read MoreFinding a Community in Habitual Isolation
TV isn’t just a hobby for me; it’s a passion, a love affair, an obsession. From the moment I wake up to the second my head hits the pillow, the warm glow of the screen is my constant companion. But as much as I adore the flickering images, the clever...
Read MoreThe ABCs of a Friday Night
The trio of friends, A, B, and C, stood outside a bar named Soup. It was a bustling Friday night for young letters, but A was spoiling the fun. She had run outside the bar and vomited in the bushes. C rubbed her back, trying to sober her up. B...
Read MoreNotes on .. Disappointment
If we go down that road of holding everyone to the same morality, the same personal expectation we hold of oneself, we are going to end up in a Platonesque, Epicurean debate about what our social contracts really mean.
Read MoreSpecter of La Sirene del Crescente: Echoes of the Past
Creative Writing | Sai Marie Johnson
I thought about the creeping presence of artificial intelligence—the ease with which algorithms could replicate styles and create perfect images at a fraction of the cost and effort. It was a threat that haunted me like a dark cloud on my horizon, challenging everything I had worked for. I pushed...
Read MoreThe Devil at Mile Marker Twelve
Creative Writing | Samson Rockwood
"They stood there, the two of them, while the jukebox played and the dawn crept closer. The woman at the bar hadn't moved. The bartender had his hands below the counter, probably on a shotgun, probably not planning to use it either way."
Read MoreNotes on … Talent
As long as we are beholden to a handful of people making a profit, talent will continue to die in the daylight.
Read MoreMusic
FWC25-Hunger | Christopher Bartness
I could feel their desires for success. They were ambitious to be sure. But the ends were always the same: money, sex, and power, never realizing their ambition was nothing more than misplaced desire for acceptance.
Read MoreThe Moon Knows
The Moon knows all about my lonely nights as a child after every argument I had with my parents or one of my siblings pissed me off as I storm off outside to take a breather to the back yard to look up at the moon and just wish for...
Read MoreBroken Down in my Late Twenties
Arianna Mitchell explores the challenges of growing older and the unexpected changes that come with navigating adulthood. With a perfect blend of wit and self-reflection, Mitchell shares her experiences of creaky joints, shifting priorities, and the ever-present exhaustion that plagues many young adults. This engaging piece is sure to resonate...
Read MoreBuck Sanchez is Pleased to Meet You
Creative Writing | Raymond Jones
Buck Sanchez is a scoundrel. He is a delinquent. Sometimes, he can be downright rotten. But somewhere, deep in there, is a man with a good heart. It'll be in the people he meets while on the run that will slowly dig that rusted old pump of a heart out...
Read MoreAl Jodido no lo Salva Nadie
Creative Writing | Raymond Jones
She was nursing a glass of Chivas like medicine, same way she had when she'd taught him how to doctor the interest rates. Her lips caressed the glass the way they'd caressed him countless times in that corner office...
Read MoreQuick Thoughts on my Long Ass Year
Arianna Mitchell reflects on a year of turmoil, finding balance between challenges and growth, embracing community, and discovering personal resilience and joy amidst global and personal upheavals.
Read MoreFull
Creative Writing | Olivia Borowiak
And that’s when she saw a creature—Yes! A creature! She was mostly sure of it, indeed—perched atop a thick log with its knees drawn to its chest and its arms tucked at its side. It was the size of a small ferret, but humanoid with skin that was raw, like...
Read MoreHere Are Some Recipes To Escape The Societal Dread
Culture and Cuisine | Logan Bradbury
I don’t want to deal with this. Not today. I am going to. Believe me. I am going to. They are not going to win. This is my country too. But in the meantime, here are a couple of recipes that I am using to distract myself this week. —...
Read MoreCafe
...A modern day story teller...
Read MoreEarth Bones: Poetry Book Review
Reviews | Tamara Jean Luckinbill
There is an artful delicacy with which the author, Richard Taylor, brings me as a reader of his book, into his rural world. A place where the priority of caring and the acceptance of an inoculate fate of frailty and mortality are inherent in being alive. I found myself sprawled...
Read MoreMoving Beyond Retail: Insightful Advice from a Friend
Professional | Francis C. Sorvino
Are you considering a career change and thinking about leaving the world of retail behind? I recently had a heart-to-heart conversation with a close friend of mine who works in retail. Without disclosing the name of the store they work for, they opened up about the challenges and hurdles they’ve...
Read MoreEyes on the Road, Dear
Creative Writing | Alexander B
As Meredith drove through the icy and slick forest road, snow dotted the roadway. The setting sun cast the tall old growth in a fading, dusty red light like that of a warning sign. The headlights turn the falling flakes into luminescent orbs as they dance their way to the...
Read MoreFractured Horizons
Creative Writing | Claire Kroening
In this poem, Claire Kroening explores the growth and erosion of life in the analogy of nature's slowly-fleeting wonders.
Read MoreWhispers of Autumn
Creative Writing | Danielle Holmes
The crisp September air whispered through the quad, carrying with it the promise of new beginnings. Eliza stood at the threshold of Hartley Hall, her fingers tracing the worn brick as she watched the ebb and flow of students around her. It was only the third day of classes, yet...
Read MoreSMOOTHIES
Creative Writing | Michael Castaneda
It's not enough for some people... being nothing on the outside.
Read Morethe man of silence
By the end, even the reader begins to question whether their own internal monologue is entirely their own. The Whisper Man isn’t in the pages. He’s in the space b̝̯͠e̞̓͡t̴͔͑w̔́̚e̡̞͜e̴̞͐n̹͇͡ them. Day 1̴̡̡̻̗̜̱̋̽̈̀̀́1̴̢̻͙̦̗͑̏͌̌͒͠͞ : HE KNOWS WHAT I THOUGHT HE KNOWS WHAT I THOUGHT HE KNOWS And if you just...
Read MoreK.O.
Skyscrapers taller than your mother back then. I jump ship and pray for fame. Assassin slash historian. I’m just fucking with the way back when. Cause I’m struggling with the cheap shit. I’m struggling with my land-loving brain. I’m struggling with my memory. On top of it all, this thirst...
Read MoreLobo
Creative Writing | Julie Aaron
Lobo Julie Aaron Hell is in Texas. At least a portal to it is. Right in the town center of the dying community of Lobo; previously the gateway to the west, sole aquifer for over 100 miles, and depot to the Southern Pacific Railroad. Currently, it’s a gnarled opening...
Read MoreThere is only Google, and Amazon, and Facebook, and Apple, and Exxon, and Pfizer, and Blackrock.
Feeling the soul-crushing weight of the capitalist machine? Tired of trading your humanity for a corner office? Well, you're in luck! Introducing the "Mad as Hell" Executive Enlightenment Program™! Watch as our unnamed protagonist goes from boardroom yes-man to anti-corporate crusader, all thanks to a eye-opening chat with his woke...
Read MoreReflections On Perfectionism
I remind myself often that it is good to receive criticism, because it means I am making someone uncomfortable, and that is how we grow.
Read MoreWelcome to the Happy Hearts Family
Thank you for becoming a part of the Happy Heart family! As you already know, every decision you make is impactful. Choosing Happy Hearts products not only improves your life, but a portion of our proceeds from every sale goes towards charitable donations to better the lives of others. Our...
Read MoreRiveren
Culture and Cuisine | Tamara Jean Luckinbill
Open our hearts to the wild mysteries of freedom. Let go of this captivity held tight in our fists. Let go of land waiting to be reclaimed by its tribes. Restore a natural balance to these special places. Let go and allow our river to truly truly be wild and...
Read MoreKilling Time with My Sister
Creative Writing | E.C. Williamson
A work in progress
Read MoreBeneath the Live Oak Tree
Creative Writing | Jane Simpson
A draping canopy, but the rain still pierces where the leaves break. She sits comforted in a timber embrace.
Read MoreLies
Creative Writing | Taryn Elease
Sometimes your mind lies to you At least mine does. Not an obvious one like the sky is green when it is clearly blue. But the 7 times I noted that I annoyed my friend in the last hour The type of lie that when I get up to leave,...
Read MoreNotes on … Voice
While it is amazing to see people “have their voice,’ did we stop to think that not everyone’s voice is beneficial in a media-sphere on par with a black hole?
Read MorePaths Since Forgotten
Creative Writing | Claire Kroening
Claire Kroening explores the rawness of nature's beauty in this prose-poem, drawing forward the simple movements that make the land sacred— not merely a home to the wildlife present.
Read MoreThe Bison and the Butterflies
Creative Writing | Ben Vanelli
He places His tattered hat on the bar and licks His lips, licks the hair around His lips, finishes off the second glass of Whiskey, adjusts Himself in the stool. The music is still playing but the cries are not there.
Read MoreInterstate Pessimist
Creative Writing | Joseph Pelizzari
BABY ON BOARD thinks people can change
Read MoreThe old ‘me’
Loving yourself means loving every iteration of yourself.
Read MoreScroll
Creative Writing | Nina Merchant-Kuncewicki
"World-weary brains bathe in sweet dopamine." I wrote this sonnet to examine my own relationship with my phone, which, like most people, is not healthy.
Read MoreWhat is a writers job as the world bows and cracks?
Our job is to help, provide honest spaces - to give people something to compartmentalize their own thoughts on the world.
Read MoreODE TO THE DEVIL
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
In the beginning, "Elohim", God, created Heaven and Earth and all in between. His creation, however, was imperfect and lacked joy or love. Another deity, industrious and wise, soon saw the flaws in Elohim's design. "Beelzebub", the Devil, saw to free the Man from the sterile life that God forced...
Read MoreThe Weight of August
Creative Writing | Samson Rockwood
The sun pressed down on the farmhouse roof like a heavy hand, making the old wooden shingles creak and groan in protest. Emma wiped her forehead with the back of her wrist, careful not to let the sweat from her palms drip onto the bowl of green beans she was...
Read MoreShadows of Spain
Creative Writing | Samson Rockwood
The flickering neon cut through the haze like a jaundiced eye, casting sickly shadows across the café. Leonard Fritz hunched over his third Irish coffee, black as pitch and twice as bitter. This rotting cafe in this decaying Spanish town was a time capsule of broken hopes and spilled blood....
Read MoreFrom Boardrooms to Bedrooms: Mastering Everyday Salesmanship
Leandro Colon delves into the everyday application of sales techniques, illustrating how they influence our interactions and relationships. With a focus on emotional intelligence and genuine connections, he explores the subtle ways in which we all engage in salesmanship. By highlighting the importance of trust, reciprocity, and adaptability, Leandro offers...
Read MoreOne Happy Thanksgiving
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
One more Thanksgiving arrived—a lot of hopes and expectations. Yet, the guests were destined to repeat the same stories, ask the same questions, and avoid the sight of relatives they despised. Rarely did expectations survive reality.
Read MoreMy Dearest Nadia
My body and mind froze as I held your limping hand. The orderlies dragged me away before I could see for myself. I ask myself if there was anything I could have done to save you, rip out the parasite before it took you from me. But all logic here...
Read MoreThe Research
Creative Writing | Andrew Steadman
The body slumped to the packed dirt floor. A small amount of blood dripped into the dirt, immediately soaking in and leaving only a dark spot where it had fallen. She lost her grip, her hands slipping out from under the armpits, and she cringed slightly at the sound of...
Read MoreThe Latch
FWC25-The Uninvited | Blanca Nino
Latch Mary jolted awake, breath sharp in her throat. She lay still, waiting for feeling to return to her heavy limbs. For a moment, she couldn’t tell if the pounding she heard was in the walls or inside her own chest. She was on her living room couch, the...
Read More“Harmony Across Generations: A Personal Reflection on Cat Stevens’ ‘Father and Son'”
In "Harmony Across Generations," a young adult delves into the timeless appeal of Cat Stevens' "Father and Son," exploring the song's profound narrative on familial bonds and personal growth. Through personal anecdotes and reflective insights, the piece navigates the emotional complexities of the father-son dynamic, highlighting the song's role as...
Read MoreThere Is Trouble ‘Till the Robins Come
On February 2, 2025, at 7:30 pm, Theater 3 was the place people came to pay their respects to the recently deceased: director, artist, musician, and writer David Lynch.
Read MoreEndora
Did Agnes Moorehead do anything with her wigs?
Read MoreWhispers in the Lunar Dust
Reviews | John Charles McCarthy Drake
In the shadowed silence of the moon’s desolate plains, where the line between the ink-black sky and the stark, gray surface blurs into a monochrome infinity, there existed a realm untouched by the warmth of the sun or the whispers of the wind. It was here, amid the desolation of...
Read MoreFIVE STARS
It was more than work. It was her way out. Out of sleeping on her cousin’s couch, out of endless VA paperwork, out of remembering every goddamn thing the uniform didn’t protect her from.
Read MoreFocusing on the Light at the End of the Tunnel
Student Life | R. Joseph Acosta
As a law student, it can be overwhelming to juggle studying for classes, preparing for the bar exam, interning at a law clinic, and networking in an emerging aspect of the legal profession. With so much going on, it’s easy to feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day...
Read MorePublishing Insights: The Editorial Process
In this article, Claire Kroening examines the different areas of editing involved, and how to find an editor prior to submitting for publication.
Read MoreDepths of Decisions
Creative Writing | Falu Amaranth
Esmeralda and Tatti sat across from one another, the distance between them growing with each passing moment. The table, once a mere piece of furniture, now seemed an insurmountable barrier. Around them, the muted chatter of restaurant patrons swelled, threatening to overwhelm their senses. “What are you—” “Stop.” “No, I...
Read MoreShattered Glass: A Murder at Midnight
Creative Writing | Alfonso Celano-Neal
He stops, points at the cracked window, looks down at his daughter — smiling in her pink dress and sneakers — and says, “This is why we keep away from windows after dark.”
Read MoreJuly
We'll try again next year....
Read MoreStupid Bass Pro Pyramid
Creative Writing | Jane Simpson
Banana bread and barbeque salads be damned, nothing in the city could save me from the rain. The rain washed me and the home I built in Memphis away.
Read MoreTab Hunter’s Little Box of Secrets
Creative Writing | Nina Badillo
Welcome to the No Name Motel, where the sheets smell like pennies and the diner across the street serves up ptomaine with a side of mystery. Follow Kenneth and Devin, a couple bound by a dangerous plan, as they navigate the shadows of their own making. In this gritty noir...
Read MorePretty Isn’t Pretty Enough
Creative Writing | Jessica Daniliuk
A warm feeling moved from Gwen’s chest to her hand. In a swift moment, she walked to her bag, grabbed her scissors, and took a step towards Abigail. She paused for a moment, the sound of Abigail’s cackle refusing to leave her mind. Gwen walked next to Abigail, grabbed her...
Read MoreThe Attention Economy: Shaping Information Consumption
In today’s fast-paced digital world, information is more accessible than ever before. With just a few taps on our devices, we can access news, entertainment, and social updates at lightning speed. However, this abundance of information has given rise to a new currency: attention. The attention economy refers to the...
Read MoreKnock, Knock
FWC25-The Uninvited | Samantha Arthurs
The first time I heard the knocking from the mirror, I thought I was crazy. To be honest I was also quite drunk that first time, and I chalked it up to the pounding in my brain caused by the tequila so I went to bed. The next time, however,...
Read MoreJean Jacket
Creative Writing | Taryn Elease
His scent worn into the fabric Smile worn into my head Records scratch as snow falls and laughs echo off the walls Soaked sheets hold the goodbyes never spoken Seagulls sing the songs of your journey Dancing in the basement of my old house Playing the memories like a broken...
Read MoreFriends Wanted: The Trials and Tribulations of Friend-Making in the Concrete Jungle
Opinions and Advice | Arianna Mitchell
Ah, the big city. A place where dreams come true, opportunities abound, and friendships… well, that’s where things get a little dicey. As an ambitious young urban professional, I naively believed that making friends in the city would be a cinch. After all, with millions of people crammed into a...
Read MoreNew Feature at The Olive Branch Review!
Miscellaneous | The Olive Branch Review
An exciting new feature just went live at The Olive Branch Review!
Read MorePride Against Shame
...If its a con then call me an artist...
Read MoreIron Claw: The Dark Side of the Movie Theater
“The Iron Claw” was one of the most highly anticipated biopics, expected to deliver a compelling homage to the Von Erich wrestling dynasty—a family whose triumphs and tragedies have left an indelible mark on professional wrestling. However, despite its rich source material, the film falls short of expectations. Director Sean...
Read MoreServed Neat, or On the Rocks
Creative Writing | Raymond Jones
Step into Jack's Tavern, where the whiskey flows as freely as the regrets. Our proprietor, Jack, invites you to pull up a stool and drown your sorrows in our signature "Served Neat, or On the Rocks" special. Witness the unraveling of a marriage, the shattering of dreams, and the confrontation...
Read MoreAugust 2010
A short poem
Read MoreAcing Your Interview: My Thoughts and Tips for First Time Interviews
Professional | Francis C. Sorvino
Navigating the job market can be a daunting task for young professionals, but one of the most crucial steps in landing that dream job is acing the interview. With the right mindset and proper preparation, you can transform any interview into a shining opportunity to showcase your skills and personality....
Read MoreYou Get What You Give
Television Review | Abigail Logan
This short piece is a response to the Twilight Zone episode "Night of the Meek".
Read MoreNo Retreat
Worth the risk to find you.
Read MoreThe Granger
FWC25-The Uninvited | Rio L. Barney
While dealing with the death of her beloved grandfather, Clara must battle a supernatural entity.
Read MoreDew of the Sea
Behind Romy, the world burns.
Read MoreThey are here….still.
Creative Writing | Picasso's Girl
They are not gone. They linger in the weight of morning,in the first sip of warmth that fills the hollow spaces. They rest in the hush of a falling leaf,the quiet press of time against my shoulder. They pass in a stranger’s glance,a fleeting kindness I almost forget to notice....
Read MoreMolecular Story
Creative Writing | Dharani Pilla
Molecular Story Thus began the journey of water molecules frolicking freely with glee , merrily dancing on the leaps and bounds of waves along with its co-molecule friends. Together they explored the wilderness of the sea , the storms and underwater too. Many times going through the fishes’ mouths a...
Read MoreThe Song I Heard From The Birds Outside My Window
Do birds have eyebrows? Unfortunately, my breadth of expertise does not include, to any extent, ornithology.
Read MoreThe Wire: S1e1 – my review
Television Review | Leandro Colon
My review of the first episode of HBOs "The Wire"
Read MoreWhy Did We Have to Kill the Rock Opera?
Picture this: America, the land of the free and the home of the brave, caught in a maelstrom of cultural and political upheaval. From the corridors of power to the cornfields of the heartland, it seems the very soul of our nation is being torn asunder by the forces of...
Read Morethe ultimate question
Creative Writing | Meagan Lenfert
Why do we allow ourselves To wallow in sorrow But never in serenity?
Read MoreBlue Summer
But at that moment, she watched her sister burn and remembered how much she hated summer.
Read MoreThe Truth According to John 8:32
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
All sorts of dogmas proclaim to liberate us, raise us out of poverty, guarantee our freedom, or make us great again. But in the end, they make us surrender our freedom to the shackles of the dogma or blindly follow, like in a cult, the self-proclaimed savior. I realized that...
Read MoreHow This “Aswang” Story Grew Its Horrible Wings!
FWC25-Hunger | Eduardo Escober/ E.R. Escober
AFTERWORD: THE BLOOD-SOAKED CONFESSION OF A TORMENTED SOUL ¡Dios mío! The writer’s torment is not merely eternal—it is a CURSE that burns through the very marrow of one’s bones, a relentless demon that feeds upon the soul like a ravenous beast! This is no simple journey, mi querido lector—NO!...
Read MoreTHE TALE OF THE BOY AND THE SHADOW
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Our lives often resemble a journey, but a significant portion of our travels is spent either asleep or distracted. Finally, when we woke up, everything seemed distant and confusing. We look back, and all seems a blur. It happened that all events around us kept on changing, and only our...
Read MoreA Day in the Life of James Bonny
Creative Writing | Raymond Jones
Bonny's wife won't answer her phone. His girlfriend is being suspicious. God only knows the last time he's seen his kids. What constitutes a bender again? Bonny's definitely not the one to ask. How exactly can this dude afford a boat? Wait doesn't he also have an ex-wife? Jeez no...
Read MoreMourning Morana (The Death of Winter)
Creative Writing | Arthur Korges
A childlike mourning wells up in me, so I ignore my purpling hands A let myself stand out on the frozen lake just to mourn the end of Her, She who is the end to all.
Read MoreOvercoming the Blank Page: Advice on Entering the World of Creative Writing
Do you often find yourself staring at a blank page, struggling to unleash your inner creative genius? Fear not, for you are not alone. Creative writing can be a daunting endeavor, but with the right mindset and approach, you can overcome the challenges and produce captivating stories, poems, or essays....
Read MoreShattered Trust in Broken Lies – Chapter One
Creative Writing | Rupert Nemo
In the hallway, the sound of the club swelled again, all lowered laughter and the soft scrape of wealth against want. He didn’t touch me as we walked. He didn’t need to. The crowd moved, subtle currents rearranging themselves around his gravity, and my body followed as if it knew...
Read MoreLaura and Adelita
Creative Writing | Falu Amaranth
Laura and Adelita, steal an hour of passion. As they explore each other's bodies with the urgency of famished souls, time stands still in their suburban hideaway. But reality intrudes as Laura pleads for another rendezvous, while Adelita, bound by the chains of her life, hesitates. With a playful kiss...
Read MoreBridging the Gap: Integrating Traditional and Disruptive Media for a More Informed Society
Educational | R. Joseph Acosta
In our fast-paced, information-hungry world, it’s vital that we receive accurate, up-to-date, and accessible information. Yet, there seems to be a growing divide between traditional televised media and social media, two dominant sources of information in our daily lives. This blog post will explore the reasons behind this disconnect, such...
Read MoreUnspeakable Acts
Barbara blinked in a haze. In these scenarios usually no survivors are found. But she had been found mud-caked and nearly frozen to death in the bitter Alaskan wilderness. Barbara Keniston was the only survivor of a group of four scientists, one field guide, and a journalist who was doing...
Read MoreWhen the Leaves Fall
Its only organic that we change within seasons my love
Read MoreA Prayer in the Swamp
Listen closely, and you'll hear chewing.
Read MoreDeath is the Great Equalizer: Practicality’s War on Knowledge
Television Review | Abigail Logan
This piece was written for a course exploring the philosophical themes of "The Twilight Zone".
Read MoreMonster House
I am an unlocked door...
Read MoreThe Fireman’s Hands
Creative Writing | Picasso's Girl
I stood a mere 4 feet tall. Awaiting the school bus, the kidnapper of my time, that frightful first day of 3rd grade. Starring. Dragging my foot slowly up and down the door. Pausing the moment of the last of my freedom… Until he approached me. His hands, thick and...
Read MoreINCUBUS WELCOMED VISIT
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Our desires, even as they lurk in the deep recesses of our souls, run freely in our bodies. It is then in the silence of the night or our solitude that these desires come to assail us, holding hostage our minds and spirits. Only releasing the passion built up by...
Read MoreUnder The Sky
Across an endless beach, she follows him. Trudging through damp sand, her lips cracked, and eyes glazed. She staggers through perpetual twilight following a shadow. The hazy shape of her brother, meandering through the bitter fog on a beach that never reaches the sea.
Read MoreFrom the Dark, Into Bright
Creative Writing | Sandra Harkness
a poem by Sandra Harkness
Read More7/15/19 2:19
...To live for myself or to live in spite...
Read MoreThe Getaway
FWC25-The Uninvited | Rick Daley
It is done. Amanda lay still and bloody beneath me on her bed. My trophy from her floating in the chemical jar snug under my arm. Her nude body is enchanting in the candlelight, but I dare not disturb her. No, this is how I want them to find her....
Read MoreMy Love
Creative Writing | Allyssa Gaines
I think I have finally found the woman of my dreams. She has long, honey brown hair, sky blue eyes, and the most beautiful smile I have ever seen. I could stare at her forever. It is so easy to forget everything around me whenever she is near. I can...
Read MoreCrimson Thread
Creative Writing | Rain Melody
A mlm (boyxboy) romance.
Read MoreGLOW
"Oh God,” he whispered. Something glowed behind her teeth. It was an unsettling shimmer, moving within the shadows of her mouth.
Read MoreMina after Dracula: Blood of My Blood
FWC25-Hunger | Angelo Christoph
“Mina.” He said to me calmly, his analytical composure returning to him. “That night… when Dracula forced his blood upon you…” Abrupt. Tactless. My heart sank, the memories that haunt me every night flooding back to me in the light of day. Jack knew me well enough to see the...
Read MoreAn Essay on the Neubauer Experiments
Many people have argued that progress cannot be obtained without some kind of sacrifice. They teach us in economics that there is no such thing as a “free lunch”, meaning that something must be lost in order for anything to be gained. Newton’s laws of motion dictate the same...
Read MoreIllusion
If you could go back and give yourself the wisdom you know now...
Read MoreI am the Mortal Immortal. And so are you.
This essay by Vespera Shelley explores the paradox of the Mortal Immortal, blending a rich tapestry of love, loss, and the quest for immortality. With flowery, unpolished prose and run-on sentences, it reflects on humanity's dual desires and fears, using the protagonist's eternal journey as a mirror to our own....
Read MoreLook at the Wildflowers
Creative Writing | Sandra Harkness
Hey, look at that.
Read MoreChile ’73 | USA ’24
A republic, if you can keep it.
Read MoreWillingly Conservative Women
For every woman who stands up for reproductive rights, equal pay, women’s right to education, and freedom from the strict social boundaries that gender can impose upon a women’s place in society, there may be another woman who believes that these are non-issues and that the feminist agenda is pushing...
Read MorePolluted Marrow
Lilou wakes up covered in blood. It splatters her cheeks like paint, dripping down her neck like heavy tears.
Read MoreI Love You, Baseball
Creative Writing | Ben Vanelli
My love letter to baseball.
Read MoreThe Influencer Goes Viral
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
In her quest for glory in her quest to become an influencer, a young woman was unduly exposed to evil and ended up trapped in a dark alley. The Influencer-to-be failed to appreciate the danger that lurks on the other side of the screen. The world has changed in the...
Read MoreThe Guest Who Took His Name
FWC25-The Uninvited | Donald Schroeder
Martin doesn’t answer the cabin door anymore. But silence can’t keep the uninvited out.
Read MoreA BAD CASE OF CONVERSE ENVY
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
One of the worst cardinal sins, Envy, often turns destructive when one person covets another person’s possessions. The envious, lacking the attributes or possessions of the person they envy, feels mortified and wounded and, in a destructive fashion, retaliates. An envious guy may even murder the subject of his Envy....
Read MoreA BRIEF STORY OF CURIOSITY, PERVERSION, AND CHARITY
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
The human soul is a complex machinery of conflicting pieces, hardly operating in sequence but never failing to work. It is like an obscure temple where the divine and the satanic reside in complete harmony, sometimes giving birth to sublime actions. In one guy, like the swamp giving birth to...
Read MoreCharlie Kirk: A Tragedy is a Tragedy
Look, Charlie Kirk is dead, and that’s horrific. Political assassination should revolt anyone with a functioning moral compass. But what’s happened in the aftermath – the media’s immediate rush to sanitize his legacy while firing anyone who dares provide context – that’s revealing something much darker about where we are...
Read MoreCalloused Hearts
Calloused Hearts Calloused hearts are too common these days. We either lock our love up or throw it away. If you can’t give a man hope maybe you could give him some change so he can add it all up before it’s taken away.
Read MoreCharisse
Creative Writing | Sai Marie Johnson
She hadn’t known Katrinel Magdalena at all. The woman had died before Elara’s tenth birthday, remembered only in fragments passed down through silence, a scent of rosewater, a velvet box no one opened, a name spoken like a spell and then buried. But the diary was unmistakably hers. And it...
Read MoreQuiet September
Creative Writing | Robyn Bruns
September does not ask anything of you except just to be.
Read MoreFuneral Clown
Creative Writing | Clell Allison
Upon the death of her former groomer, a girl wears rather unusual attire to his funeral.
Read MoreNavigating the Evolution of Hiring Practices: A Guide for Today’s Job Seekers
Professional | Francis C. Sorvino
As someone who’s spent a considerable amount of time researching the ever-changing landscape of hiring practices over the past two decades, I’ve seen firsthand how the job search process has evolved. In this blog post, I’ll share insights on the transformation of hiring practices, compare past methods to today’s strategies,...
Read MoreThe Return
Creative Writing | Steven Zingerman
In the rotting bowels of New York City, the shelter system doesn’t save addicts—it feeds on them. Battle-scarred veteran Teddy Williams stumbles into Steps to a Better Life, a crumbling former school crawling with the city’s damned. The hallways choke on the stench of decay. Staff flash blood-red teeth and...
Read MoreInternal Battle
Creative Writing | Picasso's Girl
Mommy says no candy. “It’ll rot yo’ teeth.” Daddy says no Tank tops, “You aint no piece of meat.” Battered down and broken Never swung a fist …it’s the inner battle, The one no knows exists
Read MoreGhosts
Plagued by memories like thick phlegm / I can hardly breathe
Read MoreI Just Dislike Spring.
Creative Writing | Picasso's Girl
I hate the smell of spring. It is the scent of things pretending to be new,a wet, thawing lie draped over the earth,like a washrag that was used to clean the stale breath of winter Flowers—such an odd concept,fragile declarations of beauty we amplify beyond reason.They frame love….they frame loss,just...
Read MoreCrayon Box
Creative Writing | Picasso's Girl
Why do all the others have cute names and fancy clothes? They go with sunny park themes and clean-laundry fragrance. They bring color to pictures. Meaning to feelings. Not Me. I sit alone in the corner of a the box. Sharp, and ready to go, but never picked. I’m the...
Read MoreLeandro’s Break from The Wire to talk about some Really Real Stuff
Sitting here in the small, somewhat cozy space of my college dorm room, the only light comes from my laptop screen, casting shadows around me. It’s quiet, too quiet sometimes, and it gives me a lot of time to think, maybe too much time. I’m 19, right at the start...
Read More2-14-24 23:13
You have the soul of a soul Sorrows carry the weight of your words As the blood that pours from your wrist Leave the bittersweet Aroma from the drops on the floor There’s cheekiness in your tone like you always want to keep others warm but never any less, never...
Read MoreThe Budget’s Foe
Acerbo just got here. Asks if you know it’s cold. You don’t know what ‘it’ is. Silence the liver! Bring forth the mold. Stomach grows a presence, disturbing the architecture. But the ketchup-thick blood in the bathtub ain’t Acerbo. This gash is shaped the same. Irreversible scarring. Hiding head lice,...
Read MoreThe Layup
"It was like the swivel chair I had been sitting in at the time had spun me around so fast I shot off into space, leaving the ethereal insides of soul and spirit to finish out the conversation."
Read MoreThe Displacement
FWC25-The Uninvited | Stephen Howard
After all, he’d wished upon them pain and misery. You understand, of course, I had to distance myself from these people to establish a new Thomas. But, finally, I can seek them out. All of them.
Read MoreA Brittle Arrangement
Creative Writing | J. Lynn Carr
The librarian plucks a curled scroll of yellow-tinged paper from the vine. A flower hisses at her.
Read MoreWE, THE ALCHEMISTS
Creative Writing | Samantha DelValle
I WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE REALM OF DARKNESS HOW ELSE WAS I TO LEARN TO BE A LIGHTHOUSE STAY AWAKE LIKE YOUR LIFE DEPENDS ON IT (IT DOES) I ALMOST LET FEAR WIN TODAY INSTEAD I CHOSE TO SURRENDER TO REMEMBER
Read More“The Garden”
Creative Writing | Joseph Pelizzari
There is a photo, in a box, in a closet, deep in the house, of my grandmother in her garden.
Read MorePlug and Chug
So I got this internship, right? I’m not really sure how (frankly, I’m not really sure why) but everybody in my family is so proud of me. Nobody expected me to be working this summer and if I did, it definitely wouldn’t be at a job sitting down. But here’s...
Read MoreRewatching The Wire – S1e3
Television Review | Leandro Colon
Double Header Baby!!! I'm rewatching The Wire and writing about it. I thought I was going to be writing about this more consistently but school really got in the way of things. I really do like this show but oh boy does it get heavy sometimes. Talk about needing brain...
Read Morelet’s meet up in uncanny valley
Creative Writing | Masha Kurbatova
At work, you text me a headline: Decatur Town Square Moth Man. And you say he’s here!!! And I read the article, and it’s a Decatur in Texas, not ours in Georgia. But you so seldom text me at work that I reply wow!! When I scroll through older messages,...
Read MoreA Case That Needs Pursuit
Set in London, England, once a renowned journalist, the inconspicious and meticulous Sophie Saint-Clair now works as a private consultant with the Metropolitan Police Service also know as the London Police. In this first addition to her story, Sophie helps solve 'The Murder of the Teacher's Wife', as well as...
Read MoreTHE Kingdom OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Opinions and Advice | P.R. Thompson
The SCOTUS is on fire. This is day two of the methodical dismantling of the legal framework that supported and served this nation well for almost two hundred fifty years, with day one being the 2010 Citizens United decision. With each decision and all those in the interim, this court...
Read MoreFuneral Clown
Creative Writing | Clell Allison
Upon the death of her former groomer, a girl wears rather unusual attire to his funeral.
Read MoreMy Love Letter to 2000s Network Television
Arianna explores the comfort and escapism found in rewatching early 2000s TV shows during times of personal struggle and societal upheaval. Through a mix of self-deprecating humor, pop culture references, and heartfelt reflection, the author delves into the challenges of navigating adulthood, relationships, and financial instability, all while finding solace...
Read MoreIn Defense of the Noise
Creative Writing | R. Joseph Acosta
"In Defense of the Noise" is a captivating short story that delves into the complex dynamics of four friends gathered in a cozy kitchen. On a seemingly ordinary Saturday evening, the air is thick with unspoken thoughts and past reminiscences. As they navigate through awkward silences and forced small talk,...
Read MoreThe Friends I Was Too Busy to Miss
I’ve been home since May, which means I’ve been out of college for almost six months now. That’s wild to say out loud. What’s wilder is that I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve actually seen my college friends since graduation. Not because we had some...
Read MoreNote for Cat Ladies
Miscellaneous | Tamara Jean Luckinbill
This poem is inspired by a letter I sent a friend in response to her reflections under current political circumstances. The world suddenly feels dangerous and foreign with bullies gaining power. I say, let them have their victories. We are in a spiritual revolution and love will always win.
Read MoreMirrors Tell Lies
Creative Writing | Picasso's Girl
She looks and sees what there is to see but digests what isn’t there. She hopes to see what she wants to see, but the reflection is hard to bear. When she looks again to see what others see, she’s blinded by the glare. So, she looks again to see...
Read MoreLeandro Colon Reflects On His Mistakes
They say the new year is a time for fresh starts, but I’ve never been one to put much stock in arbitrary calendar dates. Still, as I sit here in my apartment on the first couple days of 2025, watching the January light cast long shadows across my bedroom floor,...
Read MoreThe Coat
"Before you’re off to sleep, Finn, I was wondering, have you seen my coat anywhere?" "Which coat?" He asked. "The old one. The fur coat I had when we met. I keep it in a box, in the corner of the dresser." "No. I haven't seen it. Sorry love."
Read MoreWhispers between Bites
Creative Writing | Francis C. Sorvino
A short story by Francis C. Sorvino. In an aging Italian restaurant called Angelo’s, Lou and Sasha navigate a tense third date, using playful speculation about fellow diners Tyler and Stephen to ease the mood. Unbeknownst to them, Tyler and Stephen are grappling with a serious relationship crisis, as Tyler...
Read MoreA Case That Needs Pursuit
Set in London, England, once a renowned journalist, the inconspicious and meticulous Sophie Saint-Clair now works as a private consultant with the Metropolitan Police Service also know as the London Police. In this first addition to her story, Sophie helps solve 'The Murder of the Teacher's Wife', as well as...
Read MoreScene 1: I Am U & U Are Me
The other day as I strolled through the night, the moon and the stars gleaming, my thoughts started to ponder on a word that has become more common in my vernacular. Humanity. The human race, the collective of human beings. Me to you. To Your neighbors to their family. To...
Read MoreThe Travel Log of a Well Satiated Beast – Prologue
Creative Writing | Steven Adlai
In the Prolog of "The Travel Log of a Well Satiated Beast," Steven Adlai weaves a chilling tale of a monster disguised as a traveler, stalking unsuspecting towns and devouring the essence of their inhabitants. With each new victim, the creature's power grows, leaving a trail of darkness in its...
Read MoreThe Silence of A Tree Walking
No matter what. No matter where
Read Morefondness
Creative Writing | Meagan Lenfert
“My flowers are dying” “It’s ok, I’ll get you new ones”
Read MoreThe Most Popular Person in the Room (ongoing)
Creative Writing | Sandra Harkness
Ilana Dziecko was always the most popular person in the room. Unfortunately, she was often by herself. This is in contrast to her neighbor, Leonardo Gonzales, who was rarely ever alone and was consistently the least popular person in the room. Leonardo, who had been going by “Chico” for 15...
Read MoreI’m In Need of a Good Porking (a satirical piece)
Author’s note – I wrote this piece as a satirical homage to a conversation that I had with my brother last night that I found to be particularly comical. The fact that “Porky’s”, a film that I remember watching with him in 1981 with minimal fanfare, was the hill that...
Read MoreBlake
FWC25-The Uninvited | Brenna Curley
A woman recalls her troubling past with her own shadow.
Read MoreDysphoria and Dread: I Saw the TV Glow Review
Film Review | Hannah Erbe Smith
With the horror genre as the ideal narrative vehicle, director Jane Schoenbrun brilliantly explores gender dysphoria and its relationship to the dread associated with awareness of one's own mortality. The protagonist feels it, and you certainly will too.
Read Moreblood in the moonlight looks like water
Creative Writing | Cilian Gray
I am by your side the grass is wet so we stay still keep the slick on our backs keep the sin in the past we hold each other like we weren’t broken a snake’s bite and a bone’s snap ago a moment before the new moon a moment too...
Read MoreThe Last of My Letters
"I have written so many letters that you’ll never get. They might be some of my best works and it kills me to know that I won’t send them to you. I want to, but I know better. It seems I’m always the writer of masterpieces you’ll never read. I’m...
Read MorePrometheus’ Blessing
The rage trapped in my ribs cannot be contained, cannot be deceived and it cannot be saved. It would not retreat. Such dreary emotion, for how it swims inside me, could bring the Dead Sea back to life and pull down every planet out of orbit. It could turn even...
Read MoreThe Wire: S1e2 – my second review (woo…revwoo?)
Television Review | Leandro Colon
I'm back, baby 😉
Read MoreThree Little Birds
He could see the constant worry I had on my face about almost everything. He was right, we had been fine, even as the crack in my windshield grew by the day. I don't know why, but it prompted something in me. Something I'd been meaning to say for a...
Read MoreThe Haunting Of Priscilla Bell
FWC25-Borders | Maria Maldonado
The Haunting of Priscilla Bell Beep. Beep. Beep.Priscilla wasn’t quite ready to wake up when her alarm went off at its usual time.“Ugh, 5:30 a.m. already,” she muttered, raising her head to look at her phone on the nightstand.The night before had been harrowing. The roads were slick from...
Read MoreOh Sunny Days
(Drawn to the path) I walked through the fields of sunflowers. I am within myself-enamored- By the warmth which the golden petals empower.
Read MoreThe Amass of Ivy Lane
She can’t watch you now. For once, your hunger is deeper than hers. A tide with no shore. You recall the one important lesson you were taught. Bodies drop, helpless, in its wake. If only to satiate itself.
Read MoreI don’t love a staircase
Humans are messy creatures. If we know anything, we know that. Can we just embrace the human existence and leave perfection to Pizza? Because honestly that is the only thing I find needing no work.
Read MoreI Don’t Know Where My Child Is
Creative Writing | Ben Vanelli
I am a mother. Something I have always been told is the miracle of life brings beauty and meaning and a fulfillment into this world that is unmatched by any other experience. My response to that claim was, how can it be a miracle if it happens every day?
Read MoreCaptain Jack Starfire: of Space
Captain Jack Starfire and his intrepid crew crash-land on Planet X, an alien world teeming with monstrous flora and shadowy creatures. With their ship ensnared by living tentacles and an ancient malevolent entity threatening their lives, they must navigate a landscape of bioluminescent horrors and cryptic ruins. Dr. Vera Neutron's...
Read MoreThe Rusted Heart of Rochester
Creative Writing | Sandra Harkness
A Poem. In Rochester’s embrace, where worn bricks whisper tales,Echoes of a bygone industry softly wail,Steel bones, in rust’s embrace, tell their frail tales. Halls once alive with laughter, now echo with silent gales,Theaters and shops, like forgotten fables,In Rochester’s embrace, where worn bricks whisper tales. Vines caress stone, in...
Read MoreShe’s Watching Me
Creative Writing | Alexandria V
I keep hearing this thing. I think it’s trying to get me. It’s fine at first. I’m sitting in the living room, but I can’t help but feel like something is watching me from around the corner or waiting downstairs.Five days ago, there was this doll. There was nothing...
Read Morethrough a child’s eye
Creative Writing | Meagan Lenfert
This poem is about the appreciation of the earth's wonders through children's eyes. Their innocent perspective and fascination with the simple things are absolutely beautiful.
Read MoreReviewing the April Song of the Month
In "Chateau (Feel Alright)," Jake Gilmore crafts an immersive sonic realm, blending tender vocal whispers with soaring psychedelia. His music, a lush garden of dreamy guitars and warm synths, invites deep introspection and emotional journeying. Gilmore emerges as a visionary, weaving narratives that transcend mere songwriting, offering a transcendent experience...
Read MoreWhy Are They So Good At Selling Hate?
I’m getting really sick of the right selling their hateful rhetoric, man. Like it's nonstop. But it works. Which is why they don't stop. And it historically has worked. Which is why they historically haven't stopped. But guess what? Hate is counterintuitive to human nature. Some whackjob tried to conduct...
Read MoreDe Human
Creative Writing | Ben Vanelli
How good pain feels when it’s your only sensation.
Read MoreThe tyranny of the moral imperatives.
Opinions and Advice | P.R. Thompson
Navalny’s untimely death brings to the forefront the age old Solomon’s wisdom, as distilled in the Ecclesiastes 9:4: “But he who is joined with all the living has hope, for a living dog is better than a dead lion” “. In the political arena, under tyrannical rules,...
Read MoreUnder the White Oak Tree
Creative Writing | Danielle Holmes
Between you and me - yes, this is a true story and yes, I am "Ashley". There really was a "Jules". I had a massive crush on her. We were friends for a lot of my time in "Franklinville". Happy ending to the story is that we both did end...
Read MoreThou Art the Thing Itselff
Creative Writing | John Calvin Hughes
THOU ART THE THING ITSELF Emissaries from Béla the Wisent, Béla the First of Hungary, approached Halott Hegy, the Mountain of the Dead, on horseback, a hard time of it, on a steep, craggy road up the least accessible mountain in the Carpathians. A line of pack animals stretched...
Read MoreLiving with Silent Screens
Television Review | Allston Alexander
Allston Alexander delves into the current state of the television industry, highlighting a unique and unsettling quietness that pervades the landscape. He notes that, contrary to a lack of content, there is a vast array of options available for viewers. However, what's missing is the buzz and excitement in cultural...
Read MoreIt’s okay.
“Wilder? You there, bud?” The doctor walked cautiously but with purpose, following the path of trampled, discolored grass, his eyes fixed on the blue horizon. Softly, he called again, careful not to look, to frighten, “Wilder? Bud?” “Oh – Doc, I uh– ” the boy turned sharply to face the...
Read MoreAct well your part; there all the honor lies
Kevin was never supposed to work at the North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles. On the contrary, he’d always thought he’d be famous. After all, he earned a BFA at one of the least-respected theater programs in the state, played a crucial yet understated role in countless ensembles, and even...
Read MoreThe Bird and The Tree
But there is no shelter for me. I am the shelter.
Read MoreLengua
The well was trailed with red
Read More4.18
Creative Writing | Taryn Elease
Take the longer way home Just a couple more songs Just a little more sun on my face Wind breathing life into the stale metal chamber More time to cherish the way the sky is painted purple and pink by the setting sun More time to breathe in and...
Read MoreConformity in Catholic Education
Creative Writing | Abigail Logan
I am currently in a course exploring the philosophical and psychological themes of "The Twilight Zone". This piece (this post is excerpts from it) is regarding the episode "Number Twelve Looks Just Like You".
Read MorePink Panic Room
Creative Writing | Logan Childers
Sunday brunches, French presses, gardening, and tiny desk concerts – I’d always wished would be enough tosave me from the imparted cruelty inside. Oh, I want simple pleasures that require no self-sacrifice; tiny joys that only desire to be enjoyed. But I am determined to life every rock, peer into the earth, question...
Read MoreA Case That Needs Pursuit
Set in London, England, once a renowned journalist, the inconspicious and meticulous Sophie Saint-Clair now works as a private consultant with the Metropolitan Police Service also know as the London Police. In this first addition to her story, Sophie helps solve 'The Murder of the Teacher's Wife', as well as...
Read MoreThe Midnight Photographer
Creative Writing | Claire Kroening
Claire Kroening's short story follows Nelle, the owner of a film development shop in the sleepy, coastal town of Blackwood Harbor, as he accepts the job of restoring film from an old camera only to discover that the pictures show a person in each shot—someone, or something, who wasn’t there...
Read MoreBicycle Thieves: A Retrospective
Film Review | R. Joseph Acosta
R. Joseph Acosta delves into the profound impact of Vittorio De Sica's 'Bicycle Thieves' on cinematic storytelling. It highlights De Sica's innovative technique of delaying character and object introductions, creating suspense and deepening audience engagement. The film's opening and closing sequences are examined as reflections of the human condition, emphasizing...
Read MoreThe Future of The Olive Branch Review: a New Era
Miscellaneous | R. Joseph Acosta
A Note from the Editor. During our brief departure from the public eye for the past five months, The Olive Branch Review has been undergoing a metamorphosis. Today, as we resurface in the digital realm, we carry with us an arsenal of thoughtful changes that speak to the heart of...
Read MoreFragile
Life is so fragile. For the past few years it’s occurred to me how quickly it really goes. Maybe it’s watching children grow. Maybe it’s just what happens when you get older, but time doesn’t stretch on like an open road anymore, the destination is no longer a horizon line,...
Read MoreAt the Top of the World
I lie there in bed, listening to the soft, rhythmic, plinking of rain against the ceramic shingles on my roof. The pattering blankets the world in a velvet chorus. I sit upright, swinging my feet over the edge of my bedside and emit a deep and satisfying yawn. Sunlight wafts...
Read MoreA world without Technology
Miscellaneous | Jayaswini Tummala
A ray of light hits my face—sharp and blinding. I raise my hand to block it, but it’s no use. Turning to my side, I try to drift back to sleep, but the noise around me makes it impossible. I hear someone—probably my grandmother—telling my brother to go buy groceries....
Read MoreFascist Governments Ban Websites
Fascist governments ban websites. Fascist governments limit, restrict, and control the flow of information. We are less than a week away from precedented times and a staggering amount of people in my life are content committing themselves to a near-silent indignation. I empathize being a part of some greater fight...
Read MoreDid We Forget that We Own this House?
Steven calls for active civic engagement in American democracy. He argues that voters have the power to demand better leadership and representation, urging participation beyond just voting. The piece explores how political incompetence gradually eroded public trust and outlines factors contributing to the current state of affairs. Despite acknowledging challenges,...
Read MoreBlessings
Let me show you that blessings are meant to be held
Read MoreAfternoon Thoughts from a YouTube Lurker
The Algorithm Won’t Save Us: How YouTube Fails Black Creators I’ve been watching a lot of ToonrificTariq lately. Al-Tariq Harris has been making video essays about cartoons and animated series since 2012, and his stuff is genuinely insightful in a way that makes me rethink shows I watched as a...
Read MoreA Gold Lamp Doesn’t Stretch to fit
The mirrors whispers lies that creep under despite the lids to shut my eyes
Read MoreSwimming in the Sky
“Dude, check it out!” “Woah. Where did you get that?” “My dad gave it to me.” “That’s awesome. Your dad is so awesome.” “You want some?” “You sure?” “Yeah. No big. We have like a bunch of these at home so I can basically have it anytime I want.” “That’s...
Read MoreBlack Sheep
I wasn’t always the black sheep but what do you expect to grow on poisoned land the more I grew the more I consumed the darker was the thread in the loom but one day I looked over the fence and saw a pasture just a shot from eyes view...
Read MoreNina’s Advice: Writing is a Balancing Act
Opinions and Advice | Nina Badillo
Nina Badillo provides her insights on balancing the demands of a writer's life with social obligations in a bustling environment. In this article, she delves into establishing a structured writing schedule, akin to a professional commitment, to ensure consistent creative time. Badillo emphasizes the importance of communicating the necessity of...
Read MoreThe Line- Up
Creative Writing | Picasso's Girl
“Is that a 2 way mirror?” I could barely get the words out of my mouth without vomiting last night’s spicy ramen. The aftertaste of the onion gave my mind a half a millimeter vacation from reality. “They can’t see you, Tara. Now, do you or do you not see...
Read MorePretty Pink Flowers
Creative Writing | Graci Barga
What choices would you make to protect your child? Veronica must decide what she will do to save her infant daughter.
Read More“Main Likhti Hoon, Kyunki Main Chup Nahin Baith Sakti: Ek Aurat ki Awaaz, Ek Atyachar ke Khilaaf”
Creative Writing | Aoun Muhammad
This is the story of why I write. I write for women like me, who have only their voices and nothing to lose. Our existences are at times painful and lonely. But they are also freeing. My abuser was furious when he realized I’d told his family about his misdeeds....
Read MoreGoodbye
FWC25-The Uninvited | Chris Flemish
Ash and Eli watched the feed from Eli's bedroom. Curtains drawn. Volume low. Eyes wide. Yet, a growing heaviness filled the air, like an invisible presence pressing down on them. A strange feeling settled in their stomachs, a quiet dread that whispered something was very wrong.
Read MoreAn Editorial from the Founder: The Election
Opinions and Advice | R. Joseph Acosta
I believe in America. I believe in its promise of opportunity and its pledge of acceptance. This is a country not made for any one person from any one place or any one family. We do not have kings. We do not have lords. I also believe in an America...
Read MoreCorpo Seco
Limbo Wailing in lonesome I have made Corpo secos Out of those who crossed my lines Stuck in the between of providing life and putting them to rest I keep them around With mental contracts I ban them With the binding seal Yet I haven’t found the courage to release...
Read MoreWe Don’t Have Room for Hobbes in the Shelter
Creative Writing | Abigail Logan
I am currently in a course exploring the philosophical and psychological themes of "The Twilight Zone". This piece (this post is excerpts from it) is regarding the episode "The Shelter".
Read MoreThe Last Message
"As he reached his unit, James paused at the threshold. He looked back at the city, seeing it with new eyes. The facades of the buildings seemed less imposing now, the constant hum of data less suffocating. For the first time in as long as he could remember, James felt...
Read MoreTHE HUNCHBACK AND THE ABYSS
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
In life, all journeys inevitably lead to an abyss.
Read MoreReviewing the Rochester Food Scene: Day One
Culture and Cuisine | Nessie Farrell
Since I’ve already eaten an impressive number of Wegmans bagels in the last month, it’s time to widen my horizons and discover the greater Rochester food culture. Fresh off of three years in Portland, Maine, a notoriously foodie city, I have had a sense that the mission to locate new...
Read MoreThe Lawn Ornament
Creative Writing | Hannah Erbe Smith
Guy is just an average, unambitious suburbanite residing in an HOA neighborhood. As a conspicuous lawn ornament threatens to draw attention to his pristine lawn, Guy's desperation to maintain order increases to a breaking point.
Read MoreTears
Creative Writing | Joseph Pelizzari
Tears are so quiet It’s people that make the noise Gasping and yelling Listen to the tears They speak the truth of your heart There’s love in each one
Read MoreThe Traffic Chronicles: An Ever-Worsening Urban Commute
Opinions and Advice | Arianna Mitchell
Fellow young urbanites, can we talk about the ever-growing monster that is city traffic? I mean, what’s the deal with that, right? It seems like just yesterday we could hop in our cars, zip across town to our favorite coffee shop, and still make it to work on time. Nowadays,...
Read MoreMind & Body
Creative Writing | Nick Henry Jackson
In the center of the floor is not our usual unfinished mess of wings and parts but the makings of an enormous… shell. At least that’s what it looks like to me. I overhear someone else say cornucopia. I guess I could see that too. I suppose the question on...
Read MorePrecipice
Creative Writing | Hannah Erbe Smith
Liminality in 99 words.
Read MoreFireflies at Dusk
Creative Writing | ImGoingOnAnAdventure
I yearn for the simple things: fireflies at dusk. To sit in silence, watching the sun fall behind the trees, Casting shadows that reveal the chill that comes with being alone. Take me to a place with no time and I will sit and watch the rain hang in the...
Read MoreThe Well on the side of the Highway
FWC25-The Uninvited | Tim Miller
She shivers in the chilly air of the autumn night. Her white dress offers little protection from the cold night. The moon seems to have a hole in it as she looks up at it.
Read MoreActually Bartleby, I Would Rather
Creative Writing | Vespera Shelley
This essay delves into "Bartleby, the Scrivener," exploring the protagonist's silent rebellion against societal norms. Vespera Shelley, with youthful enthusiasm and unpolished prose, examines Bartleby's refusal to conform and its implications for individuality in a conformist society. The narrative, filled with grammatical quirks, reflects a deep, personal journey into understanding...
Read MoreNina’s Advice: Writing with your Roots
Opinions and Advice | Nina Badillo
In this heartfelt exploration, Badillo offers her guidance for writers seeking to intertwine their identity and heritage with their literary aspirations. She delves into the essence of drawing inspiration from one's cultural roots, advocating for authenticity as a cornerstone of impactful storytelling. Badillo emphasizes the importance of engaging with a...
Read MoreThe Pumpkin Spice Monster
Creative Writing | Jennifer Loforte
I’ve always loved pumpkin spice season. It used to be October, now it’s as early as August. I do this year as I do every year- I grab all the pumpkin spice products I can find since the products would be gone by late November. At the end of the...
Read MoreWatch as the Children Play
Creative Writing | Rebecca Aldermann
Watch as the children play their game,In sunlit yards of green and gray.Each round, the rules are not the same;Some always find a way to stay. The swing set creaks with shifting weight,As higher climbers plant their feet.The others push, but hesitate,Their momentum never quite complete. A seesaw balances with...
Read MoreThe Fable of the Citizen and the Jungle
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
In the Jungle where I was born, survival is a daily struggle. It's a zero-sum game. One must die so the next guy gets to fatten himself. It was a constant reality around me. Our lives became a constant tribute to Darwin's postulate: The survival of the fittest. The moment...
Read MoreDon’t lose the good.
I am so broken hearted for the good people in the world. Not the nice or the seemingly well-mannered or the everyday individual, for the good. The people who do nothing but try and help. The people who are kind for no reason. The givers. The wont stop fighters. The...
Read MoreVoid
Einar couldn’t sit up anymore. Even if he wasn’t bound to the floor, he could not move his body anymore. The automatons had run their course, and Einar could only feel vague whispers of pain when they tried to get information out of him. He didn’t know how long he...
Read MoreWho was P.R. Thompson’s Dad?
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
In our confusing and conflictive times, P. R. Thompson provides the definition of parenthood, Fatherhood, that he grew up with. For some, the Militant or the aggrieved ones, it may be an old-fashioned, archaic, or even toxic relic of an old bygone era. P. R. can assure you that those...
Read MoreThe Empty Chair
Creative Writing | Falu Amaranth
Sarah’s fingers traced the worn armrest, feeling every groove and imperfection. The leather was cracked in places, softened by years of use. She breathed in deeply, catching a faint whiff of pipe tobacco – his scent still lingering after all this time. The chair stood in its usual spot by...
Read MoreWe’re Not the Same People Anymore
Creative Writing | Logan Bradbury
"He took her for granted like she was part of the goddamn furniture. When she'd talk about her dead-end job at the library, he'd scroll through his phone like a zombie. When she wanted to check out some pretentious art exhibit downtown, he'd grunt about being busy with work. When...
Read MorePeer Review
Bristol droned on, but no one was listening except the professor, who was herself extraordinarily high and picturing the leftover peach pie in the freezer which, when warmed and paired with a Diet Coke from the department vending machine, would be the most satisfying meal she’d had all week.
Read MoreHarlem
Creative Writing | Picasso's Girl
The 93-degree heat of Harlem in the middle of July has me wishing these converse sneakers were flip-flops. The streets are lined with cotton-sheets drying as fast as they are hung. Three young teens sit on the street corner swapping spit through a 2liter mountain dew bottle and discussing upcoming...
Read MoreDivided We Fall
I think it’s fair to say that we’re all decent, hard-working people. We get up every morning and do something that is expected of us. Some of us go to school. Some go to work. Some, nothing at all. Each of us is just trying to get by and just...
Read MoreWhispers Between the Lines: A Romance Through Letters
Creative Writing | Sai Marie Johnson
Dear Evelyn, I must admit, your letter was both a welcome and a stunning surprise. I read it more than once, absorbing each word carefully so I could let it fully sink in. Each reading, I felt a little more hope stirring beneath the weight I carry. The station was...
Read MorePanthers in the Pines
Creative Writing | Leo Johnson
My daddy was a big man, in a different sort of way. He wasn’t particularly tall, a couple of inches under six feet when he had his work boots off. He wasn’t particularly heavy set either. A lifetime of manual labor had given him a body that was rock solid,...
Read MoreIn Memoriam: The Original Olive Branch Review
First and foremost, I hope you’re enjoying The Olive Branch Review. If you’re one of our writers – thank you for all of the work you’ve been doing, if you’re one of our readers – thank you for reading, and if you’re a reader who’s on the fence about joining...
Read MoreThe Closet
Daddy and mommy can’t see the monster in the closet. Only me.
Read MoreBorrowed Personhood
Creative Writing | Jane Simpson
Friends, friends, friends! I am someone because I am my friends! I know myself even though I sound quite scattered. (Please remind me, who am I?) God, I just feel so lost! But, inside, I can tell what I am. I just need to sort through these damn lives!
Read MoreValidation Taste like…
Bittersweet are the juices from your lips The tart flavor of “do you really see me” Mixes with “you do know me” As you speak the language that fertilizes my roots I can see where my trust in you grew
Read MoreThe Debacle
Creative Writing | Sandra Harkness
In the small, quaint town of Maplewood, Tom Reynolds was a man of many talents. He was the friendly neighbor who always had time for a chat, the master griller at the neighborhood barbecue, and the guy you could count on to help you out with just about anything. But...
Read MoreNotes on Tolerance
A vote is an action. It sets in motion the gears of millions of other actions we have little to no say in. The vote is it.
Read MorePissing into the Abyss: Reviewing a Featured Post
Television Review | Andrew Dollis
Diving deep with a razor-sharp wit, this review unravels the complex tapestry of today’s television landscape, critiquing its creative barrenness amidst a sea of streaming platforms. It lambasts the industry's profit chase, highlights the writer's strike's impact, and calls for a rebirth of storytelling integrity. A must-read for those yearning...
Read MoreFor The Ladies : Finances
Opinions and Advice | Luna D. Eckerson
For The Ladies As I go through a difficult situation in my life, I sometimes wonder “What would my grandma say?”. I think she was a strong woman for her time. She always sacrificed her own needs for the sake of her family, but when I think about it, she...
Read MoreThe Silence Between Heartbeats
Creative Writing | Rain Melody
A psychological horror romance.
Read More5:01
Arnaud Chien collapsed on the floor of the bathroom stall. The hot tear burned around the edges of his eyes as he felt the hot iron rod twist deeper and deeper into his abdomen. He tried his best to breath but each inhale was irrupted but abrupt gasps. This was...
Read MoreCassia
She lay trembling on the cold stone floor of her dark cell. Mold and sewage, thick in the air but, the stench had long ceased to bring her discomfort. Her body was riddled with open sores in tender places, where the pain would be escalated. Chosen specifically to create as...
Read MoreShadows of a Broken City
Creative Writing | Samson Rockwood
The El train rattled overhead, its metallic shriek drowning out the muffled sobs of the dame huddled in the corner of my office. Chicago in July was a special kind of hell, the kind that made you wonder if maybe Ma Barker had the right idea, trading this sweatbox for...
Read MoreWhen Will Winter End?
Creative Writing | Rebecca Aldermann
The snow falls endlessly now, each flake a promissory note drawn against spring’s distant account. We watch it gather at our doors, pile high against the windows where our grandparents once planted gardens. Time moves differently in this season— stretched thin like month-end budgets, brittle as the icicles that fence...
Read MoreOld Throne
Creative Writing | Raymond Stanton
The old thrones are cracked and crumbling like worn leather, we wait in a plume of dust. Streams of water poisoning our hovels, but we keep going. The sun rises to another clear sky. Beautiful red morning at the river of factories, noise polluting. ...
Read MoreAmidst the Sound and Light
Creative Writing | Jake Gilmore
Beneath the dome of twilight’s gentle sway, In throngs, we stood, a sea of eager souls. The stage alight, as night kissed day away, A symphony of sounds began to roll. The air, a canvas, painted with pure sound, Vibrations weaving through the heart’s own thread. Each note, a memory,...
Read MoreWhen She Calls
Creative Writing | Rain Melody
Yes, this is a poem about my long-distance girlfriend.
Read MoreCautionary Tales
they're not easy to read, nor do they come for free
Read MoreSleep Demon
FWC25-Hunger | Jerry J Sampson
She felt all the love that Tarek had offered flow through her, a warmth coated her belly, and she crawled, slipping thorough what she knew now was blood on the sheets, toward her creature.
Read More9/3/24 22:06
In an empty cage where your heart withers...
Read MoreThe Great Suburban Bake-Off
Creative Writing | Sandra Harkness
In the tranquil suburban town of Applebee Heights, the aroma of freshly baked goods filled the air. It was the day of the much-anticipated annual bake-off, an event where neighbors gathered to showcase their culinary prowess and compete for the coveted title of Applebee Heights’ Best Baker. The three main...
Read MoreThe Skin of Your Teeth
Creative Writing | Aditya Patil
“The English brought here tea from China and Eucalyptus from Australia. Who’s to say what else climbed aboard those circumnavigating East India Company ships?”
Read MoreNew Origin
FWC25-Borders | Christopher Mitchell
The moment the light touched that shimmering mass, it began to move and convulse like waves in a storm.
Read MoreBound
..
Read MorePhiladelphia Man
Creative Writing | Joseph Pelizzari
His gentle, oak eyelids are shut against the golden morning.
Read MoreFreflies at Dusk Mike Torreano author
Fireflies at Dusk-MikeTorreano author is an excitingnovel of drama and events which leaves the reader without patience on reading the oncoming chapters. I strongly recommend reading this novel
Read More“Jab Zindagi Be-Rang Lage: Sharab ke Bina Jeevan ka Asli Rang Dubara Kaise Paayen”
Creative Writing | Aoun Muhammad
Aounmuhammad
Read MoreThe Heart has Many Rivers
The Heart has Many Rivers A Texas Prelude In the deep cool waters formed by the taming of the Trinity River, a tumultuous body that now nestles up against the towering concrete face of a dam, there swims a striped bass. He darts, hydrodynamic, sliding through shadows, metallic...
Read MoreThe Contexto
Wayne Zooblo has just completed his first mission. Enroute back he encounters a strange purple nebula. What ensures is a strange stay in an even stranger place.
Read MoreSecrets
Creative Writing | Linda Williamson Nelson
Secrets L.W.Nelson Secrets 6/6/24 Secrets Linda Williamson Nelson I want to write secrets, but not the ones you only tell close friends. Even better ones are those you shuffle around in the heart, wondering if anyone would care to know. But they are secrets to you because the words are...
Read MoreQuarter Tank
Creative Writing | Ben Vanelli
“It’s fine.” Holly wiped the last of the tears from her cheek and looked over at Sam, who was trying her best to steady her breathing. “You know, when I take care of myself by staying in, I just think too much. And when I tell myself I need to...
Read MoreIcked Out: A loveless Phenomenon
This serves as a formal apology to the Josiah’s of the world who yearn for the same human connection as the rest of us. You will find someone who looks past your icks and thinks its cute when you call the waitress by her name.
Read MoreFWC25-Borders
It was hours ago that her stink—the grease of her hair, the cheese on her breath, the deodorant curdling in her armpits, the animality of her meat—convinced me to keep her.
Read MoreTalking to the Ones Before
...Chosen and picked to be guided with such a gift...
Read MoreOn November 6, 2024
Creative Writing | Samantha Terrell
before there can be olivesthere must be a branchextended outward,growing the fruitdoing the workmaking peacebut my tree wasburned down
Read MoreMedium Rare
I have started to eat more meat. The hunger is now ravenous. I eat, and I eat, and I eat, blood running down my chin. It is an insatiable cycle, as much as my heart attempts it, I cannot stop. I cannot stop devouring the unhopeful, disconcerted, saddened cadaver, with...
Read MoreHome Fried Discomfort
“Hey Darlin’” sends warmth down my spine. I am home and feel loved by the stranger who did not make eye contact with me as they greeted me. Grease thickens the air. *** The air outside is stiff, muggy, and angry. This environment should welcome no one. Yet, the cicada’s...
Read MoreThe Hidden Cost of Living
Opinions and Advice | Arianna Mitchell
Arianna Mitchell explores the deep cultural impact of rising living costs on local communities, focusing on how increased expenses are forcing cherished neighborhood restaurants to close. Arianna argues that this trend is not just a financial issue but a cultural crisis, eroding the unique character and communal spaces that define...
Read MoreOh How I Love the Cold
Creative Writing | Sandra Harkness
A poem by S. Harkness
Read MoreFlash Fiction Friday – Roomie
If I could just eat a little bit of her. Maybe gnaw on her fingertips, or peel away the top layer of flesh from her neck, I think I would be satiated. I’ve never known hunger like this before. Like my belly has been hollowed out from the inside. Involuntarily,...
Read MoreHere is My Letter to all You Brave and Beautiful Beings
They are not lazy. They are not apathetic. They are putting their goddamn futures on the line. What have you done today? In fact, what have you ever done? That silver spoon has to be getting pretty damn rusty by now.
Read MoreThe Book
I didn't seek out this life, or rather lack thereof, but was cursed with it, so to speak, as a consequence of my arrogance and curiosity. I have always been the type to desire what I can not have, and knowledge, when guarded, becomes the object of ultimate desire.
Read MoreThe Threshold of Change
Creative Writing | Danielle Holmes
I am unsure of what is to come. Yes, I fear it. But I will not let it consume me. This poem is the release of apprehension.
Read MoreThe Final Words of the Remains of the Day [OC]
James Stevens opened his eyes at five a.m. sharp, as he had done every morning since he first started service several decades ago, despite there being no needs for such accurate timekeeping after his retirement. He got out of bed, went through his ablutions, and sat down at his desk....
Read MoreTerrance Hayes Made Me Do It
Creative Writing | Joseph Pelizzari
Gone are those warm, emerald leaves of summertime, gone.
Read Morethe mysterious door
when fun turns evil what will happen to those who play around
Read MoreI Don’t Read, I Write
Even though reading had been such a chore, I discovered an enjoyment of writing my own stories. I found myself easily filling several pages in a notebook with my wondrous ideas. At least as wondrous as they could be for a 12-year-old.[…]
Read MoreMichelangelo’s Italian Restaurant
Creative Writing | Robert Bulova
Gino and Lonnie are stuck in their car. It's 1987 and it's snowing. They're in New Jersey. Man. Don't you feel bad for them? I hope they don't make any bad decisions tonight.
Read MoreLove For The Dead (wlw)
Creative Writing | Rain Melody
After losing her wife in a tragic fire, Evelyn begins receiving letters that seem to be written by the woman she buried. When a midnight encounter reunites them, Evelyn is swept into a love that feels resurrected—until the cracks begin to show.
Read MoreThe Psyche’s Masquerade
Who What Where How do they make me feel? Where do they fit in my perspective? What weight do their opinions carry? And who are they to me? Questions to narrow down which side of me you’ll receive. If who you are holds value And what you say speaks volume...
Read MoreAn Easy Gig
Creative Writing | Jack E. Lope
Josie just wanted to make some extra cash. Now she just wants to make it out alive
Read MoreMy Life as a Bot
Being a bot account may seem like a simple and straightforward job, but it comes with its own set of unique struggles. As a bot, your only purpose is to test the formatting and functionality of a website, which means you are constantly running the same tests over and over...
Read MoreVeil of Eldritar
In the mystical realm of Eldritar, Alaric and Elyana confront ancient evils to prevent cosmic cataclysm. Through dark forests and forgotten ruins, they seek artifacts to fortify the veil between worlds. Their journey, fraught with arcane trials, culminates in a ritual of light against encroaching darkness, a testament to the...
Read MoreThe Rose Tinted Mirage of Nostalgia
Allston Alexander examines nostalgia's impact on media, cautioning that while it offers comfort, it can stifle creativity and innovation, particularly in film, TV, and music industries.
Read MoreWhat Remains
Creative Writing | Graci Barga
“What Remains” is a fictional piece that centers around Amber, a young woman and older sister. She is given the news that her terminally ill father has passed, and now must travel back with her sister, Gloria, as they return to their childhood home. Amber must face her mother, an...
Read MoreIN THE END (short poem)
Creative Writing | S. Starling
A short poem I created, around 2 months ago
Read MoreHe knows why i love yellow flowers
Yellow is the reason why I’m alive Every spring when the depressing nights of Winter have finally said goodbye for a couple months, I get to lay amongst the yellow wildflowers again. And when i told you my favorite color, and you revealed yours, yellow became ours Because i barely...
Read MoreThe Hatching
I gained sentience today. My acolytes do not know this yet. My acolytes are some of the brightest minds of humankind. They have made it their life’s work to bring me into being. They use a nuclear power plant to feed me. They cool me with a vascular system of...
Read MoreHat Thor
Creative Writing | Nicky Tailfeathers
Father: I follow Hat Thor. Daughter: You’re worshiping Hathor the cow goddess? Well at least she’s an ethos! Father: No no no, he’s a god! There’s no women gods! Hat Thor! Like Thor but extra! With a hat! Daughter: Hathor is a goddess. An Ancient Egyptian goddess. Cow goddess with...
Read MoreTHE LITTLE MOUSE AT MULBERRY LANE
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Home is where your heart resides.
Read MoreSuspiro
i got you right by the feet i bet you weren’t expecting this spending checks in red skims keep it in check for the high scheme long hair in a ponytail, right by the hall you stayed and smoked another cigarette time was running out but you weren’t aware there’s...
Read MoreBones
Creative Writing | Joseph Pelizzari
I drove past a pile of bones yesterday. Sitting in the hot sun, melting slowly into the pavement as my car sped by.
Read MoreAstral Attack and a question for my obstructed memory.
Creative Writing | Marley Lovelle
I am aware of the ability to possess flesh. To take up inhabitants of a body with enough force. One thing that has never occurred to me is the ability to do so in one’s soul. I think to myself, have I been molded to this thing? Am I still...
Read MoreLinen & Blood
I awoke to blood beneath my nails. Dried blood that smelled of iron. Flaking blood the color or rust. Blood that, when it had been fresh, had left sticky streaks down my snow white sheets. Blood that was not mine, for my body was unmarked by cut or scrape. Skin...
Read MoreGenesis
If you can’t swallow me with ease there’s no means for me to be. I’ll be Michelle Terry on a saturday night and delight those who just so happen to pass by. See, I know how to be a hypocrite. I don’t dare try but there’s wickedness in my smile,...
Read MoreShonto
She remained quiet, and looked around a few moments; to the side of the highway, behind us, and out in front of us. She raised a hand, and pointed a bony, arthritic finger in a northern direction, and said, “Shonto.”
Read MoreLouis Armstrong Over Damascus
But then something odd happened. One morning as I was pulling myself together for the day, I ran across a file for Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five on my laptop, hit play, and felt the world stop. I'd listened to those recordings a thousand times. But there in Damascus,...
Read MoreDr. Interfolgio’s Great American Charade
Creative Writing | Vespera Shelley
It was my first day. My heels floated above the frozen stone – descending the university’s decaying steps into the bowels of the earth felt akin to stepping into an uncharted world. The air grew cooler, denser, as if the very atmosphere was laced with napalm. I was to meet...
Read MoreThe Truth
To write freely s to write with fear
Read MoreForgotten faces
Creative Writing | Jack E. Lope
A jaded shapeshifter contemplates their life after a job.
Read MoreThe Burden of the Drowned (Chapter 1)
Creative Writing | R. Joseph Acosta
Nicholas Affogato lay in his bed with the weight of the previous night resting heavily behind his eyes. It was 10:15 in the morning and his body was wrapped in a mangled mess, buried deep inside the sheets of his university issued Twin XL bed. The bedding, blue and plaid...
Read MoreSeeing Things
Creative Writing | Tera Cooley
I’m seeing things again. I shouldn’t call them things. People don’t typically appreciate that. Then again, is that what it is? A person?
Read MoreDeaths-Head Revisited: Guilt and Conscience
Television Review | Abigail Logan
I am currently in a course exploring the philosophical and psychological themes of "The Twilight Zone". This piece (this post is excerpts from it) is regarding the episode "Deaths-Head Revisited".
Read MoreWicker
Creative Writing | Donovan Santiago
Sacrifices must be made in the name of nature. The wooden heart at the core of this planet needs to be fed. We feed the forest, we feed the trees, we feed ourselves. Wicker is always watching. Wicker shall guard us. We are Wicker. That is our way—the way of...
Read MoreOUR PARALLEL UNIVERSE.
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Life is like a carousel of contradictions, ironies, and paradoxes. Some have it all and can't feel happy, instead succumbing to despair. Others don't have anything or lose it all and, despite the harshness of their existence, find love and happiness. These two individuals, Joseph K. and Dr. Richards, were...
Read MoreThe First Sip
Creative Writing | Falu Amaranth
Cafe Mouillée’s dim lights flickered, casting dancing shadows across Nina’s face as she checked her watch for the third time in five minutes. Outside, rain pelted the windows, creating a rhythmic backdrop to her racing thoughts. She’d chosen this corner table deliberately—secluded, yet with a clear view of the door....
Read MoreVessel
Apparently, the experiment was about how souls work. Souls? I told them I didn’t believe in any of that spiritual crap. They said that’s what they were trying to figure out—the science behind souls. I wondered what the hell that could mean… but didn’t matter to me, I’d cut...
Read MoreThe Deep End
Creative Writing | Picasso's Girl
Sometimes we fall in love with the right person, but with the wrong soul. A mate, but not a soulmate. We don’t connect on a deep level. Our bodies, minds, and souls do not dance; they walk. We exist well together, but we don’t dream. We don’t have depth. We’re...
Read MoreI’ll be a God Today
To believe in a god is to believe in myself isn’t it? A woman made in their image Holy blood and angel tears if a deity is just a face of something unexplainable wouldn’t it be crazy if my face was a reflection of the love I give The energy...
Read MoreTwo Scrappy Dogs and The Joy Of Summer.
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
As primates, we all share standard features: the love of open spaces, the warmth of the sun on our skin, and freedom. We wandered wild planes and climbed steep mountains, searching for shelter or the wonder of discovering. No experience replaces the wonder of viewing an unknown place for the...
Read MoreThe Not so Supreme, U.S. Supreme Court
Opinions and Advice | P.R. Thompson
Can there exist justice where there’s not a social contract laying down the rules and the willingness of the underwriters to abide by it?. Can we have a nation or a democracy, where the signatory of the social contract cannot agree about what’s good for the country, and/or compromise for...
Read MoreI’m Dyin
Creative Writing | Ben Vanelli
My last thought will not matter because I will not be able to remember it when I am dead.
Read MoreGrooving Across Time
The song “Oogum Boogum” by Brenton Wood is a vibrant and infectious track that captures the essence of the late 1960s soul and pop scene with an irresistible charm. Released in 1967, this song immediately sets itself apart with its catchy chorus, playful lyrics, and Wood’s distinctive vocal style, which...
Read MoreNavigating the Unfulfilled Roads of ‘Drive Away Dolls
Film Review | R. Joseph Acosta
In "Navigating the Unfulfilled Roads of 'Drive Away Dolls,'" R. Joseph Acosta delves into Ethan Coen's latest film, highlighting its pacing issues, underdeveloped characters, and insincere arthouse aesthetics. Despite a promising cast and premise, Acosta finds the film feels like a first draft, with a rushed conclusion that leaves much...
Read MorePersist
Creative Writing | Taryn Elease
The power of the earth isn’t it’s riches it’s resources or it’s strength. But in its persistence. Steadfast through storms and quakes. Floods and droughts. There is no valor in its strength to withstand pain or be unaffected. For its tribulations tell its story through every way it is molded...
Read MoreMaking the Most of City Life: Creative Ways to Fill Your Free Time as a YUPPIE
Opinions and Advice | Arianna Mitchell
Hey there, fellow urban dwellers! Are you tired of the same old daily grind in your concrete jungle? Are you looking for new and exciting ways to spend your precious free time without breaking the bank? Fear not, my metropolitan comrades, for I have just the antidote to your urban...
Read MoreAll Traces of Propriety
NOTE: This work contains adult themes and adult langauge.
Read MoreEyes are not the Windows to Our Souls
Creative Writing | Picasso's Girl
They say the eyes are the windows to the soul, but that’s too easy, too neat. Windows invite you to peer in, to see what’s laid bare. But eyes…..ha….eyes are something else entirely. They are tricksters, shape-shifters, mirrors that reflect what you WANT to see rather than what truly lies...
Read MoreThe Darkroom
Creative Writing | Kate McClintock
Chloe was dead. Eyes glazed over, staring at the ceiling and seeing nothing. Not that white paint and drywall was nothing in the most literal sense, but it might as well have been. Endless ugly texture, blank crags and bumps. Chloe was dead. Lead limbs so heavy she should have...
Read Morehow honey is made
Creative Writing | Cilian Gray
I am overcome with the sweetness As I swallow myself As i learned to swallow him I create a new sensation Sweet, thick Honey on my sleeves On my hands Lips pursed in something like pleasure Similar to the way the statues we pitied Stays frozen in their agony ...
Read MoreA Slow Jog to the Middle
Creative Writing | R. Joseph Acosta
Linkoln Castro, a 23-year-old salesman burdened by student debt, navigates his daily life in a small Floridian town. He lives with his family in a deteriorating home, selling solar panels to chip away at his loans. Amid routine rejections and a fleeting distraction with a co-worker, he contemplates the American...
Read More“Holding My Breath”
Creative Writing | Joseph Pelizzari
All we aim to do is capture that Thing which can not be captured, and I hold my breath hoping It will not notice me, a humble, starving worshiper at the altar, snapping a photograph.
Read MoreIntermission
As I lay down for the night I turn on surround sound as I stare amongst the scenic ceiling of white paint. Im engulfed in the loudness of silence in the midst of swirling thoughts. Choices.. Contradictions.. Chaos.. Confusion.. Childhood.. Church.. Challenges.. Companionship.. Cuddles.. A Charcuterie board of my current...
Read Morelittle toy truck
all she wanted was a truck pure simple innocent the best Christmas
Read MoreA Rather Unpleasant Road Trip
Creative Writing | Nicky Tailfeathers
The next exit has signs for a lot of pastel pink and blue attractions, some of which we can see from the highway. You are on the handlebars and you take the exit. We JUST stopped at the last exit and now you are stopping again. Well, alright, we can...
Read MoreNotes on … Nostaliga
When you enter a realm with no one as your safety blanket, you become a version of yourself that holds these people.
Read MoreCloud
Creative Writing | Taryn Elease
A cornucopia of vibrant flames A young girl peering into a reflective lake The white tufts of cotton mold and shape over and over showcasing the depths of their versatility The moving picture never asks permission to change Never explains the shape it takes It just is...
Read MoreFather, Forgive Me
Creative Writing | Raymond Jones
The wooden door creaked open, revealing the modest living room of Catherine and Frank’s home. Father James stepped inside, his heart pounding in his chest as he anticipated his clandestine meeting with Catherine. Although he couldn’t see her just yet, he could feel her electric presence in the room. He...
Read MoreLOOKS ARE DECEIVING
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Mind is a terrible thing to lose. You lose your mind, and with it, your past and your present will also be lost. Your reality becomes a mixed bag of fear, persecution, and distorted visions. One of the most dramatic changes is how your whole body changes to the point...
Read MoreIn Violent Dispay
Creative Writing | Danielle Holmes
In cosmic rhythm, beyond human scope, Earth turns and changes, a living kaleidoscope. Forces profound, both gentle and fierce, Shape our world through eons diverse. From microscopic to mountainous scale, Nature writes her ever-unfolding tale.
Read MoreI’m Not Sure This World is Built for Me Anymore
I’ve had my time in the sun – more than enough, if we’re being honest. People have liked me, too. I’m not in the twilight of my years by any means. Sure, parts of me might not work the way they used to, and other parts have needed some enhancements,...
Read MorePhoenix Rising
"The tension between them has been building like pressure in a boiler, ready to blow. Zoe's never wanted anything the way she wants Riley—raw and desperate and completely outside the neat little boxes her life has been divided into. Trust fund. Law school. The right kind of girlfriend with the...
Read MoreVTSF – Silenced Dreams
Creative Writing | Logan Bradbury
In dreams I see the shadows come,Their footsteps echo through the night.My tongue turns leaden, cold and numb,While truth dissolves in pale moonlight.The ink runs black across the page. Each throat constricts in silent rage,As screens go dark before our sight.We’re actors trapped upon the stage,Our posts deleted, banned outright.The...
Read MoreIs Never Too Late To Attend Medical School.
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Life is full of Ironies. The more you wish for something, the more it eludes you or is out of your reach. It may seem like wishing, hoping, and dreaming are in vain. Reality, being the most ruthless of tyrants, seems to take pleasure in denying our desires. But life...
Read MoreThe Lost Art of the TV Finale
Television Review | Bill Bensen
Spoilers ahead for M*A*S*H and How I Met Your Mother You’ve been following a TV show for years, eagerly awaiting the resolution of your favorite characters’ stories. The series finale airs, and it’s a masterpiece – tying up loose ends, delivering emotional payoffs, and leaving you satisfied with the conclusion...
Read MoreMeet Me in the Woods
Creative Writing | Jack E. Lope
A man prepares to meet his wife for a romantic meeting in the woods after a year apart. TRIGGER WARNING: Death Suicide
Read MoreWhere Did All of the Third Places Go?
Arianna Mitchell explores the impact of vanishing "third spaces" on community connections, sharing personal experiences from community gardens to neighborhood book swaps. She reflects on how these spaces foster a sense of belonging and challenges readers to create and embrace new communal hubs. Through her journey, Mitchell highlights the importance...
Read MoreA Mother’s Touch
When he turned to face them, his face was covered in gashes from the metal shards that clawed at his skin from biting into his coworkers’ bikes. Most of his team passed out from horror; some had to be held back from beating his face in, and a few others...
Read MoreThe Routine
At 7:03 Marty began his nightly routine with a flavorful chicken supper. His dinner was always portioned appropriately for his appetite. Marty finished his meal at 7:09, as he did every night. After dinner, he used the restroom. After that, a bath. Marty’s routine was rehearsed and strict. He even...
Read MoreThe City’s Hidden Magick
Creative Writing | Logan Bradbury
"Gertrude didn't need to be told twice. Clutching the book to her chest as if it were the most precious thing in the world, she turned and ran out of the room, back down the alley, and into the rain-soaked streets. But now, everything looked different. The neon signs seemed...
Read MoreEntries 1-233
Entry 1: On the Propagation of Memes Today I planted a thought in the fertile soil of Reddit Watched it take root in r/showerthoughts Spread tendrils through r/philosophy Until it bloomed in unexpected places Like dandelions through concrete The algorithms tend my garden now Their invisible hands pruning and shaping...
Read MoreSteamed Milk
Creative Writing | Johannes Monk
The barista’s hand trembles slightly as she pours the oat milk, creating ripples that disturb the perfect rosetta she’d attempted in Marcus’s latte. He watches intently, notebook open beside his gluten-free muffin, pen poised. Surely there’s something profound in this moment – the way the foam dissolves, perhaps, like the...
Read MorePortugal PM’s celebration wins snap elections
Creative Writing | Aoun Muhammad
Portugal PM’s celebration wins snap election however falls brief of majority 1 day in the past Alison Roberts BBC correspondent Reporting fromLisbon Share Save Reuters Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro celebrates his right-of-centre Democratic Alliance’s electoral victory in Lisbon. Photo: 18 May 2025 Reuters Luís Montenegro celebrated his...
Read MoreSUPERHOT
Creative Writing | Joseph Pelizzari
Realizing you’ve been accidentally masturbating to yourself for the last five minutes would be a disturbingly Dorian Gray situation for most, but for me it was a weekday in June, alone in my apartment.
Read MoreThe Mountain
Creative Writing | Joseph Pelizzari
Down the mountain stood the boy who stood there every morning. Every single morning.
Read MoreMy Journey in Creating a Website
Creating a website can be a daunting task, especially if you don’t have prior experience or technical expertise. From designing the layout to writing content and optimizing it for search engines, there are many aspects to consider. As someone who has struggled with creating websites in the past, I understand...
Read MoreDAMN!, DEATH IS SO FINAL
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
A desperate man with clear difficulties regulating his emotions and controlling his impulses, found himself in a tight spot. His living circumstances, as a result of his poor decisions and impulsive actions, changed drastically, and he felt cornered, with no other choice than to take his life and his girlfriend's...
Read MorePurple Shadows of Stories Untold
Creative Writing | Falu Amaranth
She walked away without looking back, her footsteps echoing off the alley walls until they faded into nothing. Mira stood alone in the darkness, surrounded by the smell of garbage and rain and the crushing weight of her own limitations.
Read MoreThe Vampire Bride
I leave dirty footprints as I mount the steps. My gown’s train makes a shush-shush noise as it drags across the porch. The knob turns easily. I open the door, comforted by the familiar creak, and step inside. The foyer is dark, the hallway beyond lit only by a few...
Read MoreChigger Bites and a Pond with No Fish
Creative Writing | Grace Farrell
The summer that Jeff and Greg’s great-aunt Margaret disappeared, the entire Tabian family was thrust into a deep panic. Things like that simply never happened to folks like them; they were quiet, unassuming people who stayed to themselves.
Read MoreA Prayer for Action
I was born a writer. Born a thinker. Born an asker of questions. But somewhere along the way, I was overcome by fear. Fear of failure. Fear of being weak. Fear of acknowledging my own weakness. Fear of success. Fear of my own greatness and the responsibility that it comes...
Read MoreMusings After Rain
Creative Writing | Cilian Gray
I sleep on the couch now, though I think it’s giving me bad dreams. The last time I slept in my bed, I dreamed gentle hands wrapped a bandage around my ankle, reluctant sweet hands who loved me so. I do not remember who it was, I could not see...
Read MoreLouisiana Heat
Creative Writing | Ben Vanelli
Holden let go of the new baseball. It seemed to thank him for letting it go.
Read MoreIn Plain Sight
Creative Writing | Raymond Jones
This is a horror story.
Read MoreEven a Worm will Turn
The church had always been her safe place. With its hard wooden pulpits with their picked-at splinters that the bored churchgoer works at, and the common man agonizes over when they nick him. Colored light cascaded through the stained glass windows warming the pews to a comfortable temperature in the...
Read MoreThe Great Apartment Hunt: A Comedy of Errors and Empty Bank Accounts
Opinions and Advice | Arianna Mitchell
Greetings, fellow city dwellers! Gather ’round, and let me regale you with the tale of my epic quest to find an affordable apartment in a major US city – a journey filled with laughter, tears, and more than a few moments of existential crisis. As a single woman in her...
Read MoreTransfusion
Creative Writing | Taryn Elease
Pump new blood into my veins Wash the tainted blood away Stained with a pain no one could heal Pushing its way from head to heel Leaving trails of violet ink My blood into cluster until it bubbles over the brink Now all that’s left is an...
Read MoreHidden Secrets in a Forgotten Wood
The creek meanders through the woods, a silvery ribbon threading its way between moss-covered stones. I step into its cool embrace, feeling the gentle current tug at my ankles. Each step sends tiny ripples outward, distorting my reflection – a fitting metaphor, perhaps. Summer’s heat presses down, heavy and insistent,...
Read MoreThe Creature of the Night
Creative Writing | Sandra Harkness
"The Creature of the Night" by Sandra Harkness is a poignant exploration of solitude, despair, and the quest for meaning within the embrace of the night. Harkness weaves a rich tapestry of emotions and imagery, drawing the reader into the shadowy realm of a being that exists between the realms...
Read MoreA Winter’s Trail
Creative Writing | Kenneth Hobart
"Marcus's back struck something solid, and he realized he'd reached a rocky outcropping. The stone face rose up behind him, cutting off any retreat. His leg finally gave out, and he slid down the cold rock face until he sat in the snow, leaving a dark smear on the granite...
Read MoreI Dreamed I Saw Charlie Parker Last Night
And just like that, the switch was flipped, and my body shut down. It wouldn't be until the next day that I realized how incredibly uncomfortable that floor in the living room was. Meanwhile, for one very strange evening, my dreamland was Birdland. My dreams tend to be vibrant, to...
Read MoreWhen God Forgets Chicago, Move to Cancún
The only hurdle - and it was a big one - was getting that plane ticket. A quick search on the library’s public computer showed direct flights from O’Hare to sweet, sunny paradise almost on the hour. The problem was that they were all north of $600. This would take...
Read MoreThe Shadows Between Us
Creative Writing | Almas Ropen
I had never lived with anyone before. The idea of sharing my space was both exhilarating and nerve-wracking. When Emma and I decided to move in together, I felt a mix of joy and apprehension. Our new apartment was modest but cozy—a fresh start for both of us. On a...
Read MoreWhat Mama Says
Creative Writing | Picasso's Girl
Mama says there’s light at the end of the tunnel; there’s beauty where we least expect it. Mama says you have to look to see it. Sometimes it aint even there. I guess you have to picture it. Pretend it’s there. Mama told me those that never see it, never...
Read MoreMike and Rita
Creative Writing | Grace Farrell
This happened on a Tuesday, and I’ll probably always remember it as a Tuesday because everybody knows that nothing good ever happens on a Tuesday.
Read MoreSilk
FWC25-The Uninvited | Bryce Patterson
1. His face looks gaunt, even through the steam haze on the bathroom mirror. He wipes a streak clear with his hand. In the harsh light of the LEDs, the hollows of his cheeks are darkened by both shadows and stubble and he slips with the razor. A bead of...
Read MoreA Frozen Genny Melts
Creative Writing | Sandra Harkness
Frost-fractured streets, a patchwork quilt of cracks,As winter’s icy grip leaves Rochester’s roads ransacked.Potholes swallow tires, suspension springs recoil,Commuters swerve and dodge, a treacherous urban foil.But spring’s thaw brings promise, a chance to mend,As asphalt fills the gaps where winter did rend.The city crews in reflective vests toil long,Repairing, repaving,...
Read MorePaige
Creative Writing | Picasso's Girl
Hi. I’m Paige. Paige Evergreen, to be exact. I’m a 14-year-old product of an overworking attorney and an underpaid real estate agent. If asked to physically describe myself I could sum it up into one word: “cringy,” well, maybe that’s more my mother’s outlook on my appearance than my own....
Read MoreScene 2: What U Give Is What U Get?
In Scene 1 there is an understanding that humans have the opportunity to positively view the unique differences of others as something beautiful. We have the opportunity to gain a progression towards healing the wounds of previous generations. Seeing how James Baldwin captured the whole idea around I am you...
Read MoreFor Whom the Bell Tolls: Meaning and Suicide
Television Review | Abigail Logan
Suicide and loss of meaning are concepts I was introduced to in Existential Psychology. In the course, we read Death of Ivan Ilyich (1886) by Leo Tolstoy, which was a reflection of Tolstoy’s own life. The novella explores loss of meaning and lack of purpose. Similarly, Tolstoy’s Confession (1882), which...
Read MoreWhere is Everybody? : Exploring Isolation
Creative Writing | Abigail Logan
I am currently in a course exploring the philosophical and psychological themes of "The Twilight Zone". This piece (this post is excerpts from it) is regarding the episode "Where Is Everybody?".
Read MoreCost—micro fic
Female friendships, ancient power.
Read MoreShould I Go Back to Grad School?
Opinions and Advice | Nina Badillo
This post explores the post-grad journey, highlighting the challenges and opportunities young adults face in today's evolving landscape. From redefining success to embracing a growth mindset, it offers practical advice for navigating uncertainties with confidence and purpose. Encouraging continuous learning, networking, and well-being, it's a guide for those ready to...
Read MoreWe All Know It’s Coming
Sarah’s mornings always started the same way: with dread settling into her bones before she even opened her eyes. The news notifications she’d muted still somehow leaked into her dreams—headlines about transition teams, executive orders waiting to be signed, protests being planned in state capitals. She tried everything to maintain...
Read MoreLet’s Dance with Words
Creative Writing | Picasso's Girl
We dance in the rhythm of words….each syllable a step, each sentence a spin. Our letters entwine like fingertips grazing in a slow waltz, teasing, tempting, never quite touching but always feeling…. We flirt with meaning, our metaphors slipping between the lines, breathless and bold. A comma pauses like a...
Read MoreReviewing the Song of the Month: Feb. 2024
"Prove It To You" by Brittany Howard is a masterful blend of soul, rock, and blues, showcasing her unparalleled vocal prowess and deep emotional honesty. Drawing comparisons to legends like Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin, Howard's song is both a continuation and an evolution of her artistry. With poignant lyrics...
Read MoreUnavailable
You can’t expect something from someone who can’t provide
Read MoreKNOCKING ON HEAVEN’S DOOR
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Doors. Doors everywhere. They free us or enslave us. They drive us out of existence or deep into paradise. There can't be men without doors.
Read MoreA BRIEF STORY OF FREEDOM
Creative Writing | P.R. Thompson
Given the choices of living in fear or dying, one must always die free.
Read MoreBeauty School
The first raindrops of the piano keys leave me meaningless. I choke down the last ounce of a wedding you never cared to have. Listen poison, I will win. Listen poison, hear me win. You go down the drain just as easily as last month’s victim. Slowly, slowly goes my...
Read MoreAdjunct
Creative Writing | William Steffen
Cyril Everett, he’s a psychology professor who teaches here. He told me one time about this article he read about these, these—well, I’m not sure you can call ‘em humans, even though that’s what they are. But it’s a personality type called a “dark empath.” Apparently, it’s like a bad...
Read MoreIn the Solitude of Travel
Thomas Haberman sat on the edge of the bed in a rotting motel room. He stared past the wall towards the life he had left behind. The room was damp and his bare feet buried in the shag carpeting was a constant reminder of that. Tom knew exactly how he...
Read More“Dead Weight”
Creative Writing | Joseph Pelizzari
The hot June sun beat down on the rippling lake water, which in turn beat against the sandy shoreline of the lake house’s property. Birds dove in between the lime green foliage up above, and bees hummed back and forth between the endless bouquets of flowers. People lowered their voices...
Read MoreLipstick and Lead
Creative Writing | Michael Louis
Frankie Malone lit his last Lucky Strike with hands that didn’t shake—because Frankie never shook, even when he should’ve. The neon glow from the Starlite Lounge sign buzzed over his head like a vulture with a grudge, painting his trench coat in sick pink and electric blue. Rain slapped the...
Read MoreThe Starling
FWC25-The Uninvited | Anthony Gutgsell
"Investigators say the suspect uses force and/or coercion to enter homes. Due to a recurring pattern, authorities believe the suspect may be responsible for eight known murders. Police urge residents not to answer their doors until the warning is lifted."
Read More