Indiana Voice Journal

February 28, 2015

FICTION: "OBTAINING MERCY" BY DB COX

DB Cox is a blues musician/writer from South Carolina. His poems and short stories have been published extensively in the small press, in the US, and abroad. His first collection of short stories called “Unaccustomed Mercy,” published by Studio Books, is available at the Amazon Kindle Store.

His poetry is also featured in this issue of IVJ.

Obtaining Mercy

Arthur Nagel is an ugly, little man. He stands barely four feet tall, and his head

is much too big for his body. The muscles on the left side of his face are totally

FICTION: "WHEEL OF LIFE" BY JAMES LAWLESS

James Lawless, a north American English teacher, is a former coeditor of an underground college newspaper, a history graduate from a foreign university and a published author. He's currently living near Milan Italy.

Wheel of Life

It’s early morning. We’re in bed. The room is dark and the house is cold. My wife begins to stir beneath the flannel sheets. “Please don’t take your body heater away,” I say while burying my sleepy head in the pillow.

MacHDD:Users:helenhill:Desktop:Helen Hill.jpg

"It's all about the Beauty of Light...I still prefer working with the Imperfections of Film." ~Helen Hill

Helen Hill is a street photographer living in NYC. Her work is featured below, and can be seen in the following publications:

Feb 2012: Group Exhibition Huesca Spain featuring 111 Photographers from around the World visually Interpreting the Literary texts of Ramon J Sender’s book ‘Memorias Biestas’ to mark his 111th anniversary of his birth.

Aug 2012: Featured in Erik Kim’s Street Photography Blog / Ms Helen Hill: Mise -en-scene

Jan 2013: Featured in ‘Leica Myself’ Book

March 2014: Featured in ‘Buffalo Almanack’ Magazine

Robert Rivera lives in the Bronx, writes poetry, and captures life on the streets as it happens.

"When I was young I held a gun and thought: I can point and shoot to kill. But then I held a camera, and thought: Hell yeah! I can point and shoot to thrill. My mother birthed and raised me where hip hop was born. I finished high school and it pays well. Then I went to college and "i" pay well. ....Hahaha.
When it comes to shooting, I aim to wow myself before I wow anyone else. I enjoy shooting different themes. People have different tastes and to vary in subjects keeps me open minded and creative" Photographs were taken with an iPod5. ~Robert Rivera

You can see more of his work at the following link: https://instagram.com/boogieblam/

Eric Hill, born in Washington DC, was first photographed among the cherry blossoms. This, no doubt, forms the basis for his colorful politics and a life long pursuit of cherry pie. That his Grandfather was a minister, no doubt explains, his intense desire to find another way to God than Religion. His writing comes from his profound need to get this crazy stuff out of his head.

He has published with Black Wire, Indiana Voice Journal, Rain/Disaster/Party, Ijagun Poetry Journal and Behhutet.

Eric is also a street photographer in New York City. Featured here are some of his photographs.

To see more of Eric's work: https://www.flickr.com/photos/erichill418/

INDIANA VOICE JOURNAL FEBRUARY 2015 ISSUE #7

~FEATURED CONTENT~

POETRY

PHILLIP BROWN

WITTY FAY

RYAN FRISINGER

NELS HANSON

DR. BELINDA HUBERT

SASHA KASOFF

ROSS KNAPP

DR. MEL WALDMAN "BACK IN OGUNQUIT"

GEORGE ZAMALEA

CREATIVE NONFICTION/ESSAY:

RAYMOND GREINER "THE GRACE OF COMPANIONSHIP"
MADGE KAPLAN "VOCAL EXERCISE"
LIZ GILMORE WILLIAMS "APRIL LOVE"

FICTION:

DAVID DOMINE "LUCILLE IN LINE"
DAN FIELDS "CACHETTE"
NELS HANSON "THE GOOD BOY"
BELINDA HUBERT "NEMESIS"
NANCY LANE "TALES OF MEANDER"
ADAM MATSON "DAIRY QUEEN"
BRAD SIDES "ACHIEVED DREAMS"

VISUAL ART

"INDIANA" AN UNDOCUMENTED PHOTO GALLERY BY DAVID J. THOMPSON

POETRY BY PHILLIP BROWN

The Presence

I’ve fought for the causes

And I’ve laid with death

In the shadow of no reason

But always around me

Was the presence of the Galilean

POETRY BY WITTY FAY

Witty Fay is a translator by trade and a humanist by nature. She has been writing herself into her poems for some time into the virtual world at www.iexile.com, www.allpoetry.com, www.scriggler.com, www.destinypoets.co.uk, www.writerscafe.org www.poetrysoup.com and www.versewrights.com . Also, she proudly had her first bilingual volume of poetry, Nefelibata (Brian Brixon Books, 2014), published and she is aiming at unraveling prose.

Witty Fay [email protected]

POETRY BY NICK HOPKINS

Nick Hopkins is a professor of English, holding an M.F.A. in Writing from Lindenwood University. He is also an accomplished songwriter, whose work has been featured in numerous television shows, such as America's Next Top Model and The Real World. His non-musical writing has appeared in publications like Foliate Oak Literary Magazine, The MacGuffin, and Punchnel's. He resides in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with his more-talented wife and couldn’t-care-less cat.

Ain’t No Sinners

On the seventh day, we rested.

Cold pew or warm bed?

Nels Hanson has worked as a farmer, teacher and contract writer/editor. Poems have appeared in Word Riot, Oklahoma Review, Pacific Review and other magazines, and are in press at Squalorly, Sediments, Blotterature, Digital Papercuts, and Straight Forward Poetry. Poems in Outside In Literary & Travel Magazine and Citron Review were nominated for 2014 Pushcart Prizes and poems in the Sharkpack Review Annual were awarded its Prospero Prize.

3 Poems: Sky Pilot-The Miracle-The Friends

In addition to writing fiction and poetry, Belinda Hubert is currently working on a novel, titled Shrink Wrapped and a collection of short stories about life in the Midwest. She works as a clinical psychologist in a private practice in Lowell, Indiana.
http://buelasprairiepractice.blogspot.com/

2 Poems: Taking It, End of Autumn

Sasha Kasoff is a published poet, fantasy writer, and aspiring teacher. Having recently returned from studying abroad in Ireland, she is currently attending University of the Pacific earning her BA in English with plans to continue her studies in creative writing as a graduate next year. Her poetry can be found in two self-published books as well as in anthologies, magazines, and other literary presses. Look for her on Goodreads.

3 Poems: Addiction, Lonesome Morning, Love Is

Ross Knapp is a recent college graduate with degrees in philosophy and literature. He has an experimental literary novel forthcoming and various poetry publications in Blue Lake Review, Poetry Pacific Magazine, Burningword Literary Journal, Belle Reve Literary Journal, Carcinogenic Poetry, Blood and Thunder Literary Magazine, Tipsy Lit Literary Magazine, and Clockwise Cat Literary Magazine.

He lives and works in Minneapolis.

3 Poems: We Venetian Heathen Lovers, A Room Of One's Own, Waiting

POETRY BY DR. MEL WALDMAN "BACK IN OGUNQUIT"

Mel Waldman, Ph. D.

Dr. Mel Waldman is a psychologist, poet, and writer. He is a past winner of the literary GRADIVA AWARD in Psychoanalysis and was nominated for a PUSHCART PRIZE in literature. He is the author of 11 books.

BACK IN OGUNQUIT

I imagine I’m back in Ogunquit with my wife in the late summer of 2011. We often returned to the Beautiful Place by the Sea in July or August and stayed at the Seafarer’s Motel, across from the Ogunquit Playhouse, on the other side of Main Street.

George Zamalea's credits include articles, short stories, novels and books review online. He was awarded the first place from the 2011 International Latino Book Awards in the category of Best Spiritual / New Age book in English with the Six Seasonal Amendments, A Hispanic Inspiration. He is a member of The American Society of Journalists.

6 Short Poems: The Spiritual People Useless Taken, Exclude It Out, Relentless Fall, The Black Magic, Life, The Flowers

Raymond Greiner's writings include short stories and essays published frequently in various literary journals and magazines: Branches magazine, La Joie Journal, Literary Yard Journal, Nib Magazine, Canary Literary Journal, Bellesprit Magazine, Freedom Journal, Grace Notes Literary Magazine. His book, a collection of fiction and nonfiction essays titled Hinterland Journal was recently published by Outskirts Press. Raymond lives in a remote area of southern Indiana in a cabin far off a lightly traveled road with his two dogs Orion and Venus. He is a frequent contributor to Indiana Voice Journal.

The Grace of Companionship

Companionship defines life. Instinctive thought is of long-term, human partnerships, sharing each day, approaching the bond as a single unit, yet interacting in dual servitude toward shared goals. Frequently such arrangements lack balance, but when in sync it’s the best of the best.

Madge Kaplan, Director of Communications, Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), is responsible for developing new and innovative means for IHI to communicate the stories, leading examples of change, and policy implications emerging from the world of quality improvement in health care. Madge is also the host and producer of IHI's online audio "talk show" called WIHI, a program she conceived of and founded in 2009. Madge came to IHI after a 20-year career in broadcast journalism for public radio. She began exploring non-fiction and playwriting more than a decade ago. Many of her essays have aired on radio or been published in print. Her first play, The Last Appointment, was produced on Martha’s Vineyard in October 2011.

Liz Gilmore Williams is a retired writer and editor with more than 20 years' experience in the private and public sectors. Most of her work was done for two agencies of the U.S. Congress. She asks that we please don't hold that against her.

This essay, "April Love" won an honorable mention award in the Summer Shorts contest held by the Virginia Writers Club in 2014.

David Dominé lives in Louisville, Kentucky and teaches at Indiana University Southeast. In addition to an MFA in Writing from Spalding University, he has an MA in Spanish Literature from the University of Louisville and an MA in German Literature from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He also completed studies in literary translation at the Karl-Franzens Universität in Graz, Austria. He is also co-founder and regular contributor to the blog Literary Labors (And the Occasional Cheese Dip). Find out more at his website at daviddomine.com/

Dan Fields is a musician and film critic based in Houston, Texas. You can view his current and archived work at
http://www.fieldspointreview.com

His story "Cachette" is featured here.

Nels Hanson has worked as a farmer, teacher and contract writer/editor. His fiction received the San Francisco Foundation’s James D. Phelan Award and Pushcart Prize nominations in 2010, 12, and 2014. Stories have appeared in Antioch Review, Black Warrior Review, Southeast Review and other journals. Three of his poems are featured in this issue of IVJ.

In addition to writing fiction and poetry, Dr. Belinda Hubert is currently working on getting her novel Shrink Wrapped published while writing a second novel, Crackers, as well as a collection of poems and short stories about life in the Midwest..She works as a clinical psychologist in a private practice in Lowell, Indiana.
http://buelasprairiepractice.blogspot.com/

Nancy Lane lives in Portland, Oregon and frequently participates in a women’s writing group, “Tuesday Morning Writers.” Nancy writes short fiction and essays, focusing on good people and positive themes.

What I Really Know About Patriotism, published in the AARP Bulletin, May 2011 (http://www.aarp.org/personal-growth/life-stories/info-05-2011/boomers-and-patriotism.html)

Tales of Meander, posted at Creative Christian Writers (http://www.christiancreativewriters.com/forum), winner of the Joshua Fund Short Story Contest (June 2012) As the Crows Fly, posted at Creative Christian Writers (see above), winner of the 19^th Short Story Contest (January 2014)

Adam Matson is originally a native of Acton, MA, and he now resides in Malibu, CA. His short stories have been published in The Berkeley Fiction Review, The Broadkill Review, Happy Magazine, and The Cynic Online Magazine. He has also published a collection of short stories called Sometimes Things Go Horribly Wrong (Outskirts Press).

Bradley Sides holds an M.A. in English. His fiction appears in numerous print and online journals. He is a staff writer for Bookkaholic. He resides in Florence, Alabama, with his wife, and he is working on his debut novel.

Achieved Dreams

David J. Thompson's photos have appeared in a number of journals both in print and on-line. He lived in Detroit from 1997 until last October. He has been traveling since then.

Please visit his website at ninemilephoto.com.

INDIANA VOICE JOURNAL JANUARY 2015 ISSUE 6

Gil Scott Heron, oil on canvas panel 12 x 12 ©Allen Forrest 2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2015!

~FEATURED CONTENT~

About Visual Artist Allen Forrest

POETRY

Nabeela Altaf
Jeremiah Ashcraft
Brycical
Colin Dodds
Paco Jones
John Sierpinski
Dr. Mel Waldman
Barry Yeoman

Creative Nonfiction Essays

Scott Archer Jones "A Love Letter To Bonnie Raitt"

Charles E.J. Moulton “Defender of the Faith”
Adreyo Sen "The Boarding School Protagonist"
John C. Spiegel "Cocoons"
Veronica Toth "The Taste of Belonging"

FICTION

Phillip Brown "Combat"

Clive Gill "Cezar's Story"
Eric Hill "Flim-Flam Man" and "The Bottom" (Flash)
Mike Pemberton "Harvest Rain"
Gary Roberts "A Steady Arm"

~Or Scroll Down to Browse~

ABOUT VISUAL ARTIST ALLEN FORREST

Self Portait Oil on Canvase 20" x 20" 2010

Allen Forrest - Graphic Artist / Painter

Born in Canada and bred in the U.S., Allen Forrest works in many mediums: oil painting, computer graphics, theater, digital music, film, and video. Allen studied acting at Columbia Pictures in Los Angeles, digital media in art and design at Bellevue College, receiving degrees in Web Multimedia Authoring and Digital Video Production.

Forrest has created cover art and illustrations for literary publications: New Plains Review, Pilgrimage Press, The MacGuffin, Blotterature, and Under the Gum Tree. His paintings have been commissioned and are on display in the Bellevue College Foundation's permanent art collection.

POETRY BY NABEELA ALTAF

I am a 21-year old female, hailing from Karachi, Pakistan, currently in 3rd year of medical school. I adore books and can often be found among them. Books made me the writer that I am today, helping me in my grammar and spelling. While other children were running away from words and anything that even resembled books, I was being raised on them. As a result of cutting my teeth on books like Oliver Twist and Jane Eyre and even some Sidney Sheldon, I am able to stroke my creativity to aspiring heights and reproduce my imagination on paper. Being a cat person, I aspire to be a vet someday. Although I am quite proficient on the idea of opening an animal hospital, publishing my poems is an aim that I have always kept at the back of my mind. When I am not at my laptop writing, I enjoy quiet soliloquies and Need for Speed: Carbon.

Mama Stole my Eyebrow

POETRY BY JEREMIAH ASHCRAFT

Jeremiah Ashcraft currently resides in Louisville, Ky. He has been happily married for four years.

A Home Life

Most silly days end in blood.

Yet, the Just are allowed repose like miniature Potters,

i.e., gods

I am not just.

I do not have dignified calmness.

I write and travel. I literally say whatever’s going through my mind upon speaking. Some seem to enjoy my no-nonsense honesty. Poetry happens when I organize my thoughts. Speaking of, some of my poetry can be found in Coe Review, Clockwise Cat and Mad Swirl, or here:

http://cargocollective.com/TheBrycical/

When Reality Interferes with Day Dreaming—

Fantasizing a Better Life for my Friend

Colin Dodds grew up in Massachusetts and completed his education in New York City. His poetry has appeared in more than a hundred fifty publications, and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. The poet and songwriter David Berman (Silver Jews, Actual Air) said of Dodds’ work: “These are very good poems. For moments I could even feel the old feelings when I read them.” Dodds is also the author of several novels, including WINDFALL and The Last Bad Job, which the late Norman Mailer touted as showing “something that very few writers have; a species of inner talent that owes very little to other people.” And his screenplay, Refreshment, was named a semi-finalist in the 2010 American Zoetrope Contest. Colin lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife Samantha. You can find more of his work at thecolindodds.com.

POETRY BY PACO JONES

Paco Jones is a poet, musician, photographer and filmmaker living with his wife and son in Seattle. He has been previously published by Alpha Beat Press, Coke Fish, and Currant St. Press.

Write Like Me

sometimes i wonder (i’m in my
white t-shirt phase)
why i can’t write like i did
before

John Sierpinski is a working writer at the Vest Conservatory for Writers in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He has recently published in California Quarterly, North Coast Review, and Icon. He has been nominated for the 2013 Pushcart Prize. He is currently working on a collection.

POETRY BY MEL WALDMAN, Ph. D.

Mel Waldman, Ph. D.

MY FATHER,

WHERE ARE YOU?

Barry Yeoman was educated at Bowling Green State Univ., The Univ. of Cincinnati, and The McGregor School of Antioch Univ., in creative writing, world classics, and the humanities. He is originally from Springfield, Ohio and currently lives in London, Ohio. His work has appeared, or is forthcoming in Red Booth Review, Futures Trading, Danse Macabre, Harbinger Asylum, Red Fez, Vine Leaves Literary Journal, Crack the Spine, Burningword Literary Journal, Two Hawks Quarterly, Wilderness House Literary Review, Soundings Review and The Rusty Nail, , among others. You can read more of his published work at:
https://www.redfez.net/member/1168/bookshelf

Gary Roberts is originally from Michigan but is now living in Buellton California. He has been writing off and on since he was seventeen. He has had one story published in THE LUTHERAN JOURNAL entitled "Homefront."

A STEADY ARM

Mike Pemberton is a freelance writer and English teacher at Danville Area Community College. His short stories have appeared in various literary journals and he is a frequent columnist in the Sunday Commentary section of the Champaign News-Gazette.

http://mikepembertonbooks.com/

Harvest Rain

Theresa shut off the shower and shook her thick gray hair. She slid the vinyl curtain away and grabbed a damp towel. Fluffy, dry ones appeared only in her dreams. She wrapped a second soggy towel around her head and opened the bathroom door. A gust of crisp autumn air and a howl cut through the comforting steam.

Featured here are two flash fiction pieces.

THE FLIM-FLAM MAN

So he took a train to a Station in a town he knew nothing about. He has come to take advantage, but of what? Perhaps a ‘Mark’ but hopefully it is the view or exotic cuisine. He wanted to know: how could there be an evening breeze on a southern porch with moaning slaves, or would a trickling river sound melodious full of advancing solders; to him it is a feeling of wandering toward a cliff on a moonless midnight.

Combat

by Phillip Brown

Walked to the side entrance of the VA hospital. Over thirty years ago fresh out of the Army I landed on the nut ward; top floor of the VA hospital. Since then I hadn’t had much contact. I thought maybe some current health survey glitch and, what do you know, I got a letter.

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