Month: October 2016

JF Capps – October 2016 Short Story Winner

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Performed by Michelle Alexander

October 2016 Winning Short Story

Goblin  by J F  Capps

Get to know the winning writer:

What is your short story about?

It’s about waking up in the middle of the night to an inexplicable sight that culminates in something that horrifies every parent on the planet; the loss of a child.

What genres would you say this story story is in?

Horror

How would you describe this story in two words?

Flash Horror

What movie have you seen the most in your life?

Probably “Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla (1974)”. I was obsessed with this movie as a child.

How long have you been working on this story?

It just kind of came to me when I saw the ad for the short story competition. I wrote and edited it in about two hours.

Do you have an all-time favorite novel?

Yes! Richard Matheson’s “I Am Legend”…

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Alice Lacey – October 2016 Short Story Winner

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Performed by Val Cole

October 2016 Winning Short Story

Dead End Job  by Alice Lacey

What is your short story about?

For as long as he could remember, he’d driven a hearse. Freddie was fed up with the whole business…

What genres would you say this story story is in?

Dark comedy

How would you describe this story in two words?

Everyone’s fantasy

What movie have you seen the most in your life?

The Rocky Horror Picture Show

How long have you been working on this story?

3 years

Do you have an all-time favorite novel?

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

What motivated you to write this story?

The idea came to me as I was in my car waiting for other cars to get in line for a funeral procession

What artist would you love to have dinner with?

Rothko

Apart from writing, what…

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James Hartley – October 2016 Short Story Winner

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Performed by Michelle Alexander

October 2016 Winning Short Story

Astronauts Swear That The View Is Never Dull  by James Hartley

What is your short story about?

A simple confession from one person to another.

What genres would you say this story story is in?

Drama

How would you describe this story in two words?

Heartfelt confession

What movie have you seen the most in your life?

The Dark Knight or Dumbo

How long have you been working on this story?

Two months

Do you have an all-time favorite novel?

Red Dragon by Thomas Harris

What motivated you to write this story?

People rarely write from a truly evil person’s perspective

What artist would you love to have dinner with?

Christopher Nolan

Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Acting. Directing.

What influenced you to enter the 1pg. Short Story contest?

The opportunity for feedback, particularly in the performance

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Steve Bensinger – October 2016 Short Story Winner

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Performed by Michelle Alexander

October 2016 Winning Short Story

In the Clearing  by Steve Bensinger

What is your short story about?

A confrontation between someone who does not compromise and someone who does

What genres would you say this story story is in?

Realism

How would you describe this story in two words?

Compromise

What movie have you seen the most in your life?

You’ve Got Mail

How long have you been working on this story?

About a month

Do you have an all-time favorite novel?

Raise High the Roofbeam Carpenters and Seymour, An Introduction

What motivated you to write this story?

Dynamic between the outsider and the insider

What artist would you love to have dinner with?

The editor-writer Robert Gottlieb

Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

Politics

What influenced you to enter the 1pg. Short Story contest?

To be honest, it was inexpensive and there’s…

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Monique Amato – October 2016 Short Story Winner

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Performed by Michelle Alexander

October 2016 Winning Short Story

TOUCHING MY SPINE  by Monique Amado

Get to know the winning writer:

What is your short story about?

The story is written from the point of view of a novel which is spotted across a café by a young woman. It happens to be her favorite book.

What genres would you say this story story is in?

Fiction. Fan fiction.

How would you describe this story in two words?

Reality suspension.

What movie have you seen the most in your life?

The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

How long have you been working on this story?

I worked on it specifically for this contest. It took about 2 hours.

Do you have an all-time favorite novel?

Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin

What motivated you to write this story?

A combination of my love of books, The Lord of the Rings…

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Teri B Clark – October 2016 Short Story Winner

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Performed by Michelle Alexander

October 2016 Winning Short Story

Watermelon Eating Contest  by Teri B Clark

Get to know the winning writer:

What is your short story about?

The Watermelon Eating Contest takes a humorous look at small town culture and competition.

What genres would you say this story story is in?

Realistic Fiction, Humor, Short Story

How would you describe this story in two words?

Watermelon bluff

What movie have you seen the most in your life?

Gone With the Wind

How long have you been working on this story?

I wrote it in an afternoon

Do you have an all-time favorite novel?

No, I simply love to read. My most recent favorite was The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh.

What motivated you to write this story?

I was given a writing prompt – “Eating Watermelon.” I immediately thought of July 4th and my small town’s celebration with…

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Juliet M Nevins, MD – October 2016 NOVEL Winner

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Watch the October 2016 Winning Novel Reading.

Reading performed by actor Michelle Alexander

The Pessary  by Juliet M  Nevins, MD

Get to know the winning writer:

What is your NOVEL about?

This novella was inspired by the many women, family and friends, whose lives have been touched by sexual violence. It is about a young physician struggling with her past. As a child Sophia was raped by her mother’s boyfriend, while her mother who had discovered this act, did nothing. Sophia finds escape through education, and as a young physician she meets Debra Little. Debra Little is an old woman from Jamaica who, with the help of two Americans, fled the island after her tenure with domestic abuse ended with the death of her child. The two find healing in each other’s stories. Debra Little finds forgiveness. Sophia finds courage.

What genres would you say this novel is in?

Fiction…

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Movie Review: TENGU: BIRDMAN OF THE MOUNTAINS (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERTENGU: BIRDMAN OF THE MOUNTAINS, 8min., UK, Action/Fantasy
Directed by Samuel Smith

A father struggles to protect his family against the terror of the Tengu, bird-men of the mountains.

Played at the October 2016 ACTION/CRIME Short Film Festival

Review by Kierston Drier

This poetic fantasy action film, hailing from the United Kingdom and coming to us from director Samuel Smith, is a study in genre splicing. Tengu: Birdman of the Mountains has the poetic elements of a romance, the luxurious visuals of a fantasy, the tension and suspense of a thriller, and the fight scenes of a high-concept action film. Told through the eyes of a child, our hero watches as his highly skilled father, endowed with supernatural natural strength from his Chi, fights off terrifying bird-like villains from this family’s mountain home. Packed with stunning fight sequences that highlight the filmmakers’ excellent technical skills, this piece is a must-see for anyone who enjoys action.

There is some disconnect in the story, although it is justifiable. Despite the glamourous make up and extravagant clothing the Hero’s family wears, the shelter they dwell in appears to be little more than sticks tied to together into a ramshackle hovel. However, when it is considered that this film is taken through the eyes of a child, and also straddles of the line of fantasy and action- this distension of disbelief is well worth it the pay off. And pay off? A glowing story of intrigue, passion, and danger with a dark and sinister twist.

Tengu: Birdman of the Mountains,  is a film that will delight you with its symbology, its imagery and it’s excellent fight sequences, but it goes far beyond that. This film represents of genre-hybrid that should be welcomed into cinema with open arms. It is highly commendable thing to be able to successfully blend genres together, and this film is able to do that. With effortless ease a viewer can watch this film and find something in it to enjoy even if they are not conventionally a viewer of action.

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Movie Review: BARROW (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERBARROW, 15min., Australia, Crime/Mystery
Directed by Wade K Savage

A young woman training to be a forensic entomologist is forced to confront her family’s dark past.

Played at the October 2016 ACTION/CRIME Short Film Festival

Review by Kierston Drier

The crime mystery science-fiction short Barrow, coming to us from Australia courtesy director Wade Savage, is a powerful, efficient, masterful piece of cinema. It makes nods to a wide variety of genre motifs including mystery, crime, science fiction and horror, among others, and integrates them seamlessly. The story is rich and engaging, following the story of a young forensic scientist on her quest to understand the mystery forces that saved her life during a brutal and horrifying attack on her family years before.

This film is wonderfully balanced cinematographically, beautifully rendering scenes of dazzling brilliance without having the darker scenes feel out of place. The story is clean, precise and engaging, with thoughtful attention to detail. The character development is logical, well designed and tempered with flawed heroes, tragic backstories and strong performances.

What sets this piece apart however- what makes it a razor sharp cut above the rest, is its efficiency. Every scene is necessary, every detail crucial to the whole. There is no slack moment, no superfluous action. Every line and every visual leads to the betterment of the films’ conclusion. Barrow is a strong cinematic film, short, simple, stunning, and boasting a killer super natural twist.

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Movie Review: BLACKWELL SUMMERS MYSTERY (2016)

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MOVIE POSTERBLACKWELL SUMMERS MYSTERY, 12min., USA, Action/Crime
Directed by Emily Dell

Revolves around the detective agency of Grace Blackwell and Raven Summers. A feisty duo fighting injustice and giving a voice to the defenseless using brute force, killer brains and unconventional beauty.

Played at the October 2016 ACTION/CRIME Short Film Festival

Review by Kierston Drier

Blackwell Summers Mystery, a 12 minute American short from director Emily Dell, focuses on Grace Blackwell and Raven Summers, two sexy detectives with their own private investigation company in the heart of the 1970s. Smart, cunning and sexy, both ladies use their strengths and skills to take down the villain while leaving space for the audience to laugh the whole time.

This film has a satirical quality, not unlike the well-known Austin Powers franchise. The humor in the film comes from the slightly unbelievable elements, (Such as the petite Raven Summers headlocking a thug twice her size) and the campy sound effects that follow the fight scenes. The tone and color of the piece gives it an over-the-top 1970’s vibe. The plot and the characters don’t take themselves too seriously, and thus invite us as the viewers to laugh along with them. Within the fantastical world the film creates the characters are women of power and savvy, and leave the audience rooting for them in every scene.

Comic, bright and full of flare, this groovy film will leave you craving more. Well done to these maidens of mystery.

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