TARGET JEREMY is an action-adventure spy thriller featuring quirky humor, unexpected betrayal, and complex characters. The story follows a Special Agent who cannot feel pain on a seemingly innocent road trip to Babylon, which escalates into a violent climax.

Review by Julie Sheppard:

Target Jeremy takes us straight into the heart of danger, per the Chinese proverb off the top of this US short. It is a riveting depiction of a CIA rescue in the Middle East. The storyline keeps us on the edge — will our hero make it out alive, and complete his government mission?

The actor playing David gives a masterful performance as a wide-eyed, innocent tourist, placing himself in grave danger, who transitions to a first-rate special agent. Another actor, playing a kidnapper who drives David into the desert, does a fabulous job portraying a sly Middle Eastern man, supposedly craving connection with the West. The actors playing the two bickering cousins provide humanness and dimension, much like the two likeable characters in Pulp Fiction, Vincent and Jules.

The lightening-speed editing is stylish and effective, notably during the gripping fight choreography. Scenes transition smoothly between CIA offices and the dusty Middle Eastern desert. The soundtrack is thrilling and upbeat for this high-energy action flick.

Viewers are indeed sent straight into the heart of danger, and then breathe a sigh of relief when rescued.

1) What is the theme of your poem?

Hatred and rage are two of the main themes of this poem, as well as the desire for freedom. The narrator recognises that this hatred and anger is negatively affecting them. And they want this person to die, because (in their mind), that’s the only way they will ever rid themselves of these painful and traumatic emotions. I’m not going to say that this belief is correct, but I’m not going to say that it’s incorrect, either.

2) What motivated you to write this poem?

I am a survivor of child abuse. Between the ages of 13 and 16, I was emotionally abused and groomed by an adult who I trusted and looked up to. When I came forward about this abuse, I lost almost everything. I lost my education, my friends, and so much more. What’s more, I’ve been scrutinised and harshly judged because I didn’t react the way people expected me to react. I didn’t behave the way people expected me to behave. A lot of people have this idea of a “perfect victim” and once a victim acts in a way that doesn’t perfectly align with this idea, their experiences are dismissed and invalidated. I wrote this poem because I wanted to challenge this idea of the perfect victim. The narrator is flawed – they think “bad” things, and they’re also angry, bitter, perhaps even a bit immature. But they’re also too afraid and powerless to actually take action against their abuser. I want people to read the poem, and be shocked and unsettled by the content of it. However, I also want readers to understand that the narrator is a product of other people’s actions. Maybe the narrator is a bad person, or maybe they’re just a flawed human being who is attempting to navigate a situation that nobody should have to navigate. When it comes to abuse, there’s no right way to think or respond, and I don’t think the narrator (or any survivors of abuse) should be judged, positively or otherwise, for the way they react to, and feel about, their abuser.

3) How long have you been writing poetry?

For over 6 years.

4) If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?

Emily Dickinson. I love her poetry, and I also think she has an interesting take on death and religion. She seems to be much more comfortable with the idea of dying than other people (including myself) are. Additionally, in some poems, Dickinson shows scepticism in regards to the existence of a higher power (see – poems such as “I heard a fly buzz – when I died”), whereas, in others, she appears to maintain her belief that something greater exists (see – poems such as “Because I could not stop for Death” and “I cannot live with you.”) I would love to discuss these subjects with her.

5) What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?

This poem was always intended to be spoken out loud. The reason why I wrote it was because of an upcoming Spoken Word night. Hearing a professional read it out loud for me is very helpful, and it allows me to strengthen my own performance of the poem, and let’s me focus on the parts of the poem that may not be working very well/may need further rewrites.

6) Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?

I have written a few scripts and a couple short stories, but poetry has always been my main focus.

7) What is your passion in life?

Writing and reading.

1) What is the theme of your poem?

The theme of this poem is love; even if it’s secret, it can be beautiful.

2) What motivated you to write this poem?

I was inspired by Li-Young Lee’s poem “Early in the Morning” and my own
exploration of my sexuality.

3) How long have you been writing poetry?

I’ve been writing poetry most of my life. I think I started in middle
school!

4) If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would
that be?

I’d be happy to have dinner with Maya Angelou (she was such as force, and
we could cook together) or Li Bai (I think our appreciation of nature is
similar)!

5) What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a
professional actor?

It was a new opportunity, and I was interested in how someone else might
read my work.

6) Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?

I’ve written a fantasy fiction novel and some novellas, but poetry has my
heart!

7) What is your passion in life?

Writing poetry and teaching others the beauty and benefits of writing
poetry!

1) What is the theme of your poem?

“Intimacy – The Duality of Being Ace” explores my experience as an asexual individual. In this poem, I aim to highlight the themes of alienation and touch starvation that can arise from navigating life as someone who is both highly anxious and disinterested in sexual intimacy. The poem presents the perspective of an outsider who recognizes the potential for connection yet chooses to reject it, all while yearning for the warmth of human touch.

2) What motivated you to write this poem?

An urge welled up within me while I was at a friend’s house, prompting me to open my notes app and write. I typically don’t assign an overarching theme or structure to my poems during the initial writing process; that comes later. What began as a spontaneous outpouring of words on my phone screen eventually evolved into the polished piece it is today, shaped through rewriting and editing.

3) How long have you been writing poetry?

I have been writing for as long as I can remember. I can vividly recall participating in a county-wide poetry competition during primary school in England, where my first piece was published in “Little Laureates” in 2007, when I was just eight years old. Since then, I have continued to write, even during times when I didn’t publish new work. Now, at 26, I reflect on nearly 18 years of writing.

4) If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?

If I could meet anyone, living or dead, it would be Mary Shelley. She had such a fascinating life; for instance, she carried her husband’s calcified heart in a silk pouch. Later, when she was older, she kept it wrapped in a page from his poem “Adonais,” stored in her desk. If that is not poetry, I don’t know what is.

5) What influenced you to submit to have your poetry performed by a professional actor?

My mother played a significant role in this journey. When I mentioned that my poem had been published and that there was an opportunity for it to be read by an actor or adapted into a film, she encouraged me to pursue the reading, even offering to pay for it. I’m so glad I took her advice—it turned out wonderfully.

6) Do you write other works? scripts? Short Stories? Etc..?

I mainly concentrate on poetry, as it is my true passion and area of expertise. However, I occasionally experiment with short stories. I also write for my website and, of course, for my university assignments.

7) What is your passion in life?

I aim to become an accredited Australian editor and a published poet, as this is my greatest passion and driving force—my dream, in essence. One day, I hope to edit others’ poetry and short stories, guiding them through the publication process and enabling them to experience the joy of sharing their work.

Narrated by Val Cole

While doing an audit on a journalist named Ted Simon’s, Delvin Woodhouse auditor follows up to interview the main source for all Ted’s articles only to find that she has been missing for 2 years already.

Get to know the writer:

1. What is your novel about?

The Counterfeit Journalists tells the story of Devlin Woodhouse, who audits news outlets to ensure their stories comply with Generally Accepted Journalism Standards. Devlin lives in Phoenix, Arizona, which is suffering a prolonged drought in the year 2035.

During an audit of The Phoenix Daily Journal, Devlin goes to a restaurant called The Buried Lede to find Lucy Ramirez. He seeks Lucy’s confirmation she was a source of a journalist’s stories. However, he finds out she has been missing for two years and was the journalist’s girlfriend. As Devlin investigates, another woman goes missing; two retired journalists are murdered; and the owner of the Phoenix Daily Journal is colluding with Arizona’s politicians to drain a tribal community’s underground water reservoir to benefit Phoenix.

2. What genres would you say this story is in?

Genres would be Science Fiction and Thriller

3. How would you describe this story in two words?

Heroic Everyman

4. What movie have you seen the most in your life?

Casablanca

5. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)

Let the Good Times Roll by The Cars

6. Do you have an all-time favorite novel?

No, but I like novels by Tony Hillerman.

7. What motivated you to write this story?

A journalism scandal embroiled the New York Times in the early 2000s. As an auditor I wondered what it would be like to audit news articles in addition to financial statements

8. If you could have dinner with one person (dead or alive), who would that be?

Jack NIcholson

9. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?

I like football. It doesn’t matter who’s playing as long as there’s a game.

10. What influenced you to enter your story to get performed?

I saw the offer on Submittable and it intrigued me. Seeing someone read an excerpt of my story is a crazy exciting feeling.

11. Any advice or tips you’d like to pass on to other writers?

You need to read other writers to see what they do. Also, get Pity the Reader by Kirk Vonnegut and Suzanne Sulivan