Synopsis/blurb…….
In The Rag Literary
Magazine's 6th issue, many of the characters you'll meet are living
disappointing lives, whether through their own poor decisions or because they
were dealt a bad hand, or a combination of the two. When painful and often
mundane reality clashes with their hopes and dreams, they struggle to stay
afloat.
The Rag publishes
short stories and poetry semi-annually from today's best up-and-coming writers,
with a focus on gritty and transgressive work.
Contents:
"Someone in the
Room Will" by Falcon Miller
"Where the
Butterflies Meet" by Timothy Ghorkin
"many many
plumbers" by Daniel Fuginski
"Elevation"
by Andrea O'Rourke
"Ayesha
Miller" by Royce Brooks
"An Affair"
by J.A. Bernstein
"Floaters"
by Benjamin Soileau
"Swimming with
Sharks" by Don Boles
"Croton Falls
Still" by Kara Delavoye
"Kuskanax
Creek" Jordan Mounteer
"Pneumatology"
by Tyler Petty
"Oddly Precious
Melancholy" by Janna Layton
"Dog Days and
Wet Dreams" by J.R. Hamilton
"Best Work"
by Stacey Bryan
"Lightin' Hopkins
Emerges from the Woods at Mooresville, In" by D.A. Lockhart
"Todd's
Mom" by David Joshua Jennings
"On Bread
Alone" by Josh Goller
Art by Justin Duerr
Well how did we go then? Loved the artwork, enjoyed most of
the stories and was agreeably entertained by them. Wasn't over-whelmed by pages
and pages of flowery verse that ultimately left me feeling under-whelmed or like
an unwashed member of the hoi polloi.
Highlights were……
Swimming with Sharks by Don Boles – a sad and seedy tale of a
visit to a sex shop and some online porn browsing leading to a sordid and
unfulfilled sexual encounter.
Floaters by Benjamin Soileau – a tale of marital
distrust and insecurity.
An Affair by J.A. Bernstein – how a one-off casual
encounter can haunt and linger in the memory for 17 years, before being acted
upon.
Todd’s Mum by David Joshua Jennings – teenage
fantasies and lusting become reality and life-changing for all involved.
Best Work by Stacey Bryan – how an artist destroys
and dies sculpting a piece and is ultimately re-born in his new creation.
I didn't dislike any of the pieces in this diverse
collection, I just liked some more than others. I even read and mostly understood the poems!
Adult themes aplenty with marital discord, sexual encounters
and peculiar peccadilloes, alcohol misuse and more; displaying a whole
plethora of normal human behaviours…….hate, love, obsession, selfishness,
cruelty and violence.
(I don't believe I have read anything previously from any of the contributing authors, so on that score I'll be counting this as a new-to-me author for Kerrie's quarterly round-up.)
4 from 5
The Rag is edited by Seth Porter and Dan Reilly and the magazine's website is over here.
I admire your willingness to expand the repertoire, and glad you enjoyed it. What a beautiful cover that is...
ReplyDeleteThanks - it was a worthwhile venture on this occasion. I did like the art-work throughout, but couldn't reproduce any other than the cover.
DeleteGlad you enjoyed this. I have been reading some short stories on the web lately so I may get over my dislike of them. Eventually.
ReplyDeleteWow, I'm glad to hear that and I'm suitably impressed! You are pushing those boundaries! I hope you acquire the taste for them.
DeleteCol, I used to read a couple of literary magazines that came out in my parts but I seem to have forgotten all about them. Now I occasionally read them online and discover some fine writing talent.
ReplyDeleteI read more online stuff maybe 10 years ago - mainly crime fiction magazines and fanzines - Plots With Guns, Thug-Lit, Thrilling Detective etc.
DeleteI liked getting to know new authors through their stories first. It will be interesting to check back on this issue in 2 or 3 year's time and see who is doing what and if they have made the leap to novel format. Not that that is always a logical progression for authors, some are happy working in the short story format.