Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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“Homeschool” by Stephen Wack
The children are gathered out in the schoolyard, wielding the weapons of their fathers. A belt, a wooden spoon, a rubber sandal, a tightly rolled Sunday newspaper (reinforced with coupon inserts), and the time-honored bare hands.
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“Shrine” by Dick Bentley
We’re going to Boyne to ski? Got lost around Indian River? The snow’s thickening on the road. Robbie says, “We’re not going to make it up there tonight.” He’s tired from all the beers, plus we’ve been passing a little ganja around the car, the four of us. The smoke’s quite thick and the car…
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The Writer’s Costume: An Interview with Deborah Reed
by Jenny Robertson When I was finishing up an MFA in fiction at Pacific University, I had a vivid writing dream: all of my teachers — each one a published and respected writer — were playing in a pond. They jumped in, splashed around, climbed back out, then did it all over again. Each of…
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The Longer I Look
By Britton Andrews There’s a certain grain of stupidity that the writer of fiction can hardly do without, and this is the quality of having to stare, of not getting the point at once. The longer you look at one object, the more of the world you see in it; and it’s well to remember…
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Solving a Puzzle vs. Creating a Puzzle
By Ali Ünal In his book Telling Stories: Postmodernism and the Invalidation of Traditional Narrative, Michael Roemer sets out to find the roots of traditional storytelling. His main argument is that traditional story has relied on characters taking action even though such acts, from time to time, may prove to be ineffective. It is, however,…
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Letter From the Editors
Dear Readers, We know: winter can be hard on the body. The cold can tighten your muscles, change brain chemistry, make your joints ache. We hope our Winter 2019 issue does some of the same.
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For Mommy, who is always crying
For Mommy, who is always crying 2018 Flash Fiction Contest, Second Place by Francine White in her bedroom like a secret, only we can hear it through the door. My big brother, Lou, took off with Ernesto, the boy with the neck tattoo of skull and bones, who picks up my brother in his Cadillac…
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Breaths
Breaths 2018 Flash Fiction Contest Winner by Leslie Doyle 1. “Hold your breath.” She was shocked by the cold when her head went under. She hadn’t felt it when they waded in, even when they got waist deep and the water crept up to her stomach, but the moment the leader held her shoulder in…
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Cold Moon
Cold Moon by Kathryn Merwin If you had your way, we would speak through the spirit board. I bury the planchette under my pillow.
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Shouldn’t Have
Shouldn’t Have by Samantha Kolesnik Aunt Marty’s new apartment is smaller than the one she had up in the city, the one that gathered dust and spiders in all the unused places. My aunt perches on her cheap wicker couch and surveys the small space.
Got any book recommendations?