there’s nothing darker
than religion
than the rape, torture
and murder
of innocent children
the unrealistic demands
made on brainwashed adults
who continue to support the
evil
the greed
hatred
and violence
the lies
and payoffs
the stealing
and killing
the collusion
subterfuge
the hidden assets
religion
is one of the
Dark Objects
in the world
made up by twisted power seeking men
who continue to make their way
through the world
walking on the bodies
of those they have destroyed
I’m an artist, a writer, a vegetarian, an animal rights activist, and quite a few other things as well. I love books, cats, philosophy, good conversation, Chicago and the arts. So my blog is full of bits and pieces but it’s the bits and pieces that make life interesting to me. You can read more of my writing at Rethinking Life
Mercy
was a sad little street
inhabited by sad little people
who had been beaten down by life
sucked dry
and left to die
in a slow slide
toward the other side
a street that looked better in the dark
when all of its flaws were hidden in shadow
but some knew
there was more to Mercy Street
than met the eye
she saw the Queen Ann’s Lace
in a small basket
nailed to the front door
and shrank back into the darkness
a few minutes later
a woman came out
leaned against the peeling metal railing
and lit a cigarette
“I know you’re out there,” she said.
“You’re safe here. Come inside.
My name is Anna."
the woman
bent with the pain of the world
showed herself
and nodded
“I saw the Queen Ann’s Lace
and knew it meant sanctuary.
My name is Moonglow .”
“Welcome to Mercy Street, Moonglow. There’s coffee, food,
a hot shower, and clean clothes waiting for you.”
*****
You see, women have a language of their very own
a language made of signs, symbols and secret messages
it’s a special language
one that helps women survive
I’m an artist, a writer, a vegetarian, an animal rights activist, and quite a few other things as well. I love books, cats, philosophy, good conversation, Chicago and the arts. So my blog is full of bits and pieces but it’s the bits and pieces that make life interesting to me. You can read more of my writing at Rethinking Life
In honor of its 5th anniversary, Indie Blu(e) Publishing and Brave & Reckless are teaming up this November to sponsor a series of 30 daily creativity prompts, comprised of the titles of our 25 published books and four upcoming titles, along with a couple fun phrases to round it out. We think our book titles are pretty damn cool and we hope they spark your creativity. You are welcome to respond to as many that inspire you.
There is only one rule to the prompt challenge: the book title or phrase should serve as the title of your piece OR all the words in the title should be integrated into your piece somehow.
Note: Some of IB books have fabulous subtitles. Want an extra challenge? Try integrating the subtitle into your response
It is our honor and pleasure to publish your prompt responses on Indie Blu(e) Publishing and Brave & Reckless . We welcome poetry, prose, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, and high-res original art inspired by the prompts.
Writing can be submitted in the body of the email or as a separate Word document or PDF
If you are submitting writing, please include a suggested image to accompany your work. Unsplash and Pixabay are two of our favorite sites for royalty-free images.
Your email should include your name EXACTLY as you want it to appear on Indie Blu(e) Publishing and Brave & Reckless, a short biography, and any links you want shared.
Future Indie Blu(e) Publishing Release: Moonglow on Mercy Street by John Biscello
Originally from Brooklyn, NY, writer, poet, performer, and playwright, John Biscello, has lived in the high-desert grunge-wonderland of Taos, New Mexico since 2001. He is the author of four novels, Broken Land, a Brooklyn Tale, Raking the Dust, Nocturne Variations, and No Man’s Brooklyn; a collection of stories, Freeze Tag; a poetry collection, Arclight; and a fable, The Jackdaw and the Doll, illustrated by Izumi Yokoyama. His produced, full-length plays include: Lobsters On Ice, Adagio For Strays, The Best Medicine, Zeitgeist, U.S.A., and Werewolves Don’t Waltz. He wrote the screenplay for and directed the short film The Bride, which will debut in 2024. His novel, No One Dreams in Color, is scheduled for 2026 publication (Unsolicited Press).
To begin with the dark parts were small
tiny black cubes in the grey,
we should have seen them growing
recognised their full potential
noticed the blurred edges
allowing them to creep
onwards
imperceptibly
almost invisibly.
And now
there’s hardly a space between the black cubes
and little space for brightness around them.
once the red looked dangerous
as it tried to intervene
but it’s gone now.
The darkness has won
solidifying slowly
but exponentially
covering it all.
We should have seen them.
How did we not see them
those dark objects
on the horizon.
I think it’s too late
to halt them
now.
Lynn White lives in north Wales. Her poetry is influenced by issues of social justice and events, places and people she has known or imagined. She is especially interested in exploring the boundaries of dream, fantasy and reality. She has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net and a Rhysling Award. Find Lynn at: Poetry – Lynn White and Facebook .
In honor of its 5th anniversary, Indie Blu(e) Publishing and Brave & Reckless are teaming up this November to sponsor a series of 30 daily creativity prompts, comprised of the titles of our 25 published books and four upcoming titles, along with a couple fun phrases to round it out. We think our book titles are pretty damn cool and we hope they spark your creativity. You are welcome to respond to as many that inspire you.
There is only one rule to the prompt challenge: the book title or phrase should serve as the title of your piece OR all the words in the title should be integrated into your piece somehow.
Note: Some of IB books have fabulous subtitles. Want an extra challenge? Try integrating the subtitle into your response
It is our honor and pleasure to publish your prompt responses on Indie Blu(e) Publishing and Brave & Reckless . We welcome poetry, prose, flash fiction, creative nonfiction, essays, and high-res original art inspired by the prompts.
Writing can be submitted in the body of the email or as a separate Word document or PDF
If you are submitting writing, please include a suggested image to accompany your work. Unsplash and Pixabay are two of our favorite sites for royalty-free images.
Your email should include your name EXACTLY as you want it to appear on Indie Blu(e) Publishing and Brave & Reckless, a short biography, and any links you want shared.
Christine E. Ray places her original poetry and prose alongside the fierce words and artwork of 45 talented global collaborators in her latest offering, Darker Objects.
Poignant Poetic solos, duets, and provocative political anthems are possessed withevocative titles illustrating their focus, including; ‘American Gothic’, ‘Ghosted’, ‘Nocturnes’, ‘Viral’ ‘Rooms so Still, So Silent’, ‘Tongue-Tied’, ‘Tenterhooks’, ‘Rage Against the Machine’, and ‘Feminist Manifesto’. These lightening threads of passion, rage, love, and grief are the dark, irresistible heart of Darker Objects.
Collaborators include creatives from around the globe with a multitude of talent: Kindra M. Austin, Kim D. Bailey, Elijah R. Carney, Jharna Choudhury, Ward Clever, Susan M. Conway, crystal x, Candice Louisa Daquin, Lynn Devora-McNabb, Sarah Doughty. Michael Erickson, Rachel Finch, Devereaux Frazier, Stephen Fuller, Nicholas Gagnier, Georgiana Grentzenberg, Iulia Halatz, Saide Harb-Ranero, Quatrina Hosain, Rachael Z. Ikins, Sun Hesper Jansen, Rana Kelly, Erin L. King, Mandy Kocsis, Aakriti Kuntal, John W. Leys, Lois Linkens, Nicole Lyons, Jamie Lynn Martin, Devika Mathur, Nathan McCool, S.K. Nicholas, Jack Neece, Allister Nelson, Jesica Nodarse, OldePunk, Basiliké Pappa, Zelda Reville, Kristiana Reed, Megha Sood, Eric Syrdal, Marcia J. Weber, Robert Wertzler, Laurie Wise, and Dom Wynette.
“In this ambitious multi-genre, multi-vocal project, Christine E. Ray and Friends weave together poems, essays and visual artwork that speak of grief, rage, memories, hauntings and dreamscapes. These works, as both singular poems and extended collaborations, tell compelling stories, almost like sharing secrets, all with deftly drawn imagery. Each piece can stand on its own, but the cumulative effect is powerful, weighty and authoritative.”
—Nancy Dunlop, Hospital Poems
“… across the volume, the effect is a kind of Greek chorus in which multiple poets’ work takes on a collective voice, achieving a unique timbre possible only through this impressive collaboration. The harmony rising from the pages expands the words until they become universal, letting the reader hear the notes of their own experiences among the chords.”
—Rachel Kobin, Greater Philadelphia Writers Workshop Studio
“These collaborative works are not cold, abstract experimental pieces. These are vast musical choral pieces, functioning as a powerful Greek chorus, resonating with grief and outrage, piercing us with raw emotion to spark us into action to create a better place for ourselves and our children…”
Christine E. Ray (She/Her) lives outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A former Managing Editor of Sudden Denouement Publications, she co-founded Indie Blu(e) Publishing with Kindra M. Austin in September 2018. Ray is author of Composition of a Woman and The Myths of Girlhood. Her writing has also been featured in But You Don’t Look Sick: The Real Life Adventures of Fibro Bitches, Lupus Warriors, and other Superheroes Battling Invisible Illness, Through The Looking Glass: Reflecting on Madness and Chaos Within, As The World Burns: Writers and Artists Reflect on a World Gone Mad, SMITTEN: This Is What Love Looks Like, We Will Not Be Silenced: The Lived Experience of Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault Told Powerfully Through Poetry, Prose, Essay, and Art, Anthology Volume I: Writings from the Sudden Denouement Literary Collective, Swear to Me (Nicholas Gagnier), and All the Lonely People (Nicholas Gagnier).
Christine is a passionate fiber artist who has rarely met a craft supply she doesn’t like or a pattern she can’t alter. Currently yarn obsessed, over the decades she has learned to knit, crochet, quilt, weave, bead, and has dabbled in mixed media. Christine doesn’t have a spinning wheel… yet.
Indie Blu(e) Publishing 