Beaches of Belmont.................. by D.R. Smith                                    New recruits leave youth behind... breaking their maidens as "Men o' War" in an eerie, but true parallel of Normandy's D-Day invasion & the Triple Crown of 1944

A Worst-Way Wee ................... by D.R. Smith &                                        Poetic parody of nature's call... a literary sorbet to freshen the palate before the next course

Hogs n Hens ............................ by Jerry Powell &                                       A Christmas-time yarn about a likeable rogue who comes to terms with personal issues while matching wit and wisdom with local characters in rural 1940's Arkansas

A Freckled Face of Fear ........ by D.R. Smith &&                                    What price we pay when curiosity piques desire... pitting personal phobias against familiar comforts when venturing into new territory

Rhubarb Wine ....................... by Harold Orville Kempka                           On the eve of his father's death, an estranged son's homecoming peels away layers of crusty hardness to expose a deep-seeded love and family sentiment as he deals with guilt and forgiveness

A Kiss from Alex .................... by D.R. Smith &                                          Can human bonding be so strong as to lift the cosmic veil separating mortals from the supernatural

Play On, Maestro .................... by Deborah L. Kloeppel                             A hardy survivor of the holocaust embraces life with an inordinate appreciation for existence

The Price of Loyalty .............. by Xin Wang &                                             What's a faithful spymaster to do when the good of the kingdom calls for departure from the principles for which the realm stands? It's a slippery slope when lines between duty and ethics cross and blur

Twelve Labors of Hercules ....... by D.R. Smith &                                        Lighthearted quatrains offering: a new rehearse of ancient verse fancied for centuries; an epic tale that ne'er goes stale... Labors of Hercules

True Name .............................. by Xin Wang &                                           A romantic fantasy... an inborn, yet latent side of the human capacity for love emerges full strength to empower the will and overcome the darker side of nature

The Whispering Stone .............. by Deborah L. Kloeppel                             An intensely passionate sculptor draws upon his genius, transmuting life to his artistry in return

54 Excuses ............................... by D.R. Smith                                              A satire... an aptly-named racehorse sheds its preordained cloak of loser... and drapes it over its bevy of neophyte owners

The Idiot ................................. by D.R. Smith &                                        Antics of an entrepreneurial lad who refuses to accept defeat, testing his perseverance and ingenuity as he pines for dad's approval

Hardly Heathens ..................... by D.R. Smith                                           Social bias is overlooked in favor of commercial agendas, exposing the hypocrisy of a blind-faith society

The Magic of Moses ................ by D.R. Smith &&                                    Least likely sources can emerge to have a most profound impact on one's life, and in turn, set in motion future destinies for self and others

Poet's Pantry .......................... by D.R. Smith &&&                                     Short literary side-dishes: changes of pace in the more traditional rhyme and metered format

Path of Evil ............................ by Richard Sarles &                                    A small town rogue has everyone buffaloed... except for one... there's no escaping atonement from this unique and wily character

The New Yorkshire Times ....... by D.R. Smith &                                         A comedic rehash of centuries-old nursery rhymes spoofing an amoral modern day society