Creative Writing Outloud Creative Writing Outloud

You have two choices: When life gives you a challenge, you can either wallow in self-pity or pick yourself up and get to work. Debt, divorce, death. Hitting rock bottom comes in many forms.

But after losing everything, you realize that your attitude is all you ever had in the first place. And with that shift in perspective, you can start the slow climb up and out of that gravel-lined pit.

"Bethlehem" touches on themes of family, parenting, and upholding traditions.

With only two parental visits each month, dad really wants his two kids to sit on mall Santa's lap and tell him what they want for Christmas. But when his bratty son suddenly has to pee, dad is force to take him on a misadventure to the alley for quick relief. Told from the perspective of the frustrated, down-on-his-luck father, this story uses humor as a tool to discuss divorce. 

Daniel Pope is a writer and musician from Seattle, Washington. His work has been published in Loam Magazine. Hear his music at danielpope.bandcamp.com. 

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Freedom is what you make it. Some people thrive on freedom. Others on routine, rules, and regulations. Like many things, freedom is found on a spectrum. From total imprison men and societal segregation on one end and border-less, oneness on the other. 

The poetry in today's episode touches on themes of nonconformity, violence, and illusion.

James William Sinclair is a composer, writer and artist. Recent works include a recording & assemblage piece titled Shoah Songs Volume Two: From Theresienstadt that was acquired by The Auschwitz Birkenau State Museum, as well as a live score and re-edit of Kim Ki-Duk’s film Crocodile that debuted at the Cinefamily in 2016. He lives in Los Angeles. Decentralize the hierarchy. Dissolve all borders. Live for each moon. Visit JamesWilliamSinclair.com or follow him on Twitter @PotionLords.

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Without our pasts, we are nothing. Our identities rely completely on the person we were yesterday. If we don't have that past, who are we?

Only the youngest children can look at the world with non-judgement and see what it really is. As adults, we have to learn to let go of the things from our past that hold us back and prevent our progress. But this process of un-learning requires more wisdom than it seems.

"The Yellow Room" and "Love Lightly" touch on themes of letting go, connection, and memory.

When a recovering alcoholic finds herself stuck in a compromising position outside a bar, The Yellow Room, she must confront her past and choose the person she wants to become.

"Love Lightly" is a poetic portrayal of two lovers dealing with slow-death of their life together. 

About the Authors

Lily Anne Harrison is a fiction writer and actress living in Toluca Lake. The third of four born to actors Gregory Harrison and Randi Oaks, Lily grew up in Oregon. She performs her fiction around Los Angeles and hosts a reading series "The Blue Hour" at The Victory Theater to highlight the work of up-and-coming writers. Find her on Instagram @LilyAnneHarrison

Lana Tan was born to be a bridge between worlds. She sees the unity, within the duality, and her life work is finding some way to communicate this wholeness in seeming opposites. She hopes to capture but a fragment of the wordless wonder in her so many words, and that the music of the stars can one day be sold on plastic key chains. 

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We all use our phones too much, but where does usage creep into addiction? When we can't watch enough violent videos? Fights? When is enough enough? Unfortunately, we can't delete our memories as easily as we can a video file...

At some point we all have to draw the line, especially when we're the ones behind the lens...

"Shotguns and Smartphones" touches on themes of entertainment addiction, desensitization, and technology.

Told from the perspective of Sam, a recently married young man, "Shotguns and Smartphones" takes place at a baby shower - or on the outskirts of one. Because Sam is one of only three men at the event, he and the mom-to-be's fiance take an ATV ride out into their abundant backwoods property. There they run into someone and things go horribly wrong, while Sam films everything from behind his smartphone...

Patrick Kirk Thomas is a late-twenties author and copywriter out of Naples, Florida. He is currently at work writing and publishing multiple novels on Amazon. 

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When we try to squeeze into the molds others created for us, whether knowingly or unknowingly, we set ourselves up for a lifetime of misery and unhappiness. Only when we begin to try on the skin we were born with can we move forward and live life freely.

"Running Shoes" touches on themes of acceptance, self-discovery, and change.

Seamlessly told from the alternating viewpoint of Molly's 16-year-old and adult-self, "Running Shoes" explores the banality of life's defining moments. Molly envies her popular ex-best friend and yearns to be accepted by others at school. Eventually her anxiety breaks her. When she returns to daily life, she discovers herself a little bit during a chance encounter in the middle of a social obligation.

Kenneth Kim is a writer currently residing in Los Angeles. His background includes an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master's degree in creative writing from San Francisco State University. His acclaimed novel, The Superhero Memoirs, is a lyrical rumination on the mysteries of modern love, loss, remembrance, and regret.

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The season two premier, "The Fire Starter", follows a tormented boy who escapes the problems of his life through torching his plastic army men in his backyard. No one knows about his compulsion. Or so he thinks until the compromising details get leaked to a group of bullies...

77% of students are bullied...Sometimes victims can stand up to their bullies. Other times they are outnumbered and can't. And in the worst cases, victims resort to suicide or retaliate with a violent outburst ...

In today's fiction selection, one bullying victim turns to an abnormal love of fire to deal with bullying. "The Fire Starter" touches on themes of bullying, loneliness, and compulsion.

This piece is written by Alexander Smith, who has been featured on the podcast before, most recognized for his short story "The Perfect Man".

Alexander Smith is a fiction writer and poet living in Providence, RI with his wife. His book of poetry, "For Poets Must Love" is available on Amazon. He works as a freelance copywriter. Follow him on Twitter @AlexanderWrites

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