PenDust Radio Rivercliff Books & Media

FICTION | FRANCIS DUFFY



Rubbish is a short story about Joe Nickerson's cross-country hitchhiking adventure as he's on his way to serve in the Vietnam war. As Joe waits for rides, holding a sign that reads "TO WAR - VIA L.A. – U.S. Marine Corps," he recalls his draft-dodging father, his lioness of a mother, and how his youth in Catholic schools with hard-knuckle nuns made his transition to boot camp easier. Then, when the draft from a GTO passing at 70 mph spins his sign, he has an unexpected encounter with a raven-haired woman named Rita.

MEMOIR | ROBERTO LOIEDERMAN



In January 1966, novelist and countercultural leader Ken Kesey held a three-day event in San Francisco called The Trips Festival. This story is Roberto Loiederman's recollection of the festival — a mind-bending event, as well as a dramatic turning point for Kesey, and those who attended.

MEMOIR | ASHLEY MEMORY



A lamp purchased second hand seemed to be the ideal addition to her home until an investigation into the mysterious engraving on its base revealed a macabre history. As she discovered grisly details about the lamp's previous owner, her home life became agitated, and she wondered… Could the lamp be haunted?

ESSAY | CAROL D. MARSH



"I'm Sorry, Monica" is a letter to Monica Lewinsky. In it, the author, Carol Marsh, takes a soul-searching look at how she reacted to the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal in the late 1990s. She explores the roots of her feminism and the family dynamics that affected it, and shares how the MeToo movement jarred her into examining how she and other women unfairly excoriated Ms. Lewinsky.

FICTION | PATTY SOMLO



A former dancer and about-to-retire choreographer is surprised to receive a letter from a foreign country. The short, handwritten note rekindles memories of a love affair, and a separate friendship, decades before in Nicaragua. Her recollections spark insights that hadn’t been apparent to her so long ago.

MEMOIR | TERRY BARR



The 1970s in Birmingham, Alabama, was a time fraught with racial tension and confusing questions of identity. Author Terry Barr found the music of that era confusing, as well. Southern rock competed with Glam and Disco, and for a long-haired guy like Terry, finding his place, his sub-culture, and the accompanying music wasn't easy.