Today I am happy to post “The Kiss-Me-Quick,” a story by Rochelle Distelheim, which I first fell for when it appeared in the Visiting Hours anthology put out by Press 53. I’m happy to say that Rochelle and I are in the same writing group so I have had the privilege of reading her work for some years now. It’s been enough years that I have read her novel Jerusalem As a Second Language, witnessed how it was crafted to win the 2012 William Faulkner-William Wisdom Creative Writing Competition for the Novel category. I look forward to when you can read it too. Rochelle is working on another novel now and it is just as captivating.
I contacted Kevin Watson of Press 53 who originally published Rochelle’s story, and although Visiting Hours, the anthology where this story appeared, is now out of print, Press 53 is going stronger than ever. He writes: “We have a lot going on at Press 53. Our online journal, Prime Number Magazine, has taken over the Open Award. It is now called the Prime Number Magazine Awards and is running now through the end of March. We have over $2000 in prizes (all in prime numbers). On April 1 we will launch our inaugural Press 53 Award for Poetry, which will be run like our Press 53 Award for Short Fiction, which wrapped up Dec 31.”
Readers and writers should check out the Press 53 bookstore.
I did not know until I checked Facebook but today (January 21) is National Hug Day. I asked Brendan Coudal to share the whimsical image in Glimpse of Solace. Brendan’s cat cartoons are just a part of his portfolio. His work can be described as contemporary and retro-style; his prints and wood signs celebrate old Florida. He also does portraits of aquatic life; some of which can be seen in the work he does for Reel Life.
How fortunate today is National Hug Day for I could use one and I could do with giving one too. The poignancy of Rochelle’s story hit me even harder this weekend as one of my dearest friends experienced a medical crisis. So boys (and girls), hug ’em if you got ’em.
Peace, love, and solace
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