The Go-To Spot

GO!

That’s what we’re aiming for, rather ambitiously, with our Fast Pop Lit site (also linked on our menu). The idea being to quickly post new work on an instantaneous basis (almost)– to create a colorful kaleidoscope of criticism, commentary, quirkiness, satire, sneak previews, short fiction, poems, and gossip. Sometimes off-the-wall, and other times completely serious. Or utterly ridiculous.

THIS MOMENT

Our newest post at Fast Pop is a poem, “Moment (October)” by James Croal Jackson, who appeared in one of our unique print zeens, ZEENITH. (Still available at our POP SHOP.)

NEXT UP

We have coming Thursday a quick interview with Aspen Audley, who penned our current feature, “White Crane Spreads Its Wings.” After that, a Sneak Preview of our next feature; short interviews with other writers; more James Croal Jackson poetry; and a short essay about the “Worst Literary Critic Ever” (not to miss); and much more!

We aim to be all things and everything books, writing, and literature related.

Autumn Fiction

Pop Lit Fiction

Hello! Welcome to autumn and more great fiction. We’ll be presenting fewer full features at this site, as we move many of our hit-and-run activities to our Fast Pop blog (see top of this page)– which is why we’re making sure the features we do present are choice. Emphasis on the reading experience.

As example, our new feature– “White Crane Spreads Its Wings” by Aspen Audley. A tale about a tai chi class– something with which many of us can relate. Is there a Mr. Know-It-All in the class? Of course! Read the story to see what happens.

It was only my third lesson, but I’d already fallen in love with this beautiful dance-like form of martial arts. Its slow, graceful movements soothed me, and I was intrigued at how every motion, no matter how elegant, had its roots in self-defense. It was all about harmony: for every right turn, there was a left; for every pull, there was a push. The steps and poses somehow felt intuitive to me, as though my body had been designed for them.

Is There Hope for Literature?

Controversy, Poetry

Last week Lit Mag News ran a short article about AI by New Pop Lit’s Editor (myself). My co-editor Kathleen Crane– this site’s conscience and objective intelligence– liked the article but said there wasn’t enough hope in it. An apt criticism, because this literary site was built on hope. One of our missions is to be a positive force in the culture amid a mass of literary negativity and complacency. I’m an optimist– a realistic one who knows the world is a tough, chaotic, often hellish place, but there are stray gems of goodness and beauty to be found in it.

Which might be the appeal for us– and hopefully our readers– of the poem “Little Church” by Dominik Slusarczyk, presented at our Fast Pop site. An aged structure serving as a reminder of humanity’s past– of human decay and weakness, as well as humanity’s hopes. A marker of those who went before us on this mad planet.

This church has stood strong for centuries
But we will be here to see it fall.

\\\\////\\\\////

(Why am I an optimist? Culturally this civilization is at the bottom of a wave. The only direction we can go is UP. –KW)

Late Summer Pop

Pop Fiction

WHAT HAPPENED to the days when fiction had an idealistic magic to it, created by literary magicians like Robert Louis Stevenson or F. Scott Fitzgerald with tales of mysterious personas with unreal qualities– romantic characters who in Fitzgerald’s timeless phrase were “simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life.” Does one find that magic from today’s writers?

Not often, but alert editors can occasionally stumble upon it– as we did with our new feature story, “Killian and the Black Blade!” by C. A. Shoultz. An exciting narrative about a fencing club. A story designed to be read. Enjoy.

No further time to mark the oddness of her foe. The two girls tossed salutes and bent their knees to ready. Killian, as was her habit, advanced first, and broadly, long steps directing her with strident purpose. This flicker of initiative was usually enough to pass the opposition into defense, quail them back and give her early triumph. But the sable girl, to Killian’s shock, advanced as well, every bit as swift as she. In fact, the girl moved faster, so that abruptly both were in each others’ range. Killian lunged and thrust-–

Summer Fiction 2023

Pop Lit Fiction

SCIENCE FICTION– OR REALISM?

Hello! With writers and actors strikes against giant movie conglomerates in Hollywood; with every scam artist on the planet joining the AI-hype techno-bubble big money bandwagon– and contentious politics on all sides (plus ongoing war in Ukraine), we thought we’d present a moment of summer escapism. NOT! Our feature story, “The Henry Plan” by screenwriter Matt O’Reilly (on break from his usual writing for some reason– it’s perplexing) is not exactly designed to lower any widespread fear and paranoia. But it might wake people up to the direction in which this technology-at-all-costs mindset is taking us.

He continued toward the far end of the hall, but well before he got there, he spotted something that made him stop short and stare, wide-eyed. Staining the floor ahead of him were years-old blood stains that trailed down the hall. Henry followed the blood stains with great eagerness. Where would the trail lead? It was as much excitement as he had felt on the station for as long as he could remember.

(Speaking of AI and writers, and ongoing happenings, we still have our “Save the Writer!” petition out there, our small contribution toward saving human creativity– one of numerous petitions and actions from a wide variety of artists and writers of all kinds across the world.)

Art and Life, Life and Art

Pop Lit Fiction

WHERE do the experiences of art and life meet? It’s a question the artist– any artist– at some point is required to ask. When an actor is playing a role, he becomes that role– that character– yet at the same time remains the original person living through the experience of playing the part, on stage or in front of a camera.

These are thoughts occasioned by our new feature story, “Something to Tell” by John Van Wagner, in which his character is overwhelmed by the museum art around him– yet is about to have an experience to match or surpass it. The well-written tale is the latest in a series of excellent short stories we’ve been privileged to offer over the past year.

We hope you enjoy the experience of reading this absorbing story.

His trembling fingers search photos, flipping through scores of pictures of paintings, so lifeless and flat, now, sterile stabs at vicarious experience.

Traveling In Space

Pop Lit Fiction

How many planets are there in our solar system?

Do you know?

We ask the question, because the question is asked– and tentatively answered– in our new feature short story, “Hey Mr. Tombaugh Won’t You Name a Star for Me” by Zach Smith. Whether you answer the question eight or nine might depend upon what year you were in school– a question of time. Any question involving space, as this story does, also gets us thinking about the question and meaning of time: our own, and maybe that of the universe itself.

Anyway, the story is an unusual one– science fiction and science fact. Zach Smith is a unique writer, with the gift of writing with clarity but also intelligence and meaning. We can safely say there’s no writer out there quite like him, nor so consistently worth reading– if you wish to expand your boundaries, your sense of time and space, as you escape for a few minutes the hectic pace of life, and jump into that alternate universe known as a short story–

I’ve been waiting for you for a long time, said Xarlox, as he reached out a beam of energy, that by a certain definition could be described as a hand, toward the probe.

Summer Poetry 2023

Poetry

Yes, it’s officially summer, so we can call this feature summer poetry– though we’ve been on a poetry kick now for several weeks, including presentations of poems at our new Fast Pop Lit site. (Did you miss them? You have to act fast, before they vanish.)

The world is moving fast, as it did in the time of F. Scott Fitzgerald and his famous character Jay Gatsby. The Roaring Twenties! We have today in the 2020’s the same kind of sped-up economy– we simply need a tad more glamour and style.

To celebrate the memory of Jay Gatsby, the Twenties, and a peak era for writers and the literary scene (may it return quickly!), we present a wonderful poem by Sara Megan Kay— “I Am Gatsby”— plus two other poems which may be even better. See if you agree.

Eyeglasses are my curse.
I am not God.
I do not see all.
Part of me struggles to leave
This damned garage once and for all

More and More Poetry

Poetry

Hello! Today we continue presenting poetry– it’s a summer season for poetry– the latest being “The Crow” by Ken Kakareka, exclusively at our new Fast Pop Lit site. Check it out.

THEN, within days, look for a special Sneak Preview– at the same special underground venue– of work from another amazing poet.

Think of a basement club where appear the world’s best new poets. . . .

Poetry and More Poetry

Poetry

Poetry enthusiasts take note! We’ll be devoting much of the next few weeks to the art of poetry, presenting work from poets expert at the art. We don’t believe just anybody can write great poetry– it takes knowledge of the craft as well as sensitivity to echoes of the world. Our selections will, we hope, demonstrate this.

We start our poetic journey with Three Poems by John Zedolik.

Brother wine will accompany me
into a deep red evening, hours of elevation
above the average plain, a tethered balloon
from which to look down upon my usual self
—not in disdain—only a note of amusement

(NOTE: We’ve already published a Sneak Preview of John Zedolik’s oeuvre at our Fast Pop Lit site, here.)