Issue 53

Based on Photo by Matheus Bertelli from Pexels

A Girl Walks on the Moon by Ruth Joffre

A Kind of Magic by Sarah Freligh

Bangkok, 1956 by  Dipika Mukherjee 

Check Out by Sarah Louise

Clown Car by Ethan Cade Varnado

Lipstick by Dani Burlison

  Recovering by Heather Sager

  Yerkovitz’s Big Idea by Dennis Pahl

  The Night Mare by Erica Plouffe Lazure

  Randy by Chuck Augello

Editorial

I was walking by a neighbor’s house yesterday, and halted in wonder at his front yard. Where others might have planted grass, he had produced a riot of spring flowers–all colors, varieties, and sizes. There was even the occasional spunky, funky wildflower, elbowing its buddies for a place in the sun.

It reminded me of VR 53, our brand-new Spring issue.

We present here a garden of stories–ten of them, a riot of colors, varieties, and sizes (within our 500-word limit, of course). Like my neighbor’s yard, this issue will make the reader stop in wonder. Here, tall tales in vivid pink, red and purple consort with quiet blue beauties; a dark sage-flower broods next to a brilliant black-eyed Susan. And there, in the corner: a spunky, funky orange wildflower–you can almost see it grinning.

I leave it to you, gentle reader, to determine which is which. There are no wrong answers in our garden; there is only a thoughtful sort of delight.

And a bonus: you can enjoy all this without sneezing. Susan O’Neill      

“Snail In Front Of Famous Art” Copyright © Beth McNamara
Gypsy Woman Copyright © 2016 William C. Crawford
Tourist Copyright © 2014 Iumi Richard Crow
Copyright © Nihilonеchoanists