My Cardboard Balcony

I thought I was going to talk about my first official rejection letter (actual paper rejection letter, not "rejection e-mail" - I don't count those) - a kind, personal note from a publisher telling me to keep sending out my manuscript, thinking it was a "good novel" and love story. I was going to type out my thoughts and feelings about it, as well as my promise to save and tack up every single rejection letter I get. And how I will work hard to see my writing exposed to an audience who wants to read it. Instead, something happened today at work that I can't get out of my head. So as much as I could be sappy regarding the rejection letter and perseverance and confidence (and a very kind Eloise Klein Healy from  Arktoi Books , who I thank with all my heart for her words and time) despite any setback - I'm going to hit on something else. And that something is: I hate bullying. I've mentioned the terrible power of bullying in a previous Introspecti...

Separate Lives by Belinda Roddie   Chocolate cake shared over a night of several dreams While headlights streak our heads with gold for the time being Reins in each hand, you trot into the glade To be swallowed in a fog of lovely purple haze Simple images kept in a chest by the bedside table, The box with the painted couple from an ancient fable Teaching me how to fly without falling off the ledge Of some nightmarish gremlin’s trap to keep those on edge And though you spit jewels from your mouth, it only is Your eyes that keep the evening precious in the end Luscious fairytales will give me things to dream about While flowers blooming like fireworks in July you just can’t live without So you’ll relax, for you live the story in its breath And I shall read that story until my exhausted death Or until you reappear upon the glade sunk with snow Enough for fish to freeze in, while the wind deals harsher blows ‘Til we share another slice of dark desire with knives To penetrate all the...

"I see you've lost your luggage." "Yes. I have paperwork and tickets and everything..." "May I ask what the luggage looked like?" "...Sparkly." "Sparkly?" "Yeah. Sparkly. Can't miss it." "May I ask what color your luggage is?" "I dunno. A sparkly color?" "Oookay. How about the stuff on it. Does it have a particular tag?" "...It has sparkly zippers." "Okay, how about - " "SPARKLY."

Tomorrow's Eclipse by Belinda Roddie Tomorrow's eclipse is brought to you by a celestial sponsor weaving gold and silver looms together, meshed satins and silks with melted ink across a sewn shawl. Like a cloak drawn across a brazen mantel that glitters beneath steely moths that spray aluminum in wispy foil to wrap up strands of sunlight in cold black. The telescope lies abandoned on my balcony where the salt lifts to kiss the cool folds of island winds fornicating with swollen, healthy heat with sweating lips. The lens is far too cracked to view this sweet phenomenon, so I drift off to sleep.

The most primitive form of technology in 2300 was the cellphone. I was amazed that people even still used it. We had grown accustomed to our cyberglasses, monocles, headgear, and earpieces. We drove cars and talked with them on a daily basis. But I saw a man with a cellphone, chatting to a friend. It was surreal.

Old Habits Sleep Easily by Belinda Roddie Remember you said that you'd stop biting your nails, scratching your scalp, blowing your nose into your wet, wet palms and wiping them onto the car seat while you drive, picking your scabs, spitting in the dirt, and sticking your fingers into your ears, drawing out thin, thin strands of orange and brown wax? ...I guess I woke up your old habits, didn't I? Sorry.

Diane is so outgoing! She's incredibly outgoing. She'll talk to anyone, even the wide-eyed, drooling stranger asking for beer on the street. She won't give him change, though, or call someone to have him taken to a hospital. But she's unbelievably outgoing. One time she went to a party and made out with every boy there. And a couple of girls, too. They didn't remember it in the morning. I wonder if they had any diseases. But Diane is so painfully outgoing. One time, she decided to meet my boyfriend, and they've been together for two years now. Even though my boyfriend said we'd get married! Isn't that something. She's so diabolically outgoing.