My short story collection, Castor and Pollux Raise a Little Cain, is now available on Amazon at <https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DLX18JYV>. The eBook version is also online.
From Writer’s Almanac, November 3, 2024:
A little dog named Laika was launched into space aboard Sputnik 2 on this date in 1957. The mission for Sputnik 2 was to determine if a living animal could survive being launched into orbit. Laika was a stray that had been picked up from the Moscow streets, a 13-pound mutt with perky ears, a curly tail, and uncertain ancestry. She probably had a little spitz or terrier in her family tree, maybe a Siberian husky or even a beagle here and there. She was three years old, a good-natured dog that came to have several nicknames: Lemon, Little Curly, and Little Bug. Her name, Laika, means “barker” and was a generic term applied to all spitz-type dogs. The American press called her “Muttnik.” The Soviet space program deliberately chose strays for their missions because it was felt that they had proven themselves to be hardy, having already survived deprivation, extremes in temperature, and stress.
Laika was the first animal to orbit the Earth. She was harnessed inside a snug, padded cabin with some ability to move, but not much. The capsule was climate-controlled, and she had access to food and water, and there were electrodes monitoring her vital signs, but everyone knew the capsule was not designed to return to Earth in one piece. Knowing that Laika had little time to live, one of the scientists took her home to play with his children a few days before the launch.
For many years, reports of her death were inconsistent; one report said that she lived for six days, until her oxygen ran out. The Soviet government insisted she had been euthanized via a pre-planned poisoned food portion prior to that, to make her death more humane. In 1999, it was revealed that vital signs ceased to be transmitted about five to seven hours after the launch, possibly because the booster rocket failed to separate from the capsule, causing the thermal control system to malfunction and the cabin to become unbearably hot.
In 1998, after the fall of the Soviet Union, one of the scientists spoke of his regret for Laika. He said: “Work with animals is a source of suffering to all of us. We treat them like babies who cannot speak. The more time passes, the more I’m sorry about it. We shouldn’t have done it … We did not learn enough from this mission to justify the death of the dog.”
The book cover for my short story collection “These Symptoms” was based on this photo.
The webzine “Yellow Mama” has published my flash story entitled “Mother” in its Halloween issue.
I’ve decided to publish my story collection of whimsical micro and flash fiction, Castor and Pollux Raise a Little Cain, using Kindle Direct Publishing. I’ve never used KDP before, so it will be an interesting experiment.
The manuscript was originally accepted by Červená Barva Press in early 2023, but a personal tragedy in the publisher’s family has significantly delayed publication of acceptances for the foreseeable future. [Gloria: I’m wishing Bill all the best for a full and speedy recovery!]
Susanne Riette, a wonderful artist who is married to my friend, Michael C. Keith, has granted me permission to use one of her amazing abstract paintings for my front cover. Thank you, Susanne!
The flash fiction journal 10 By 10 Flash Fiction has accepted my flash piece entitled, “Life, Death, and Annoyances in Between” for publication in a future issue.
My flash story “Karma” has been published in The Rye Whiskey Review.
Zvi Sesling’s 10 By 10 Flash has accepted my flash piece entitled Either Way Guarantee for publication in their next issue.
Courtesy Sam Bivula on Facebook
“… As he watched, the video feed went haywire and he lost all control over the drone. The televised image was blocked by a large object, then the image started to spin wildly. Pitch, roll, yaw and altitude data turned into random numbers on the bottom of the screen. Finally, the video faded to static.” from Uncontacted Frontier.
The Massachusetts Bards has accepted my poem “Perfection” for inclusion in its upcoming Massachusetts Bards Poetry Anthology 2024 in July.
Written Tales Magazine has accepted my micro story Final Regrets for publication in an upcoming issue.
Nina Alonso Hathaway, editor in chief of Constellations: A Journal of Poetry & Fiction has accepted my short prose piece entitled “Splendid Isolation” for inclusion in the next issue.
I was moved to the back cover, but that’s okay.
I was pleased to learn today that my urban color photo entitled “Wall of Authors” will be featured on the cover of Ibbetson Street Press!
Written Tales Magazine has accepted my micro story R-E-S-P-E-C-T for publication in an upcoming issue.
Nina Alonso Hathaway, editor in chief of Constellations: A Journal of Poetry & Fiction has accepted my short prose piece entitled “Treasure” for inclusion in the next issue.
My flash horror piece “Mother” was accepted by Yellow Mama for the Halloween issue (#103 – Oct. 15, 2024).
The online journal 10 By 10 Flash Fiction has accepted my flash sci-fi piece entitled “Science Project” for publication in issue #16.
I’ll be reading some of my short fiction at Bridget Seley Galway’s Painting Exhibition on March 30, 2024 in Somerville!
I had a swell time attending a poetry reading yesterday with my friend Karen Klein at the Plough and Stars in Central Square, Cambridge, where we heard Andrea Cohen and DeWitt Henry.
Karen and I sat with and enjoyed a lovely conversation with the establishment’s former owner, Peter O’Malley. The Plough and Stars has an amazing history. Over the years it’s been the hangout for Irish blue collar workers, Nobel Laureates and other famous individuals.
The Penmen Review, Southern New Hampshire University’s online journal for creative writers, has accepted my short story entitled “419 DX” for publication in the near future.
April 3, 2024: I’ve learned that my story will be published in The Penmen Review on May 3, 2024.
Pure Slush Loss Lifespan Vol. 9 collection, including my short piece entitled “Ghost Shark,” is now available for purchase:
Thank you for being part of Loss Lifespan Vol. 9. Loss has been now released and can be purchased in paperback. The work of 237 writers is included in the anthology. This is the largest anthology (and book) in Pure Slush’s 13-year history.
Find all current and relevant info via shortened links below:
paperback: https://bit.ly/LossPB
Find selected tastes of Loss here: https://pureslush.com/store/
Find Loss on the Pure Slush website here: https://pureslush.com/store/
Loss eBook versions (ePub and Kindle) should be formatted and released by the end of this week. Contributors will be notified of this via email.
I’ve been invite to read from my new novel “Panda in the Park” at the Dire Literary Series on March 7, 2024 at 7 PM on Zoom.
All systems are “go” for a launch/release date for Panda in the Park in the mid- to late-March timeframe.
All of my blurbs are in, and the artwork is finalized. Unlike previous book covers, the publisher and I went through a number of iterations until I felt it was right.
I’m pleased to report that my novel-length science fiction story “Panda In The Park” has been accepted for publication by Alien Buddha!
I’m awaiting a couple of blurbs and the artwork, then it should be ready for publication later this month.
Two of my micro stories: Testament and More Memories for Sale debut in “Constellations: A Journal of Poetry and Fiction v.13: Deception” available on Amazon.
I was pleased to be featured in the Wilderness House Literary Review <https://www.whlreview.com/>. The 72th issue (Volume 18, no 4) carries a collection of my color and black & white photographs, curated by artist and poet Bridget Seley Galway. Thanks, Bridget!
The online journal Written Tales has accepted my micro fiction piece “Mush” for publication online in 6-12 weeks. I’ve also been invited to submit an audio recording of the story.
Writers, poets and artists congregated this morning for our weekly Bagel Bards gathering at Panera Bread in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Courtesy Facebooks “The Laughing Librarian”
Pure Slush Lifespan Series has accepted my flash piece entitled “Ghost Shark” for publication in Loss Lifespan Vol. 9 due out in January/February 2024.
A tip of the hat to William McKeen for this one.
Most days when the Bagel Bards meet, we reserve a block of time to read our works to the group. The works range from poetry, flash fiction, to non-fiction.
I read my unpublished flash piece entitled “Don Juan.” It was well-received. I was flattered by the fact that several asked me if it was a true story!
Shown here: Karen Klein reading one of her poems.
My audio reading of my flash fiction story, “A Zone of Peace and Tranquility,” featured in “Into the Forest” anthology will be posted to the Space Cat Press web site on December 17, 2023.
UPDATE: the audio version of my story “A Zone of Peace and Tranquility” can be found at https://spacecatpress.co.uk/authors/phillip-temples/
A good crew was on hand at Panera Bread in Cambridge for this week’s installment of Bagels with the Bards!
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