Beat the Dust is the space for writers with 'kiss my shades!' attitude to flex their literary muscle and showcase their latest work. It's for readers who like inventive, hard-hitting, intelligent and thought-provoking writing. We are continually on the look-out for new poetry, short stories, novel chapter ones, flash fiction and plays. The new issue is posted the first week of each month. To keep up-to-date on BTD, join the Beat the Dust Facebook Group. We have our third featured writer for a very special December issue, but January's will be open to all writers for submission. So, turn your laptop on (in the non-sexual sense obviously) and create something frisky cos we have a guest editor for the January issue, Mr Joseph 'Where are the rebels?' Ridgwell. Bring it on!
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| Author: |
H P Tinker writes his own mock obituary |
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HP Tinker passed away suddenly last week after choking on a walnut. A collection of critical essays, "I Used To Be A Postmodernist (But Now I'm Not So Sure)", will be published posthumously late next year. A novel, "Of Men & Ampersands", will be written posthumously even later next year. In accordance with his final wishes, HP Tinker's ashes will be scattered over Audrey Tautou while she isn't looking.
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| Submission Date: |
| 03 Nov 2008 |
Category: |
Short story
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Included in Chap-book
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| Title: |
the girl who ate new york |
| Excerpt: |
Her face eschewed the acknowledged ethos of winter, even mid-June.
As small and sad-haired as the young Mickey Rooney himself, she was conceived in the Riviera by a six-fingered philanthropist. Her front teeth were sharp enough to pierce clean through a grown man’s boot. Displayin...
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| Author: |
Ed Makowski writes his own mock obituary |
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Ed Makowski had a real passion for making the best sandwich. Eddie's Delicatessen kept Tuscaloosa, Alabama well fed for over 52 years. Up until his last days he was creating new things to eat. Eddie is famous for saying, "If you can't swallow my salami, I'll buy you a Buick!" He is survived by a small farm of animals he lovingly tended and butchered himself. The Tuscaloosa Optimist Society is currently researching options for where the animals will end up. In lieu of flowers, feed can be left at his farm on Branske Road.
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| Submission Date: |
| 03 Nov 2008 |
Category: |
Poetry
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Included in Chap-book
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| Title: |
scoring |
| Excerpt: |
an ex-girlfriend called.
said her mom had died.
So we got togethe...
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| Author: |
Darren R Scothern writes his own mock obituary |
1 comment
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Darren R. Scothern, 2109-2008 - forgettable poly-metamorph, who came into existence via his own imagination. Emerging from a cocoon 99 years after his death, he lived his life in reverse after mistakenly assuming the universe was contracting rather than expanding. This had the unfortunate effect that he lost friends before he met them, and influenced people before he had the chance to reap the benefits. Living his life in Shame (a village near Bognor Regis), he resided in a delicately whorled shell strapped to his back with a neural net. He leaves behind a trail of glistening slime.
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| Submission Date: |
| 03 Nov 2008 |
Category: |
Short story
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Included in Chap-book
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| Title: |
inside the box |
| Excerpt: |
"Why did you do it Melanie?" Her father tried to fix his eyes on her face. She avoided them. The brittle sunlight needling through the window bleached the view of the grounds outside, but in here it pitilessly picked out every detail. He hadn't shaved,...
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| Author: |
Jack T Marlowe is interviewed by Jean-Paul Sartre |
1 comment
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JPS: Can I call you 'Jacques?'
JTM: Sure, if I can call you 'Dog Breath.'
JPS: Um…okay. So, tell me, what makes you write?
JTM: An aversion to not writing.
JPS: I mean to say, what inspires your work?
JTM: The absurdity of the human condition.
JPS: Tres bien! Do you consider yourself to be an existentialist?
JTM: No, but I did when I was a teenager.
JPS: Vraiment?
JTM: I'm sorry, but we don't parlez vous much Français here in Texas.
JPS: Sorry. Is there anything in particular that you'd like to say about your writing?
JTM: Yeah. You can read some of my poetry in Gloom Cupboard, decomP, Instant Pussy, Underground Voices and Word Riot. And at my website .
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| Submission Date: |
| 03 Nov 2008 |
Category: |
Poetry
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Included in Chap-book
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| Title: |
somniphobia |
| Excerpt: |
the ancients
said that
sleep is the
twin sister
of death
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| Author: |
William Taylor Jr interviews himself |
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Me: Hey, Bill. How ya doin'?
Me: What do you want now?
Me: Just a quick little interview.
Me: If we must.
Me: Whatcha doing right now?
Me: Having a fantasy where Sarah Palin falls from a helicopter while aerial hunting and is torn apart by polar bears and arctic wolves.
Me: Nice. What else you working on?
Me: I'm creating my own Myspace quiz to circulate, though rather than the usual “who is the last person you kissed” type questions, it will be more geared towards adults, with such queries as: You have failed at most things in your wretched life, and your death is imminent. Deep inside you know there is no afterlife or silly god man to forgive you your sins...how does that make you feel? Stuff like that.
Me: Uh, nice. I think. Anything else?
Me: A new book of my poems, called The Hunger Season is due out from Sunnyoutside Press early next year.
Me: Okay. Great. I gotta pee now.
Me: Me too! Bye.
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| Submission Date: |
| 03 Nov 2008 |
Category: |
Poetry
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Included in Chap-book
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| Title: |
my plastic heart |
| Excerpt: |
In my time upon this earth
I have loved the sun
as well as the r...
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