Category: Fiction

Left-handed in a Dream: A Haibun

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Part IV: Coming back to her senses|NaPoWriMo #14

AI-Generated Image: A Black woman is sitting on her bed in deep thought. She is wearing a dark teal top with an overly expressive look on her face. The sheets are beige or off-white and the headboard is a dark tan color.

They sojourned in Panama five years ago. The short vacation was a breath of fresh air for the two of them. She recalled the love-making that shifted their spirits every day while they were there. In those moments, she knew he was her person. She and Rodney were meant to be. How could she get that feeling back again? Memory sat with the quietness of the room while Rodney played the instrumental version of “Your Love Is King” on their Yamaha C3X Grand Piano. The way the melody echoed throughout their home brought a smile to her face. And there it was . . . the moment she needed to jog her memory. She was falling in love again–it only took a melody pouring from the tips of Rodney’s fingers to do it.

remembering love
and the sweet gift of music
breaks into the heart

Part I, Part II, & Part III

Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?

I recently signed up to write on Substack as well. Poking the Bear’s Belly for Fun is a place of healing as I speak about the most recent events with my place of employment as it pertains to racism and discrimination. I welcome your visit.

Peace and Blessings!

Left-handed in a Dream: A Haibun

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Part III: Regretting marriage

AI Generated Image: A Black woman looking ahead with a frustrated look while pondering a few photos she is holding. She is wearing gold hooped earrings, her hair is braided and pulled back into a bun, and there is a blurred background of what appears to be a home’s living room.

Memory hadn’t considered how life would be with Rodney. They were high school sweethearts. She thought going with the flow would be essential: stick with him, he’s a good guy, loves her, cares about her, and would do anything to appease her. But now that they’re both older, he is well . . . boring. She reminisces while sifting through wedding photos, shaking her head at their decision’s haste and considering the welcoming mat of divorce. Where would this lead them, though? Divorce is final and Rodney is a huge chunk of her life. He isn’t some man she decided to shack up with – they’ve invested time, love, effort, and work into each other. Rodney is . . . bigger than regret.

temporarily
filled with regret as peace moves
calmly into view

Part I & Part II

Left-handed in a Dream: A Haibun

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Part II: Running away from fear

AI Generated Image: A Black woman running down a busy street in hip-hugger short shorts, a black halter top, and black heels. The background is a blurry, busy street – much like most well-known cities’ “Downtown”.

Memory shifts from a dream state to a thinking state, and she speaks out loud to herself. “What the hell just happened?” It’s one thing to feel like you’ve been dreaming for the entire night, but it is a whole other situation when everything feels like a dream even when it shouldn’t. Her hands were shaking – the left hand first, then the right. Her husband is still sound asleep . . . unbeknownst to the conjured up drama his wife is experiencing. Crabby night air fills the room, and Memory longs to fade to black and never return to this space and time. Running away from her fears is a welcome reprieve, but what shoes should she wear?

awake at twilight
fear rattling her shaken soul
runaways come back

Part I

Gossip Channels at the Sahara Desert

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Flash Fiction

The image is from Getty Images on Unsplash.

Stefan and Holly hadn’t left the community pond in two weeks. Their last outing found them chasing away a cackle of hyenas who were trying to attack the neighboring zebras. Stefan was no longer in his prime. At 37 years old, his body weight amassed to 6,200 lbs. Holly was his confidant – his forever feathered friend. She would fly to his nook of the pond every day, and the two of them would gossip about the goings-on of the Sahara.

Jeffery the Jackal was cheating on his wife Johnna. Callan the Cape Hare had been evicted by the burrow’s landlord. Murphy the Mongoose lost a finger to Alfred the Alligator (by accident) the night before last. And Cheyenne the Cheetah was in heat.

“Have you heard about Cheyenne, Holly?”

“No, what’s that old bitty up to now, Stefan?”

“Word about the Sahara is she’s in heat.”

“You don’t say!!! Will Clyde and Clifton be on the lookout then for her, you think?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t seen hide nor hair of those two since the last desert rainstorm.”

“My word! I hope she doesn’t come prancing over here with that scent of hers. We’ve got enough problems on this side of the pond. You heard about Jeffery, right?”

“The Jackal or the Giraffe?”

“The Jackal. Berta the Barbary Sheep caught him stepping out on Johnna.”

Stefan gasped, and a pent-up ball of air escaped his wide and viciously tooth-filled mouth.

“You don’t say! Didn’t they just have a whole new litter of little ones?!”

“They sure did! Four of the little pups, if I’m not mistaken. The nerve of that over-aged pimp! She needs to leave him!”

“I doubt she will, though. Two of the older children came back home to help out. Jeffery is the breadwinner – Johnna’s stuck. He’s got her right where he wants her, and that ain’t no place I’d wanna see any of my friends.” Stefan sighs discontentedly as he says this.

The Saharan sun bows its reddened glow and hovers over Stefan and Holly before closing its eyes. Pitch black is the night sky as the two wander gingerly back to the base of the pond. A day of gossiping, galloping, and gloating has met its end.

“Same time, same place, tomorrow, Stefan?”

“I’ll be right here, Holly.”

This flash fiction piece is in response to Melissa’s Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge. This was my first go at it, and I truly enjoyed writing this story. Perhaps you’d like to try your hand at this challenge, too?

Séduire Fans Photo Collage #4

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The Lovely Ones who purchased their copy of Séduire, Part IV. Photo Collage Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt. Individual photos are provided by the beautiful ones holding up their copy.

I cannot tell you how overjoyed I am to still receive outpouring love for Séduire: Serial Tales & Flash Fiction. It’s overwhelmingly enjoyable, and I am thankful for everyone who has reached out to me via text message, email, or this blog to let me know just how pleased they are with this collection. I am open and honest about this book; I think it is my best one to date. Honestly, I do not know if I can outdo it. But I aim to try. And perhaps another collection of fictional tales will be unleashed into the ether sometime next year?

We shall see. Until then, please continue to follow me for updates about Séduire: Serial Tales & Flash Fiction and its success. Here are a few more reviews for your research and reading pleasure.

Goodreads:

A review was shared by the lovely and talented K.E. Garland, who took it upon herself to create a page on Goodreads for Séduire so that she could review it there, too. She is NOT waiting for Amazon to do its job. LOL!
Sun is a powerhouse writer herself, so to read this review by her really made my heart melt.

Lulu:

Candice Louisa DaQuin is a lovely human being I’ve known for a bit over a decade now, and I adore her heart, mind, and way with words.
Pooja is such a prolific contributor to the WordPress community. I am honored to have her words beside my work.

Thank you to everyone taking the time to invest in my heartwork. It means the sun, moon, stars, and galaxy to me.

Have you gotten your copy of my new book: a collection of serial tales & flash fiction, Séduire (E-Book and Paperback) yet?

Home To Nowhere: Part VIII

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Microfiction: This is life, and it’s not so bad.

AI Generated Image of a Black teenage girl with blue eyes and curly hair styled in a half-bob. She is wearing a soft blueish-grey top with an indifferent look on her face while in front of a colorful background. Created with Canva.

Two years have passed, and Kelsey is enjoying year sixteen under a roof with loving and caring parents and two siblings who swing joy in her direction daily. She is cousin-sister/niece-daughter and a quizzically inquiring teenager who has learned to live outside her shell.

She plays soccer, basketball, volleyball, and runs track. Her world is mythical and magical; therapy is a safe haven for her sleepless mind. She will never know her biological parents. She looks into Kazi’s eyes and sees Kamal. She thumbs through old photo albums of Kimya’s and smiles at Leila.

She can’t change her history, so she becomes it.

“I am loved. I have love. I will be love.”

And so she is.

Thank you for coming on this journey with me for Home To Nowhere. I hope you’ve enjoyed this series. Peace and blessings.

Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, & Part VII