Keith Eisner writes about writing

Keith Eisner’s story “Shrine” previously appeared in the 2018 Big Muddy magazine as the winner of that magazine’s Short Story Contest, sponsored by Southeast Missouri State University. His story “Blue Dot,” published in Salamander, appeared in the 2017 O. Henry Prize Story anthology. Both are reprinted in Mud Flat Shorts (mostly fiction). Keith writes: How cool is it … Read more

Jes Simmons on the creation of her short story

When we published Mississippi Arts & Letters way back in the 1980s, Jes Simmons contributed poems and other writing, and many years later we reconnected on Facebook and by email. Jes was one of the first writers we invited to submit to Mud Flat Shorts (mostly fiction). She responded with the short story “At Dairy … Read more

Jack Butler on his stories ‘Emmolene’s Bones,’ ‘Hawk Gumbo’ and ‘Mrs. Lookadoo’s Walkabout’

An old friend and favorite writer, Jack Butler, sent us a group of shorts stories that we wanted to publish. There were not enough for a book, however, so we came up with the idea of inviting other writers and doing an anthology of shorts stories. This one. Here’s what Jack had to say about … Read more

Jenni Prange Boran Talks About Her Story ‘Stage Four’

We asked Jackie Cassella, founder of Creative Colloquy to recommend writers for Mud Flat Shorts (mostly fiction). She recommended three writers, all of whom graciously accepted our invitation and all of whom submitted stories that were just right for the anthology. There are two stories by Jenni Prange Boran. Here she talks about her story … Read more

Sniper, a Dog Story

by Ricker Winsor – In Bali, we adopted a village-dog puppy we named Nana. She and her sister found their way, at about seven weeks of age, to the workplace of our neighbor. The office security people there were about to throw them against a wall, the customary way to kill puppies. The dog situation … Read more

Author’s Afternoon

The city of Tumwater, Washington held a book event called “Author’s Afternoon” on Sunday, Oct. 20 with a dozen writers tabling, talking, reading and selling and autographing books Mud Flat Press authors Alec Clayton and Christian Carvajal (not pictured) were among the authors. Click the title to see the photo.

The Day the servants Left

from Ricker Winsor’s book Pakuwon City             Muslims fast during Ramadan. For a month between sun up and sun down, no water, no food. Caddies pass out on the golf course or quit after nine holes. Some don’t fast and pretend to do so. Some fast quietly. Some swoon dramatically. For the ruling class this … Read more

Self-doubt

We all have self-doubt, creative people probably more so than anyone. I’ve considered myself an artist of one sort or another since before I was old enough to go to school and my mother set up an easel for me next to hers and I made my first oil painting. I majored in art in … Read more