If You Could Read My Mind by Joe Clifford
I’d tried warning my mother. “But she knew his favorite color,” Mom said. “She knows how much you miss Dad. It’s how all these charlatans get on. They pick up on the clues you give them.” “This has always been your problem, Dwight. Too skeptical for your own good.” Soon as I saw the […]
Interview: Joe Clifford
Last time I had the pleasure to interview Tom Pitts, who has been many things over the years, most recently co-editor for Out of the Gutter‘s The Flash Fiction Offensive. So I thought we’d piggyback Tom’s interview with his co-editor, friend and fellow survivor, Joe Clifford. The men two share many things in common, from […]
Shady Palms by Joe Clifford
“Twelve years of marriage,” Dave said, “and this is what I get.” Shawn clasped a sympathetic hand on his friend’s shoulder, passing along the bottle of Jack. The two men sat in the front seat of Shawn’s work truck, in the parking lot of the Waffle House, next door to the Shady Palms, where April’s […]
Copperhead Canyon by Joe Clifford
“Because we need the lighter to start a fire or we’ll freeze tonight,” Emily said. “I mean, why should I go with him? Send Jimmy or Rex. Or Deb.” Tim stared down at his so-called friends, who stared up from their tents, watching the drama on the ridge of Copperhead Canyon. That fucker Kurt down […]
One Good Reason by Joe Clifford
“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t shoot you right now,” the kid with the gun said. Christ, Arrington thought, so this is what it’s come to? Playing cops and robbers with a greased up little shit who’s watched too many movies. Maybe this is what you get. After all, Arrington was pushing fifty, […]
