A Weekend with You

We spent a weekend together. I was who you wanted and you were who I wanted. But it wasn’t real. There was an overwhelming feeling of desire and lust that I couldn’t get rid of. You took care of that. And I took care of you. But I didn’t account Read more

Krystal Beatriz Galvis

Krystal Beatriz Galvis, born and raised in San Diego, California, is a writer fascinated with magic, fantasy, and darkness. She is a MFA graduate student at San Diego State University studying creative writing. Outside from writing short stories, she researches any Latinx fables or myths and writes small poems on her Instagram page under the hashtag #krystalg.

POSTSCRIPT TO MY HUSBAND’S MISTRESS [ANNE]

Who uses the word mistress Outdated. Antiquated. A state of old. Like you. Why not choose someone younger than me This I might deem justifiable. Sort of If such a thing exists in all things betrayal I’m not so much older than you What if justifiable was a Trophy Wife Read more

Dori Owen

Dori Owen is a storyteller, writing from small town Arizona, after living a few decades in California as an LA Wild Child, with a brief stop in Reno. She settled into grownup life as a project manager, collecting an MBA and a few husbands along the way. She is a shown artist and her favorite pastime is upcycling old furniture and decor she finds from thrift stores. She lives with the cat who came to visit but stayed. The love of her life is her grown son who lives in Portland, Oregon. Her essays and poems have been published in RAW&UNFILTERED VOL I, StigmaFighters Vol 2, and Love Notes From Humanity. Her blogs have been featured on The Lithium Chronicles, Open Thought Vortex, Sudden Denouement, and The Mighty.

Marriage in the Sun

Robert was passed out in the bed. Jackie stared at her drunken husband with a mix of anger, pity, and relief. The anger was directed solely at Robert – he had started the fight, after all. And he was the one who lost a thousand dollars at the casino. But Read more

Elizabeth Markley

Elizabeth Markley is a writer living in Atlanta, Georgia. She has been previously published in The Write Launch, The Mighty Line, Cleaning Up Glitter, Haunted Waters Press, and Castabout Literary Magazine. When she is not writing she is kept busy by her children, two rambunctious boys under the age of four.

A Letter to the Mistress, Who Invaded My Marriage

A little over a year ago, you inserted yourself into my world. I never had the opportunity to sit down with you face to face and have a conversation like grown women are supposed to be able to do. I wouldn’t invite you to sit across from me so I Read more

Ashton Saldana

I am a blog writer on relationships, travel, spirituality and women's empowerment - while writing a book. I have endured quite a few trials and tribulations throughout my 31 years of life. Through it all, I continued to reach inside and find the mighty female power inside of me to turn all of my pain into power. I changed my outlook on my circumstances by living a life of gratitude and by truly discovering and falling in love with myself. Being authentic, I now live my life to the fullest. During my hardest of days I turned to writing. Writing became my therapy. Because I want to help others that might find themselves in similar circumstances, I decided to publish my work. I feel that my purpose on Earth is to share my challenges with others as a reminder that success and setbacks are opportunities to get others going - to the place that they are supposed to be.

Vlad

I’m not worried ‘Bout the ring you wear ‘Cause as long as no one knows then nobody can care You’re feelin’ guilty and I’m well aware But you don’t look ashamed And baby I’m not scared –“Follow Me” by Matthew Shafer and Michael Bradford Vlad gave his profile serious consideration. Read more

Ronna Russell

This chapter is an excerpt from my memoir "The Uncomfortable Confessions of a Preacher's Kid." No one escapes religious cults without sexual damage and I was no exception, nor was my father. He came out as gay in mid-life, as did my own husband decades later. The oppression of religion tentacled into my self perception and took decades to unthread. This chapter shows how I got started reconnecting to myself. While I had no difficulty leaving religion behind as a teenager, I had no experience interacting in the secular world, like a real-life Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt without the humor and good looks.

“Captain, My Captain”

Next time don’t lie
When you sit close and sigh

You’re married already
So forget going steady

Susan P. Blevins

Susan P. Blevins was born in England, and escaped at age twenty on her life quest, moving first to Italy for 26 years, and then to the USA, where she now lives. The older she gets, the more passionately involved she becomes in the world, and the more she wants to make a personal contribution. She believes that we can all make a difference, one hug, and one smile at a time.

Shutting Down Because My Lover Shut Me Out

Sometimes I don’t want to deal with my life. It hurts too much. He doesn’t see me. I don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to speak, see, feel, love, hate, be, eat, see, feel, touch or taste the way my feelings are. I am shutting down from Read more

Sarah Fader

Sarah Fader is the CEO and Founder of Stigma Fighters, a non-profit organization that encourages individuals with mental illness to share their personal stories. She has been featured in The NY Times, The Washington Post, The Atlantic, Quartz, Psychology Today, The Huffington Post, HuffPost Live, and Good Day New York. www.sarahfader.com Sarah is a native New Yorker who enjoys naps, talking to strangers, and caring for her two small humans and two average-sized cats. Like six million other Americans, Sarah lives with panic disorder. Through Stigma Fighters, Sarah hopes to change the world, one mental health stigma at a time.

A Piece On The Side

Dating married men, guys with serious girlfriends – I’ve been the piece on the side more than a few times over the years and ended up in a series of side relationships (and a long-lasting love triangle/ rectangle thing) that eventually led me to marry my husband, and then starting Read more

Carly Zee

Carly Zee is a poet and writer and lover of the finer things in life — like good wines, dark chocolate, and erotica. She finds myself seeking pleasure over reason on far too many occasions, and will, in all likelihood, continue to do so. To come along for the ride, you can connect with Carly through https://carlyzee.wordpress.com/