Wicker Man Studios
Hi! Time for more of the Road Trip! BUT ALSO: have you seen the recording of our live Q&A session on Instagram? If not, click this link to watch it: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEqgsakJMFQ/?igsh=OXo1eHo0OTh4aXNi
Okay, now back to the audio files from our Road Trip!
Hi! Park here again, with MORE of our new podcast, MARRIED GEEK COUPLE! (As you’ll know if you’ve read our previous posts, it’s on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, IHeartRadio, and I think one or two other platforms (just search for Married Geek Couple !) –but of course you can also listen to it here!)
By Park Cooper and Barb Lien-Cooper
This post contains SPOILERS for the wonderful spooky films THE CAT PEOPLE and CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE! So you should very probably consider going and watching them first if you haven’t already!
Okay, here we go:
When adults don’t care enough to save a child, what option does the child have but to save herself?
by Barb Lien-Cooper and Park Cooper
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The spaceship landed in an empty field.
A car happened by… and slowed down… and stopped by the side of the road.
“Oh mi’God,” said the young woman in the car on the passenger side, “it’s a real UFO.”
“We should call the police,” said the young man driving.
“They won’t believe us without pictures– I’m getting out of the car,” said the young woman.
Well, it’s October now– things have been a bit delayed with our first contest, as you already know presuming you read our last newsletter. In case you missed it, the publisher of our story Hungry Ghosts celebrated its 10-year anniversary with a giveaway contest, giving away art and copies of Hungry Ghosts the graphic novel– and some copies of the ebook of the HG prose novel, too, as well as a digital story from Barb’s comic Gun Street Girl.
by Barbara Lien-Cooper and Park Cooper
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Transcript: Discovering Your Maine Heritage (Episode 95 (S5 E15) now with added Update)
Findley (vocal over images of trees, the Portland skyline, waves breaking on rocks): …You’re watching Channel 10, Portland’s own public television station.
Findley (a thin, elderly man with silver hair and a white beard and glasses, wearing slacks and a sweater and a blazer and loafers) (outside a large mansion, with a slight breeze blowing): I’m James Findley, and as always, I’m your host… for Discovering Your Maine Heritage.
Findley (vocal over sitting at a large wooden library table near a large window with a man in his late 30s, with brown hair and haunted eyes): I’m here today with David Collins, of Collinsport, Maine. We’re exploring David’s family history.
“I Hate Asparagus,” by Barb Lien-Cooper
(based on a piece of writing advice by Shirley Jackson)
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“I hate asparagus,” Louise MacNamara said to the kitchen clock on the wall.
All the clock said in response was tick, tick, tick.
“10:03 already. The morning’s just slipped away from me… I simply must get to the grocery store. …Where is my list…?”
She found it by her purse. “Milk, eggs, bacon, bread…” she said out loud.
And asparagus.
“I hate asparagus,” Louise said.
Asparagus was always a difficult vegetable to get right, her mother had always told her. Cook it too little, it’s chewy. Cook it too much, and it’s bitter and slimy.
I’m bitter because my husband is slimy, Louise thought.
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by Barbara Lien-Cooper
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“You look troubled,” I said to Roger. “And you’ve hardly eaten your food. It seems silly to bring me to one of the most lovely restaurants in Bangor and then not touch a bite of your food…”
“Ah, well, you’re far lovelier than this place, my dear…” said Roger.
I smiled at him. Roger might not have been other women’s romantic ideal; he was balding, and his countenance often seemed grim. But he had a fine mind, and he’d always been every bit the gentleman, especially to me. I’d known him for almost five years. We’d met soon after his first wife, Laura, had died under mysterious circumstances; he’d come to Bangor on business. He always seemed to have a lot of financial reasons to visit Bangor, something to do with his family’s business ties… He wasn’t the owner of whatever company or companies his family owned—his sister Elizabeth seemed to have the lion’s share of the stock in the concern, and he just managed things. I once asked Roger about the family’s financial arrangements… he told me quite honestly that he’d spent his money on having fun. Since he didn’t like talking about it, I was never sure quite what the family business was—something to do with lumber, or canneries, or perhaps both… “I appreciate the comment, Roger, but it concerns me that you’re not eating.”
“Family troubles again,” said Roger.
“When is it anything else? Is it David again?”
“No, not my son, not this time…”