Author: Melinda Kucsera

Melinda Kucsera writes fantastic short stories, novels, and books when not being kidnapped by dragons or chased by armies of fictional creatures. (Her characters do, on occasion, rescue her.) She leaves the running of her newsletter to a cast of lovable characters who hog her inbox. Enough about her, it’s us you’re really interested in, her cast of characters. Join us every week for a new story at www.mkucsera.com/welcomecharacters. Over 15,000 readers have enjoyed their fight to survive and thrive as they straddle the often blurry line between fiction and reality. Let them take you on an adventure behind and between the scenes. Sign up at www.mkucsera.com/welcomecharacters to experience our weekly shenanigans. Go where no book or newsletter has gone before!
Fantasy, poem, poetry, Shayari, Sonnet18 Comments

November in my Rearview Mirror

Melinda Kucsera

November in my Rearview Mirror November draws to a close; I repose and reflect on the adventure so far. I’ve come from fantasy places supposed to exist where bright dreams and nightmares spar… Come into the seeming, the dreaming time and slip into the fantasy I’m weaving. Leave reality behind for some time, let someone else, to the real, be cleaving. Dive into these highlighted delights from November’s storehouse of memories taken. Into their fair tales do descend and come back for more for December awakens. Holidays tiptoe near on angel feet upon Shayari‘s green miles bearing treats. ~ ~ ~ Sarn, his son and … Continue reading November in my Rearview Mirror

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Turkey Bowl (or Turkey’s Revenge)

Melinda Kucsera

Turkey Bowl (or Turkey’s Revenge) Sarn waited for Nolo to tell him what tonight would bring: practice, running, scouting or wandering around the forest, but just as the man started to speak, shouting and the pounding of feet interrupted. Two forms shot across the meadow, something white chased them, threatening gobbles erupted– Sarn’d never heard that before; the bird-thing flapped wings, hopped and tried to nip the backsides racing ahead of it; the two men veered towards Nolo screaming, holding their backsides. Nolo just stared as the spectacle neared. Sarn yanked his master out of the men’s way. What mischief they’d caused, they now … Continue reading Turkey Bowl (or Turkey’s Revenge)

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet6 Comments

Faith

Melinda Kucsera

Faith “…he needs faith,” Nolo said, “in something, my God, any god, it would help a great deal.” “Faith takes time,” his wife replied, “meetings by friends who introduce…don’t make a big deal out of it if he refuses to come.” Footsteps. “So I shouldn’t invite him to church?” “I just meant if he says no don’t succomb to anger. Please don’t sour him on church.” Ran crawled out from under the low table pushing his ball, wondering what ‘faith’ meant while they left for the place with that label. He waited, but didn’t ask what they had meant. He’d go ask Papa; this was an adult thing, so … Continue reading Faith

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet8 Comments

Black Friday at the Low Market

Melinda Kucsera

Black Friday in the Low Market Sarn glared at the black cloth strip in his hands. Light-tight, once tied its weave would hide his eyes, suppress their glow, allow him to withstand the low market crush and not jeopardize his son who would be his eyes for this trip. Now tied, his vision cut off; his magic took over, gave different eyes equipped with a detailed map of the illogic that abounded inside Mount Eredren. “You take too long. We go now.” Ran tugged on Sarn’s trouser leg. “I lead.” Ran unfastened the door and started into the hallway, his promised outing … Continue reading Black Friday at the Low Market

Fantasy, poem, poetry, Sonnet, Uncategorized7 Comments

The Match

Melinda Kucsera

The Match Cyprus’ ringside seats enabled him to watch the match. Who’d leave in a coffin? The acrobat tumbled, his strength let him toss the mawkish gawker out on his fin. Through the hawker’s hand lapis lazuli beads slid, clicking, blocking Cyprus’ view. The stench of brimstone warned he’d better lie low ‘fore the serum wore off. Sweat bedew his forehead, his arm pits, deodorant’s failure, its obsolescence in process. Then his human skin molted and the chant began quickening the change in the press. A demon spilled forth ending the death match. Everyone left without coffin or scratch. ~ ~ ~ Like vignette-style sonnets? Want … Continue reading The Match

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Giving Thanks & Turkey Carving

Melinda Kucsera

Giving Thanks & Turkey Carving “Why he do that?” Ran pointed at the bird. Nolo defeathered it on the terrace. Sarn drew Ran back inside. “To cook the bird, you have to remove its feathers.” Distressed Ran squirmed, “he’s hurting it.” Sarn shook his head. “It’s already dead. So it can’t feel pain.” Ran glared betrayal, but his green eyes plead to hear that Sarn had not caused the bird pain. “I found it trapped, dying–Nolo killed it.” He didn’t know if Nolo had set the trap and he didn’t want to know. “Are you helping–” he started to say but stopped when a strap caught … Continue reading Giving Thanks & Turkey Carving

Fantasy, poem, poetry, Sonnet6 Comments

Spring with Flair

Melinda Kucsera

Spring with Flair Flowers, flowers everywhere, in my hair, falling without a care, as I glide ’round my bower’s stair. Who’s that there? Moonlight fair? Follow you where? Hear madness there resounds. Flowers, flowers in my pants, as I dance. Ring-crowned spiders spin their hair with some flair. They make a gown I can wear for the dance. My bro wears a lizard’s skin, it’s not fair. Feathers, feathers everywhere, in the air, on my chair. Spinning in a dizzy dance, my last chance, to prepare, that girl to spare, if I dare. There in the square, I do dance. Ladies fair, everywhere, I sing the prayer; I share all I dare, … Continue reading Spring with Flair

poem, poetry, thank you53 Comments

Giving Thanks

Melinda Kucsera

Giving Thanks I’m thankful for all the bloggers I’ve met, the friends I’ve made and the lessons you taught. I’m thankful for great posts to read; they whet curiosity, spark wanderlust and thought. So thank you to those who proposed challenges, writing prompts and creative exchanges: Without your push, I’d not have mined my mind, dug up gems; so thanks for the weekly grind. ~ ~ ~ Thank you for the insightful poems, posts, stories–I raise my teacup in a toast, to you who fill my reader with such gems, in no real order, let me list those gems: Thank you all, for all that … Continue reading Giving Thanks

Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet12 Comments

Letting Go

Melinda Kucsera

Letting Go Five years ago… He faced the window, Mount Eredren’s lord, author of all Sarn’s pain, eyes on distant sights, his back to the shadowed nook where bored death waited in a teen hands. The instant the Lord’s guards left, Sarn crept ‘cross star shined floors, shadow-silent, knife shaking, poised to pierce that last barrier. Full-circle once more, victim becomes the killer; shock pierces anger, knocks him back a step, makes him think. Killing the Mount’s Lord won’t unwound his soul, unbreak his bones, undo abuse. Sarn shrinks, he’s no killer; he’s an innocent soul. “Why didn’t you strike me down?” the mount’s lord moaned. “Because it … Continue reading Letting Go

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet8 Comments

Working Thanksgiving in

Melinda Kucsera

Working Thanksgivng in Darkness choked the magicked forest; a light kindled here and there to trick to travelers but not the patrolling Rangers whose sight ignored the forest’s enchanted feelers. Sarn shoved away an inquisitive branch, looked about for evidence of distress. Another boring watch with not a branch out of place and still more hours in this press. “Why’re we out here? There’s nothing happening,” he complained batting a thin bough aside. “You want to hear Thanksgiving’s beginning?” Nolo asked; he sped up to walk beside making conversation possible ‘gain. The trees leaned to listen to talk of men. ~ ~ ~ Sarn nodded, stepped o’er a recoiling … Continue reading Working Thanksgiving in

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet2 Comments

Staircase to Nowhere

Melinda Kucsera

Staircase to Nowhere A stone staircase curved as it ascended in the Enchanted Forest miles away from anything. Into air it wended. Sarn approached and a hush fell..Run away, his sixth sense screamed. A strange light burned silver above where the stair plucked from a mountain stronghold ended in nothing. Shivers disturbed the branches’ weave above, often signifying nothing, but winds passing. A malevolence settled like night’s chill on that dislocated stair focusing. Sarn circled it, his sixth sense’s warning shrill. Ascend and see what happens or go back, return to the search for the lost boy’s track? ~ ~ ~ Sarn stood there ’till a hand grasped … Continue reading Staircase to Nowhere

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet2 Comments

Pour Some Sugar on my Pie

Melinda Kucsera

Pie Making (Now published in Stars & Angels Sing along with the rest of the holiday story.) Inari surveyed her kitchen  and smiled. Lumir glowed red in its grate for baking, stone counters gleamed and a four year old child sat in silence arranging rocks, making patterns on the stone floor. Miren had gone to school, so also had her son Nerule. Nolo and Sarn both worked nights; sleep had drawn them in that morn. Waking Sarn would be cruel, so off to market she went, a withdrawn child in tow. Quiet he stayed, no ‘whys’trailed her through the aisles, his curiosity blunted but by what? … Continue reading Pour Some Sugar on my Pie

Fantasy, poem, poetry, Sonnet13 Comments

Wedding Bird Blues

Melinda Kucsera

Wedding Bird Blues Why didn’t they send Phaedrina to do this? She can turn into a spider and hide when the guests file in, but no miss, they sent me disguised as a bird. My hide’s at risk, not my bro’s who’s shoving dishes at my beak demanding poison sniffing precision that’s possible in wishes but not when a beak’s doing the sniffing. Either this bird’s nose is broken or some other beast should’ve been selected, a blood hound maybe. “Did you find poison? More crumbs?” hazarded my vexed twin. I pecked, drew blood. He backed off, hands raised to check … Continue reading Wedding Bird Blues

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet18 Comments

Whispers in Stone

Melinda Kucsera

Whispers in Stone Thirteen years ago… Sarn chased sparkles dancing in tides washing the shore. He lifted rocks seeking their shine. Rocks rubbed his soles, sun warmed him, water sloshed his breeches, his numb fingers caught that shine. A spark blossomed in the smoky stone heart. it winks, changes to blazing lips that speak. Sarn shrugged, pressed the rock to his ear in part, copying the kids with shells. The rock speaks words that tumble like pebbles down a hill. Its cadence soothed him; he discerned one word out of the tumult which bounced ’round until it fired his magic and out burst that word: “Lumir,” he said, naming, giving a shape to potential, allowing light … Continue reading Whispers in Stone

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet10 Comments

Thankful Son

Melinda Kucsera

Thankful Son Ran listened; his uncle argued trouble but Papa ignored that; he’d decided. Papa’s words formed a warm, happy bubble. He was thankful for Ran, who sat beside. Ran hopped from table onto Papa’s lap. “I’m thankful for you too,” he said through tears. He recalled his mom, who left like a slap– leaving a sting that still caused tears and fears for Papa who had a dangerous job. Papa talked in his sleep and Ran listened. “You’ve still got me. I’ll won’t leave you, don’t sob. It’s okay to miss her,” Papa tightened the hug squeezing out a smile, not tears. Papa’s assurance chased … Continue reading Thankful Son