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!
Curse Breaker, Fantasy, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet, Uncategorized

The Great Pretender – A Daily Post Sonnet

Melinda Kucsera

The Great Pretender A knock sounded, he donned his father’s cloak, pulled the cowl down to shadow features six and ten years younger than the man the bloke came to fetch. He smiled at the simple fix, waved to his sleeping father who needed rest not another stupid meeting with fools. They saw his glowing eyes, assumed the rest, and he smiled at the deception, those fools! They blathered on; he loomed, quiet, playing his father, remembering to whisper. The meeting ended with him scurrying back to pretend he’d not left the sleeper ’til a tap on his shoulder proved he’d not fooled Father, with … Continue reading The Great Pretender – A Daily Post Sonnet

poem, poetry, Sonnet19 Comments

Light Your World

Melinda Kucsera

Light Your World I light a candle for those who’ve died, hold it ‘gainst the night’s dark, lift it to shed light on grieving faces and spaces that told of losses never replaced. Hold your light, hold it tight, lift it high and light your world. Chase shadows from corners and burn out hate, set fire to prejudice, burn ’til its curled, charred embers are naught but dust; a clean slate then procure by sweeping that dust from our global village’s door. Let hate never enter there, nor shadow of fear glower at that door; keep your candlelight ever bright; … Continue reading Light Your World

poem, poetry, Sonnet32 Comments

Not Quite a Review – Writing 101 #12

Melinda Kucsera

Not Quite a Review: Quantum Computing the Ultimate Question It uses qubits not bits to encode information; quantum entanglement done the right way makes it work; error codes keep it from crashing but any movement could disrupt entanglement, damage code, ’cause your qubits lose communication and data, thus killing calculations. No answer to the ultimate question: life, the universe, everything–that question, which its makers fed into that machine, that quantum computer called earth. A part we all play, our qubits entangled; glean we that question whose answer, 42, will make sense of life and this review too. ~ ~ ~ But this occurred to me while reading … Continue reading Not Quite a Review – Writing 101 #12

poem, poetry, Sonnet23 Comments

One More Time – A Daily Post Sonnet

Melinda Kucsera

One More Time One more time, once more around the dance floor. A second chance for heartfelt words to linger. One more time, for three words to open doors. Sung so eloquently by the singer. One more time, a meeting made and we’ll meet by candlelight and dinner where two hearts in their separate cages beat; we beat feet to the ship, Second Chance, to play our part. One more time, once more we dance as music plays but the show we call life must go on. We never had that dance, nor heard music sung that read our hearts, nor that … Continue reading One More Time – A Daily Post Sonnet

poem, poetry, Sonnet19 Comments

Missing Peace

Melinda Kucsera

Missing Peace “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, don’t you fear,” said the pastor quoting words so true. Peace He left but peace the world never got not when hating hearts lift guns, spray bullets. Not when mass murder is preached as God’s lot, his portion, his edicts swapped for bullets. He left peace but Roman sandals trampled it; peace hasn’t been seen since. Saints, good people and folk of all religious bents grappled with the slaughter of innocent people. Crying, they … Continue reading Missing Peace

poem, poetry, Sonnet15 Comments

If we were having coffee… Writing 101 #11

Melinda Kucsera

Coffee Break If we were having coffee…I’d sip tea. Any fruity, herbal, variety will do. I’d tell you I’m working on three things: editing, writing and poetry. If we were having coffee…I’d sip tea, maybe cinnamon with some stevia. I would tell you that editing may be the toughest thing I’ve tackled since trivia. If we were having coffee…I’d sip tea, peppermint with cocoa powder for spice. I’d tell you today I worked on book three instead of book one. I blame the muse twice. If we were having coffee…I’d sip tea, licorice this time, and ask how fares thee? ~ ~ ~ I really did … Continue reading If we were having coffee… Writing 101 #11

poem, poetry, Sonnet5 Comments

Belong

Melinda Kucsera

Belong Out of place and time, anachronism am I? Nowhere do I belong; nowhere to call my own. No time for criticism; no advice given because what is there to say? Does anyone truly belong anywhere? Or do we all long for some place to fit? Like puzzle pieces that long to reconnect to form a whole? Is there some place where I fit in rather than stick out? Where I can be an insider instead of an outsider? If you know about such a place and where it might be found, spread news of it around so all we misfits can converge on … Continue reading Belong

Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet1 Comment

POETRY 101 REHAB: MISSING

Melinda Kucsera

Missing “Head injury…might have amnesia…” The healer’s words still echoed scaring Ran, where he lay curled, fearing amnesia would take Papa away, like the bad man had tried to do. Holding his stuffed bear tight, he listened to Papa’s quiet breathing, willing him to wake, smile at the sight of his son. But unconsciousness’ plaything, Papa remained. Ran’s tears rolled off his nose. Then a pale glimmer broke through the darkness. Papa blinked and glowing green eyes focused. “Papa?” Ran asked. Blankness became fondness. “Ran,” Papa said, against his heart, he held his son. Ran’s fears and tears were at last quelled. ~ ~ ~ Follow … Continue reading POETRY 101 REHAB: MISSING

poem, poetry, Sonnet

Hate to Love: Dessert

Melinda Kucsera

Dessert Connoisseurs For breakfast and dinner, I eat dessert. That’s my guilty secret. Don’t tell a soul; I belong to a secret club. Dessert Connoisseurs it’s called. We use doughnut holes to get around, bet you didn’t know they warp space time. Just pop on through. Let physics rue the baker. His oven mangles the warp and weft of time to hide our rendezvous. We’ve twelve step programs for initiates to get the most out of their addiction. We believe in healthy deserts, officiate at bake-offs and increase the addiction through bake sales, pie donations and cake drives. with dessert, we take over the world live. ~ ~ … Continue reading Hate to Love: Dessert

poem, poetry, Sonnet7 Comments

Truth Slingers

Melinda Kucsera

Truth Slingers They sling truth from their quick hands, deal out facts, burn lies with their laser glare. A gesture kills bullshit, withers sales pitches, attacks deceit, slander–no matter its vesture. Their armor is truth and they shine a light to chase away shadows, banish darkness. Their presence reveals all secrets, ignites a fire that purifies, leaving kindness in their wake. They keep promises, enforce oaths, shore up the faltering, hold the line, mend the broken, set the adrift on course. The truth’s their weapon, they’re easy to find. Wherever disaster strikes, they’ll appear, wielding truth to shield everyone who’s near. Prompted by a conversation with FT LeDrew which sparked my … Continue reading Truth Slingers

Fantasy, poem, poetry, Sonnet13 Comments

Beast of Cloud and Claw – One Word Photo Challenge

Melinda Kucsera

Beast of Cloud and Claw On cloud-stacked feet it steals across the sky ready to stomp the sleeping mountain town. Its wings kick up a gale force wind to cry its coming on the morn. It’s swooping down from on high, its ridged back blots out the sun. Its shadow falls and blankets the valley. The temperature drops as it exhales cold, ice sheathes its talons, winter’s friend rallies, unhinges its jaw, breathes white fire so cold it burns; it freezes everything in place. ‘Cept the slayer striding towards the ice-drake. Magic builds ‘tween her upraised hands; her faces’s grim. She slings the … Continue reading Beast of Cloud and Claw – One Word Photo Challenge

Fantasy, poem, poetry, Sonnet11 Comments

Spy Bubble – Photo-Fiction #12

Melinda Kucsera

Spy Bubble She formed it in her palm, a translucent sphere, caressed by a rainbow sheen. It floated, carried by the breeze with her full consent. Higher it flew; it accelerated, heading towards the army’s lines. Eyes closed, she concentrated; her bubble bobbed o’er the mages’ camp. Through it she spies. Her lips move as she counts her foes. Trouble wears a blue robe; his kolh-lined eyes follow her bubble. He spins dervish-fast, chases her spell-wrought spy past armed men who wallow in the respite. In the air he traces a quick pattern, a counter to her spell. Her bubble pops but she’s got her intel. ~ … Continue reading Spy Bubble – Photo-Fiction #12

Curse Breaker, Fantasy, Mount Eredren, poem, poetry, Sarn, Shayari, Sonnet4 Comments

RSVP: Keysta at the Ball – A Daily Post Sonnet

Melinda Kucsera

RSVP: Keysta at the Ball She watched the dancers twirl in their bright gowns. Plain she felt, a girl playing dress up, all ruffled, beribboned in a borrowed pink gown. Dancers wheeled past, all unknown; she stood tall, wondering which of the flouncing follies had the ear of her enemy. Whose spies floated on the strains of sweet melodies? They moved like pale reflections–washed out lies in petticoats. She alone was solid, real, she had some dimension the guests lacked. She needed air, fled the ballroom; valid excuse or no, she had to go; with tact she withdrew to the balcony and smiled, the fellow she’d … Continue reading RSVP: Keysta at the Ball – A Daily Post Sonnet

Curse Breaker, poem, poetry, Shayari, Sonnet6 Comments

The River Nirthal

Melinda Kucsera

The River Nirthal From border to border it runs swift, clear. Through mountain pass, down Osrailten’s shoulders, into Neverthrall’s inland sea, then tear off across valley and hill. Smooth boulders, babble at the enchanted trees standing on shore, dark and disapproving of its watery foe. Still onwards its running the mighty Nirthal River. Here it lazes as it widens, giving shipping more lanes to ply its calm waters. Despite the haze, its navigable west from Hero’s Bane, east to the salten sea, Shayari’s end. Its freshwater soothes thirst; lets children play in its spray; fills fishermen’s nets each day. ~ ~ ~ The … Continue reading The River Nirthal

Fantasy, poem, poetry, Shayari, Sonnet9 Comments

Frontiers – A Pic and a Word Challenge

Melinda Kucsera

Frontier Mountains frame my home. They ripple across the dark horizon unable to cage the enchanted forest which spills across its flanks, spreads o’er the land. Magic wages its own war within that dark wood; explore it at your own peril. Misted mountains’ vista shows a hundred valleys and more melting into that last frontier. Explain why that blue haze lays o’er all obscuring your edges sweet Shayari? Your border hides itself; its secrets are alluring. What lies beyond on that vast continent? If I leave you will I find contentment? prompt courtesy of Pic and a Word Challenge #10: Frontiers Continue reading Frontiers – A Pic and a Word Challenge