Since We All Have Yesterdays

In 1965, young Kim, alongside her mother and sister, bravely leaves behind an abusive father to seek a brighter future in South Carolina. At just fourteen, destiny introduces her to Ronnie, and what blooms is a bond like no other. As the story unfolds, their relationship faces profound challenges, including heart-wrenching tragedies.

A pivotal moment steers Kim towards a transformative chapter, marked by the birth of her son and a fresh start in a commune in 1971, with Ronnie’s steadfast presence. As the narrative reaches its crescendo, it delves into the profound spiritual connection between Kim and Ronnie, presenting a depth of love and destiny that readers might never have fathomed, elegantly bringing their tale to a poignant conclusion.

Singing Down the Rain

Poetry can be viewed as a reflection, a song, if you will, of society in the time it is written, but at the same time, it is timeless in the continuum of past, present, and future. In the dance of words, the reader will follow the Rorschach Ink Blots in the dance of words to find meaning in the visual imagery presented here.

Sitting on a Park Bench

Robi and Vic, two old friends, are sitting on a park bench on a misty fall evening, munching nuts and reminiscing. The smell of jasmine in the chilly fall air suddenly reminds Robi of their university days, many moons ago. A floodgate of memories of this time of their lives, when ‘life held promise and powers felt indefatigable,’ opens up. Who was the mysterious creature they had seen in the Gymkhana late night after the concert of ‘87? Who ratted them out after they crashed into the social event illegally held on university premises one evening? What started the infamous mess wars that drove such a rift through campus? The past becomes the present and the two compatriots go through their own remembrance of things past, while the sinister syndicate and the feared disciplinary committee loom over every encounter.

Smitten: Beneath the Layers of the Holy Land

Beneath the layers of politics, religion, and history lies a social life often overlooked. Amidst the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, people continue living their lives beneath the tumultuous surface.

Saba Salim finds herself living with the man she loves. However, the man she chose to be her husband and protector becomes her tormentor. The house she thought would be her sanctuary becomes her personal prison, where she endures physical abuse and constant verbal attacks.

Saba struggles to prove her abuse, facing interrogation by various men. Ultimately, she stands alone, presenting her case to the deciding elders of East Jerusalem.

The walls of Jerusalem feel suffocating, but they expand little by little as Saba gains her freedom. A feminist without realizing it, Saba discovers her strength and identity, breaking free from the chains of her oppressor and becoming her own person.

Spa Day - Be Careful What You Ask For

Caroline Chandler and her best friend, Abby, spend a Sunday afternoon at their favorite Day Spa. They leave the spa relaxed, refreshed, and rejuvenated, but Carli soon discovers an unexpected result from that spa visit. A microchip capable of two-way communication has been implanted behind her right ear. When it is activated, it instructs Carli to perform private courier tasks. The tasks are simple pickup and delivery of anonymous items on behalf of anonymous clients.

Over the next several months, Carli searches for the source of the unintended technology that is now taking over her life. Her search quickly takes her into the world of high-value art and antiquities. The more information she uncovers, the more confused she becomes as to the source of “the system”. Are the tasks legal? Are the tasks safe? The rewards are great, but at what personal cost? How far will she go without compromising her own integrity? Who will she trust in her search for answers?

Caroline has worked in the Harvard hospitals of Boston for most of her career. She has had an interesting life of work-related travel and has met an array of scientists and researchers. But none of her experiences could have prepared her for what she is being asked to do.

Spa Day is set in the present day, amid the historical sites of Boston and the Massachusetts shore, just coming out of a pandemic. The main characters are based on actual people, their experiences, and their expertise. The people that Carli meets along this journey change her life forever. Her story begs the question: What would you do?

Spiritual R-Evolution

Would you be willing to sacrifice everything for a promise?

After the disappearance of her cousins, the only clue that Mia has of their whereabouts is a vagabond that lives between madness and cynicism, who claims to be able to take her to where her cousins are: The Sacred Island.

Mia and Leo, her skeptical friend, embark on a trip to an island that defies the boundaries between the real and the imaginary, where Mia is forced to face the secrets of her past.

Nothing could have prepared them for what they find on the island: the chaos of mankind has endangered the Kingdom of the Elementals, so Mia has to make decisions that will take her to people, beings, and places never seen before, in an attempt to save the planet from its own destruction.

Stand Alone Still

Embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and healing in this compelling exploration of resilience and forgiveness.

Have you endured unimaginable hardships, surviving what feels like hell on earth, only to realize that the path to salvation lies not in entering heaven, but in healing your own wounded heart? In this poignant tale, you will discover that the true meaning of home extends far beyond physical walls – it resides within the depths of your own being.

As you navigate the challenging terrain of self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others, you will uncover a profound truth: the battle lies not in the external world, but within yourself. It is through this internal struggle that you find the strength to grow and transcend the limitations imposed upon you.

Story 1: The Delights of Sean Jr.

Sean Jr. had a tough life—as his mother told him, he had the ‘forbidden illness’: lusting for men. His uncle took him in, yet Sean lived a criminal lifestyle ingrained in the family business. Thug life meant trouble was Sean’s middle name; the drugs and jail did not help much either.

Now Sean had two loving parents. Yet his uncle was in conflict, wanting to protect Sean from the evils of their family’s work while disapproving of his player lifestyle. Meanwhile, the body count from their criminal exploits continued to rise.

Storyteller in Times Square

Storyteller in Times Square opens with a visit to New York and the ruins of the World Trade Center. Thus begins a poetry collection that reflects in subtle and surprising ways the post World War II history of the United States. Without being either “political” or “ideological,” the poet employs concise and often disciplined forms of language to touch upon deeper matters of destiny and feeling.  Our lives, our deeds, our ideas—all of these have consequences for how we treat our land and each other. The moments of lyricism and humor help us to keep our balance. And the perspective is important, for these poems are about paying attention to reality. Can we pay attention to the voices of history submerged in our wake, swirling behind us? Perhaps that question in essence is what these poems ask of us.

Stragaton - Warrior King

Stragaton is a sword fighting warrior who developed tremendous powers from God. The warrior king has the ability to rip open the mouth of a lion and pull out his tongue.

Stragaton is found to be an interesting story about good and evil. Clayton, the evil emperor, rules vast nations with an iron first. Azalea is determined to save her nations from Clayton’s vicious army.

Stragaton is an intriguing character, something of myth and legend. God sent him from heaven to help save humanity from the wicked bondage of Clayton. The wicked emperor who is half-man/half-serpent, has the world trembling to its knees. Will Stragaton make a difference?

Submission

This is a story about a marriage breakdown and the difficulties facing primarily women in protecting themselves and in collecting support payments under the Ontario justice system.

This is a story about justice delayed, justice denied, and how the justice system failed to level the playing field.

Every day a woman is demoralized in not being able to collect on support orders.

Every day in Canada a woman is subjected to ongoing abuse with her partner with minimal assistance through the legal system.

This story is typical of a woman’s plight going through a legal system where the parties have lost faith and face the dilemma of giving up or taking the law into their own hands.

Sunset Silhouettes

The sun will close its books on a day like any other

round up its warmth and retracts the lights to feed another

in degrees it recedes, slipping in, out, and about

the flaming orangey clouds half-dipped in the horizon

a dazzling hopelessness courts the night

The sun will close its books on a day like any other

but can it account for the slumped lone silhouette

faceless beauty that hovers in its foreground

matching its sadness with the splendid sunset

a dazzling hopelessness encamps the soul

the final charm of a dying day.

Sunset Silhouettes is Linda Adede Ongola’s debut poetry anthology which features a hundred poems written mostly in free verse and of the confessional genre. It covers themes of mental health, theodicy, love, betrayal, and corruption among other social concerns.