Cajun Mutt Press

08/12/2024

CMP Featured Writer: Tim Frank
"Lazy"

Tim Frank’s short stories have been published in Bending Genres, X-R-A-Y Literary Magazine, Maudlin House, Rejection Letters and elsewhere. He was runner-up in The Forge Literary Flash Fiction competition. He has been nominated for Best Small Fictions.

Lazy I’m feeling lazy today,so bring on the doughnuts, fire ataser into my sluggish grinand load my depressive lungswith car fumes.There are six flies giving birthon the tip of my noseand I’m too l…

08/06/2024

CMP Featured Writer: Joanna Grant
"Things I Googled After My Last Living Uncle Finally
Drank Himself to Death Just After Christmas"

Joanna Grant is a Cajun mutt, as her father was born on the Gulf Coast near New Orleans and her mother came from Georgia. She currently lives and works outside of Doha, Qatar, where she teaches college extension classes to deployed American soldiers. Her most recent collection is Adrift from Alien Buddha Press.

Things I Googled After My Last Living Uncle FinallyDrank Himself to Death Just After Christmas –Average regular funeral cost in this Year of Our Lord –Cost of most basic cremation for p…

08/05/2024

🦉🎟️🦇

It’s Sunday, August 4th, 10:44 am, and I’m exhausted while typing this. Insomniacathon 2024 was the definition of a Long Strange Trip. I was only supposed to be gone for a couple of day…

08/03/2024

Just got on the bus from North Carolina after an insane trip to Insomniacathon in Kentucky. I met a true Gonzo Brother on this journey. Huge thanks to my best friend Leland and his beautiful wife Tara Locke for having me.

A lot of things are on the horizon. I have a ton of stuff to type out and think about when I get home. Stay tuned to Cajun Mutt Press for details.

🤟💀

08/01/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer Schedule, August 2024.

See y'all at Gonzofest 2025 in New Orleans.

Love Y'all, Write On.
JDCIV

🤟💀

08/01/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 07/31/24
3 POEMS by Jerome Berglund
"family plot"
"god's acre"
"marble town"

Jerome Berglund has worked as everything from dishwasher to paralegal, night watchman to assembler of heart valves. Many haiku, haiga and haibun he’s written have been exhibited or are forthcoming online and in print, most recently in bottle rockets, Frogpond, and Presence. His first full-length collections of poetry Bathtub Poems and Funny Pages were released by Setu and Meat For Tea press, and a mixed media chapbook showcasing his fine art photography is available now from Yavanika.

family plotplanks leading to a severed limb cloud covercamo backpack mendicant among dog walkersgoat or lamb identifying meat on a bed of riceblue star shooting across sidewalk slowly trampledthe v…

07/30/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 07/29/24

"Poet's Lament" by Ben Holland

The new face of the seeker in the crowd, Ben Holland has traversed the globe in search of many things – mostly himself. To now reside in Kentucky after having been chased out of Camelot (some may call it Connecticut), surviving tours of duty in as far away and exotic places as Iraq and Kuwait, is what could be called a small miracle. Belonging now to tribe of transplants that is Louisville, he finds himself square amid a life that is once again evolving into something more fit for his creative spirit. At the urging of his lovely wife, he is finally pursuing an active writing career, and it starts now!

Poet’s Lament Will you live or will you existTo exist is easyOne can merely wakeWaddle to the throneMake a s**t or p**s and go on about itPerhaps awith a post or two on social mediaThere is l…

07/26/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 07/26/24
"Insomnia" by April Ridge

April Ridge lives in the expansive hopes and dreams of melancholy rescue cats. She thrives on strong coffee, and lives for danger. In the midst of Indiana pines, she follows her heart out to the horizon of reality and hopes never to return to the misty sands of the nightmarish 9 to 5. April aspires to beat seasonal depression with a well-carved stick, and to one day experience the splendor of the Cucumber Magnolia tree in bloom.

Insomnia As opposed to counting sheep,I visualize Vanna White flipping over the lettersG-O T-O S-L-E-E-Pon a continuous loop.This is just a small facet,a peek into the room that hosts the rack that…

07/24/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 07/24/24
"Poet Staggers Cancels Out the Dark"
by Michael Lee Johnson

Michael Lee Johnson lived ten years in Canada during the Vietnam era. Today he is a poet in the greater Chicagoland area, IL. He has 313 plus YouTube poetry videos. Michael Lee Johnson is an internationally published poet in 46 countries, a song lyricist, has several published poetry books, has been nominated for 7 Pushcart Prize awards, and 6 Best of the Net nominations. He is editor-in-chief of 3 poetry anthologies, all available on Amazon, and has several poetry books and chapbooks. He has over 553 published poems. Michael is the administrator of 6 Facebook Poetry groups. Member Illinois State Poetry Society: http://www.illinoispoets.org/

Poet Staggers Cancels Out the Dark There is a poem in my hearta stop-gap love that cancelsthe chamber beats.I can’t dismiss the cane I walk withor the heavy, pounding heart, missing breath.Th…

07/22/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 07/22/24
3 POEMS by John Grochalski
"hypocrite"
"mr. popular"
"that hunger"

John Grochalski is the author of five poetry collections, three novels, and the novella Wolves of Berlin Headline Amateur Night at the Flute and Fiddle Pub (Alien Buddha Press 2024). He currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.

hypocrite mejudgingthewomanbuyinglotteryticketsbuyingmythirdgallonbottleofvodkathisweek. mr. popular todaythe phone in my officerang off the hook i swear it was a new record people needing me for t…

07/19/2024

Cajun Mutt Press FeaturedWriter 07/19/24
"Hope is" by Leah Mueller

Leah Mueller’s work appears in Rattle, NonBinary Review, Brilliant Flash Fiction, Citron Review, The Spectacle, New Flash Fiction Review, Atticus Review, Your Impossible Voice, etc. She has been nominated for Pushcart and Best of the Net. Leah appears in the 2022 edition of Best Small Fictions and was nominated for the 2024 edition. Her two newest books are The Failure of Photography (Garden Party Press, 2023) and Widow’s Fire (Alien Buddha Press, 2023). Website: http://www.leahmueller.org.

Hope is a broken bullseye,but I keep arrowsin my quiver anyway.That bright target, so near I canalmost touch it,spins likea neon kaleidoscope, but I slidefurther and furtherfrom light. Each backwar…

07/17/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 07/17/24
"3 A.M." by Christopher Jones

Christopher Jones founded Lost Prophet Press in 1992 and published the literary magazines Thin Coyote and Knuckle Merchant: the Journal of Naked Literary Aggression for many years. His most recent books are the poetry collection Swamp Yankee: A Book of Verse, and Exploding Fellinis: Chronically Distrubed Tales, a collection of stories co-written with Kelly Green. After many years of dire servitude in the Southwest, he now lives with his family in West Saint Paul, Minnesota.

3 A.M. Deep inside the Texas nighta window shatters. A thief — burglar,or ra**st —intrudes a leg into our home,booted footgrits down on broken glass. “Dad!”I whisper-shout.“Dad! Someone’s breaking …

07/16/2024

This one took me forever to finish, but Night Owl Narrative Issue No.5 is officially available!! Thank y'all for being patient with me.

Dedicated to Ron Whitehead, featuring cover art by Chris Dean!

Magazine submissions are closed for now. I'll be opening them again soon for a Halloween issue!! Stay tuned for details.

Keep your eyes peeled for new book releases over the next couple of months as well!

Love Y'all,
JDCIV
🤟💀

Contributors: Dusty Jaggers, Ben Holland, Paco Vera, Westley Heine, Keith Gorman, William T***s, Cyn, G.M.H. Thompson, Tony Dawson, Keith Niles, David O'Nan, Faramarz Kohan, A.L. Locke, Rob Burton, John Dorsey, Karl Koweski, Lynn White, Ivan de Monbrison, QWalden Quinn Ceasar, Christopher Darrah,...

07/15/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 07/15/24
"Aftertaste" by Bruce Morton

Bruce Morton divides his time between Montana and Arizona. His collection, Planet Mort, is just out from FootHills Publishing in its Montana Poets series. His poems have appeared widely in a variety of magazines. He was formerly a librarian.

Aftertaste The concept, at least in analogy,Was solid, as solid as the barOf soap, with which she wouldWash her kid’s mouth to cleanUp his language. She used IvoryBecause it was pure. She could not…

07/15/2024

Night Owl Narrative Issue No. 5 will be available on July 16th!!! It took me way longer to put together than I wanted it to, apologies for the delay. I'll share the link when it goes live on Amazon.

Contributors:

Dusty Jaggers, Ben Holland, Paco Vera, Westley Heine, Keith Gorman, William T***s, Cyn, G.M.H. Thompson, Tony Dawson, Keith Niles, David O'Nan, Faramarz Kohan, A.L. Locke, Rob Burton, John Dorsey, Karl Koweski, Lynn White, Ivan de Monbrison, Walden Quinn Ceasar, Christopher Darrah, J.J. Campbell, Gentle S.C. Dragona, Merritt Waldon, Hugh Blanton, Ryan Quinn Flanagan, Sanjeev Sethi, Rhys Campbell, Michael E. Duckwall, JDCIV, Ron Whitehead, Ólafur Gunnarsson, Chris Dean, Kent Fielding

It features cover art by Chris Dean inspired by "THE STORM GENERATION MANIFESTO" by Ron Whitehead & Ólafur Gunnarsson. This issue is also dedicated to Ron Whitehead and his last Insomniacathon and includes the official schedule inside. Insomniacathon 2024 will be held July 26-28 at the Chapel of St. Philip Neri in Louisville, KY. See y'all there! You can get tickets to the event here: https://opencollective.com/the-chapel-of-st-philip-neri/events/insomniacathon-ba85b36a

Big Love, Write On,
JDCIV
🤟💀📚
🦉🎟️🦇

Links to previous issues...

NIGHT OWL NARRATIVE No.1:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CQVN1WPW

NIGHT OWL NARRATIVE No.2:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTCJR9LY

NIGHT OWL NARRATIVE No.3:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVF469HX

NIGHT OWL NARRATIVE No.4:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CYLKSXTK

07/12/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 07/12/24
"Hostage Photo" by Mel. C. Thompson

Mel C. Thompson is a retired security guard and office temp who is a semi-retired poet-publisher (writing about one poem a month and publishing about one author per year). He was born in Downey, California and has a B.A. in Philosophy from Cal-State Fullerton. In the active phase of his poetry career, he was a desktop publisher and published many authors, most recently Deborah C. Segal and Jonathan Hayes. He is of the Café Babar lineage of the plain-language / spoken word / 1990s San Francisco poetry scene. He also writes short novels, short plays and books on religion and politics. His life has been dedicated to heresy, blasphemy, political incorrectness, red wine, red meat, black tea, slot machines, cheap ci******es and mood-disordered women. He is currently penniless and lives alone in a Section 8 apartment and accepts blame for virtually anything he is accused of.

Hostage Photo She looked like she was in a hostage photo.Her eyes seemed too alert, too wide open.Her suitor had a half-smirk / half smile.There was a nonchalant air of confidenceOn his face, as if…

07/10/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 07/10/24
"Patterns and Parking" by Chuck Harp

Chuck is a winner of the Mad Cave Studios Talent Hunt. In 2022 he released his fourth poetry collection, People Watching. He published two works of fiction and multiple comics both online and print. His newest musical poetry project, Letters From The Lookout, released with the collective, Katcheen Tongues.

Patterns and Parking It’s morning.You can hear palm tressscraping across the greyparking structureResting on the corner.There, inside,from top to bottomhe covers it.Broom and dust panin handraking …

07/08/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 07/08/24
"Dear Marshai," by Catherine Zickgraf

Two lifetimes ago, Catherine performed her poetry in Madrid. Now her main jobs are to write and hang out with her family. Her work has appeared in Pank, Deep Water Literary Journal, and The Grief Diaries. Her chapbook, Soul Full of Eye, is published through Kelsay Books.

Find her on twitter . Watch/read more at http://www.caththegreat.blogspot.com

Dear Marshall, I prayed for you in 1999, legit offered you up in a request at Bible study. I didn’t actually hear an Eminem song till later—the one about the trailer park girls—yet back then in my …

07/05/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 07/05/24
"Brainwash" by Scott Waters

Scott Waters lives in Oakland, California with his wife and son. He graduated with a Master’s Degree in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. Scott has published previously in Cajun Mutt Press, Third Wednesday, Main Street Rag, Better Than Starbucks, The Pacific Review, A New Ulster, and many other journals. Scott’s first chapbook was published by Selcouth Station, and his poetry has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

Brainwash Rain splasheson the windowsof my mind carries accumulatedthought-grime into gutters gushes alongthrough midnightsoul sewers memory-rats hoponto concrete ledgesto escape the torrent homele…

07/03/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 07/03/24
"Liberty Weeps" by Michael E. Duckwall

Michael E. Duckwall was born and raised in the Ohio Valley. A featured poet at the 10th and final Gonzofest in Louisville Ky. His poem “Making Messes” was included in the anthology Encore released in January 2023, and his first book of poetry The Ramblings of a Recovering Poet was published by Pure Sleeze Press in July 2023. Cajun Mutt Press recently published his collection of poetry and artwork titled 7.2 SkullQuake in February 2024. This is how he describes his poems: “I don’t write, I release. I’m not sure if I could hold any of this in, even if I wanted to. Poetry.. my therapy, my friend, my release.”

Liberty Weeps The Statue of Liberty weeps, her torch has been drown outby the blood of the innocent. Lives lost, in unjust killings. The chains at her feet have been reforged, by laws of menwho are…

07/02/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 07/01/24
"The Nobody Inn" by M.P. Powers

M.P. Powers is a Floridian living in Berlin, Germany. He is the author of The Initiate (Anxiety Press, Fall, 2023) and Strange Instruments (Forthcoming ’25). Recent publications include the Columbia Review, Black Stone/White Stone, Stone Circle Review, miniMag, and others. His artwork can be found on Twitter and Instagram [@]mppowers1132

The Nobody Inn it claimed it was a non-smoking unitbut it reeked of stale smoke and there werecigarette burns in the bedding and the refrigeratorwas about a meter from the bed and there was a towel…

07/01/2024

Are y'all ready for Insomniacathon? July 26-28 at the Chapel of St. Philip Neri in Louisville, KY. I'm looking forward to taking the trip, hope to see you there! I'll have magazine updates for y'all within the next few days. It has the official Insomniacathon schedule inside, and cover art by Chris Dean. The cover art was inspired by the origin story behind Ron Whitehead's "The Storm Generation Manifesto." When he took a trip to produce Iceland's first Beat Generation Festival with Ólafur Gunnarsson. I dedicated this issue to Ron as well since this will be his last Insomniacathon. Love You, Brother.

THE CRITIC AND OTHER STORIES by Ólafur Gunnarsson was also released by Cajun Mutt Press on June 17th!! You can grab a copy by following this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D6N593M8

Below are the featured writers for July. Send 1-3 poems with a bio and author photo to [email protected] to be considered for a spot. Magazine submissions are closed for now. I'll reopen them soon.

Y'all Keep Kicking Ass Out There!

Big Love, Write On,
JDCIV
🤟💀📚
🦉🎟️🦇

BOOKS:
https://cajunmuttpress.wordpress.com/2021/06/08/cajun-mutt-press-bibliography/

MERCH:
https://cajun-mutt-press.printify.me/products

DONATIONS:
paypal.me/JDCIV

JULY 2024 CMP Featured Writers:

The Nobody Inn
by M.P. Powers
07/01/24

Liberty Weeps
by Michael E Duckwall
07/03/24

Brainwash
by Scott Waters
07/05/24

Dear Marshal,
by Catherine Zickgraf
07/08/24

Patterns and Parking
by Chuck Harp
07/10/24

Hostage Photo
by Mel C. Thompson
07/12/24

Aftertaste
by Bruce Morton
07/15/24

3 A.M.
by Christopher Jones
07/17/24

Hope is
by Leah Mueller
07/19/24

3 POEMS
by John Grochalski
07/22/24

Poet Staggers Cancels Out the Dark
by Michael Lee Johnson
07/24/24

Insomnia
by April Ridge
07/26/24

Poet's Lament
by Ben Holland
07/29/24

3 POEMS
by Jerome Berglund
07/31/24

06/28/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 06/28/24
3 POEMS by JD Clapp
"Butterflies in Reverse"
"Things Running Through My Head at 3:38 a.m."
"DNR"

JD Clapp is based in San Diego, CA. His poems have appeared in Farewell Transmission, Wasteland Review, Roi Fainéant Press, Poverty House, Revolution John, Maya’s Micros/The Closed Eye Opened, and the Remembering Charles Bukowski Anthology (Moonstone, 2023). His chapbook, Underbelly: Grit Poems(Alien Buddha, 2024), was just released.

Butterflies in Reverse You’re a child againBadass to pain-in-the-assTo asshole… Demanding endlessExpired entitlementsBlind to whatYou’d once seenUnaware the toll,Sacrifices made onYour behalfJust l…

06/26/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 06/26/24
"Eclipse 2" by Wendy Cartwright

Wendy Cartwright is a poet/author/reporter/columnist/weirdo out of Columbus, IN. She has had poetry published in Night Owl Narrative Issues 1 & 3 by Cajun Mutt Press and Ovation, an Anthology collected by Jimmy Broccoli. She has been a Featured Writer on cajunmuttpress.wordpress.com and dearbooze.com . She will have a volume of poetry published by Storeylines Press available in late 2024. Wendy also writes human interest and news articles for the North Vernon Plain Dealer and has a bi-weekly column called Midwest Wonders in The Seymour Tribune. She has self-published two compilations of articles from the column. Wendy has also had articles published on businessinsider.com

Eclipse 2 I see eclipses everywhereDarkness swallowing lightFading slowly from the brightnessThe eeriest interimlingering, mouth agapewaiting for the shine to return But, sometimes the flame burns …

06/24/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 06/24/24
"Face Painter" by Ryan Quinn Flanagan

Ryan Quinn Flanagan is a Canadian-born author residing in Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada with his wife and many mounds of snow. His work can be found both in print and online in such places as: Evergreen Review, The New York Quarterly, Cajun Mutt Press, Dumpster Fire Press, Red Fez, and The Oklahoma Review.

Face Painter There was a sudden sharp sting.The blood poured out over the concrete. It appeared black in the darkness.He couldn’t even be sure it was blood at first. Then the bastard stabbed him in…

06/21/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 06/21/24
2 POEMS by Mike Zone
"Amerikan Monarch"
"### galactica"

Mike Zone is the Editor-in-Chief of Dumpster Fire Press, co-founder of Deadstar:Control, and manager of the band Tail From the Crypt along with being a producer for the record label Paranormal Vinyl Cassettes Hair Extensions. He is the author of Wonderful Turbulence, F**k You: A F**king Poetry Chap, The Earth Was Shaking For Days, Shedding Dark Places. Also coauthor of The Grind and Razorville. A frequent contributor to Alien Buddha Press and Mad Swirl. His work has been featured in: A Thin Slice of Anxiety, Black Shamrock Magazine, Horror Sleaze Trash, Better Than Starbucks, Piker Press, Punk Noir Magazine, Synchronized Chaos, and Cult Culture Magazine.

Amerikan Monarch Oncean alpha-male poet with a heart of goldvirtue signals sobrietytakes women outin recoveryfor ice-creamsexually assaults themlike a five-year-old ### galactica ONE-SHEETTechnical…

06/19/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 06/19/24
3 POEMS by Chris Butler
"Non-Playable Character"
"Exploding Head Syndrome"
"Little Poem"

Chris Butler is an illiterate poet. He has previously published 500 poems, including his 10 book “Poems of Pain” series, including Artsy Fartsy (Alternating Current Press), BUMMER (Scars Publications), Neurotica (Down in the Dirt) and DOOMER (Ethel Press). He co-wrote a book of poems, Dead Beats, with Dr. Randall K. Rogers. He is also the co-editor of The Beatnik Cowboy literary journal.

Non-Playable Character I am the NPCin someone else’s reality,a side characterin someone else’s story.There is no dragonto slayand no maidento layin the castle dungeon,just a prison.Ther…

06/18/2024

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 06/17/24
"A Crisis Of Finite Channels"
by David Alec Knight

David Alec Knight grew up in Chatham, Ontario, Canada. In 2021, David was recipient of The Ted Plantos Memorial Award for Poetry. His first book of poetry, The

Heart Is A Hollow Organ, soon followed. His second book of poetry, L***R MOSH, was published by Cajun Mutt Press in 2022. It featured his artwork on the cover, combining his interest in art with his writing.

Recent works have appeared in Verse Afire, Night Owl Narrative, and Medusa’s Kitchen. Anthology appearances include Poets For Ukraine Volume 1 and Love Lies Bleeding.

David sees dark and light around him in equal measure and explores that in his poetry, whether exploring working class themes, neurodivergence, addiction, urban living in conflict with Nature, and the effects all
these things have on relationships.

He works full-time in Long Term Care.

A Crisis Of Finite Channels i.) Radio? Radio!News cast, a lure a hook,whether I should or should not. These days are cold; nights hot,a conformity desert for the songand the city, no end probable.N…

06/17/2024

THE CRITIC AND OTHER STORIES by Ólafur Gunnarsson is now available from Cajun Mutt Press!!!

This gripping collection of 13 short stories will keep you on the edge of your seat! Cynical tales that will stick with you long after reading. Some readers may even find some of the material disturbing. Each story sparks a different emotion, touching on a wide range of topics. Featuring stories ...

06/16/2024

The first of three Sunday paper ads for THE CRITIC AND OTHER STORIES by Ólafur Gunnarsson is in today's issue of Chicago Tribune!! Tomorrow is the big day, I'll share the book link when it goes live on Amazon! Please leave a review if you grab a copy.

🤟💀📚