Come one of her sporadic visitations, Mère Serendipity shares in abundance all that is fortuitous, especially so toward the underprivileged. Mind you, you have to have fate on your side as her charitable stopovers are few and far between. Such was the good fortune of blind Charly and silent Trixibelle. You see, in the beginning … More BLIND CHARLY & SILENT TRIXIBELLE
I am taking my leave ahead of youto a place that is most sublimeand rent for us a suite of roomsat The Hotel End of Time By the time that you arrive theretake for granted that I’mgoing to ensure cocktails awaitat The Hotel End of Time We shall have an open reservationin the restaurant most … More THE ‘HOTEL END OF TIME’
Waking up to a thumping headache, a headache born of far too much of last evening’s scarlet Bordeaux, a bleary eyed cursory morning glance toward the bedside table only to spot what I thought had been the stuff of dissolving dreams, namely a post-it note I’d scribbled upon that read, ‘Miss Rosie Mayday Lily Eve … More ROSIE
During the occupation of Paris the actress Arletty had a relationship with Hans Jürgen Soehring, a Luftwaffe officer, and gave the famous riposte to a member of the French Forces of the Interior interrogating her after the Liberation: ‘My heart is French, but my ass is international’ It seems that the French authorities had Ms … More THE SNOW WHITE TIGRESS by Mike Steeden
A long, long time ago in a land where night was always day and day always night and where the clocks ticked anti-clockwise there was once an old blind man who collected all the spare daydreams others no longer had any use for. He kept them in a stovepipe top hat bequeathed to him by … More EKTA’S MIRROR
Since the day she first showed up, Eve had always had a soft spot for the idiosyncratic yet intimate Dietrich ‘occasional restaurant come bar’ within the vast ‘Casino Eden’. Later, after I had won her body, if not yet her soul on the spin of the roulette wheel, we would regularly dine together there, although … More THE DIETRICH BAR, LAND OF NOD
Image by kaSSandrA On the whole she would speak in riddles whether posing a question or in idle conversation. Her preference to give noxious gifts in abundance, a thing of pure joy to the outed masochists, unwelcome to all others. Not that those ‘others’ dare say a word aside from making the polite noises expected … More The One & Only ‘EBONEE’
To the best of her knowledge Maurelle was French. At least in this dreary realm that was her chosen persona. The bilingual from birth or those unveiled for the sake of reasoning are more often than not puzzled, unsure of their pedigree. Besides, French after all is the language of love and that of those … More MAURELLE
The town square, a pernickety, delicate blend of Renaissance and Art Deco construction yet at its centre an ill at ease belfry atop a Romanesque steeple within which a bell chamber housed nought but hibernating bats, muddled moths and the occasional drifter with no fear … More UNDER A BLACK BERET
(Photograph by Jerry Uelsmann) The Event below the surface filthy in every which way rendezvous at ground level the hangover cure cafes not so hidden, hidden brothel retreats divinely cut-loose ever so purple showgirls all-inclusive sexual indulgence the wizardry of New Orleans jazz migrated potent blinding nectarous spirits voluptuous fly-by-nights a stained mattress for spare … More TANGIBLE ILLUSIONS
- MIKE STEEDEN - 