We Came Along This Road: Issue 30 Action Shots

Hello there, fellow travelers of the road. We come to you now from far abroad with a collection of Action Shots full of both wonder and dread, a warning of the endtimes by this week’s operative, Dirk Walker, which features no doors whatsoever but a helluva lot of asphalt. Are you intrigued yet? You should be. GO:

(Til You Get Enough)

GAZE.

That sky. That sky.

The Cracks, the Cracks, the Cracks in the Pavement

The prizes are stashed to the northeast. Find them and unwrap them and you may find your destiny. You may also meet despair. You may also meet Monty Hall. Careful, there are ghouls about.

All of the Children Are Dead

Or, they have all fled from here, their bare feet tramping the yellowed grass, all equally as dead as their souls.

WELCOME TO THE FORT.

THE GAZE.

The Flip-Flopped Wanderer

Can a wanderer catch a ride?

No, he cannot.

Why?

BECAUSE THERE IS NO ONE LEFT DUH.

Only frames and fiberglass.

Parched Times in Indiana

IS THAT CIVILIZATION IN THE DISTANCE?

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Wouldn’t you like to know.

Issue Thirty!!

At long, long last, the Safety Pin Review’s storied (and long, long anticipated) thirtieth issue hits computer screens everywhere and the streets of one particular Indiana town. This feels like an anniversary. We have as our operative this week Dirk Walker, radio-ist supreme and rocker of the SPR’s first denim jacket. Welcome, prepare to be blown away. Don’t touch that dial! Presenting:

ISSUE THIRTY (6/25/12):

featuring

“Monty Hall Would Not Be Amused”

by B.J. Jones

Operative: Dirk Walker (Fort Wayne, IN)

About the author: B.J. Jones (@beej_jones) writes poetry, nonfiction essays, short fiction, and short short fiction. His poetry, nonfiction, and short short fiction have been published in various literary journals. He needs to work on his short fiction.

About the operative: Dirk Walker is the Podcast Director at Specter Magazine and host of the Specter Lit Podcast. When he’s not narrating the world of alt lit, he’s spinning some of the funkiest music the Bible Belt has never heard and working on his brand new podcast, Inside Joke. You can follow him on Twitter @dirkwalker.

BIG WOOFS: Issue 29 Action Shots!

HELLO HI. We’re here with an exciting and surprising (!) set of Action Shots from Operative Kerry in Ann Arbor.

But first! We have two slices of news (THE ANTICIPATION):

First, the inaugural episode of Inside Joke— Dirk Walker‘s brand-spanking new podcast– is up up and away, and his first guest is none other than our captain and diligent poster, Simon, talking about the SPR writ large, Prometheus, and other thingamajigs. Check it out, if you dare.

Second! The Safety Pin Review is temporarily closed to submissions for the next month. Hold on to your hats until then, imagine something real good.

&etc. Let’s GET INTO IT:

Recycle Your Neighbors

o.o

Intolerance

o.o

Thousands of Shouting Strangers

o.o

Verlederhosen

Wait for it.

Wait for it.

Wait for it.

Wait for it.

… … … …

WOOF WOOF WOOF (WOOF WOOF)

O.O

GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!! SO CUUUUUUUUTE!!!!

RUFF RUFF RUFF

O.O

BOWOWOWOWOWOWOW

O.O

*Whew.*

We are exhausted from all of that adoration. Enormous thanks to Kerry Flannagan, for rocking Rachel’s work and sending back such a killer set of Action Shots.

See you soon.

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Issue Twenty-Nine!!

WELL HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE PARTY THAT NEVER EVER (EVER) ENDS. This week’s story is being worn proudly around the classy environs of Ann Arbor by none other than Operative Kerry Flannagan, the oldest of the old school, and the wisest of the wise-asses. Dig it:

ISSUE TWENTY-NINE (6/18/12):

featuring

“Catatonia”

by Rachel Swirsky

Operative: Kerry Flannagan (Ann Arbor, MI)

About the author: Rachel Swirsky (same on twitter) writes short stories for a variety of magazines and anthologies and sometimes gets nominated for awards. Her collection: Through the Drowsy Dark.

About the operative: Kerry Flannagan might not have street smarts, but she can school your ass in cornhole.

The Many Faces of the SPR (Part Two) [More Issue 28 Action Shots]

Here we are, with the second part of the collection from our so-called (by one of her Korean co-teachers) “fashionista” overseas, of her and her classes in South Korea.

Face of May (in June)

^.^

Presenting…

.^.

Twos by Threes

^.^

Presenting… #2

.^.

Woot WOOT

^.^

A Ghost Story

‘_’

Horn-Rimmed Glasses

.^.

Orange Belt Peace

^.^

How Many Fingers?

.^.

🙂 🙂 🙂

^.^

Huge, huge thanks to Kelsey for sending such an awesome batch of photos, and to her students, for being so hands-on. Kelsey has a story forthcoming in the SPR; we hope whoever takes up the job of hosting her work on her back lives up to the standards she’s set! ❤

The Many Faces of the SPR (Part One) [Issue 28 Action Shots!]

The SPR is proud to present its first installment of photos delivered from our operative in South Korea, Kelsey Kerr (heretofore to be known by her pseudonym, “Kelsey Teacher”), from the English academy where she teaches. Once the iPhone came out, the kids couldn’t get enough.

It’s as good a place for ghost stories as any. After all, someone has to pass the story down to the next generation.

(Due to the number of photos, we’ll be splitting this issue’s Action Shots into two posts.)

The Reading Tree

.*.

Pose!

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Two Teachers (Stella and Kelsey!)

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Hey Zombie!

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The patch is a “mission.”

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Lightning Strikes the House on the Cliff

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Ringo & Jamie

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Headcrabface

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Kelsey Teacher’s Mascot

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The second set of photos will follow later this weekend.:)

Issue Twenty-Eight!!

HERE WE GO AGAIN. We are beyond thrilled to present the story that made the SPR’s second voyage across the world, this time to Daejeon, South Korea (!), by second-time SPR operative (and soon-to-be SPR author) Kelsey Kerr, who’s teaching at an English academy there. It received mucho attention overseas, adorable evidence of which is to follow throughout this week. Now, a ghost story:

ISSUE TWENTY-EIGHT (6/12/12):

The Fisherman’s Widow

by David Sklar

Operative: Kelsey Kerr (Daejeon, Korea)

About the author: David Sklar writes in the spaces between the impossible magic of legend, the inscrutable magic of dreams, and the breathtaking, everyday magic of the world in which we live. (davidwriting.com.)

About the operative: Kelsey Kerr is from Pittsburgh, PA. She recently graduated from Denison University and currently teaches English in South Korea. You’ll find her poem “Sawed” in the current issue of The Susquehanna Review. (kelseyannkerr.com)

Fresh Fruit and Rotting Relationships: Issue 27 Action Shots

Now presenting a set of Action Shots from our latest issue, warn by B.J. Jones around Dubuque, Iowa, during a weekly farmer’s market that starts up in the summer. Plenty of space for Benjamin King’s story to stretch its stubby legs. Larger than any life, here they are:

American Gothic Redux

. . .

Flowers of Reparation

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The Foodstands of Your Life

. . . .

Strollin’

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Debbie Knows of Such Things

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Life Lessons

. . .

The Open Iowan Road

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Prelude to Divorce

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Acoustics (Emotional Violence)

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Plenty of Fish

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What A Jam (!)

. . . .

Healthy Relationships Don’t Cut Corners

.

Mega-thanks to B.J. Jones for wearing Benjamin’s story and giving us such an eclectic and colorful collection of photos. Many crowds to witness “The Argument.”

Issue Twenty-Seven!!

HELLO. We are back, back, back with our punchy twenty-seventh issue, our tersest story yet. This one is being worn by operative (and forthcoming SPR author) B.J. Jones around Dubuque, Iowa, terrorizing farmer and townsfolk and fruit and vegetable vendor alike. Let’s get combative:

ISSUE TWENTY-SEVEN (6/4/12):

featuring

The Argument

by Benjamin King

Operative: B.J. Jones (Dubuque, Iowa)

About the author: I am Benjamin King. My dumb Internet name is rollerfink. I publish Kirk Cameron fan fiction and Gilmore Girls spoiler alerts at www.rollerfink.blogspot.com.

About the operative: B.J. Jones writes poetry, nonfiction essays, short fiction, and short short fiction. His poetry, nonfiction, and short short fiction have been published in various literary journals. He needs to work on his short fiction.

Pictures of Ruin: Issue 26 Action Shots

Here we are, with an exceptionally epic set of Action Shots from our first operative abroad, Jeremy Reed exploring the ruins of Miletus in Turkey with David Tomaloff’s little piece of theatre.

Imagine all the dead watching.

Look At This Ruined Place

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The coliseum feels like appropriate context.

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The Bones of Bones We Cannot Leave Behind

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Bleached

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Quiet With Terminal Sickness

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ASCEND

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I Am Not Alone in This Land of Ghosts

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Minotaur #2

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Don’t go.

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Smite the Fuck Outta this Photo

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Broken columns like teeth.

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We Walk These Plains With Our Peers and Face the Emptiness Like Full-Grown Adults

Mega-thanks to Operative Jeremy Reed for taking the SPR to such exciting and far-flung places. YAA’s forever.

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P.S. Did you know that we now have a listing at Poets & Writers? We feel so very established.