Trumpets to the fanfare, and here we are, folks, Clowns and Frowns – A New Story just published in confetti, the Westchester Writers Workshop Magazine. Clowns and Frowns tells the tale of Frownie the Clown, his beloved morning television show, and the man who would cancel the show. The genre is literary fiction, with a dash of magical realism.
Clowns and Frowns had a bit of a rocky go on submission street. It was accepted rather quickly (yay!) only to have the journal fail prior to publication (boo!). Not one to give up easily, this story rebounded, got back out there, mixed it up with the tough literary journals, and garnered another acceptance. Thus, we find ourselves with a glowing and happy story published by confetti Westchester Writers Workshop Magazine…
Read the Story Now!
Mash the big orange button, and you’ll be whisked away to confetti and my story Clowns and Frowns. This is a great ‘Zine with no paywalls! That’s right, Friends and Neighbors, confetti is a FREE read. Enjoy the whole issue without forking over a dime!
Clowns and Frowns is my first appearance in confetti, but I’m hoping for a redeux. Getting back to the pitch: besides reading my story Clowns and Frowns (yes, please!) you can peruse back issues of confetti here:
I’m feeling the first real spring days here in Northern Yurp, fleeting hours of warmth peeking out of the sky like shy children. Next week it’s back to chilly nights and cool days. So it goes in the struggle for summer and blazing sun. Warmth or not, the stories push on and I run after them, screeching like an idiot: “Wait for me, wait for me…”
In other happy news, Clowns and Frowns is my fifteenth published piece for 2025. W00T! More stories are coming your way. Hold onto your hats, folks! So, how will you know when a new story breaks? Glad you asked, Friends. Read On! Drum roll and… Meanwhile, don’t miss any upcoming stories. You can stay tuned for all the latest by following the MEF blog:
And finally, with your indulgence, allow me a blatant book plug. Yes, yes, I know, pesky artists wanting to get paid for their work. Will they never learn? Well, probably not. Even writers need to eat. So please, buy a damn book. Thanks!
Breaking the Bundles
The Past Can Kill.
Vienna, Austria, a city of palaces, music, and cafés. But behind the cold, grey stone lies a dark secret. Against this backdrop of culture and shadows, the fates of three unforgettable people will be drawn into a common peril. As the lives of the characters cross, revenge shifts to passion, betrayal becomes an act of honor, and the past exacts a heavy toll from the present. The secrets of the past threaten the lives of those that hold them; the same secrets threaten the men who work in the shadows. The weight of the past will pursue Perry and Zita across two continents, threatening their love and their lives. The chase becomes a conflict of revenge and desire, of shadow and light, of love and the struggle to survive.
Vienna, Austria, a city of palaces, music, and cafés. But behind the cold, grey stone lies a dark secret. Against this backdrop of culture and shadows, the fates of three unforgettable people will be drawn into a common peril. Perry Farmon is an American photographer on sabbatical in Vienna, searching for his lost creative spark. A strange friendship and a mysterious love alter Perry’s quiet world, drawing him into a shared secret. The powers threatened by that secret force Perry into a deadly flight from danger. He must learn trickery and cunning to survive. His life and love hang in the balance. Zita de Luca is a woman marked by a wine-colored stain on her temple, the shame of her family, and anger. An opportunity for revenge is complicated by an unexpected passion for an American professor. She must choose between the two. Käru “Charlie” Villiger is a habitué of cafés, either an outrageous liar or a dangerous man. He holds the key to the past, but time is running out. Charlie must pass on what he holds before he is silenced by those he has betrayed. He must choose someone else to carry the burden. As the lives of the characters cross, revenge shifts to passion, betrayal becomes an act of honor, and the past exacts a heavy toll from the present. The secrets of the past threaten the lives of those that hold them; the same secrets threaten the men who work in the shadows. The weight of the past will pursue Perry and Zita across two continents, threatening their love and their lives. The chase becomes a conflict of revenge and desire, of shadow and light, of love and the struggle to survive.
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Marco Etheridge is a writer of prose, an occasional playwright, and a part-time poet. He lives and writes in Vienna, Austria. His work has been featured in over one hundred reviews and journals across Canada, Australia, the UK, and the USA. His story “Power Tools” has been nominated for Best of the Web for 2023. “Power Tools” is Marco’s latest collection of short fiction. When he isn’t crafting stories, Marco is a contributing editor for a new ‘Zine called Hotch Potch. In his other life, Marco travels the world with his lovely wife Sabine. Website: https://www.marcoetheridgefiction.com/