{"id":1524,"date":"2023-01-04T16:56:57","date_gmt":"2023-01-04T16:56:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wessmongojolley.com\/home\/?page_id=1524"},"modified":"2024-06-10T19:01:59","modified_gmt":"2024-06-10T19:01:59","slug":"stories","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wessmongojolley.com\/home\/stories\/","title":{"rendered":"Stories"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Short Fiction by Wess Mongo Jolley<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tREAD THE FULL STORY IN APPARITION LITERARY MAGAZINE<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u00a0As featured in Apparition Literary Magazine, January, 2023<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Oh Jackie (excerpt)<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0In the spring she calls to me.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cOh Jackie? Dear Jackie?\u201d she calls.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0She doesn\u2019t call me Jackie all the time. But always in the spring.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0In the spring she calls. \u201cOh Jackie? Dear Jackie?\u201d
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0And immediately I answer back. \u201cYes, Mommy. I\u2019m here, Mommy.\u201d
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0She isn\u2019t my mother. But when she calls, I answer. \u201cI\u2019m here, Mommy.\u201d
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0The house becomes quiet, as it always is now, and I go back to whatever it was I was doing. Cleaning, usually. She seems to like to call when I\u2019m cleaning. This spring, I was dusting the delicate hands of the grandfather clock. The hands and the pendulum, and the inside of the great oak case with the tiny little gears that click and spin and shine when they are polished.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cOh Jackie? Dear Jackie?\u201d she calls, her voice old and cracked in the empty parlor.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0My name isn\u2019t Jackie. I\u2019ve lived in this house alone for many years. I don\u2019t know who Mommy is, or where she is. The first time I heard her call was when I was just twenty-three.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Back then, the house was not empty. Back then there was my wife, and there was my baby, and there was always laughter in the hallways\u2014not quiet, the way it is now. There was laughter, and music, and making love in the parlor as the baby slept upstairs. We had guests who would stay, and guests who would not. The old house loved guests, so we dedicated two rooms for them on the third floor, looking out over the rolling hills. They would come, and they would stay, and we would all laugh while eating savory meats and delicious cheeses, delivered fresh from all over the world.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I never worked in those days, and I never cleaned. We had people for that, and they would arrive at nine every morning, and depart every day at five. I never knew their names.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Except for Chester.
Chester stayed in the servants\u2019 quarters down the hill, and he never left the property. I\u2019m sure Chester knew all the servants\u2019s names, but that wasn\u2019t my concern. My concern was only our guests, and they usually arrived at six-thirty.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Chester never worked after five pm. After all, we weren\u2019t monsters. Not back then.<\/p>

Read the full story in <\/strong>Apparition Literary Magazine<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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As Featured in The Chamber Magazine, March, 2022<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Shade (excerpt)<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0In the days since I saw the Shade (as I\u2019ve come to call him), I have wondered if perhaps he was the product of my late-night imagination, or a bit of undigested dinner, as Dickens might say. I\u2019ve told no one about him, although I don\u2019t know who I would even consider telling. After all, my best friends all wear Dewey Decimal numbers on their spines, and they are much better at speaking than listening.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0But there was something about the way he floated through these aisles that left me thrilled and confused, the way you can sometimes feel if you stand up too quickly and fear you will faint. When I think of him, it feels like that moment when you are still conscious enough to plan how you will fall safely, and yet still feel everything slipping away like leaves on the surface of rushing water.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0But these feelings have not stopped me from imagining all sorts of stories for him.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0I imagine he was born in this very library a century ago, when someone accidentally pushed a copy of Dante off a shelf as they passed. When the book hit the floor, rather that a startling crack, it landed with a whisper and a bloom. I imagine the Shade unfolding silently into being in the swirling dust. I imagine him silent and confused, as startled by his sudden birth as the books that looked upon him in their mute astonishment.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0Or I imagine him birthed more slowly, as a patchwork quilt of every discontented college student and tired professor who has ever wandered here. Made up of a sigh here, a laugh there, his is a life of fatigue and panic and joy, all brought together here in this laboratory of the mind. The library seems to ask that he return something to these volumes that have given so much and asked for so little in return.
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0In this fancy, the Shade isn\u2019t reading the books he scans so silently; he\u2019s recharging them. Giving them life. Keeping them alive for those decades when not a single warm hand turns their pages.<\/p>

Read the full story in <\/strong>The Chamber Magazine<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tREAD THE FULL STORY IN THE CHAMBER MAGAZINE<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Stories Featured in Books and Journals<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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\"\"As Featured in The Hemlock<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>

Sibilants<\/a>

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\"\"Stay tuned for new publications!<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"\"As Featured in Black Sheep – Unique Tales of Terror and Wonder<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>

A Hope in His Yellow Eyes<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"\"As Featured in Gemini Magazine<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>

A Candle in the Sun<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"\"As Featured in Grain<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>

An Inch of Ink<\/a>
(print edition only)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"\"As Featured in Valparaiso Fiction Review<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>

The Demons of August<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"\"As Featured in Apparition Literary Magazine<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>

Oh Jackie<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"\"As Featured in JMWW<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>

A Life In Pine and Steel<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"\"As Featured in cc&d Magazine<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>

The Pavilion<\/a>\u00a0(2022)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"\"As Featured in The Chamber Magazine<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>

The Shade<\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"\"As Featured in RFD<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>\n

*<\/span>The Pavilion<\/a> (1987)
My first published story, written when I was 25 years old! It was later completely rewritten and published again (see above).<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\"\"As Featured in Dark Horses<\/a>:<\/strong><\/p>

Magilla<\/a><\/p>

(Print edition only)<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\tJOIN OR FOLLOW ME ON PATREON!\t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tRead or listen to The Last Handful of Clover.
New poems, stories, and other content released weekly!\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tCLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE!\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
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\n\t\t\t\t\tJoin me!\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Interviews and Misc.<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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The Maniacal Geek
<\/b>“Eight Questions with Wess Mongo Jolley”<\/a>
October 15, 2015.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Pinhole Poetry
<\/b>“An Interview with Wess Mongo Jolley”<\/a>
July 21, 2023.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Short Fiction by Wess Mongo Jolley READ THE FULL STORY IN APPARITION LITERARY MAGAZINE \u00a0As featured in Apparition Literary Magazine, January, 2023 Oh Jackie (excerpt) \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0In the spring she calls to me.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u201cOh Jackie? Dear Jackie?\u201d she calls.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0She doesn\u2019t call me Jackie all the time. But always in the spring.\u00a0 … <\/p>\n

Continue reading “Stories”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_header_footer","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1524","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wessmongojolley.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1524","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wessmongojolley.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wessmongojolley.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wessmongojolley.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wessmongojolley.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1524"}],"version-history":[{"count":115,"href":"https:\/\/wessmongojolley.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1524\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2333,"href":"https:\/\/wessmongojolley.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1524\/revisions\/2333"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wessmongojolley.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1524"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}