News & Features » June 2015 » “White Noise” by Jason Bertucci
“White Noise” by Jason Bertucci
Thursdaze (because the weekend won’t come fast enough) features original flash fiction modeled after our Drug Chronicles Series. Each story is an original one, and each encapsulates the author’s fictional experience with drugs. Our print series has anthologized authors writing about marijuana, cocaine, speed, and heroin, but contributors to the web series can focus on any drug, real or imagined, controlled or prescribed, illegal or soon-to-be legalized. Submissions to Thursdaze will be judged on an author’s ability to stylistically emulate his or her substance of choice. Submissions are also limited to 750 words, so try to focus. (They have a pill for that.)
This week, Jason Bertucci asks a question.
White Noise
by Jason Bertucci
Cocaine
I don’t understand cocaine
philosophically:
as a game, as a plan, as a hobby, as a sport,
and even as a business arrangement,
it doesn’t make sense to me—
some have fun with it,
others take it seriously.
I’ve never had it control me;
I’ve never been afflicted by it.
Sure, it can be fun
on birthdays or holidays,
but what does that mean—
its only relevance is quarterly?
I feel sorry for the addicted;
their choice is cheap, yet expensive.
If I were going to let a substance control my life,
it would be something more interesting
and way less predictable.
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JASON BERTUCCI is a freelance writer currently residing in Kansas. His works have appeared in Litterae Magazine, the Arlington Literary Journal, Peaches Lit Mag, and the Transnational. He is an iconoclast and finds inspiration from the Beat writers and quirky musicians. He’s a multi-instrumentalist and loves experimenting with effects and new sounds. Jason collects vintage typewriters and loves the island life. He aspires to be a retired beach bum and live out his days in the Caribbean.
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Do you have a story you’d like us to consider for online publication in the Thursdaze flash fiction series? Here are the submission terms and guidelines:
—We are not offering payment, and are asking for first digital rights. The rights to the story revert to the author immediately upon publication.
—Your submission should never have been published elsewhere.
—Your story should feature a drug, any drug, and your character’s experience with it. We’ll consider everything from caffeine to opium, and look forward to stories ranging from casual use to addiction to recovery. Stylistically, we’ll respond most favorable to stories that capture the mood and rhythm of your drug of choice.
—Include your drug of choice next to your byline.
—Your story should not exceed 750 words.
—E-mail your submission to info@akashicbooks.com, and include THURSDAZE in the subject line. Please paste the story into the body of the email, and also attach it as a PDF file.
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About the Drug Chronicles Series: Inspired by the ongoing international success of the city-based Akashic Noir Series, Akashic created the Drug Chronicles Series. The anthologies in the series feature original short stories from acclaimed authors, each of whom focuses on their fictional experience with the title drug. Current releases in the series include The Speed Chronicles (Sherman Alexie, William T. Vollmann, Megan Abbott, James Franco, Beth Lisick, Tao Lin, etc.), The Cocaine Chronicles (Lee Child, Laura Lippman, etc.), The Heroin Chronicles (Eric Bogosian, Jerry Stahl, Lydia Lunch, etc.), and The Marijuana Chronicles (Joyce Carol Oates, Lee Child, Linda Yablonsky, etc.).
Posted: Jun 25, 2015
Category: Original Fiction, Thursdaze | Tags: Cocaine, coke, Drug Chronicles Series, flash fiction, Jason Bertucci, short fiction, short story, Thursdaze, White Noise