Vocal Creators

This continues on from the Subscriptions - Prologue.

Tom Bradbury (8); goes without saying, Tom - still - is my favourite. The main reason is because how evocative I've found his writing. You're missed, Tom, but your spirit lives on.

What Becomes of the Broken Hearted; this brought tears to my eyes.

The Devil on your Shoulder; this spoke to me. as his second to read.

Zen Tom Zen; though Tom didn't publish poetry per se, they say that prose offers a glimpse into a person's inner psyche, and this playlist of Tom's does just that. A simply beautiful work, which does - in part - include some prose amongst various songs listed therein.

TELL Tales; such a grand view that Tom put forth about writing to readers.

Mike Singleton (MikeyDred) (30); a veritable "master" with prose, in my opinion, cranking one out every day it seems. Where do I begin, in attempting to select a favourite poem of his. I've not yet read "all" of his works both prose and fiction. But I believe three more current works of his shed light upon Mike's character and talent. You'll notice amongst these, I do not list any of Mike's Fictional work. But that is solely because Mike is a man, whom I believe, that speaks his mind and puts this thoughts into words, on many topics. If you want to check out some of Mikes' fiction, go look through his library at the link that starts this paragraph.

Passionate Friend; a two poem work

Our Insecurity; a motivational piece of Mike's.

Perception; a more current work of his that voices opinion with which I fully agree.

Know What's Frightening? Xenophobia; a very perturbing subject that most people do not like to confront, until you read Mike's view.

Melissa Ingoldsby (30); a Vocal creator and Author with whom I am collaborating currently on a long series of works; yes, she is a favourite simply because of her energy, imagination and a constant drive to create in so many literary areas. I've always enjoys Melissa's contributions on Vocal. I believe you will as well. The following are my favourites of her's before we started working on the Grey Mane series, Book 1 - my apologies for that self-promotion plug for us both there < "smile">. I also apologize for not stopping at just two, three, etc. But she's a good writer.

NOTE: I should warn anyone going to have a look at the first book in the Grey Mane series that it's an ongoing effort and not yet fully complete; only the first 5 chapters are published on Vocal, though we each are driven to complete as fast as possible.

Wow!; one of Melissa's first published works that caught my eye. This made me pay "serious" attention to this young lady. Not Fiction; not prose; this is categorized in the "Futurism" segment of Vocal. This work of hers' is an essay, if not professionally written, journal quality article, about the search for extra-terrestrial life.

Dark Ripples; a horror story that isn't - in my opinion. I'm not a horror fan; but, somehow I was attracted to the story for a reason I can' fathom. Delightful short story.

Goosebumps; what to know the why? Read this.

The Job; I knew she was good, in all areas of writing, but I was waffling about collaborating on something when she first suggested the idea. I knew she has collaborated in other works. But wanted to check out more of her independent efforts, so I went back - way back - in her library, to review one work of hers' I first read. "The Job" was a series of independent short stories she wove together to essentially create a small novel, all on her own. Impressive ! The link at the start of this paragraph takes you to the first in the series.

You Aren't; Melissa's latest poetic release, what I view as Slam Poetry. Very evocative!

Colleen Millsteed (29); an Aussie with a heart of gold and a great talent for telling tales that need to be told. Also, a very prolific author in her own right, given the number of stories she has written on Vocal alone, most of which is poetry but also a number that are Fiction. Take note, please, that no matter what she writes, it can render the heart asunder.

• Crocodile Disposal Units; this is one of Colleen's newest, so I'll note it first, even if it is out of order for sequence in which I have read her work. Just go read it, for heaven sakes!
• If I Could Turn Back Time; was Colleen's first item I read, if I recall correctly. Only she could tell me if I am wrong. Women are good in correcting men; though, somehow I believe Colleen isn't your typical woman. It was after this that I started looking through her library - rather quickly I might add since the majority of her early work as poetry.
• From Hell to Heaven; was one of the first few poems that Colleen published to Vocal of which I took note after reading her first item on Vocal that she "advertised" in the Facebook Vocal Creators Lounge. So, my curiosity aroused, I went and started checking items in her library and found this gem of her's and thus my fascination of Colleen's poetry formed. Especially so, given the introspection her work caused to my own self.

• Think; another poem of Colleen's. She was and still is quite active with poetry. The reason? I'd only be guessing based on the amount and style of prose she publishes. How about you just go, read, enjoy and maybe learn from her great volume of poetry.
• The Old Run Down Barn; was Colleen's first work of Fiction written to Vocal. Though written in poetic form, it was wonderful to read and did not disappoint. I found it on page 15 of her library.
• Only Marigold Tea; was Colleen's first "true" work at Fiction and I found it superb, and next on page 11 of her 29 page library. To me, it was like early Agatha Christie.
• My Husband Walked Out On Our Marriage While I Was Away But Text Me Everyday Pretending He Was Home is a more current and very painful - autobiographical - story which Colleen chose to share with other Vocal Creators. I'm proud she finally did. The are many ways of healing, and though Colleen started off by writing wonderful poems, I believe this may been the final step in her own self healing. If only more persons - women and men - suffering emotional trauma whether it be familial or traumatic experiences would voice their experiences to paper or share with others they have close bonds, they could move forward as has Colleen.

Lindsay Rae Brown (23); a two time, Vocal challenge winner, and wife and mother of three - the former and latter evidenced by many of her stories - writes of sincerity, family, motivation, advice and good fiction. I have yet to see anything of "LYNDZ's" - an attempt to ingratiate myself with her since I didn't use the H... name - that I dislike. Even when she writes content that gets tagged into the Filthy community, it's all either completely appropriate in my view or humorous in nature. I didn't learn about Lindsay until her most recent Facebook post - listed first below - and return to Vocal after a hiatus due to grieving the loss of Tom which effected her greatly. Luckily, Arpad T. Nagy was able to intervene. Thanks Arpad; yes I really need to get more into your library too; my apologies; and, I'm sure Tom appreciates what you did. I know I certainly do, or Lindsay would have escaped my Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR). Sorry, but Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR) is so passe. I'm only going to list four of Lindsay's works because she has a lot; and, I've only begun looking at all her writing. Being a speed reader only helps me out some. With poets, I can go through a library quite fast. With Lindsay's, uh uh; nope, sorry, eh!

Meeting Your Online Friends IRL Is Just As Awesome As You'd Imagine; this is a very good story about Lindsay meeting Arpad - in real life (IRL). NOTE: Lindsay; not everyone may understand certain acronyms. A good writer always defines them at first use.

Space Face - a series of chapters; the link to which I provide is the sixth (6th) at the start of this sentence. I looked back through these quickly, and they are good - I'll credit Lindsay for that, especially since I'm a science and sci-fi guy. I just wish two things here: first, that she would link forward as well as back with her chapters, especially given the Quick Edit feature in Vocal now; and, second, that Lindsay would get back to the series and continue writing - on Chapter 7. Chapter 6 ended with the "the saga continues ...." NOTE: I am returning later to this because I know, when I used to speed read novels, I would miss out on the true enjoyment of picking up a good novel.

I Want to See More Small Businesses Working Together in Their Social Media Strategy; The story impressed me in more ways than one. First, due the content that she shares with her reader, i.e. the main theme of the story, as noted by the title. She is detailed about her opinion and how to achieve the strategy. Then, there is this following "kicker." She mentioned she once lived in Lethbridge, Alberta owning a small lunch shop with her husband. For all I know we met and I don't remember. I used to go eat out a lot in that city when I visited more than a few times a year driving down from Edmonton to visit my grandkids who grew up in that city. Heck; one still lives there along with his parents - who have moved around the city a lot.

The Truth About Why Some Writers Make It and Some Don't; read this, especially if you want to see yourself getting anywhere in professional writing. "Just Do It!" You've heard that phrase; correct? I mean: read it! Well, after you're done, consider opening a dialogue with Lindsay if she will accept to chat with you informally - or - contact myself, if you are interested in pursuing an active career in technical writing or getting published in (by) magazine journals in fields in which you can claim expertise, because "doin' it," is a whole 'nother ballgame.

Lisa Gerard Braun (20); a prolific freelance writer that participates - I mean, really participates - actively with other Vocal creators, Lisa is what I imagine the young Lisa from "The Simpsons" would mature into, if given life in our world. Apologies, Lisa; couldn't resist that open remark. She writes in so many genres and communities, some fiction, but most others are not. Here are my current favourite of hers'. Plus, just when I think I can limit myself to one favourite fictional work of her's, she goes and out-does herself.

10 Hours of Hell in the Eye of Her Storm; if I was a Hollywood script-writer, I'd be worried Lisa is out to take my job after reading this. This is one vividly imagined and written work. Her best yet! Yes; Lisa has written a lot of other good pieces of fiction too and I'd love to list them all but I can't. She's a seriously good writer.

The Voices In My Head; falls into the Psyche genre (community) and though this piece Lisa writes does not put forth any exposition on Mental Health, it does put forth something to which many people only give passing thought. I wish more people sought help or at the least would research the subject. But this work shows compassion on the subject at least.

An Empath's Pros and Cons of Being Called a GILF; which I thought was going to be slightly humorous view on the subject was most certainly not but a sincere outlook on the subject told from her own perspective. I wasn't aware of this work of her's until she casually dropped reference to it in a Facebook group we both frequent.

The Day I Met A Mermaid; is a poem - I believe Lisa's first (?) to be written for Vocal. Many people think someone's first attempt at poetry may not be that good. But this is heartfelt and it shows. Lisa writes other poetry but this was and still is my favourite.

Marital Wars: another of Lisa's non-fiction but not motivational. Let me say, "If you're a guy, married or planning to eventually marry, read this. It will give you a look into the feminine mind." Not a spoiler on the story.

Control Freak; when Lisa first started publishing on Vocal, we wasn't writing much Fiction at first. But in the Motivational genre (and community) that she wrote, there was good stuff to be seen - and read. I dug deep and found this one - a good one.

Courtney Capone; (18) this young lady needs to be commended, in more ways than one. Once you start reading her stories, you'll understand why. Nuff said! Oh; you should know: she's a Vet Tech and takes her job seriously. She does, though, tend to unload about the job and release her pent up frustrations here on Vocal - which I believe to be a good thing.

I Wanna Talk About What I Have Learned; made me wonder, is this a 57 year old, cat lady gram'ma trapped in a twenty something's body. The wisdom that she poured forth here is truly inspiring and I hope more younger people will come to learn from here.

Coffee, Carbs and Candy; "one of the first" of hers' I read in her library - non-fiction and autobiographical - after first seeing another of hers' after I came to Vocal, I wondered if there is such a thing as a lost twin of an opposite gender who escaped from an alternate reality or dimension into their younger version. I fully sympathize, Courtney, I really do.

In It For the Money; Certainly not, as I know those deciding to work with animals regularly do it for an entirely different reason. A calling? Compassion? But Courtney explains her view quite well.

I Saw The Sign Part Two; yes, Courtney writes a lot in regards to her work and releases, if not vents, in Journal publishing. But her demeanor cracks me up. This is her best that made me laugh!

Paula Shablo (17); one of the first three to give me the idea for this compendium of favourites. A very humble woman and writer, she amazes me with all she does and still find time for writing such awesome creations.

Spirits Rise; just when I thought I've found one Fiction favourite of Paula's, she surprises yet again by writing another masterpiece. This one did not disappoint.

I'm Just Sayin'...I Love Creators, Too.; this is Paula's list. Check it out to see how I compare. I may have missed some in higher caliber of writers - I can't remember.

Truth; another poem - her second submission to Vocal. What can I say, except "Titles grab me! Plus, I'm a sucker for the truth."

Sleep; the first - well, second - thing of Paula's I read after subscribing to her library. Why the first? Read and you'll find out. It is the first thing she ever placed on Vocal - a poem.

Caitlin McColl (14); a fellow Canuck, just down the road from me - so to speak. Well, she's more like a 45 minute drive away. Whereas, with PJ Jackelman, I have to hop on a ferry over to Vancouver Island to visit. How do I express myself in regards to Caitlin? She's amuses me? No; that's not it. She's been on Vocal for two months - three tops - and amassed a large portfolio of fiction, motivational and other works. I could list so many of her works I so like. But I've got to limit the selection of my favourites of her's She doesn't write much prose. But when she does; well, you decide.

Strong at the Broken Places; one of her Motivational pieces, that discusses writing during the Pandemic.

Radio Silence; what can I say. I like stories in this genre - post-apocalyptic - and this is a good one.

Contagion; a seriously interesting and entertaining work of fiction. It's fiction, okay. Remember that. Plus, there is no similarity to our present time or the movie of the same name. All I should have said was, "Go read this!"

Of Concrete & Glass; a two part series of poems to which I supply the links to both, the first at the sentence start - the second at sentence end. Fitting; don't you think.

Paul Douglas (10); yes, I like Paul's writing. Goes by a different name on Facebook, so you'll just have watch out for when he advertises new releases in the Vocal Creators Lounge, or he and I get bantering. Here are some of his works I like; quite a mix.

Otherworldly Beauty; this by far my favourite poem of Paul's. Not just for the vivid text in which he writes. It is because I will freely admit that his lead-in photo is what grabbed my attention first. Yes; the woman is beautiful. However, I actually had a dream once and that face was in my dream! Wow!

Daydreaming; a short poem but inspirational.

VPN – Software To Protect Your Online Identity & Privacy; if you ever were concerned about computer privacy while connected to the internet or have heard of VPNs and don't know what they are, this is a succinctly written work on the subject.

Linux As An Alternative To Windows & MacOS; title kind of says it all. However, for those looking to get off computers clean from a "Windows or Mac" operating system (OS) and move into a more stable, secure OS, this is a good - freely available - spot to start. I should know as I've experimented with with Linux - and other OS devices too. But for me, it's part of the job .

PJ Jackelman (9); it's not just because of the impish smile in her pretty face on her profile that got me looking at more and more of PJ's works. Sure, she's a fellow Canadian like Caitlin McColl, David Perlmutter, Lesley Anne and Oneg (in the Arctic), but PJ writes some distinctly well done fiction. Possibly not fiction? That last gets joked about a lot <"smile"> in the Vocal Creators Lounge and Vocal Social Society. PJ is a talented writer who weaves tales so vivid and embracing, I find - were they in paperback - hard to escape and put down. Note: PJ is also a 3rd Place prize winner of the Dream Date Challenge on Vocal. I'm surprised she hasn't won more often with the quality of her work.

Open Waters; a more current fiction work of her's. One my top two favourites.

Birds of a Feather; a very intriguing piece she wrote. Kept me engaged and that is a sign of an excellent writer.

When Dream Are Nightmares; when I read this, I was wondering, "How did PJ get inside my head?"

The Lake; this poem, written by PJ Jackelman,

Injuries Consistent With a Fall; this is her 3rd Place winner for the Dream Date Challenge. I was curious to view it and I wasn't disappointed. It was written long before I came onto Vocal.

Judey Kalchik (9); is an early favourite of mine, and thus the main reason she is here. I don't need to list more than two of her works, because once you go back - back - in her library and come forward reading her works, you'll see why she is a favourite of mine.

Game On!; my personal favourite which I like to recommend to all Vocal creators getting into the writing craft. I wish I could rank it accordingly upwards at "the top" after Tom. However, standard index ranking techniques prevent me from showing favouritism.

Waves; this was a poem which caused my introspective self to stand back and evaluate myself, once again.

Pam Reeder (8); an excellent writer, in Fiction and prose, Pam was my first - Vocal creator, of course - whom I got to know. It was with Pam that I came to understand more about Vocal and the other authors, i.e. creators, on the Vocal platform. NOTE: she has authored some good poetry. Problem is I can't pick a favourite poem of her's, though the following are quite good.

The Complications of Communications; one of her more recent poems, the social commentary tag might be considered inappropriate but it's not in my opinion since this is Pam's commentary on communications in social applications.

The Oddity of Me - Pam Reeder; this is her own "auto-biography." I very much enjoyed reading because it was no-holds barred, nothing held back type of work about herself.

I am UVS-29468; for all you conspiracy theorists out there wondering about vaccines, the current pandemic, etc. Well then, you should read this interesting short Fiction story of Pam's. Quite the spin she puts on it. <smile>

Maria Calderoni (8); is a Vocal creator I came to know about very recently. She goes by a completely different name on Facebook, i.e. in the Vocal groups, and I'm not going to share it here. Suffice it to say, I've only read the one work of her's and that is why I'm putting it here.

Death of a Stranger -- Tom Bradbury; her tribute to Tom stirred me the most.

Marigold; a superb story. Loved this one of her's.

Jan Portugal (7); started out writing a lot of poetry - I mean, just poetry. Quite a bit of poetry. It was good. Then, she shifted gears into Fiction; and, her creative talent has come through in this manner of tall tales too. Whereas, the lyricists of medieval time would tell tales by musical sonnets, as Jan started doing with her poetry, she showed true talent in how the modern Shakespeares have come to fruition.

Whale Dreams; I'm not saying a word. Okay; I am. This was my second (poem) I read of hers' after first noting Jan in a Facebook group for Vocal creators. Both title and picture to this poem hooked me. It's got to do with my background, Jan; I leave that to you to check.

Red Light Green Light; is a Fiction work I enjoyed very much, maybe because of its attention grabbing title. But no; it's all content, baby, that kept me reading.

Frozen Dreams; again, I like the titles Jan chooses. But with this Fiction piece, she endeared herself to me by the imaginative detail and nuances to the stage setting portrayed; and, the character interplay in the story.

Lesley Anne (Call Me Les) (6); it may not seem like Les has contributed much on Vocal. But put a stop to that thought. You need to understand the effort Les puts in "behind the scene" - off-stage, if you will - to run not just one group on Facebook dedicated to helping Vocal creators, the Vocal Social Society, but she created the new Facebook group "Great Incantations" - now renamed "Great Incantations - a Group dedicated to Vocal Challenges." Plus, then there are the delightful creations she writes, aside from all the effort she puts into getting the Vocal Creators Chronicle published to Vocal. This "magazine" is not a platform for her own published works; no sir-ee, Bob. It is a compendium of all Vocal Creator's works for the duration noted on the publication. Here are some of Call Me Les' personal works on Vocal.

Review: Jillian Jiggs; what I like about this "book review" is that Les starts the review off with a short "auto-biography" of herself. In that respect, I'm glad she does because it defines not just her but also why she is so devoted to the Vocal community too.

I Hate That I Turned Back; is a descriptive tale of a young woman living by herself, in a small town, with a river nearby where nature can be found in abundance without the intrusion of the hustle and bustle of city life. FYI: the young woman is Les and I know the area too. We're both from the same city and graduated the same university. I even recognized something else here in this story but I'm not giving it away. Though I'm glad to see those bright eyes and awesome smile.

A Selkie's Return to the Deep; how can even begin to describe this wonderful tale of Fiction. I recommend people read it. I just do!

How 'Shark Week' Saved My Life; oh yes; I read this, of course. Anything that relates to water, even sharks, is going to grab my attention. Though some people are not going to find this humorous, I at least have enough compassion to understand the situation and not be turned off by the subject. For all I know, my ex-wife may have spent a night at the same place as Les. I remember the drive home the day after. My ex' was in a lot of pain still; so, had to drive real slow. I learned long ago, "Always listen to a woman when it comes to pain and their body."

Britt Blomster (6); she is a talented young woman who knows how to put creative thought to both prose and story-telling, as evident by two works I list here. She writes content in genres that are of similar interests to my own preference. If I could only I could awaken my own creative talents on these topics as well she achieves. Makes me wonder is she a long lost twin sister from another multiverse dimension, with everything she writes.

Red Bricks and Autumn Trees; one of Britts first poems written on Vocal.

The Ocean Inside; both this and "Red Bricks ..." are my two favourites. But my choice is simply because of my affinity for autumn colours and the ocean.

The Shark Whisperer "was" my favourite of her's until she wrote her next.

The Dive; not saying "nut'n" except "Go read it! It's that good."

Lena (7); this woman is delightful and has to be the equivalent of our MikeyDred in regards to evocative prose! The fiction she writes is just as good.

• Left on the Shelf; one of her more recent poems - got me reflecting back to my grandmothers some fifty or more years ago. Both heart warming and saddening. But isn't that what good poetry should evoke in a reader.
• Blood in the Bayou; this "was" Lena's third - I repeat, third - contribution to Vocal, in Fiction of all things, some eight months ago. Just read it! No spoiler from me. It's worth the read. This is a good one. I'm not even comparing it to other's I've noted here because it is good.

David (DK) Perlmutter (3); another Canadian living in mosquito infested Manitoba - the mosquito bit is (only) my view after many previous trips to Winnipeg. But here's the rub, David is a published author and he doesn't let it go to his head on Vocal. If you're curious what he's got published, have a look at some of it over on Amazon. On Vocal, the following are some of my favourites of David's. NOTE: I didn't realize until I came to Vocal that David and I already shared "Facebook - Mutual Friends" - other published authors in the USA I had come to know already.

An Admirer's Lament; just go read it, okay. I don't want to spoil it. All I will say, "In my view, every person that directly or indirectly helps in the maturity of children should read this."

Playing Possum; this is likely my second favourite after An Admirer's Lament. I can tell, that though we're separated by a couple of generations, David and I share a similar "bent."

The Worst Part of My Job; if you're a working writer like David and myself - though I'm not a published writer, since I essentially "ghost" write and edit for industrial clients as a Technical Writer and Editor - you should read this. You really should! P.S. David, we need to have a chat again - soon (especially about your last two paragraphs in this one - I just find it inherently funny, in one respect).

Robert Shaneyfelt (3); a retired Electrical Engineer like myself, though I'm betting he's a lot more experienced in practical engineering than me. Robert has written in different genres, but my favourites of his are in Fiction, like these I indicate. I won't even tell you about them because I'm literally afraid of writing a "spoiler" on each. They are that good.

Stony Brook Lake/Pond;

The World's New Dark Age;

A WW2 Story;

Oneg in the Arctic (3); another Canadian - like me - who I sense is a distant northern cousin (LOL) because of the subjects on which she writes.

Wake Up; a recent poem she wrote, I found it applicable in more ways than one when interpreting the prose.

A Northern Cooking Experience; I had to share this of her's. Why? Because she and I, by the looks of this piece of writing, share a similar palate. Though I do not have any food allergies.

When You're Craving Tuktu; one of her first couple of works. Yes; it's about food. Don't know about Tuktu? Read on. Yum !

George Gkoutzouvalos (9); is a very prolific writer who attempts to contribute a significant volume to internet publishing efforts and not just on Vocal. The majority of his work is informative, and not very geared to Fiction or prose. But he's good at what he does. Just like the next person I will indicate.

How to ensure your safety in a taxi when traveling abroad as a student; this was, I believe, George's second contribution on Vocal, when first "testing the water" at Vocal for publishing various work. A very well written piece that serves as good advice to anyone, not just a student, and though applicable in the past, is still.

Local blogging ideas that you can monetize; who doesn't like money, right?

Crypto wallet providers ... ; this one is more geared to Greeks but still informative.

Aamir Kamal (52); Aamir was one of the first Vocal creators I came to learn about due to a shared interest in Internet publishing and blogging. He's doing well for himself for a young engineer, now immigrated from Pakistan to the USA. Also, a very prolific internet blogger and publisher as you can note by the number of his library pages. Basically, if you want to know how to monetize your publishing efforts on Vocal and other internet media platforms, go read any number of his works. I don't even know where to begin in listing some of Aamir's writing credits. It is that prolific! NOTE (1): Following Aamir and reading many of his stories may be difficult for some; for any number of reasons, one which may be that English is a second language to him and it shows in his writing. Aside from that though, what Aamir publishes is generally very good and informative. NOTE (2): Once you start reading Aamir's works here, likely you're going to want to go check his many other media platforms publishing and works. Unfortunately, due to Vocal guidelines, I cannot direct you directly to Aamir's blog site where he lists all the media platforms on which he contributes.

Be forewarned, if your sense of ethics prevents you from looking into the "Filthy" community on Vocal, don't follow Aamir on Vocal. Just remember, though, it's not unlike the movie Jerry Maguire in which the character says, "Show me the money, Jerry! Show me the money!" There is nothing inherently wrong with that. Correct?

Besides, not all his posts are in the Filthy community.

The remaining creators to which I subscribe? ( --- available here ---)

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