[ Books Index | Sonoma County Independent | MetroActive Central | Archives ]

Coincidences and Strange Encounters

WE SOUGHT STRANGENESS. It came--in spades. Naturally, we expected a few weird things to happen as the entries poured in to Jive 4, the Sonoma County Independent's annual writing contest. The universe was bound to play a few tricks in response to our request for short pieces written on the theme "Coincidences and Strange Encounters." We were not disappointed. Things went bump in the night. Calls came in from "registered and certified mermaids" (true story). Fresh doughnuts were left out on the office counter and they were not eaten! But strangest of all were the stories themselves. There were subtle, remarkable tales about the thick vein of pure weirdness that pulses just beneath the smooth skin of the everyday world. There were remarkably unsubtle stories that slashed and burned their way across the page in proper splatterpunk style. And there was every shade of weird and wonderful in between. Our sincere appreciation to all who entered: Please accept our thanks for your efforts and imagination. On the previous page, you'll find our five winning entries. That's not the end of the jive, however. On Wednesday, Oct. 21, you'll get a chance to eyeball the winning writers (and our judges) as they read their stories and receive their prizes. Free food and coffee round out the bizarro fun, which begins at 6:30 p.m. at A'Roma Roasters and Coffee House, 95 Fifth St., Railroad Square, Santa Rosa. All are invited to attend, and admission is free. Call 527-1200 for more information. [ Sonoma County | MetroActive Central | Archives ]