In the beginning, in the days of print, Stacey and Dell go over proofs (remember those?) for their June 2006 “Jesus loves you, Wal-Mart hates you” edition. Photo by Phil Klein
The Rogue Voice began with the promptings of a cab driver whose writings always left me feeling baffled, amused and aghast.
Dell Franklin, a guy I knew only from publishing a few of his stories at the local alternative weekly, kept yakking it up.
“You gotta start your own goddamn newspaper!”
At first, I thought he was just trying to cheer me up for getting canned from a thankless managing editor’s job, where I’d been introduced to Dell’s cab exploits and anthems to the bachelor’s life. Then, I realized, he was dead serious.
I liked Dell’s spirit, his enthusiasm for the printed word. I laughed at his stories and envisioned others who would also enjoy an independent publication unafraid to voice its thoughts, experiences, and wildness. There was just one problem.
“Dell, you gotta have capital to start a newspaper.”
Neither of us had the smarts to come up with the money needed to get a publication going. When Dell’s mother, Rose Franklin, died, she left him a portion of her estate, enabling us to realize our dream of publishing The Rogue Voice.
It took a few months before we found our feet, but by our third issue distressed lonely matrons of morality were already tossing our “newspaper” into the trash or burning it at backyard barbecues.
We’ve persevered, driven by our need to shout, and scream and laugh. Along the way, we’ve toppled a lot of apple carts and drawn a devoted readership that has thrown money at us, begged us to keep going, urged us to get our asses online, even though we’re products of the Old School world of print and live like Luddite dogs in creaky hovels.
So, here it is, finally, an emerging online edition of The Rogue Voice, A Literary Magazine with an Edge, featuring original voices from prison, on the road, at sea…or from right here in our quaint little village by the sea, Cayucos.
We look for stories that are local in nature with universal appeal, stories that get under your skin. We want our readers to come away with an experience they won’t soon forget. We will continue to provide our readers with the edgy, independent, unaffected fare they’ve come to expect over the years. We hope our online presence will inspire more readers to join us at The Rogue Voice.
Stacey
I’m new to Cayucos and this is the first time in quite a while that I’ve had the chance to read your online magazine. My first acquaintance with the “Rogue Voice” (probably a couple of years ago now) left me feeling a bit disappointed. It had been recommended to me by my newly found sister and her husband, friends of Stacey, who also live in Cayucos. I have written for local newspapers in the past, so was anxious to sample the articles in this journal, written by local writers.
It was only one issue and as I recall, I think correctly, the “posts” mainly consisted of bar-room scenes. They were somewhat entertaining, but being a person who’s spent little time in bars, I found them hard to relate to and didn’t find them very substantive. Thus, my disappointment.
I’m trying to settle down in Cayucos, have purchased a house and feel a need to explore the area in all its different aspects. I had dinner with Stacey recently, at my sister and brother-in-law’s home and decided to revisit the “Rogue Voice”.
I just read the March, 2017 issue, and unlike my initial experience with this magazine, I enjoyed every article. I can’t say that I agreed with each and every statement, but found the posts inciteful, thought provoking and well written. It was a very agreeable surprise! I hope that all of the contributors,and others of this same status will continue to write intelligent posts, making thoughtful commentary on issues that matter. This is so needed in our present befuddled world of Trump and his minions, where counter opinion is “fake news”. Who tell us that outright lies are only “alternative facts” and the Arts, proven science. the poor, the sick, the struggling middle class, immigrants and pretty much anyone who isn’t white, wealthy and a greedy, immoral thug, deserves little help and lots of scorn from our “Make America Great” (translation: “destroy our country and planet”) lamentable leaders!
Thank you, Laura, for giving us a second chance and for your generous contribution. We will do our best to present news and stories and commentary that stir the heart and imagination. We hope that what gets published and read here rings true and gives readers something worthwhile to think about and ponder. Best to you, Laura. Thanks again.
love it