Jeff Fleischer

Jeff Fleischer

Jeff Fleischer is a Chicago-based author, journalist and editor. His fiction has appeared in more than sixty publications including the Chicago Tribune’s Printers Row Journal, Shenandoah, the Saturday Evening Post, and So It Goes by the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library.

He is also the author of non-fiction books including Votes of Confidence: A Young Person’s Guide to American Elections, Rockin’ the Boat: 50 Iconic Revolutionaries, The Latest Craze: A Short History of Mass Hysterias, and the upcoming A Hot Mess: How the Climate Crisis is Changing Our World (2021).

Visit his website: jefffleischer.com.

Fiction

Silver and Gold: A Hollywood Story

written by Jeff Fleischer

Dash Silver and Carol Gold were Hollywood stars in the 1950s, lovers on screen and off. Decades after their relationship ends, Carol receives an envelope with a surprising request from Dash – will she honor it or not? As she considers her options, she recalls their Tinseltown past, and the reason she’s had nothing to say to him for so long.

© 2020 Jeff Fleischer | Recording © 2020 Rivercliff Books & Media. All rights reserved.

Read by AJ Ferraro

“For a few seconds after reading that once-familiar signature, Carol Gold struggled to catch her breath. She hadn’t seen or heard from Dash since 1951, though it would be inaccurate to say she didn’t still think about him often.”

“A Jewish girl her age and status was expected to marry young, have many children, keep a good home, and generally leave her decisions to others. Her career prospects existed only because of the stock market crash, when the loss of her father’s job and savings helped him to see the value in having his daughters contribute a few dollars here and there.

 

“As far as she knew, none of her current Berkeley neighbors had a clue that she had framed movie posters featuring her name and face, dresses and jewels worn to award shows and premieres, photographs where she stood next to Gable and Garbo, Bacall and Brando.”

“Carol didn’t especially enjoy Bob Hope at the time, but she smiled when she found his handprints. But her reflection time was interrupted by performers in garish costumes, asking for tips. Tourists flocked to these aspiring actors, passing by a real movie star without even knowing her name.”

Jeff Fleischer is a Chicago-based author, journalist and editor. His fiction has appeared in more than sixty publications including the Chicago Tribune’s Printers Row Journal, Shenandoah, the Saturday Evening Post, and So It Goes by the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library.

He is also the author of non-fiction books including Votes of Confidence: A Young Person’s Guide to American Elections, Rockin’ the Boat: 50 Iconic Revolutionaries, The Latest Craze: A Short History of Mass Hysterias, and the upcoming A Hot Mess: How the Climate Crisis is Changing Our World (2021).

Visit his website: jefffleischer.com.

Watch Our Interview with Jeff

Q&A with Jeff

Tell us about your story...

Without spoiling anything, it’s a story about an on-screen/off-screen “old Hollywood” romance that ended in a way that had long-term ramifications for Carol Gold, the main character in the story.

What was the inspiration for this story?

I got the nugget of the idea after the passing of a prominent person I admired who experienced a situation somewhat similar to what the protagonist, Carol, goes through. This piece originated with that part of the backstory, which gets revealed as the story goes along.

Someday I want to...

Reach the point where I can work on books and fiction full-time.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

Like most writers, I enjoy reading for fun. I also really enjoy going to museums, zoos, live theater, live sports (particularly baseball and rugby), concerts, and movies.

Do you have any hidden talents?

A couple of the more random ones include throwing a knuckleball and playing harmonica.

On the weekends I like to...

Get outside and enjoy Chicago, whether it’s one of the activities mentioned earlier, meeting up with friends, stopping at a local restaurant for dinner or just taking a nice walk.

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