Mind Café

by Lizzy Ford

The Mind Café: death’s waiting room and the only refuge for a woman trapped in her body after a tragic accident leaves her unable to do anything but watch the world and think. A fiction, paranormal short story just under 5,000 words, part of a larger collection of stories depicting a day in the life of the unique.

Genres: Short Stories, Ebooks, Fantasy, Paranormal, Fiction

29 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 24, 2010

About the author

I breathe stories. I dream them. If it were possible, I'd eat them, too. (I'm pretty sure they'd taste like cotton candy.) I can't escape them - they're everywhere! Which is why I write! I was born to bring the crazy worlds and people in my mind to life, and I love sharing them with as many people as I can.

I'm also the bestselling, award winning, internationally acclaimed author of over sixty titles and counting. I write speculative fiction in multiple subgenres of romance and fantasy, contemporary fiction, books for both teens and adults, and just about anything else I feel like writing. If I can imagine it, I can write it!

I live in the desert of southern Arizona with a pack of spoiled dogs and Tubbs, the Godfather cat who rules them all.


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/LizzyFordBooks
Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/LizzyFord2010
Email: LizzyFord2010@gmail.com
Radish: LizzyFord
Wattpad: LizzyFord

Lizzy’s books include:

Lost Vegas – young adult post-apocalyptic
Aveline
Tiana
Arthur
Black Wolf

Spell Realm Series (coming summer 2017) – young adult fantasy
Water Spell (2017)
Dragon Spell (2018)
Moon Spell (2018)
Sword Spell (2019)

History Interrupted – time travel romance
West
East
North (2017)
South (2018)

Omega Beginnings Series
Alessandra
Mismatch
Phoibe
Lantos
Theodocia
Niko
Cleon
Herakles

Omega Series
Omega
Theta
Alpha (2017)

Theta Beginnings Miniseries (novelettes)
Silent Queen
Mercenary
Shadow Titan
People’s Champion

Non-Series – 2014 - 2017
Black Moon Draw (about a reader sucked into her book)
White Tree Sound (2017)
Highlander Enchanted
The Door
The Fall of Esme (2017)
Sons of War – contemporary military romance
Semper Mine
Soldier Mine
SEAL Mine (2017)

Super Villainess
It’s Not Easy Being Evil
It’s Not Easy Being Good

Starwalkers Serials (with Julia Crane) – new adult science fiction serial
Severed
Trapped
Exiled
Revealed
Escaped
Ascended
Starwalkers – complete (#1-6)

Heart of Fire – sexy dragon shifter
Charred Heart
Charred Tears
Charred Hope

Incubatti – Buffy meets 50 Shades
Zoey Rogue
Zoey Avenger

Rhyn Trilogy – new adult paranormal with demons
Katie’s Hellion
Katie’s Hope
Rhyn’s Redemption

Rhyn Eternal – Death finds love
Gabriel’s Hope
Deidre’s Death
Darkyn’s Mate
The Underworld
Twisted Fate
Twisted Karma (2017)

War of Gods – paranormal with gods, guardians and exceptional humans
Damian’s Oracle
Damian’s Assassin
Damian’s Immortal
The Grey God

Damian Eternal
Xander’s Chance
The Black God

Hidden Evil – paranormal with angels and four horsemen
Hear No
See No (TBD)
Speak No (TBD)

Unnamed Series
Unnatural (TBD)
Unmade (TBD)

Omega
Omega
Theta
Alpha (2017)

Anshan Saga – new adult science fiction romance
Kiera’s Moon
Kiera’s Sun

Santa’s Ninja Elves (short stories)
Natasha & Hunter

Non-series titles – 2011 - 2013
Star Kissed
A Demon’s Desire
The Warlord’s Secret
Maddy’s Oasis
Rebel Heart

Witchlings – young adult paranormal
Dark Summer
Autumn Storm
Winter Fire
Spring Rain

Broken Beauty Novellas – new adult dramatic fiction
Broken Beauty
Broken World

Voodoo Nights - young adult paranormal
Cursed

As SE Reign, erotica writer
101 Nights Box Set (Serials 1-7)

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rose was in an accident, many years ago. It left her body broken and unusable, though her mind seems to still be functioning as well as ever. Now she is confined to her bed, watching her nurse watch MTV, only barely able to communicate. She can, though, escape to the Mind Cafe, where she is twenty-four and whole again. There, wIth her room only scenery glimpsed through a cafe window, she meets with the dead, the dying, and the dreaming, and wonders why she herself is still alive.

I should, in the interest of full disclosure, admit that I picked this up mostly because it was free and sounded vaguely interesting. I was curious about what sort of material (beyond public-domain works) gets published for free in the iBooks store, and a short piece like this seemed a good place to start. And it wasn't entirely a bad one. It does, however, show the danger of the indie publishing options the Net has made so widely available.

Which is not to say that it's a bad story. It's quite an interesting premise, and I think that the beginnings of something really good are there. It's a little rough, though. It isn't long enough to really do more than scratch the surface of the story that's there. It does a lot of telling rather than showing, but then also doesn't tell enough. The nature of the Mind Cafe itself is really very unclear; the blurb for the story sheds more light on it than the actual text does. Which could be an interesting angle on it, to ask whether it's real or not explore the nature of objective and subjective reality, to make figuring out what it is part of the point of the story, but that never happens. I feel like Ford tries to take that angle on it in places, but somehow the exploration just fizzles before it really gets anywhere.

The's promise there, but it needs refinement and polish to really bring out its potential. It needs some beta readers, and an editor, and a lot of attention to the details. And this is the danger I'm talking about: not that indie publishing will lead to crap getting published, but that things like "Mind Cafe" will get published before they're ready for it. If I were to rate it on potential, totally, four stars. I have to rate based on what's there, though, and what's there... It's not a bad start, but it needs work.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

I admit I like free shit. I also admit I’m not entirely rational in my thought process. For example, I happily hand over my Bouchercon and Left Coast Crime Conference fees and feel like I’ve won the lottery when I receive a bag filled with books. Seriously, this ends up being one of the major highlights of these conferences. So in my continued pursuit of this high, minus the conference fees, I have decided to scour Amazon for the best free short stories and books available. With that being said, let’s get to the review.

This short story depressed the hell out of me. I felt like I needed prescription medication, a bottle of Bud, and an inspirational sports movie. I did watch Remember The Titans yesterday, so I suppose one out of three ain’t bad.

Spending the entire novel in a character’s head, even at only 29 pages, is a challenge, and I’m not quite sure Lizzy Ford pulls it off effectively. The plethora of exclamation points ended up being a tad much for me, and I don’t necessarily agree with the paranormal classification. I mean, I often dream of redheaded ghosts with rocking bodies who accost me, but that’s not exactly the definition of paranormal activity.

If you’re looking for a free read, I’d be inclined to look elsewhere. MIND CAFÉ might want to work on a better latte.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rosie suffered a tragic accident as a young woman, and was left as a living vegetable. She can't move or talk, all she does is sit and think. The Mind Cafe is a place she has created in her mind where she talks to her loved ones.

Reading this, I was fulled with overwhelming sadness. Rosie's story is never fully revealed, but what you do learn is tragic. Rosie has been a "living vegetable" for decades. Her sole wish is to die, and yet she lives, year after year.

The story mostly revolves around conversations with visitors within the Mind Cafe. These were emotional, and felt like real conversations.

This is a very short story, and quick read, but the emotions stirred up will stick with you for a while. This is definitely not a light-hearted read, but still one you should check out. I will definitely be reading the other stories the author has written.

[Literary Ames · Rating 4 out of 5]

Locked In Syndrome. It's a controversial subject that's regularly discussed in the UK, in the same sentence as "euthanasia" and "quality of life". It's a sad situation.

Rose was in an accident a considerable number of years ago which has left her body broken and unrecognisable. She can't do anything for herself and is constantly at the mercy of others. Her only interaction with the world is via communication device that translates what little movement she can make into a voice so she can make herself heard, though that suffers a technical fault, and watching MTV all day. She has few visitors except for her sister but never the man she loved, though it quickly becomes obvious that he married her sister.

Rose longs for the day of her death when she can walk through the special door inside her only respite and retreat to what she calls the "Mind Cafe" where she appears as her younger self, complete and healthy as before the accident, a place she can speak with those who've recently died. She wishes to join her loved ones on the other side and can't fathom why those of her family and friends who weren't disabled in a terrible accident have all died before her. What purpose is there to keep her breathing when she's a vegetable?

It's an awful situation. One in which I hope to never be in. And if I ever am, I hope euthanasia is an option by that point.

Favourite Quote

"I'm officially a dirty old man. You know how cool that is?"
I shook my head.
"It's one of the stages of life. Dirty old manhood is what every man secretly waits for."

[Red Haircrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Original post can be found at my Indie review website "Flying With Red Haircrow" http://flyingwithredhaircrow.wordpres...

“Mind Café” was a story I found while roaming through Smashwords, and found the description appealing. There were a couple of times when sentence structure in the narrative portions left me somewhat confused as to what was happening and when, but this story grabbed me from the very first sentence which was outstanding in its unspoken encouragement to have me read more.

Dialogue was naturally flowing and enjoyable. The descriptions were perfectly on time, just enough for you to visualize and build upon in your own mind, without slowing the pace. The story was one almost anyone could understand and find themselves empathizing with the main character, yet with special touches that made it personal. You were made to imagine yourself being in their position, wondering what you would do.

“Mind Café” shows a unique view of life, death and dying which I felt privileged to have seen from the author’s perspective. Don’t mistake it as a mere story of a life’s end, but how life can continue on as long as you are convinced you are alive.

I will admit that despite all the books, short stories and poetry I’ve read, several thousand, there are many I’ve liked or even loved, but there are a limited number which have personally touched my emotions in this way. Mind Café is truly outstanding writing, an unforgettable story and proof positive against those who believe self-published or “indie” titles are less worthy than those offered by traditional publishers."

[Jenna Scribbles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this short story for my new review blog http://www.NovellaReviews.blogspot.com

Amazon offered this story as a freebie for Kindle owners and I downloaded it. I'm hovering above the five star button for this one. This short affected me so much. I found it to be sad and haunting. The reader enters the mind of Rosie who has been "a vegetable" for decades. Her body is gone, but her mind is still active. For the majority of her life she's been stuck in this state.

Perhaps I found this story very powerful due to the fact that I've lost both of my parents within the last five years. The ebook brings many people to mind - elderly, the severely disabled, and loved ones lost.

An amazing and powerful short story. I was brought to tears more than once.

[MsBDiamondDiva1 · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really liked the concept of the story, but I really wanted more!!! I love the fact that you are left with a cliff hanger that could go both ways!!! So, if the author wanted to they could add more to this!!!

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

I read this short story last week and I didn't really see the point. What happened to her in the end? Did she finally die? I was really hoping that she would. What was behind that wall? Heaven? See, we don't know. This story left you with a lot of questions.

[Lynxie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short story about a woman who is trapped inside her mind while her body refuses to move or allow her to communicate normally with those around her.

The idea is quite interesting, peppered with a few futuristic ideas (eye implants connected to a virtual keyboard).

The writing is pretty good, I only noticed a few minor typos that should be able to be cleaned up with a cursory edit.

What was missing was any real sense of completion. We got introduced to Rosie and her situation but very little happened outside of that.

The story could be expanded successfully to give the reader a more full picture with a beginning a middle and an end.

I would definitely read more by this author.

[Lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

Waiting For Death

This seems to be a stand alone short story.


Rose was in a terrible accident years ago and now the only thing she can move is one eye... So not Exactly a vegetable, but almost. The only thing she has to look forward to is visitors or her *Mind Cafe*. Its not Exactly hers... Or not here alone. All she wants is to be dead and back with her beloved mother and sister. How much longer will she have to endure this existence? Who's cruel joke was it that she survive? If you can even call it that!


***This short story is suitable for young adult through adult readers who enjoy paranormal fantasy set in a world like ours :)

[Lisa Bentley · Rating 2 out of 5]

The Mind Café us a quirky story about a girl who is in an almost vegetative state. She has been left that way after an accident and has spent a large portion of her life in hospital. She has watched the people in her life come and go and pass away while she is stuck in a half life.

It is a very contemplative short story which doesn’t seem to have a resolution which mirrors the life of the protagonist. Mind Café is an easy enough read for a short commute.

Mind Café by Lizzy Ford is available now.

[Krystyna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful and heartbreaking

What a tremendous read in just a few pages. At 24 she suffered a horrendous accident that left her a vegetable except for the use of one eye. Her only pleasure in life - watching MTV and the cafe she has in her mind's eye. Here she is a fit 24 year old, here she can write and visit with people. Either the ones dreaming or the ones that have passed on. A wonderful view that people who are deemed to be vegetables might not actually be so. Highly recommended

[Toni Stastny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Trap in body

This short story let you make what a person like when they are in coma. Nite
Interesting perspective and how to deal with illnesses

[Kevin Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mind Cafe is a thought-provoking short story with something to say. The main character, Rosie, is the creation of author Lizzy Ford and a person who would unfortunately be all too easy to find in real life. She suffered an accident in her past (she demarcates time in "BDA" and "ADA" -- "Before or After the Damn Accident") and has been left in the author's words "a human vegetable." Rosie is dependent on assisted living, aided by a rude young Guatemalan nurse who can barely speak a lick of English and has MTV playing constantly, which Rosie can't stand. Furthermore, Rosie's only form of communication is a "virtual keyboard" invented by her tech savvy sister that registers her eye movements and clumsily translates them into words on a screen. (I'm unsure if a device like this actually exists, but if not I think it was a clever stroke on the part of Ford. It's very logical and practical piece of technology that should be invented.) With not much joy to be had in the real world, Rosie slips into the Mind Cafe, a place that the reader, or Rosie for that matter, can't fully define. Is it a figment of her imagination or something more spiritual? In any case, Rosie, who while in her dream state has the body of her 24 year-old self except for her silver 60 year-old which she much adores, prefers her Mind Cafe to the MTV playing in her living room, and the narrative of this story focuses on her interactions with the people in the cafe. Some of the diners are important friends and family members and some are people she's never met. I don't want to spoil the conversations because they are the crux of the book, but there is one I want to mention that I thought was cleverly done. A psychologist whom Rosie has never actually met in real life and only knows from a book she read in college visits her to essentially act as her therapist. Interestingly, the man's face never really changes, no smiles or frowns, and that's because Rosie's only seen one photograph of him on the back cover of his book.

As far as being a story that asks philosophical questions (What is the meaning of life? Is death a blessing or a curse? etc) The Mind Cafe is excellent. As far as a fiction goes I still think this is pretty good, but I think sometimes the writing gets a little murky. I found myself having to reread a few passages to understand exactly what it was the author was saying. I think fans of a more Literary-style fiction will be drawn to this as will people who enjoy contemplating philosophy. All in all, Mind Cafe is a worthwhile read.

[Shardallinee · Rating 5 out of 5]

First read in 2014.

''“All things have a purpose, no matter how trivial. Life and death are a cycle, which is a purpose within itself. They are balanced. There must be death if there is life.”

Even if Mind Café is a short story, it had a great impact on my thoughts and feelings about life, death and that 'state in between' that this little novelette speaks about.

I loved reading it, seriously. I have read it twice now and am still unable to write a review worthy enough to express what I felt while reading. The story made you think about things you may not really want to or avoid completely. It was funny, yet heartwrenching at the same time.

The Mind Café is a death’s waiting room for a woman (Rosie) trapped in her body after a tragic accident leaves her unable to do anything but watch the world... and think.

''A door in my room closed, and I blinked to bring myself out of the Café and back to my prison.'' This short sentence tells us exactly as Rosie feels.

The Mind Café is a part of a larger collection of stories depicting a day in the life of the unique.

[Chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I first started reading I was confused. I think I still am a little bit. It didn't really resolve anything at the end I think it needed to have a bit more closure. I thought it was an interesting concept behind the main character. I do think it needs a bit more in detail, I know it is inside her head but jumping from one conversation to the next without really grasping who that is, is confusing. I did enjoy it though. It gives you a little bit more insight in what could be happening to someone like that. That being said for being a short story it worked well for it.

[GREGG E SAVOY · Rating 4 out of 5]

Is she in a purgatory of the body?

I like that all this time she is still sane! There are few friends, relative s who come a drop by, perhaps to see her because she reminds them they could be like her or even dead She finds out her mother died five years before anyone bothered to tell her, she watched her sister walk through the magical wall. Yet has to sit and wait until her time to die comes, she never sees herself in a mirror, because , that ability or privilege has also taken, a way she has no control of what is happening to her physical body

[Tunkabean · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am spell bound! This is so far the best short novel I've ever read. The story gripped me from the beginning and I couldn't stop till it ended. VERY well written and so disturbing and thought provoking. The book gripped me emotionally. I totally connected to the character and the range of emotions that poured out from me to her totally surprised me! I really commend the author for writing such an amazing story. I look fwd to more!

[Wanda Hartzenberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I loved best about this short story is the novelty element. Rosie is trapped in her mind with a body that is no longer working.
Having been in a bad accident she cant walk nor can she speak. This forces her to retreat in her mind to have conversations with people in what she coins as her mind cafe.
I felt bad for the main protagonist, the story may be short and depressing but it does lend itself to explore the "What if?" question.
Not a bad read.
WaAr

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this story and found my self trying to figure it all out. So much happened in such a short story you find your self trying to figure it all out..

Mind cafe is about rosie who lost use of all functions other then her mind. She escapes reality by going to the mind cafe where she talks to her friend joey and learns of her sister lilys death. There are many layers to this story and I would love more.

[Suzanne · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think I understood what Ms. Ford was trying to convey with this story, but I'm not too sure... I was very confused the entire time I was reading this short story. While I can't really recommend this particular story, I do love her work, particularly the Damian stories and can't wait for the third in that series to be released.

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Free short story.
I found this story very moving.
Rosie is in a vegetative state, physically, since an accident many years ago. Except her mind works perfectly well. She has created a Cafe in her mind where she writes and visits with friends. Her family is all gone, though, and she longs for her end to come.

[Ericka · Rating 5 out of 5]

This reminds me a lot of what it was like the two times I was unconscious when I was deathly ill a few years back. I had some strokes and respiratory failure and part of my mental period was a lot like this. Reading this was somewhat disturbing but spot on. All I have to say is being stuck in my own head is NOT a good place. That's why I read people.

[Merissa (Archaeolibrarian) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a short story that feels like it's been taken out of a bigger story. You start the story halfway through and there is no ending to it. There are parts of it that you will understand with no explanation and others where you wish the book was longer and with an explanation!

This story will leave you with a lot of questions and your own opinion.

[Linda · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

I am a huge fan of Lizzy's and although I see potential for this story, it is so short, that it leaves me with more questions than answers. It is hard for me to ever rate anything this low, but if I'm being honest...well, it was a little depressing since the only thing that Rosie is waiting on is to die so she can rejoin her family. And that is just sad.

[Mummy's Naughty Corner · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is well written but it left me feeling confused. It was weird to me. It wasn't what I was expecting and I tried to enjoy it but it was lost on me. I can see others liking it and it's simply down to personal taste rather then anything wrong with the book. I do like the author and will read more of her work.

[Dierdra McGill · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Mind Cafe is a short story about a woman who is paralyzed after an accident. The story was touching and well written I really enjoyed it. She is very brave in her condition and I really liked the idea of the cafe/waiting room she can escape to.

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this short story. I think it would make a great novel by expanding on what occurred before the accident, and pick up where this one left off. Maybe we will get lucky and see this expanded in the near future. :)

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mind Cafe' was such a marvelous, and terrifically sad, short story. I felt so bad for Rosie, but loved how she learned to escape her situation. I also loved that she was surrounded mostly by people who understood that her mind was still intact.

[Heidi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would hate to be awake but unable to do anything. retreating into your own mind to try to have companions is sad. This is just one of those stories that gives you a chill down your spine without being outwordly scary