#@thelaughingstag

[alicewhitesblog]

Short Story by © Alice White

Claire Steading, placed her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath, while out walking her Jack Russell Terrier, Buster.

He had suddenly caught sight of a rabbit and immediately gave chase. Claire went running after both animals and watched as they darted through a hole in a chain-link fence that surrounded the half derelict Hallowmas Hall.

Claire managed to scramble up and over the nine-foot wire fence but lagged way behind in her pursuit of her dog.

“Come back boy! Look what mummy has got?” Eventually standing up waving in the air a small dog biscuit in the shape of a bone, hoping the scent of beef essence would carry.

Standing ankle deep in last summer dead vegetation, Claire couldn’t help but stare up at the hall. The place had once belonged to the famous author and now convicted mass murderer, Alastair Croxley. Unbeknown to his publisher and worldwide fans, Croxley would lure women back to the hall and after killing them, immortalise his deeds in fiction.

Claire, shivered has a gust of wind blew around the side of the hall animating the pile of dead leaves at her feet. She was about to call out for Buster again when she heard his bark echoing from within the hall.

Fearing that Buster may be trapped, she bounding up the stone steps to the front door. Inside, the hall was damp and bleak. Drapes hung awkward still attached to their collapsed curtain poles. Claire then screamed at seeing a family of mice scurry out from a hole in the wall.

Buster resumed his barking somewhere within the hall.

Eventually she found him in a large empty room, standing at the far wall scratching at the peeling wallpaper. Seeing that he was OK, she grabbed his collar and attached his lead.

“Come away!” she commanded. But Buster was reluctant to leave. Instead, he kept snarling and growling demanding to finish the tearing of the wallpaper.

Claire wanted out of the hall, but seeing that something was agitating her dog, she decided to stay and find out. Claire tied Buster to a door handle and went back to see why he was scratching at the wall.

Bending down, Claire saw that beneath the wallpaper was what looked like the edge of another door! She tore away more of the wallpaper to reveal that there was indeed a concealed entrance. Once she had peeled back the remaining paper, she placed her hand on the door knob, turned it, and went into the secret room.

Stale air escaped from the room sounding as if exhaling its final breath. The sudden gust spooked Buster, tugging himself free he ran out of the room and out of the hall. Claire was now too intrigued to go chasing after him.

Surprisingly, the room, which she concluded must be a study, was rather tidy, albeit covered in dust. There was a full bookcase running the entire length of the wall. A standard lamp, an armchair and an oak desk. To Claire’s amazement on top of which was a ‘Royal’ typewriter.

Claire looked down on what must have been the original typewriter that Croxley used. Her mind was too occupied to notice that the study door she originally came through, was starting to close, trapping her inside.

Then quite unexpectedly, the typewriter keys sprung into life making her jump and heart thump as the keys hammering out a message. When the typing had stopped she went, with some caution, over to the typewriter. Just two words were typed on the single sheet of paper. Two words that made her fall back against the desk.

‘Hello Claire.'

[thelaughingstag]

I would like to start off with a heartfelt apology. I have a habit of doing things ‘all or nothing’. I start off doing it all then get overwhelmed and do nothing. Well… not entirely nothing. During my absence I finished my masters degree, got a job in my field, and recently received a promotion. I participated and, for the first time, completed NaNoWriMo. Writing made me miss the community so here I am.

I promise I never truly forgot about you all, I have been seeing notifications for all of your work for the past several years and I’ve been quietly cheering you all on. I finally feel I have the space to give others the support that I had needed for myself. I hope you all have been well! Keep tagging the Stag and I’ll work through all of the posts I’ve been missing.

~Hin

[ink-flavored]

Magnet Monday Week 45: Magic for Pride Month

this is actually the second time i've written a Magnet Monday poem with "magic" as the theme, but since this is for pride month i'll accept a duplicate!

If you’re interested in being able to choose the topic of the next poem, make sure to vote in the weekly Magnet Monday polls! Or if you want a commission just like it, check out my pricing sheet!

Transcript under the cut!

[Ko-Fi] [Magnet Monday]

Magnet Monday Taglist (Check out my Google form to get added): @elegant-paper-collection ​ @polyphonetic @qelizhus @livums @maxdamaz @auroblaze @stardustanddaffodils @thelaughingstag @ceph-the-ghost-writer @auntdarth @damageinkorporated @srjacksin

Magic

being queer is magic

put pride in the center

of your lavender life

choose the self

and the power of change

put color in your body

see poetry in time

touch the past with love

and be the friendly hand

of today

[writeblrfantasy]

It's out! It's release day!☀️🎉☀️🎉

this baby is out in the world!

this book got its start on tumblr three years ago (wow the passage of time never fails to astound me) and i owe it all to this wonderful writeblr community. writing this series during the summer/fall of 21 was one of the best periods of my life, and i will forever be grateful and nostalgic for that time.

i truly can't believe this book is now out for everyone to read as i always hoped it would be! thank you to my incredible betas, friends, and everyone who has read this book at various stages along the way.

it's yours now. step into the world of kryos, and cerrick and njord's romance, for the first time.

You can buy it here!

orderverse taglist (lmk to be added/removed) @willowiswriting @ninazeniks @magic-is-something-we-create @ren-c-ley @justwriteyoudummy

@47crayons @yejidoesthings @ettawritesnstudies @faithfire-writes @a-forgotten-dusk

@talesfromaurea @ashen-crest @thelaughingstag @transmasc-wizard

GENERAL TAGLIST: @worldbuildng @muddshadow @nikkywrites @47crayons @directionoftime

@chayscribbles @magic-is-something-we-create @rodentwrites @notwritinganyflufftoday

[jev-urisk]

🌐7 Circles🌐 An Intro Presentation

There's no such thing as being too late to a trend (is what I'm telling myself here.)

Made using Canva. Extra slide via link cuz Tumblr caps at 10 pics. Also may be better quality.

This took a really long time but I'm really happy with the results!! 😭💕 Trying to explain or summarize my story is hard and nerve-wracking but something about making a presentation clicked for me.

Tagging everyone bc I'm so so stoked about thisss ❤️‍🔥

@the-golden-comet @lychhiker-writes @katenewmanwrites @cowboybrunch @wyked-ao3 @fortunatetragedy @zackprincebooks @urbiggestfan-01 @gioiaalbanoart @scorpiothesaint @officialauthorofanotherworld @aalinaaaaaa @smellyrottentrees @marlowethelibrarian @autism-purgatory @ddgraywrites @thelaughingstag

[aalinaaaaaa]

Writeblr Introduction (a Rewrite!)

Hello everyone, my name's Alina (Twenties, female), and if I'm not studying I'm likely on here (or writing, lol). I've had this account for a while now, I use it for posting my stuff as well as the lovely writings of others.

Also a proud member of this society -> @writersuog , go give them a follow! They reblog writing prompts and their members' writings.

And here's what can be found on my blog:

- My writing (see below)

- Other people's writing

- Writeblr things I think are neat

- Eurovision posts (lol)

Just a side note for visitors (this should be common sense, but eh), please don't send me asks/messages relating to the following things.

1. Discourse of any kind (such as political and/or humanitarian issues)

2. Asking for money

3. Anything such as hate comments, advertising, scams and other foolish things.

Should one send me an ask or message in relation to any of the aforementioned above, your message will be deleted on sight. A block and/or report may also be in order, message depending.

WIP Introductions and Masterlists

Flamebearer

Obsidian Sapphires

Caointe na Mná | The Lady's Lament

Soulswapped

Flash Fiction Friday Masterlist

OC Masterlist

Taglists:

General taglist:

— @thelaughingstag @glassstardust22124 @wip-nook @thereadingfoz @thebluesthourcommunity @original-writing @bigboicol-theflamingcol @darlingsmoon @the-ellia-west @guessillcallitart @mr-orion

Tag Game List:

— @emelkae @afoolandathief @oh-no-another-idea @talesfromaurea @ettawritesnstudies @estelaiswriting @drippingmoon @pluttskutt @avrablake @bloodlessheirbyjacques @writerfae @ghost-town-story @druidx @wildswrites @enchanted-lightning-aes @jezifsterswriting @ashen-crest @writing-is-a-martial-art @thesorcerersapprentice @echoing-sailor @splashinkling @copper-dragon-in-disguise @athenswrites @talesofsorrowandofruin @notthatpanda @mk-writes-stuff @scifimagpie @sparrow-orion-writes @winglesswriter @mysticstarlightduck @thepeculiarbird @poethill

(Ask/comment/message me if you'd like to be added or subtracted from any of these lists! (Each of the wips also have their own lists))

[thesorcerersapprentice]

This questionnaire is lifted from the popular book ‘Save the Cat! Writes a Novel’ by Jessica Brody. It’s designed to help flesh out your main character's personality, motivations, and backstory. I filled it out for Altaluna, the protagonist of The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.

TAG LIST: (ask to be + or - ) @the-finch-address @achilleanmafia @fearofahumanplanet @winterninja-fr  @avrablake @outpost51 @d3mon-ology @hippiewrites @threeking @lexiklecksi @ashirisu @thelaughingstag

[cherrybombfangirlwrites]

The City is Ours shitty comic sans intro weeeeeeeee-

I didn't make picrews for the villains bc I was tired of making them and the villians' faces are covered by masks 90% of the time anyway XD. These shitty comic sans intros are fun as hell, more of these for my other wips (including a couple of the backburners) are on their way!

Picrew used: Makowka picrew

taglists under the cut :D (idk if it just me, but tumblr's been really funky with tagging/not tagging people lately, so if you weren't tagged let me know)

TCIO Taglist: @friendlyneighborhood-writer @jessica-writes22 @rose-bookblood @yejidoesthings @space-writes @cljordan-imperium (send me a message to be +/- from the taglist <3)

General Taglist: @enchanted-lightning-aes @thatprolificauthor @wip-nook @writeblrsupport @outpost51 @dustylovelyrun @thelaughingstag @jacqueswriteblrlibrary (send me a message to be +/- from the taglist <3)

and @aritany of course, since you've been loving these :D

[indecentpause]

The Black & Blues: Meara's Mixtape

You’re still standing there, in the middle of the living room, your arms wrapped around each other. You never want to move away. Josselin kisses your shoulder and you kiss the top of his head in return. He smells like lavender. “Are you using a new conditioner?” you ask. “Your hair smells different.” He pulls away just enough to look up at you, flabbergasted. “I can’t believe you noticed. But yeah. I switch back and forth every six months or so so my hair doesn’t get buildup.” “It’s nice.” “Thank you.” He cups your cheek in his hand like he used to when you first started dating, and you lean into it and kiss his palm. You take his hand in yours and just hold it there, breathing him in, grounding yourself, just grateful he’s still here after all this mess. You stand there together for a long, long time, just being close to each other. Then, very abruptly, your head snaps up and you say, “Oh! I made you something. Hang on, I’ll be right back.” “You what?” But you’re already halfway through the bedroom to your computer, sitting on the floor next to your blanket pile. The mix CD you’ve been obsessing over is sitting on top of the computer tower with its little handmade booklet of the songs and their lyrics. When you give it to Josselin, he says, “You made this for me? Even though you were so busy and tired all the time?” “Yeah,” you say, like you’d never think of doing anything else. And you wouldn’t. “It kept me from going crazy.”

avenue q original broadway cast - mix tape // pansy division - fem in a black leather jacket // the queers - today I fell in love // the damned - love song // the smiths - hand in glove // the cure - lovecats // distorted penguins - cloud 9 // the used - i caught fire // troy's bucket - jason's song // descendants - good good things // the ramones - i want you around // rancid - who would've thought // sleater-kinney - i wanna be your joey ramone // rites of spring - for want of // 7 seconds - trust // x - the world's a mess, it's in your kiss // green day - only of you // sleater-kinney - oh! / descendants - in love this way // the cure - lovesong // the smiths- asleep

this is the mix cd Meara gives Josselin in the last chapter of Part I. I had a lot of fun finding songs that would have been around in the time period that this takes place (or earlier, in the case of some) that Meara would know and that he thinks Josselin would like. :3

listen to Meara's mixtape here!

read it for free on ao3 here!

Current taglist: @abalonetea @only-book-lovers-left-alive @poore-choice-of-words @leadhelmetcosmonaut @jasperygrace

@drippingmoon @athenswrites @magic-is-something-we-create @idreamonpaper @winterandwords

@revenantlore @mr-orion @thelaughingstag

Black & Blues taglist: @lynnedwardswrites

[dragon-swords-prophecies]

WIP Re-Intro: Herald At Dawn

Title: Herald at Dawn

Genre: Steampunk fantasy murder mystery

Status: 30k, draft 0 mostly finished

POV: Third person limited, multiple POVs

Setting: A steampunk city called Volimere, loosely based on victorian/edwardian london. Fashion is 1890s based, technology is, uh, wherever I think is coolest before the 1940s. Technically, its set in september & october of 1891, but thats largely because any later and the sleeves on women’s shirts get unmanageable. 

Universal TW/CW: Murder, corruption, legal systems being really really shit at their job, implied homophobia, cheating/affairs on spouses (past), bribery, death, implied past sexual assault, severe injury

Plot/Synopsis: 11 years ago a woman named Marisol Ekker was murdered by the wife of her son's father, Evelyn Belmont. Despite all evidence, Evelyn Belmont was acquitted and faced no punishment. Nearly a decade later, investigative reporter Alexandrina McLelland approached Marisol Ekker's son, Nathaniel Ekker--who was 12 at the time of her death--, to write an article about the corruption in the case. It is published in The Clockwork Herald, the newspaper where Alexandrina works, and exposes the dirty laundry of one of the city’s wealthiest families, the Belmonts. Soon after a string of murders begins. At first suspicions point to someone entirely unconnected with the Ekker trial or Alexandrina’s article, but as the pressure mounts (and the danger gets much closer to home), it becomes clear that the article and the deaths are far more connected than anyone initially thought.

Main Characters & Important Side Characters (Character Into links to be added):

Alexandrina "Alex" McLelland. 31, she/her, aroace. Investigative reporter at The Clockwork Herald and the narrator for this story (most of the time. sometimes there's another narrator)! Possesses a strong sense of justice and a weak sense of self preservation. Firmly believes in pockets. She wants to finish what her father started and expose the crimes of the city’s wealthy and powerful. This is, unfortunately, going rather slowly.

James Blakely. 32, he/him, gay, editor at the Herald. Alex's childhood friend, and Leo's partner. Is best described as a golden retriever with anxiety. He worries too much for his own good. James inherited editor-ship of the herald from his uncle 10 years ago, but he had been working there in various capacities since he was a teenager.

León "Leo" Rivera. 33, he/him, bisexual & bilingual. Writes the pages on politics at the Herald & is James' partner. Leo wrote the original articles on the Ekker trial 11 years ago; he used to be a court reporter. He does his best to not get hurt by his job, but sometimes he’s terrible at it (Chapter 10. Chapter 10 is when he’s really, really terrible at it. Though to be fair it is not in any way his fault). 

Nathaniel Ekker. 23, he/him, queer. Tailor, and the son of the woman whose murder was the focus of the Ekker trial. He agreed to do Alex's article on the condition it would be anonymous (and it was). He was 12 when his mother was killed by his father’s wife. His aunts raised him, and he only returned to Volimere 4 years ago t0 reopen his mother’s shop. 

Arthur Hall. 30, he/him, cishet. Investigative reporter at the Volimere Daily, and Alex's (mostly friendly) rival. Also one of her closest friends. Despite this, they have a lot of disagreements. He was supposed to co-write the article with her but ended up not doing that.

Ronald Wilks. 65, he/him, bisexual & polyamarous. Sports & Entertainment reporter at The Clockwork Herald. He used to work with Alexandrina’s father (Donovan), before Donovan died. He was not supposed to be as plot relevant as he is and I do not have a lot to say about him (yet).

Taglist maintained below the cut, ask to be added or removed!

@thelaughingstag @gr3y-heron @another-white-void @amethyst-aster @akindofmagictoo

[notwritinganyflufftoday]

Magical Boys WIP Intro

Saving their friend (and the whole world, I guess?) with the power of love, magic and being kinda gross.

Falling into a swamp is never fun, but it's worse when it turns out to be a magic swamp with a monster that kidnaps the most popular, princely and perfect guy in school.

It also transforms Billy and his two classmates, Beau and Younes, into very stereotypical magical boys —frills, sparkles and colour-coordinated outfits included.

Not only do they have to navigate this bizarre new world in form-fitting skirts and shorts, they have to do it quickly in order to rescue Arno before the monster that kidnapped him... tries to marry him?

Billy, Beau and Younes have quite a big task ahead of them and that's not even to mention the interpersonal drama teenagers can and will get into when it really isn't the time for it.

---

Based entirely on my love for the magical girl genre and everything it entails when it comes to modern fantasy romance with my own gay and trans spin on it.

A three-part story catered to a (queer) young adult audience.

Current status: book 1 draft 1 finished, writing draft 2

Third person limited | Multiple POVs | present tense

In case you're interested in following along while i'm writing this story. I will be tagging it as "#magical boys wip" for as long as it doesn't have an official title, and let me know if you want to be added to a taglist, so I can start one up.

Character introductions for the boys!

Taglist: @dustylovelyrun, @wildswrites, @sarandipitywrites, @skyderman, @thelaughingstag

[alicewhitesblog]

72 year old Judith Brook starred in bewilderment at the image that had appeared on the inside of her left arm. Without talking her eyes off it, she reached out with her right hand towards the table in front of her and lifting a cup from it's saucer, she slowly brought it up to her lips.

Sipping her Earl Grey, she wondered how on earth the picture of a skeleton riding a motorcycle managed to manifest itself onto the inside of her arm. She knew in her old age that she was becoming forgetful, but surely she would have remembered getting a tattoo! And if she did consciously get one she would have chosen the picture of her late cat not this hideous thing!

Returning the cup to its saucer, Judith looked back at her arm. With the mystery of sudden appearance of her new, and only tattoo, occupying her mind she overlooked the small round flesh coloured sticky plaster on the palm of her hand. A reminder of the blood given to her that morning.

Then, a strange thought occurred to her, 'I wonder if someone is missing a tattoo?'

Across town, Jason Kline is in a bar drinking his beer looking down at the space in his tattoo sleeve. It had been years since he had seen the bare flesh on his arm. Before he gave blood this morning, in the vaccant space, he had a skeleton riding a motorcycle!

[ink-flavored]

Magnet Monday Week 57: Bug

i'm not crying YOU'RE crying

If you’re interested in being able to choose the topic of the next poem, make sure to vote in the weekly Magnet Monday polls! Or if you want a commission just like it, check out my pricing sheet!

Transcript under the cut!

[Ko-Fi] [Magnet Monday]

Magnet Monday Taglist (Check out my Google form to get added): @elegant-paper-collection ​ @polyphonetic @qelizhus @livums @maxdamaz

@auroblaze @stardustanddaffodils @thelaughingstag @ceph-the-ghost-writer @auntdarth

@damageinkorporated @srjacksin @alesseia

Bug

there was a bug

on my window this morning

like a fat little fairy

tiny in a world too big for her

sister of the sky

where do you travel so fast?

you free and wild thing

on a tour of long life

my friend, we linger here

but I cannot learn to fly

take a flower from me

when you move on

[writeblrfantasy]

Do you want to read a winter aesthetic fantasy novel about a spy falling in love with his arranged husband months before its release?

Look no further!

ORDER OF THE SUN advanced reader copies are now available! Get the book for free, early, in exchange for a review! The link is good until June!

boosts welcome!

orderverse taglist (lmk to be added/removed) @willowiswriting @ninazeniks @magic-is-something-we-create @ren-c-leyn @justwriteyoudummy @47crayons @yejidoesthings @ettawritesnstudies @faithfire-writes @a-forgotten-dusk @talesfromaurea @ashen-crest@thelaughingstag

GENERAL TAGLIST: @worldbuildng @muddshadow @nikkywrites @47crayons @directionoftime @chayscribbles @magic-is-something-we-create @rodentwrites @notwritinganyflufftoday

[jev-urisk]

🌐7 Circles: Entry

Preamble/chapter 0/intro page

(Tf do you call something like this? Help?)

🎉and its my 1st writing post!🎉

7 paragraphs, soft tw for heights. (Respectful) concrit welcome: Could you imagine the characters? Did this pique your interest? What do you think about the length?

💠 💠 💠

High above the earth and sailing down from the heavens is a ship, winding its way to the ground like a feather on the breeze. It looks much like the kind that would sail on water, albeit a rather small one, and the warm colours of its curved wooden keel gently contrast the azure and gold sails curved to fullness by the wind.

At its helm, upon a deck lit brightly by the sun overhead, four hands grasp the ship's wheel. Skin blue and bangles gold, the tall figure turns the ship, using the strength of all their limbs to move the sail against the wind current.

Their thigh-length mauve braid of hair whips about them and their eyes, entirely green from pupil to sclera, narrow against the wind. It didn't much matter where they landed, so long as it was within the un-poisoned area of the surface world, but The Kalilith people didn't have a winter on their isle in the sky and the explorer didn't much fancy finding out how well they would fare against the vast arctic region on the north end of the continent below.

The gilded sailboat creaks as it changes course and a second Kalilith comes up from the cabin below to join the first. He's taller and his four bare arms more muscular. His red eyes look to the person at the helm, his expression cross as he marches across the deck.

"By my south hand, child–The current is too strong for that!" he says, raising his voice against the gale as he speaks to his more delicate charge. "We should let the wind carry our descent, not turn against it!"

Magic vessel it may be, but the ability to ride the wind and the ability to withstand it were two different things. The male Kalilith barely reaches the wheel before a loud snap is heard and he turns to see rigging being ripped out of place.

"But our trajectory had us flying into a tundra! If we land only to die before making contact, the mission is forfeit!" The first one retorts, aristocratic accent sharp as they raise their voice. They may be the younger of the two, and they're certainly no warrior, but it was their mission nonetheless.

"Take care of the rigging.” they order, “If I can get us past the ice we'll be much better off," they catch the red gaze of their attendant who hisses in contempt before rushing to comply.

Far, far below, a citizen of chilly north Danaport squints up at the sky, gasping in disbelief as they see something fall to the earth.

💠 💠 💠

Tagging @scorpiothesaint @katenewmanwrites @officialauthorofanotherworld and @thelaughingstag bc I'm particularly excited to share with yall ✨️

[aalinaaaaaa]

First + Last Line Tag

Thanks to @frostedlemonwriter for the tag! I'm beginning to get around to redoing the first chapter of Obsidian Sapphires, and so here's a snippet of how it's going so far :D

First Lines:

A few weeks left, a fact which sent Alycja into dizzying unease. She poured over a tome of spells she found in the Marble Library, flicking through the pages in hope of finding something. Upon this day in two weeks, she’d be standing upon the altar to complete her last rite, a display of elemental prowess. Her mother made a dress out of spinning fire, her father glass out of lightning and sand. Her older sister took all the torches out and lit them again. When her elemental gifts started and ended with dust, how could she ever aspire to make her family proud?

Last Lines:

“Are you sure about this? You know there’s a reason why spirit summonings are forbidden under Helindian spell law, right?” Cheyoria, her best friend, said. The two of them stood at the foot of the slope behind Rovsterli Cottage, a rickety place with a mind of its own. A campfire crackled beside them, its warm glow breaking up the impeding twilight. “Of course I’m sure, the temple’s immune to Helinda’s spell rules, so it should be fine.”

—

Sending tags to @tildeathiwillwrite @finickyfelix @surroundedbypearls @kaylinalexanderbooks @the-golden-comet @anyablackwood plus anyone else with lines to share :D

Obsidian Sapphires + General taglist (ask/comment/message me to be added or subtracted): @midnight-and-his-melodiverse @outpost51 @mr-orion @the-ellia-west @guessillcallitart @thelaughingstag @thereadingfoz @glassstardust22124 @original-writing @honeybewrites