#'thewriterandthestoryteller

[thewriterandthestoryteller]

Fantasy Collaboration Chapter 1

Hey guys! This is the first chapter of the story I am working on with @creativityflows (they are amazing by the way). We are writing a fantasy story from the perspective of two characters: Sylvia the Rogue, and Princess Alexia. @creativityflows has already posted the first chapter from her account from Sylvia’s perspective, so go to her account if you want to read it from her point of view. I am writing from Alexia’s point of view, so stick around if you want to read it from her perspective. If you have any questions about this story, feel free to ask us!

As requested, @willowandsnow will be tagged in all of the chapters in the story. If you want to be tagged in them as well, let us know and you will be added to the list.

Enjoy! (@thewriterandthestoryteller with @creativityflows) 

The trees swayed in the wind as Alexa gazed out of the window. It was a beautiful spring morning, and the sun was tentatively peering over the city, giving it an eerie glow. She sighed and gazed longingly at the beautiful place just out of her reach. Father would never let her go outside of the palace walls, and she knew it would do her no good to long for something that she could never have. Her freedom.

‘Tea miss?’ came a voice from behind her. She turned to see her best friend and maid holding a small mug of inky black liquid.

‘Yes please Sophia’ Alexia replied, distracted by the view outside. Sophia noticed her looking out the window.

‘’Tis a lovely view isn’t it miss?’ she commented but was greeted with silence as she continued to stare out of the window. Sophia wasn’t at all surprised by this, in fact, this has happened every morning since she started working at the palace, so she knew exactly what she had to say to her.

‘We’d best go and get ready for breakfast’ she walked to a chest of draws on the other side of the desk and pulled out a small comb. Handing it to Alexia, she was surprised when she heard her say,

‘Please, do call me Lexi’

She began combing the knots out of her hair, pulling the brush quickly to try and make the act less painful. While she was brushing, Sophia began putting out an outfit for her to wear. Today, like most days, it was simple black clothes with her cloak with red velvet in the hood. She knew that Lexi had never been a fan of overly fancy clothes and much preferred simple outfits that were well made and lasted a long time. She opened the bottom of the wardrobe to see a row of shoes neatly lined up, but hesitated to pick a pair. Knowing due to her halfling blood, Lexi often prefers to walk around barefoot when possible, she turned and asked her if she wanted them.

‘I suppose I ought to wear them’ she sighed, put down the brush and walked over to the mirror. She glanced at her reflection, showing her neat brown hair and beautiful green eyes, but also her unnaturally short height from her heritage. She looked enviously at Sophia, who was tall and slender, with blonde wavy hair. She was exactly how an elf was expected to look, and exactly how she wanted to be. Sophia saw the way in which she looked at her, the jealousy in her dark green eyes.

‘Please don’t be like that Lexi, you are different; it is a whole new kind of beauty’

‘Easy for you to say, you are from one of the oldest families in the land, and are a pure blooded elven’ she hissed ‘you don’t understand what it is like to stand out’

‘Please don’t be like this!’ she cried desperately ‘Not on your birthday!’

Alexia’s eyes widened in shock and shone in excitement, the argument now forgotten.

‘Of course! I must go and see what my father has planned for me’

‘What did you request this year Lexi?’ Sophie inquired, picking up the abandoned mug of tea from the table.

‘A entertainer that uses magic!’ she squealed

Grabbing a pair of shoes out of the open draw, Lexi ran into the corridor to the banquet.

‘Have a wonderful day my friend’ Sophie called after her.  

Alexia forcefully shoved open the door, and ran across the banquet hall, loud from the hearty laughs of the drunk men inside. She took a seat next to her father at the head of the table. She was concerned; the usual ghost of a smile was replaced by a stoic look of concern and fear. Sliding on her shoes, she opened her mouth to ask what was wrong but was interrupted by the doors being opened and a human shouting dramatically

‘Your entertainment has arrived!’

She bounced across the hall with a flute floating behind her and began to sing:

This is the tale of Elegaard ,

Who went on adventures both easy and hard,

With her lute and viola she sang,

On adventures across the land.

Alexia turned to her father and whispered,

‘Who is this Elegaard she sings of?’

‘A legend. She is said to be one of the best bards of the land.’ he replied, his voice barely heard over the now clapping and cheering crowd.

She turned back to look at the bard, now dancing on top of a table, the flute playing at an immense speed in time with the cheering crowd. The chorus was short and easy to remember, and everyone began chanting with her:

This is the tale of Elegaard ,

Who went on adventures both easy and hard,

With her lute and viola she sang,

On adventures across the land.

This is the tale of Elegaard ,

Who went on adventures both easy and hard,

With her lute and viola she sang,

On adventures across the land.

‘Cos this is the tale of Elegaard

Elegaard the brilliant bard

Elegaard the brilliant bard

Elegaard Elegaard Elegaard Elegaard!

The crowd erupted into cheers and laughter, and the bard began bowing to her audience. She then bounced over to the throne and turned to face Alexia with a big grin on her face. She then clicked her fingers and her flute disappeared into thin air. Alexia pretended not to notice the sad look on her face when she saw the frown plastered on the King’s face, but it was well hidden and quickly replaced with a smile as she began to tell a story. It was magical; she spoke of dragons in faraway lands, and lairs of goblins and raiders wreaking havoc upon the innocent. Alexia began to study the entertainer before her. Long black hair tied messily into a braid draped over her back. Green travelling clothes with thick long boots that came up to her knees and a black cloak fastened together with a feather breach. These clothes were typically worn by travellers as well as entertainers. There was nothing unusual about them. She was also wearing a mask engraved to look like the face of a fox. It was beautifully crafted; the metal fit her face perfectly. However, this gave Alexia the idea that she may have a reason to hide her face. She quickly put this thought to the back of her mind and continued to listen. As she was retelling the story, for a brief moment, she thought one eye looked a slightly different colour to the other.

‘Huh’ she thought ‘I wonder what that could be’

Before she could say ‘bard’, the story was finished, and once again the crowd erupted into cheers. Alexia, for the second time that day, was longing for the outside world that was out of her reach. She gently placed a hand on the entertainer's shoulder, and she turned around, a mischievous grin on her face

‘It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Alexia’

For the second time, Alexia noticed the difference in colour in her eyes. This bard was definitely not what she seemed, and is only putting on some sort of disguise. She began to get distracted, wondering what else those eyes may be hiding...

[weaver-of-fantasies-and-fables]

The Gift of Ashes - Scio’s lie

I’ve been meaning to make this post for a while, but I had to wait for pc time, which has been short as of late. Anyhow, have my beloved Sunon and Scio willing to die and lie to save one another in Chapter 22, that’s taking me so long to write. Just one more scene and then from Chapter 23 to 32 it’s the ending! I’m excited. 

The Gift of Ashes on Insta   -  My silly twitter

“I never told you what happened to Moon.” The Goddess drew a shaky breath, clamped her mouth shut. Then she seemed to get a grip on herself, and gently guided Scio to turn towards her with a finger lightly touching her chin. “I think… you must be told now,” she said firmly, and again fell silent.

It was guilt that sealed her lips, but guilt as well compelled her to speak, and her eyes flashed yellow in her conflict. “When the mortals turned Moon into their enemy, it was written that I would be the one to kill her.”

Scio merely nodded. This was not a revelation for her – she remembered the myths, had learned some of them by heart, learned the words Klara’s delicate writing had woven, the tale of sorrow it revealed. Growing up in Malnova had meant being thoroughly surrounded by that tradition, with statues depicting the Execution of the Desecrated Fallen Deity and Sun’s triumph.

What had caused her surprise had been Sunon’s adamant certainty that Moon was alive, all those months before when they first met. And now that Ri’sal was backtracking on what should have been the most important thing to her, the warrior couldn’t help but wonder at the reasons behind that choice.

It couldn’t be as simple as picking duty over love again – that mistake had been made already, and hopefully learned from too.

“She knew as I did,” Sunon said hollowly. “She never blamed me for it, but She… She asked me to flee with her.” A fleeting grimace of remembered pain crossed her face, but she went on as if untouched by any of it. An admirable pretence indeed. “I did not, because there is no escaping Fate, as Change so kindly reminded us.”

Finally, the Goddess turned away and looked up at the night sky. Only the stars were left – Moon was gone, and so was Darkness, and the merpeople were soundless. “And so She made a pact with Change, to spare me the destruction murdering her myself would bring.” A sigh punctuated the pause she took to gather her strength. “She’s gone, and you see – if She came back…” She curled her hands into tight fists. “Then I would have to fulfil the mortals’ desire.”

Scio swallowed, and the sound was deafening in her ears – she could hear the pounding of her own blood, the ruffled flow of her breath, and it was impossibly difficult to cancel out the noise. “And if you refuse?” she dared ask, hating the fragility in her voice but unwilling to hide it because it would have felt like treachery.

“I will be the one to die,” Sunon told her simply, like it didn’t matter, like it was the lesser of many evils. “But you must understand… I would never risk her to save myself.”

Of course you wouldn’t, Scio thought in the privacy of her mind. You love her. “I know, Ri’sal,” she murmured, nodding her head. With startling clarity she could now see the tiny inconsequential details scattered about the levigated stone, and she studied them instead of her Goddess’s eyes. “I know. I understand.” That was true, at least. “But don’t ask me to sit idly by while you destroy yourself, because I refuse.”

Sunon straightened. “I will do what I believe is right.”

Mirroring her, the warrior squared her shoulders and reached out to grasp her hand. “And so will I,” she said. It came out hard, the way her voice had been when she was Shorin and talking to disguised Change as he wrote letters for her. She felt like she was coming full circle – like within her somehow coexisted all the things she had been in the course of her thirty years of life.

“Yes. Yes, Scio.” Ri’sal spoke her name softly, as if compensating for her harsh tone. “And I will not stop you.” She leaned in, then, seeking to meet her gaze. Scio braced herself. “Promise me, though… Promise me you won’t go looking for Moon.”

“I promise,” Scio lied.

And maybe Sunon knew, but she chose to believe her just the same.

Tagging my beloved friends! @dreamywritingdragon @toboldlywrite @concerningwolves @lady-redshield-writes @rosesonneptune @toomuchplot @elkiyv @queerloveandspaceships @mothdogs @adorhauer @create-and-procrastinate @kriss-the-writing-nerd @lady-silverbird @thewriterandthestoryteller

Let me know if you want to be tagged/untagged!

[writingonjupiter]

15 for 15

Tagged by @rychillacases and I’ll be doing this for myself.

1. Are you named after anyone?

My middle name’s a family name from a distant ancestor. But other than that, no.

2. When was the last time you cried?

A couple weeks ago.

3. Do you have/want kids?

I don’t have any, but I would like some in the future.

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Yeah. I mostly use it when I’m joking around with friends or family.

5. What’s the first thing you notice about people?

I don’t really know. I just kind of take in their appearance and mannerisms, without really focusing on any one thing.

6. What’s your eye color?

Brown.

7. Scary movie or happy ending?

Happy ending, always. If a scary movie has a happy ending, I’ll watch it, but I won’t choose to watch it.

8. Any special talents?

The only one I can think of is being able to ride a bike with no hands. That’s gotta count for something, right?

9. Where were you born?

Lower Peninsula, Michigan. (Though I remember nothing of that place.)

10. What are your hobbies?

Writing, piano, conlanging, and procrastinating

11. Do you have any pets?

Two birds and a rabbit.

12. What sports do you play/have you played?

I played a lot of soccer in elementary school, but not much after that.

13. How tall are you?

0.000987 nautical miles

14. Favourite subject in school?

Chemistry or physics

15. Dream job?

Something in one of those two

Tagging 15 others: @gettingitwrite @indecentpause @madmoonink @lethalblizzwrites @merigreenleaf @micastarsandmirrors @nightskywriter @pen-for-sword @raevenlywrites @random-nerd-lesbian @romanthewriter @sj-flemings-writing @spacebrick3 @thebloodstainedquill @thewriterandthestoryteller (but no pressure to any of you!)

[everywriterneedsfanart]

Last line tag

Thanks for tagging me @converginglives! 

The first word Alba heard was a curse. They say swearing helps with pain. 

I’m going to tag @dreamsofbooksandmonsters, @lethalblizzwrites, @andtheotherwriter, @ladyliliana, @mercury-blogging, @thewriterandthestoryteller and @whatevertotesyourgoat. 

[givethispromptatry]

OC Interview Ask Meme!

I was tagged by the awesome @thewriterandthestoryteller to do this interview with my oc of choice! I picked two! Odette and her older brother Hue!

I’ll tag people up here too! @hads4life, @galaxy-mermaid-musi, @livingdarwinaward, @another-insanewriter, and @hugo-vinther! Have fun guys!

Under a read more because it’s long!

1. How are you doing today?

O: Alright, I guess. I can’t complain.

H: Exhausted. Training to take over a pack takes a lot of focus, especially when it’s all day every day.

2. You ready to answer some questions?

O: I mean... I guess?

H: Sure.

3. How do you feel about your last name?

O: That’s kind of an odd opener. I’m alright with it. It means red and that’s my favorite color. Or it could be the mouth-bit in a brass or woodwind instrument, which is pretty neat.

H: I’m proud of it. The surrounding packs that we meet with every month often defer to us because we’ve been around so long and are so well established. We may not be big but we carry a lot of sway.

4. Is there anything you would like to thank your author for?

O: Meeting Tamsin. Gods, that kickstarted so many positive things in my life. Being given the potential for magic let me meet Deryn and Linnea. It gave me a greater purpose than the one I had before. Also, thanks for having my girlfriends give me the time of day even though they were already in a relationship. I just feel so loved now!

H: I... um... My friends, I guess. I know (due to fourth wall breakage) I didn’t really have a lot of them when you thought of me but I have some good ones now. We support each other in ways that family cannot.

5. You can only eat three foods for the rest of your life, what are they?

O: We both know the first one!

H: Nana’s tamales. Best thing in the world, hands down.

O: And after that mine would be crunchy, crusty bread and sushi!

H: Mine would be cookie dough ice cream and-

O: No! Hue!

H: What?

O: You have to be vague! Then you can have different flavors!

H: ... You do know that they aren’t going to actually curse us or anything, right?

O: It’s the principle of the thing!

H: ... Fine. Ice cream and fruit.

O: ... Sweet-tooth-McGee over here...

6. Have you ever done or said anything that surprised your author?

O: The very fact that I became one of her main characters was pretty surprising. I’m just so lovable!

H: Me becoming a mom friend. Enough said.

7. You have limitless funds, what kind of party are you going to have?

O: I’m going to tip so many waitresses! Catering from a nice place, live music, dancing, gift bags! The best thing you’ve ever been to!!!

H: I... I’m going on kickstarter or something and funding so many things. And then-! Build-your-own-sundae bar, mega style.

8. Pick one of your fellow characters, what would they say about you?

H: Our mother says that I’m a good Alpha candidate. I’m resourceful, strong, and thoughtful. Also, Tamsin says I have a cute butt.

O: Deryn says I’m an attractive mess, mostly because I’m clumsy but well put together. Linnea often calls me her “favorite agent of chaos.” Jokes on them though! They confessed to me first!

9. Tell us a quick story about something that’s happened to you that not even your author knows about... yet.

O: Hue’s friends once convinced him to dress up in one of those ‘sexy’ versions of a normal costume. He and his two guys friends as sexy traffic cones and played truth or dare all night long on Halloween!

H: I was the sexiest traffic cone.

O: And other things you never want to hear from your brother.

H: Odette used to eat house plants. 

O: I only ate one!

H: No, you destroyed one. You nibbled on everything else. Even the grass that we had for the cat.

O: ...

10. Do you have a favorite hero?

O: Like, fictional?

H: Probably.

O: Wonder Woman and All Might.

H: Spiderman and All Might.

11. What do you plan to do after this?

H: Sleep for a thousand years.

O: Your alarm wakes you up at 7am.

H: A. Thousand. Years.

O: ... I’m going to listen to music and study. Tamsin gave me an old grimoire she found and I have to read it and tell her what’s in it. Also, I have college work to do...

[sawyersscribbles]

Hey Ellie, Hoe should I draft a story? I ask an awful lot of people this, and their answers are completely different from writer to writer. There doesn't seem like one way to do it, and I am searching for one fail-safe method that I can use. Could you be of any assistance? Watson @thewriterandthestoryteller

If you’re asking purely for the purpose of DRAFTING a story, then the only way to really do that is to get your words on paper and then edit when you’re done. They don’t have to be good words, but I heard a quote once from Shannon Hale that said, “I’m writing my first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shoveling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.”

I think I’ve actually seen a couple asks with the similar question, maybe they were you, but if your question is about outlining, then I’m sorry to be the one that tells you that that “fail safe” method you’re looking for doesn’t exist. The writing process is all about finding what works for you, so although it’s frustrating to have no answers for a little while, that trial and error will ultimately help you be a better writer.

I’m really sorry I couldn’t help you more with this, but good luck!

[queerloveandspaceships]

11 Questions Game

I was tagged by @weaver-of-fantasies-and-fables, whom I adore! Thank you!!!

1. Do you prefer writing first pages or last pages?

Oh this is tough! I think I’m going to go with last pages. The Pressure of Exposition always makes those first few pages really stressful, whereas the last pages give you an opportunity to wrap things up at exactly your speed, exactly the way you want to wrap them up.

2. What kinds of scene are your favourites to write?

I love internal dialogue and (though I’m trying to be less heavy-handed with it) my favorite scenes are always the ones in which the character undergoes a revelation, or has some kind of intense emotional conflict come to a head. So much the better if it’s while they’re attempting to do something else, like talk to another person, and they get totally overwhelmed by emotion in the middle of it. XD

3. Descriptions. Are they the bane of your existence or the ace up your sleeve?

Depends on what I’m describing! I have never thought setting was a strong suit of mine, though people tend to be complimentary about it. But I think I prefer describing setting/appearance/etc. to doing action scenes and the like.

4. Is there any recurring theme in your writing?

If you’d have asked me a year ago I would have said “no,” but I’ve recently noticed all of my big stories (at least, original fiction) deal a lot with memory, fear, and recovery from trauma. Which is pretty cool that I accidentally started writing about those things, because they are some of the themes I love most to read about.

5. Would you say there’s a specific event in your life that has led you to writing?

Oh there were probably many things! I’ve been writing as long as I can remember! But the catalyst that stands out was in 4th grade, when my teacher gave me a notebook (it had tropical fish on the cover!) and I was so honored that she had given me a gift that I filled it up with fantasy stories and dedicated it to her. She was so sweet about it, and I’m sure her encouragement had something to do with me continuing to pursue it.

6. What do you like most in a book?

Oh man, characters! Well developed characters!! They could be kazoo-playing nomads from Planet Ridiculous, following the most convoluted plot in the WORLD, but if they’re well developed and realistic I’ll love the book.

7. How do you feel about the Classics? Are they to be looked upon for guidance or forgotten? Or maybe read just out of curiosity?

Oh a little bit of all of the above! Which I know sounds contradictory, but bear with me! I have read a lot of classics (since I once thought I would be an English teacher) and some of them are true literary genius. Some of them just mark important movements in literature, and therefore history. Some of them are only worthwhile for the picture they paint of the times in which they were written. I think we can learn a lot from the classics, but (and don’t crucify me for this) I think we learn more about history than we do writing. To become a better writer in the here-and-now, I think we are better off reading books from the here-and-now, while picking and choosing the devices from classic literature that we like. Oh man, I hope that’s not an unpopular opinion, haha!

8. Name the one thing you will absolutely have in your writing.

Loveeeeee. I hate myself so much; I am nearly incapable of writing anything without romance. Well, okay, that doesn’t apply to my short stories necessarily, but anything more than 5k-words there’s usually a romantic subplot (or main plot) in there.

9. Do you have any writing ritual? Or just write whenever, wherever?

No real ritual! We have a writing room now, which is AWESOME, but to be honest I’m very seldom home when I have time to write. Usually I’m typing furiously on my lunch breaks at work, or sitting in the bathroom during intermission of a play typing out a couple sentences on my phone. Except Saturdays. Blessed Saturdays. I spent two hours in the writing room last Saturday and it was AMAZING.

10. Background music, ambient noises or complete silence?

I’m all for complete silence, but I do have an instrumental writing music playlist (which I mostly use at work, because I hate office ambiance haha). When I’m at home, though, my favorite writing soundtrack is the hum of the heater going and the sound of the cat purring. Hahah

11. Name two authors you adore and one you can’t stand.

Chuck Palahniuk and Margaret Attwood are among the authors I adore, though I have admittedly cooled off on Palahniuk over the years, he also taught me a LOT.  As for hate... Fucking Hemingway. Sorry to any fans, but his style and emphasis on MASCULINITY just irks the hell out of me.

Thanks again for the tag, Hana! I’m going to tag some pals and some new writeblr buddies! @thewriterandthestoryteller, @scarlett-olivier , @rosesonneptune , @revolant , @thewaltzrio , @flamingbluepanda , @avatarthorpe , @consistentlycontradictory , @weaver-of-fantasies-and-fables (if you want to do another one, but only if you want to!) and anyone else who wants to do this! No pressure if you don’t!

Here’s my questions for you!

1. If you had to stop writing in your preferred genre, what genre would you take up?

2. Do you do any writing exercises on a regular basis? Or just go-go-go with your projects?

3. What is the biggest writing project you’ve ever tackled? (Biggest in size, scope or challenge).

4. If you could bring one of your characters to life, who would it be and why?

6. Do you have any creative outlets other than writing? If so, what are they, and do they connect to or enrich your writing at all?

7. If you could choose one published author to read and edit your work, who would it be?

8. Name a major writing influence in your life (can be famous or a family member or friend. Just someone who inspires you).

9. Tell me about the first piece of fiction you ever wrote (at least, the first piece of fiction you remember writing). 

10. What is one aspect of your writing that you’re actively working to improve?

11. What do you think is your greatest strength as a writer?

[forever-lonely-stars]

Character Aesthetic Tag

Tagged by @ally-thorne Thank you!!! I’m going to do one of my other ocs, whose name is Harper! She’s my sweet heart <3

Rules: Bold what applies to your character. Feel free to add your own options to the list!

[ COLORS ] red. brown. orange. yellow. green. blue. purple. pink. black. white. teal. silver. gold. grey. lilac. metallic. matte. royal blue. strawberry red. charcoal grey. forest green. apple red. navy blue. crimson. cream. mint green.  nebula purple

[ELEMENTS ] fire. ice. water. air. earth. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun. heat. cold. steam. mist. frost. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. twilight. midnight. sunrise. sunset. dewdrops. magic.

[ BODY ] claws. long fingers. fangs. teeth. wings. tails. lips. bare feet. freckles. bruises. canine. scars. scratches. wounds. burns. spikes. feathers. webs. eyes. hands. sweat. tears. feline. chubby. curvy. short. tall. normal height. muscular. piercing. tattoos. lithe.

[ WEAPONS ] fists. sword. dagger. spear. arrow. hammer. shield.poison. guns. axes. throwing axes. whips. knives. throwing knives. pepper sprays. tasers. machine guns. slingshots. katanas. maces. staffs. wands. powers. magical items. magic. rocks. mud balls. pyre. teeth. rifles.

[ MATERIALS ] gold. silver. platinum. titanium. diamonds. pearls. rubies. sapphires. emeralds. amethyst. metal. iron. rust. steel. glass. wood. porcelain. paper. wool. fur. lace. leather. silk. velvet. denim. linen. cotton. charcoal. clay. stone. asphalt. brick. marble. dust.glitter. blood. dirt. mud. smoke. ash. shadow. carbonate. rubber. synthetics.

[ NATURE ] grass. leaves. trees. bark. roses. daisies. tulips. lavender. petals. thorns. seeds. hay. sand. rocks. roots. flowers. ocean. river. meadow. forest. desert. tundra. savanna. rainforest. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space. clouds. mountains. poppies.

[ ANIMALS ] lions. wolves. eagles. owls. bears. falcons. hawks. swans. snakes. turtles. ducks. bugs. spiders. crickets. birds. whales. dolphins. fish. sharks. horses. cats. dogs. bunnies. praying mantises. crows. ravens. mice. lizards. werewolves. unicorns. pegasus. dragons. rats. livestock. foxes. peacocks.

[ FOODS/DRINKS ] sugar. salt. candy. bubblegum. wine. champagne. hard liquor. beer. coffee. tea. spices. herbs. apple. orange. lemon. cherry. strawberry. watermelon. vegetables. fruits. meat. fish. pies. desserts. chocolate. cream. caramel. berries. nuts. cinnamon. burgers. burritos. pizza. french fries. ambrosia. cake. cookie.

[ HOBBIES ] music. art. watercolors. gardening. smithing. sculpting. painting. sketching. fighting. writing. composing. cooking. sewing. training. dancing. acting. singing. martial arts. self-defense.electronics. technology. cameras. video cameras. video games. computer. phone. movies. theater. libraries. books. comic books. magazines. cds. records. vinyls. cassettes. piano. violin. guitar. electronic guitar. bass guitar. harmonica. harp. woodwinds. brass. bells. playing cards. poker chips. chess. dice. motorcycle riding. eating. climbing. running. exploring.

[ STYLE ] lingerie. armor. cape. dress. tunic. vest. shirt. sweater. boots. heels. leggings. trousers. jeans. skirt. jewelry. earrings. necklace. bracelet. ring. pendant. hat. crown. circlet. helmet. scarf.brocade. cloaks. corsets. doublet. chest plate. gorget. bracers. belt. sash. coat. jacket. duster. trenchcoat. hood. gloves. socks. masks. cowls. braces. watches. glasses. sunglasses. visor. eye contacts. makeup. ties. uniform. headbads.

[ MISC ] balloons. bubbles. cityscape. light. dark. candles. war. peace. money. power. percussion. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. kisses. diary. fairy lights. madness. sanity. sadness. happiness. optimism. pessimism. loneliness. family. friends. assistants. co-workers. enemies. loyalty. smoking. drugs. kindness. love. hugs. revenge. grief.

that was really fun!! Tagging:  @ivettaviolet @alittle-writer @thebooktrooper @heavenlybattles @ava-burton-writing @hidden-writers-blog  @firewritten @thewriterandthestorytellerm @cog-writes @etherayy   @theinkstainsblog and whoever wants to join in!!

[radley-writes]

Seven Deadly Sins Tag!

Thank you so very much to the wonderful @adorhauer for tagging me! This sounds really fun. :3

Rules: Assign your OCs to each of the seven deadly sins. (You can assign one to each, or more than one to each, your pick.) Try not to use someone more than once! Afterwards, tag as many people as you’d like to do this tag!

Lust: There’s no explicit content in Empire Ants, but nevertheless, there’s a cheeky moment where it’s insinuated the Pod chief is doing Unspeakable Things inspired by a holo of Princess Vaingloria, so I’m going to have to roll with him. Poor ol’ Corky.

Envy: I had so much trouble with this one. Stracks straddles that divide between pride and envy. But while he’ll talk down to anyone he considers ‘lesser’, he also gets green-eyed and acid-spittingly envious of anyone who ‘beats’ him - such as Chaunticleer, Stracks’s reluctant rival; and his baby sister, top dog among the Warlords. 

Greed: The Empress. She wants it all, and she’s determined to get it.

Sloth: Lorelai, Stracks’s lieutenant, isn’t lazy. Not exactly - she can perform an average person’s daily work in an hour, but then needs to sleep for six before she can do it all over again. So she spends most of her time snoozing, but it’s not laziness. Nevertheless, she’s the closest fit!

Gluttony: Reeta loves her food. Her main side-quest (other than assassinating Stracks and saving the galaxy) is to find a good bowl of scrambled eggs. We’re all rooting for her!

Pride: From an Imperial perspective, Ducky is very, very presumptive for ever imagining a Warlord like Stracks would be interested in a lowly Pod-born clone like him. 

Wrath: Princess Vaingloria. No spoilers, but I reckon she fits - and she has damn good reason to.

Tagging: @cog-writes, @brynwrites, @greenhousewriting, @thewriterandthestoryteller, @madame-english, @aschenink . Have fun (but no pressure! x)

[karkkidoeswriting]

Time Travel Tag

@madmooninc, my favorite human, tagged me! Thank you <3

Rules: Someone in your cast has created a time machine! Welp, that opens up a whole lot of plot holes. Answer each question with a character from your WIP. Only use a character once unless you have a tiny cast …

I’ll probably not use every character only once even though I have pretty huge cast :D

1. Which character made the time machine? How?

This is easy. Faerathos. He’d totally be the mad scientist, he is very close that already. He is physicist, scholar and very intelligent.

2. Which character doesn’t even want to touch the machine? Why?

Probably Valeri. He’s the skeptical one, the pessimist, who is certain that change is always for the worst. Also he is kinda religious and believes in fate so it would really go against his believes.

3. Which character wants to go all the way back and see the prehistoric creatures of your world?

Again Faerathos. That would probably be the reason he made the whole thing. Or the second reason, because he would do anything to see the future and futuristic technology. He would fit better in our world actually. But he would totally go look dragons and dinosaurs because they are awesome.

4. Which character wants to go back in time to see an important event from their life again? What event was it?

Agrippa. She wants to see the day The City of Moon fell and her parents died. She wants to know what really happened as she doesn’t dare to ask his foster father Alexis who was the one behind the attack. Actually she knows he probably intentionally had her parents killed, but she would hope so much that it wasn’t so, and Alexis didn’t have anything to do with it and she would get peace by seeing it.

5. Which character wants to go to the past to fix a mistake of theirs? What mistake was it?

Again Faerathos. He is haunted by the fact that he accidentally shot his father while killing one of the assassins during the Fall of cor Mantgamia (he was like 14 at the time). He would do anything to go back and not shoot, while it probably wouldn’t change the outcome, it would give him peace.

Marcus. I haven’t talked about him much, but oh boy, he has done some mistakes. First of all, he kinda cut of the hand of his only friend closest friend (that being Julius, father of the main siblings, who later become his love interest) in rage (”sorry about that my dude”). Secondly, he lost his wife and child in childbirth, though we can all agree that wasn’t his fault, he still thinks that things would have been better if he never married her - she would be alive. Thirdly, he too has some regrets about Julius’ death. He was the head of their house guard and thinks he should have been able to save them. Fourthly, in the past he was quite of a villain and killed people for money and other not so good reasons. Actually he would maybe just go kill the baby him and be done with it, world would be so much better place, he thinks.

6.  Which character wants to go to the past to stop some cataclysmic event? How?

Literally all the cor Mantgamian siblings would go 13 years back and just stop the Fall of cor Mantgamia from happening. They are all in their own way caught up in the past and trying to undo the damage done that time. None of them has had it particularly well after it.

7. Which character wants to go to the future to see what happens to them?

Fiolew probably. He is pretty anxious about future and would totally go see if he’s doing okay, if not he could still do some adjustments at the present.

8. Which character wants to steal something from the future to sell and get rich?

Again Fiolew, definitely Fiolew :D He’s fixated on getting rich because he really believes money bring happiness. Also he wants to buy back their castle (castles are becoming more and more costly to keep, so it’s not unusual for nobles to sell their castle to some rich merchant). Plus, he is a literal thief.

9. Which character accidentally gets permanently trapped in time because they weren’t paying attention to how to run the machine?

I’d say Fiolew again. While he is smart really, he has this power to fuck things up. It’s quite unique.

10.  Which character is tasked with cleaning up all the paradoxes the other characters created?

Maybe Manonheahpi. He is possibly the most powerful sage of his time, and especially in their world I believe time could be “fixed” with magic.

So tags. I’ll tag @writeawayjake, @thewriterandthestoryteller, @lady-redshield-writes and @toboldlywrite! Sorry if you already did this :)

[silverbird-scrive]

Last Sentence Tag

I was tagged by the lovely @thewriterkatie 💜💜💜💜

RULES: Post the last sentence you wrote and then tag as many people as there are words. as I want to, because I’m a writer and we change the rules all the time.

I will be showing of a bit of dialogue I wrote from S.N.O.T.S.B.

*********

“Do you come fully equipped with maintenance tools?” Nate was uncertain of how helpful the android’s response would be, but he was running out of options and time.

“IF I DID I WOULD NOT SHARE WITH YOU,” the Android responded, the graviton-propulsion system under its carriage whirred in the air as it turned away from him with indignation.

“No, I’m sorry,” he said with a loaded sigh, “I assumed the C-models were superior in build to some of the rest of the droids on this station. I could find another—

“THE C-MODELS ARE SUPERIOR, YOU IGNORANT FLESH-SACK.” Although he wasn't completely familiar with the technological advances in artificial intelligence, it seemed that androids were becoming capable of more emotionality in their responses. The little C-45H model’s visual sensor panel was flashing red as it pushed Nate aside to asses the panel he was working on.

*******

I tag @aceraleigh, @alliewade, @alittle-writer, @weaver-of-fantasies-and-fables, @aschenink, @cog-writes, @writerofwriting, @lady-redshield-writes, @thewriterandthestoryteller, and anyone else who would love to do this!

[thewriterandthestoryteller]

Character sheets for Elliot (2/3)

Hey guys! I really can’t be bothered to come up with a long introduction to this post, as all I really have to say is that this is the second of three charectar sheets I will be making for my WIP Elliot. 

Sorry it took so long (revision is a bitch); I hope you like it 

Watson (@thewriterandthestoryteller)

Susan/Suzie

Name: Susan Ember

Age: 32

Occupation: Detective

Talents/Skills: Music, Writing, Maths, Science

Birth order: Firstborn (Only child) 

Relationship skills: Susan is very good with relationships. Her interest in psychology makes her really understand others, and make her a great listener for others

Height: 5′3″

Weight: 12 stone (A bit more than Lizzie)

Race: White

Eye colour: Brown 

Hair Colour: Light brown/silvery type thing 

Glasses or contact lenses? Contacts

Skin colour: White

Shape of Face: Square (egg-shaped)

Distinguishing features: Her height compared to Lizzie

How does he/she dress? Casual but smart; usually a floral blouse with navy blue jeans and pastel blue tennis shoes.

Mannerisms: She doesn’t show any emotion whatsoever

Habits: (smoking, drinking etc.) She drinks and is an anxious smoker

Health: Meh.

Hobbies: Piano, Reading, Traveling.

Favourite Saying:

“ “A person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly. You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely.”

- Roald Dahl

Speech patterns:

She has a mild Scottish accent, but it becomes really harsh when she is angry or unimpressed

Disabilities:

Depression, Anxiety, Aspergers Syndrome

Style (Elegant, shabby etc.): Slightly dated

Greatest flaw: Fear of losing those she loves

Best quality:

She is always willing to listen and be a shoulder to cry on.

Educational Background: Degree in psychology. Self-taught medicine

Intelligence Level:

Above average 

Character’s short-term goals in life: To solve the Elliot case.

Character’s long-term goals in life: To become a classical musician

How does Character see himself/herself? She is far too fat. She wishes she had a body like Lizzie

How does Character believe he/she is perceived by others? Not very well. She is always there for others and she is worried she is annoying.

How self-confident is the character? Not one bit.

Does the character seem ruled by emotion or logic or some combination thereof? Logic alone

Introvert or Extrovert? Introvert

How does the character deal with anger? Quietly, by ignoring people and trying to not cause a fuss.

With sadness? She knows it too well.

With conflict? Just ignore it

With change? Okay. She is sort of used to it

With loss? She is used to it.

What does the character want out of life? To be liked and remembered for all the good she has done

What would the character like to change in his/her life? The way she looked

What motivates this character? Lizzie. She loves her so much and would do anything in her power to keep her by her side.

What frightens this character? That she isn’t good enough

What makes this character happy? Being with Lizzie

Is the character judgmental of others?

Nope. Not at all.

Is the character generous or stingy? A bit stingy at times.

Is the character generally polite or rude?

Very polite

Does the character believe in God?

Yes. She is a Christian

Character’s role in the novel (main character? hero? heroine? Romantic interest? etc.): Sidekick

Scene where character first appears: Chapter 1

Relationships with other characters:

Lizzie: Her best friend; they are inseparable

Noah: They don’t really know each other that well

Jessica: She feels sorry for her; these kinds of things always happen to the best of people

[weaver-of-fantasies-and-fables]

The Gift of Ashes Excerpt: Spring Equinox

@s-opal @dreamywritingdragon and @therebewhaleshere have asked I write ‘Before the Beginning’, and antefact to the story. This is set when the Cities were still bound by mutual respect - the golden age of the Land, so to say. I wrote it this morning for the occasion, but it will be part of the actual novel, as a flashback.

Terran festivities are charming, Sun thinks.

Robes rustle and shoes tap a staccato rhythm against the white stone that weaves a circle around the Shrine; the mortals clap their hands and throw their arms up to the sky, shaking golden bracelets to drop beads of crystalline sound into the joyous music that fills the air. There are thousands and thousands of them, and all know the dance by heart, all take pride and pleasure in being able to trace its steps, all sing its song with powerful, ringing voices that reach the earth below and the oceans and the rivers.

They say the Spring Equinox brings new beginnings, fertility and light into the year to come: everything is balanced, life is about to be reborn from its ashes, and Night and Day are perfectly equal, and share in the glory of nature.

Sun sits on the altar and watches unseen as the celebration unfolds, as bright and as dizzying as ever, caught under the shimmering beauty of the clear sky She has commanded for them. The people cry for her to listen, and She does, She lets their thoughts and faith wash over her like water upon parched earth – and just like that water She is shaped by them, changed.

Such is the way of the Deities.

Food is passed around – strictly-coded food in a gamma of shades from yellow to red to warm brown – and so are golden beer and burgundy wine. Sun knows there is a symbolism meant in the choice of colours, knows they are supposed to be offerings to her and to the fire She wields to protect their fragile world, yet She cannot understand why they believe such tangible things could ever be worth anything to a Goddess, a spirit.

But perhaps it is only a way for them to bond. Sharing food, sharing drinks, it is a deeply tying experience for terrans, or so She has come to notice. She finds it quaint, and in an unacknowledged corner of her mind She envies them this simple feeling.

Anticipation wells up within her as darkness begins to fall around them. What once were roaring symphonies and triumphant screams are melting slowly into dulcet lullabies and tender prayers; the colour palette is dimming, switching to the insignia of the approaching night: with red and purple and violet veils to cover dark blues and blacks in an image of sunset and twilight.

Dearest is coming.

The dance stops on a ringing note, and all the people kneel to the ground in silent wait. Sun, in perfect counterpart, rises from her perch upon the altar, fixes her eyes on the horizon, towards the West.

Mere minutes now. Mere minutes, and She and her love will be reunited, as they are every dusk and dawn. Mere minutes, and their shadows will become real and true and for once in twelve months part of the world they protect.

Mere minutes, and they shall be seen.

A beautiful tradition, that of gathering the whole of the Great Cities around the ancient Shrine to celebrate together the start of a new year and give thanks to the three Deities that are their saviours and servants.

Sun remembers the day it started, remembers her wonder and disbelief at finding herself suddenly visible, and the cheers and merriment of those present. Decades after, She is still filled by trepidation, albeit for a very different reason. Within her breast She feels a warmth rising that has nothing to do with her quelling fire, with the lazy tranquillity that envelops her when her star sets.

The sun slides liquid behind the trees, painting them in burning gold, and the people hold their breath as one, joining their hands in a sign of respect as Darkness strides across the sky. Huge Wolf that He is, He moves gracefully into the frozen air, leaving a trail of fireflies and snowflakes in his wake.

He lands silently by Sun’s side and turns to face the crowd, staring the mortals down with his unfathomable silvery eyes. “Hello, sister.”

“Hello, brother.”

On his back sits Moon, a vision of pure white light and a gentle, questioning soul. Sun has yet to see something as bright as the smile She is shown when her beloved slips on the altar in a flurry of sapphire robes. Instinctually She reaches out her arms as She has wished to do constantly since the last time they touched.

And then their fingers brush, entwine, locking together in a desperately tight grip that has them both heave out a sigh.

They are touching.

Barely the time to look into each other’s eyes, and they embrace, for this fleeting joy is to last for but a moment – scant minutes, in truth, a blink if compared to the year of separation that awaits them – and they need to savour it, cherish it as long as it’s there.

Moon cups Sun’s cheeks in her hands – her skin is so cool, chilling, and yet the Goddess of Fire has never burnt quite so passionately – and leans in to erase the distance between them.

They kiss.

It tastes like loneliness.

The people are watching, murmuring under their breath, and perhaps the two Deities should say something to them, encourage them, thank them for their offers and attention and faith. Perhaps they should disentangle and turn to the mortals who demand their care, nurture their appearance of infallible, unreachable paladins.

But that one, endless moment they choose to keep for themselves – and they indulge in the sweet poison of impossible love, in the kiss that once more seals the unspoken pact between them.

All my life you call to me and I cannot answer.

Forgive me that I cannot answer. I would give you my light if it were worth anything…

One moment before they return to their duties. One moment before they are again torn apart. One moment before the needs of the people resume their priority over everything else. One moment of selfish, sincere contentment.

One moment in which they kiss.

And over that loving kiss, the new year begins.

There we go! This seems to be the week of sad love stories? I apologise for this, eh. I can only promise that all will be well afterwards? Anyhow, Sun and Moon are in love and all they want from life is a house, a garden, a boatload of cats and dogs, and a beach to walk on.

Will they have them? HELL IF I KNOW.

Also tagging

@create-and-procrastinate

@aslaugblom

@artattemptswriting

@lady-redshield-writes

@silverbird-scrive

@picturemobilee

@thewriterandthestoryteller

@toboldlywrite

@kriss-the-writing-nerd @alittle-writer

[writingonjupiter]

Last line tag

Tagged by @midgewrites . Thank you!

We walked around the Library, to places I’d been a million times, and places I’d been only a couple.

I’ll tag @nicky-writes @thewriterandthestoryteller @type-writings (no pressure though!)

[creativityflows]

Ten Facts Game!

I was tagged by the amazing @exfriends let’s give it a go shall we?

rules: write down 10 facts about yourself and tag 10 followers you want to know better

I’m the oldest of two younger sisters. And honestly it can be a pain, but I’m also the oldest of all my cousins (who all happen to be girls).

I’ve been to 5 different countries. I’ve been to: the Dominican Republic, Canada, Belize, Northern Ireland, and Poland. I went to these countries on mission trips (except for Canada, that was a family trip). And I will be going to the Dominican Republic for the third time over spring break on another mission trip.

I love looking at others art, mainly because I wish I could draw. But honestly I can’t and I would love to learn how to draw.

I have depression. I’ve had it for like forever, and honestly it’s hard. But I’ve somehow learned how to manage and function with it. And if anyone wants to talk about this I’m always available.

I somehow make friends with people who are terrible at contacting me back via messaging or any form of communication. But I don’t mind because I love them all.

I had a period were I questioned my sexuality and I’ve convinced myself that I know I’m straight but honestly I’m not sure still.

I’ve never been in a relationship. Like ever. And I’m excited and nervous about what that entails for the future. (When I asked a guy that I liked out he said he would rather get shot than go out with me... so...)

I struggle with self-love constantly. I’m not sure why but I have days where I look in the mirror and I hate what I see. And others where it’s the complete opposite.

I love building people up and filling them with kind words. Mainly because I don’t want anyone to go through what I’ve been through and feel what I feel.

At some point in the future, I’m going to live in Ireland and be a full time missionary. I’m going to work at a church helping teenagers feel loved by God, themselves, and others.

GEEZ! That was hard than I expected! Sorry if some of these facts are depressing and what-not.

I’m going to tag: @annabetchases , @cog-writes , @thewriterkatie , @thewriterandthestoryteller , @thatgreenroom , @willowandsnow , @ava-burton-writing , @sorae-mina , @the-literary-prince , and @ummm-idc

[givethispromptatry]

Ten Facts Game

Thank you @sorae-mina for tagging me! :D

Rules: Write 10 facts about yourself and tag 10 followers you want to know better. 

#1. I started writing in early high school and it has become a calming hobby for me. I genuinely love writing and seeing other people develop as writers!

#2. I’m fresh out of college with a teaching degree. (I won’t tell you what subject ;) )

#3. My absolutely favorite thing about writing is making characters and world building. I have over 200+ characters (not that I’ve counted in a while) and maybe 5 universes that are pretty well developed.

#4. I used to write fanfiction for Detective Conan on fanfiction.net. 

#5. I have a cat named Jesse! He’s an orange tabby and he’s so dang cute! My mom thinks he’s at least part siamese because he meows so loud. :D

#6. I want to try writing scifi but I always end up going back to fantasy. I have a universe in mind that’s scifi/fantasy but we’ll see how that works out...

#7. My favorite food is bread. Really. And I’m kinda fat because of it. But it’s worth it! :D (My favorite bread is cornbread.)

#8. People comment on my positivity a lot and it makes me very happy. My goal for the past couple of years has been to be more positive. Life is hard, even crushing sometimes. You can never know how much a kind word can help someone else. Also, I just don’t have the energy necessary to be negative all the time!

#9. I’ve been trying to be more mindful. I get really caught up in world events and terrible news. It helps to stop and take in what is immediately around and appreciate it. Something I’ve been doing is being aware of the first thing I say every morning. I want to try making my first words be something important to me. (Very often it’s just saying hi to Jesse.)

#10. My biggest dream as a writer is to create characters and universes that people love and inspire others to create. 

Time to tag some folks! I want to know more from all of my followers but I know sometimes people don’t want to be called out so I’ll be tagging some of the people who have written prompts or interacted with me. :D

@thewriterandthestoryteller, @stories-of-babel, @putthehaminhamilton, @cebenson, @ripleybeatsthor, @livingdarwinaward, @hads4life, @eradication-dot-exe, @galaxy-mermaid-musi, @lady-redshield-writes

You don’t have to if you don’t want to!