The Swan (Part II)

(Part I)

“Sooo… how was your mentor session?” Connie asked her friend Victoria “Tori” Simons, secretly hoping Tori also had a weird session and they could commiserate together.

“It was amazing!” Tori’s enthusiasm burst out through her voice, lancing through the bubble of hope that Connie had started the conversation with, and thereby quickly bursting said bubble. “Andi is so chill and smart. She said I can ask her anything, gave me her phone number, and then we went rock climbing. She is the cool older sister I’ve always wanted.”

“Hopefully Ryan doesn’t hear you say that,” Connie responded, because the sourness in her stomach had to get out somehow.

Tori scoffed. “You and I both know, my actual older sister is well aware she is pretty much anything other than cool.” It was true, Ryan was a bit of a nerd. She would probably work for NASA or something in the future, but high school was not going to show her much love. “Anyway, how was your session with Grace?”

“Also great!” Connie lied.

“Oh good,” Tori said, oblivious and willing to take words at face value. “I was a little worried; I’ve heard some things about her, and Andi said she’s very method.”

“People are jealous,” Connie defended her mentor.

Tori shrugged. “Probably.

“Hey, do you think we have time for a slice before class starts? I’m starving!”

The Uncommon Reading List

While on vacation, I recently snagged a copy of Alan Bennett’s The Uncommon Reader. The book is a fictitious rendition of how reading can open up the reader’s eyes to new ways of observing and thinking about the world around them, regardless of whom that reader may be (in this case, it’s the Queen Elizabeth II). This book was enjoyable, and one fun aspect in reading it was the vast number of literary references dropped liberally throughout the text.

As you probably expect, once the Queen begins reading in the novel, she is quite a prolific reader. I will certainly be adding some of the authors and books mentioned to my personal TBR, and for those who like a challenge, I think you could do worse than reading every novel/author mentioned in The Uncommon Reader, which I have helpfully compiled below:

So – what do you think of the Queen’s fictitious reading list?

The Swan (Part I)

“Omigawd, thankyousomuch. Iamsoexcitedtohaveyouasmymentor. Youhavenoidea. Youaremyheroandiwouldgiveanythingtobejustlikeyou. Likemyobsessionisreal. Crazysilenceofthelambslevelreal. Iwouldwearyourskin.”

“Breathe… what’s your name again?”

“Um, Connie.”

“Ew.”

“I know. But you can’t, like, help who your parents are.”

“That is the dumbest fucking thing I’ve ever heard.”

Connie was in awe. Grace Cygnet had cursed at her. Grace Cygnet said curse words! Fuck… did this mean she, Constance Smith, should also be cursing?

Grace Cygnet also didn’t pause for response, although, due to her fangirling, Connie’s mind processed everything on a delay. “You’re a performer. Stage names are fairly common, and in your case, recommended.

“I also think maybe we should set expectations.” Grace paused, showing all of her teeth to the waitress delivering life sustenance in the form of coffee.

“Wow, such great advice! So true! Oh em gee, what should I call myself?”

Grace sighed, took a delicate sip of her hot beverage, and after carefully placing the mug back on the table, said, “See, this is what I’m talking about. You do realize this mentoring position is an assigned requirement for my coursework, right?”

Connie’s mouth dropped open, but she was unable to think of a response quickly enough.

Grace sighed. “No offense. I’m sure you’re very nice. But being volun-told to be your mentor does not mean we’re BFFs.”

“Oh yeah… of course,” Connie said, unconvincingly feigning being blasé.

“You’re a shit actor,” Grace said. “Let’s get our nails done.”

“Aren’t you supposed to, like, answer my questions and guide me?” Connie asked.

“Yes,” Grace replied. “But you’ve already proven your questions today will be stupid…”

“Hey!” Connie said, not quite so starstruck that she didn’t take offense, particularly as she had grown up with the message that there was no such thing as a stupid question.

“…and your nails are offending me. Besides, I get to charge buddying activities through the mentoring budget. If I have to do this…” she motioned between herself and Connie. “I may as well take full advantage and get us pampered.”

*. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *. *

Part I of Response to Swan Writing Prompt

Do you vote in political elections?

Yes. There is no point in having a democracy, and it will not remain one, if the right to vote is not used. The right to vote is the shared power to make decisions in how your country is run. To refuse to exercise that right is to signal that you do not think the method of making decisions is effective, and if enough people act in such a manner, the right will then be taken away. So if you currently live in and enjoy the privilege of living in a democracy, you have to identify that this method of government is meaningful to you via vote. Not voting (barring roadblocks that disallow your vote, because that definitely happens sometimes) is taking a stance against democracy. The choices may be shitty, but I prefer to take a stance and help make the decision by reflecting my opinion of which option is preferable than staying silent because I don’t particularly care about the alternatives being proffered and thereby devolving willingly into fascism.

Writing Prompt: The Swan

Took this picture in the English Gardens today, and I love the juxtaposition of the grace and beauty with the reality of the mean spirit and ready willingness to attack (this guy had just yelled at some ducks for sitting in his space and his head was moving back and forth in vigilance as he dared anyone else to approach him).

Your prompt, if you choose to accept, is to write a thing (short story, flash fiction, poem, etc.) featuring a swan. This can mean whatever your writerly pen desires, from a modern fairy tale or re-telling to a contemporary romance where Joseph Swan is a down-on-his-luck, misunderstood genius to anything your imagination can come up with.

Please link back to this post if you choose to do the prompt, so I can read what you have done.

I look forward to reading!

Warning: Shoplifters may be killed

In the sleepy English town of Kingsleigh, the Costsave supermarket is preparing for a visit from the king himself! Bea and the gang are back, hanging out, selling cheap groceries, and solving mysteries. Don’t know who Bea and the gang are? Honestly, it’s fine. Just jump in to this 4th book in the series, & you’ll be able to follow just fine. (Trust me, it’s what I did.)

Mystery #1: Where the heck did the store’s red carpet go?

Mystery #2: Who murdered the shoplifter? (& is going to provide better training – it’s prosecute shoplifters, Evan, not execute. Luckily, you’re hot and women want to believe/save you.)

Mystery #3: Exactly how old is Bea? She reads like a middle-aged to older woman, but the other characters all think she’s sex on legs, so she’s probably supposed to be younger. Or just, like, a super hawt not-young lady.

Mystery #4: Who will Bea end up dating? (Refer to #3)

I liked this book. It had that cozy mystery feel. Mostly likeable characters with questionable detective skills engaging in hijinks and bringing the reader along for the ride. I found this book fun, and recommend it to anyone looking for a cozy.

Mystery #5: Are you going to read it?

Grow

Describe a decision you made in the past that helped you learn or grow.

I argue that it is not the decisions you make that help you learn and grow, but rather the subsequent reflection on those decisions and the impacts. Life occurs and you will age regardless of what decisions you make or don’t make, but growth only occurs with thought.

Link to Great Storytelling

I spied a copy of White Cat, Black Dog, by Kelly Link, on a bookshelf the other day & grabbed it. She is one of those authors beloved by another author I admire, and has been filed away as someone to check out. It was not disappointing.

Quite the opposite. Link’s collection of fairy tale re-telling is poignant and otherworldly with a tinge of familiarity that made this book a genuine pleasure to read.

I also found it very inspiring. I have turned my hand to fairy tale re-telling (see Exhibit 1 & Exhibit 2, if interested), and reading these stories inspired me to write again. Reminded me of the pleasure of a well-turned phrase, and that originality is more than a completely brand-new idea.

Fascinating, in a way, that a Pulitzer-prize finalist novel could make writing feel accessible and achievable… but it does, at least for me.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. Have you read it? And do you have any writing inspiring novels you can recommend?

Knowledge Prevents Stoicism

Fandango story starter #144; thanks for the prompt!

When the song started playing on the radio, Vince stopped what he was doing and began to cry.

He wanted to be tougher, stoic in a way that would make his father proud. But the tears rolled down his face in spite of this desire. Possibly at least partially because his father was recently dead.

His mother inspired similar thoughts, feelings and emotions for similar reasons.

The song was so beautiful; if he hadn’t known its source, he would have listened with his entire being, mesmerised, too distracted to notice his impending fate. Instead, he felt every excruciating second of death’s scythe, aware and expecting it was coming, just as it had so recently come for his parents.

Knowledge can be a dangerous thing; death was neither pleasant nor quick.

Reading of Restful Rambling

I’m not ordinarily a fan of epistolary novels, but Scarlett Thomas’ The Sleepwalkers is a rare exception.

Good writing is good writing, and The Sleepwalkers… is good writing.

In the style of fragmented pseudo-memoir in the form of a supposed letter that it seems unlikely will be read, The Sleepwalkers follows Evelyn and Richard, a recently married couple who are on their honeymoon. What should be an extravagant present from Richard’s mother, a vacation in Greece, is instead a mysterious, menacing experience. Or maybe it’s not, maybe it’s all in one of the character’s heads. Or maybe it is, and one of the characers is being obtuse. Also, key bits of the narrative are missing, akin to the fragmented scraps of the written work from the Classical era in Greece that is fascinating and full of gaps because it’s hella old.

Exactly.

So what’s really going on during this vacation/honeymoon from the underworld? I have my interpretation, but I suppose that’s a decision that every reader needs to discern for him/her/themselves. Suffice to say, there are two sides that are presented, they do not fully align, and as personal narratives, the degree of honesty you think each person has in their narrative is at least questionable.

Regardless of which side you take, the story escalates in a weird, dramatic story that would have Homer salivating.

This novel is literary and not easy, but well worth the effort.

How about you – any Classically influenced (i.e., Classical Greek & Roman) novels/short stories that crept underneath your skin and lived there like a serial killer? If so, please let me know. My TBR is too long, but I will happily and willingly add to it, nonetheless.