Tag Archive for writing

How Reading Improves Your Writing

How Reading Improves Your Writing

The easiest way to improve your writing is simply to read!

How Reading Improves Your Writing

One of the most effective ways to improve your writing is to read. By reading more, you are exposed to different writing styles and new ideas. When you read content on a wide variety of subjects, you simply gain more knowledge about the world that you can then incorporate into your writing. You also learn different writing styles, new words, and how to structure your writing more effectively just by taking in written words by other writers.

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The Magical History of Garden Gnomes

The Magical History of Garden Gnomes

Garden gnomes are fun and whimsical additions to any garden, but did you know that these figurines have a rich and fascinating history?

The Magical History of Garden Gnomes

If you have a garden or front yard, you are likely familiar with the popular garden ornament known as the “garden gnome.” Though you may have never considered the origins of these whimsical little tchotchkes, these miniature statues have a long and mysterious history. Garden gnomes as we know them today have only been manufactured in the last two centuries, but earlier versions of these garden guardians have been livening up gardens for hundreds of years.

Read the rest on Owlcation.com

The Selkie Wife: A Short Story Inspired by Celtic Folklore

Selkie

My short story, The Selkie Wife (originally titled The Selkie) is now available to read for free on Letterpile.com.

In this retelling of Celtic legends, a young fisherman named Conall loses his beloved wife Mairenn to the fury of the sea. In his grief, he loses his will to live until he is rescued by a mysterious woman named Moira who appears to have come from the sea itself. Ready to move forward after enduring heartbreaking tragedy, Conall builds a life with Moira. They appear to have a perfect life together, but like Conall himself, Moira seems burdened by constant longing for something she lost long ago.

This story contains seven chapters. You can access each chapter of The Selkie Wife here:

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

The 12 O’Clock Knock

a front door

This is a rewrite of a story I wrote for Halloween a few years ago. It starts out seeming like something scary might happen, but it turns out that the lonely elderly lady’s fears were unfounded, and the situation isn’t nearly as frightening as she had initially feared. This is a simple slice of life story with an unexpected and sweet plot twist.

The 12 O’Clock Knock

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

I was just resting my eyes. I really didn’t intend to sleep for as long as I did.

Bang.

Bang.

Bang.

The sound of the clock’s ring echoed against the wood-paneled walls. Twelve times it banged. I jolted awake, still sitting upright in the old recliner in my living room, as the clock on the wall struck twelve.

I looked around my living room, half awake, half still in a dreamy haze, watching shadows dance across the old, dark, wood-paneled walls. A sudden creaking sound from somewhere in the vicinity of my front porch startled me.

Creak.

Creak.

Creak.

Then silence. Perhaps it was just my imagination.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

The sudden violent sound of someone – or something – knocking at my front door propelled me into a state of complete wakefulness. There was no imagining that.

My legs aren’t as strong as they used to be, and I struggled to get my tired old body up out of the old ragged chair. Once I managed to hobble my way, slowly, slowly, slowly, to the front window. But no one was there. Perhaps it was just my feeble old imagination playing tricks on me after all. My mind isn’t as sharp as it used to be. Or perhaps it was nothing more than the wind playing tricks on my old mind.

I slowly returned to my chair and sat down once more. Suddenly, another sound came echoing from the front door.

Hehehehe.

Hehehehe.

Hehehehe.

The unmistakable sound of a child laughing crept through my living room, the light sound filling my home with its joyous melody… but I did not feel joyful. Not at all. My children have long since grown and moved on from my home, and my grandchildren and great grandchildren haven’t visited in years. It is the same story for my neighbors. This neighborhood has aged. There haven’t been any children in this neighborhood for years.

Hehehehe.

Hehehehe.

Hehehehe.

There is was again. A chill ran up my spine as I struggled to sit up in the chair. I couldn’t be imagining that sound, could I?

“Hello,” I yelled out, my voice raspy from age and years of minimal use. “Is there someone there?” There was no response from the door. The faint sound of the childlike laughter quieted, then stopped altogether. Perhaps it was only my imagination playing tricks on me again. I had to remind myself, once more, that I’m not as young as I once was. I reminded myself that there haven’t been children anywhere near my home in years. I can’t remember the last time this aging neighborhood was filled with innocent laughter. It must have been years. Decades, even.

I settled back down into my worn-out old chair. Suddenly, another knock echoed from the front door.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

“Is there somebody out there?” I yelled out again. This time I didn’t bother rising from the chair. My knees are weak, and I knew now that senility must be catching up with me. The knocking ceased, and still, there was still no response. The sinister shadows from the gnarled trees in the yard just outside my window danced across the hardwood floor of my living room as I watched the space in front of my door, anticipating something, though I didn’t know what. I told myself that it must have only been the wind again. What else could it have been?

Tick.

Tick.

Tick.

I looked around my lonely living room. The wall clock’s ticking seemed even louder than before, and my head felt like it was spinning. Around and around and around.

Creak.

Creak.

Creak.

The sound of ever-so-light footsteps crept outside my window, once more. It sounded as though someone was walking around on my front porch. Someone had to be out there. But it didn’t make sense. Who would be there? What did they want. I hadn’t had a visitor in so long. So long.

Several minutes passed. It kept quiet. Perhaps if whoever, or whatever, was out there would leave if they didn’t know I was here.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Suddenly, there was another knock on the door. This time the sound of the knock was much louder than before. I gathered up all of the courage I could muster and resolved to investigate the sound again. If someone – or something – meant me harm, well, I’ve had a good run. I knew I was old and far past my prime. Perhaps it was time to finally meet my maker.

“I know someone is out there,” I said as I stood up again. Every bone in my body creaked. Creaked. Creaked. I slowly hobbled to my foyer, slowly, slowly, slowly creeping my way through the shadows that overtook my living room and entrance way. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes tightly as I opened the front door.

Two small girls stood in my doorway, smiling up at me. They both wore uniforms of bright green skirts and matching bright green vests. Their vests were covered in sewn-on patches, all of different patterns and designs. Each girl held three boxes of cookies in their hands. On the sidewalk behind them stood a wagon filled with even more colorful boxes of cookies in different flavors and varieties.

“Could we possibly interest you in some cookies?” One of the small girls asked cheerfully as a gentle breeze softly ruffled her long blonde curls. The other little girl stood patiently next to her partner, proudly displaying her three boxes of cookies in different varieties, her shoulder-length brown hair fastened in pigtails on either side of her cherubic face.

“Sure, I suppose I’ll take a box of Thin Mints,” I replied as I reached into my housecoat’s pocket to retrieve my pocketbook. With my other hand I shielded my eyes from the midday sun. “And one box of the shortbread,” I added and dug out a few crisp bills from my pocketbook. I thanked the two young Girl Scouts before bidding them goodbye. They hopped off my front porch as I slowly turned back toward my dark living room and closed the door behind.

Subbed Vs. Dubbed: Which Is the Best Way to Watch Anime?

Should you watch anime subs or dubs?

Anime subs and dubs each have their own pros and cons. Is either subbed or dubbed anime better to watch overall? Or are there some instances where the dubbed or subbed version of an anime series is better?

Subbed Vs. Dubbed: Which Is the Best Way to Watch Anime?

If you spend any time in the anime fandom, you have likely run into the age-old “sub vs. dub” debate. Anime fans often argue whether anime is best viewed in its original Japanese, with English subtitles, or dubbed over by English-speaking voice actors. Hardcore anime fans, or purists, tend to prefer to watch anime in it’s original form with the original Japanese voice acting preserved, even if they do not understand the Japanese language. Other fans prefer to hear the dialogue in their own native language so that they can enjoy the animation rather than focusing on reading the subtitles. Both types of anime fans have specific reasons for preferring one over the other.

Read the Rest on ReelRundown.com

Where to Find All Four Thangs in Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion

Where to find all 4 thangs in Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion

I wrote this guide for Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion to help people who just want to unlock the playable Octoling character as quickly as possible. Many players who purchased the expansion are more interested in being able to play as an Octoling in multiplayer than in the story mode. While I do enjoy the story modes in Splatoon and Splatoon 2, I did want to get my Octoling right off the bat. I will go back later to finish all of the levels and unlock the rest of the unlockable gear. For now, here is my guide to finding all four “Thangs” in the Octo Expansion so that you don’t have to spend too much time exploring all of the Deepsea Metro lines to find them.

Where to Find All Four Thangs in Splatoon 2: Octo Expansion

Octo Expansion is a new DLC expansion for Splatoon 2 on the Nintendo Switch. This expansion adds 80 new single-player stages to the game and allows the player to play as an Octoling character for the first time in this series. The story of the Octo Expansion follows an Octoling known as Agent 8, who awakens with no memories of her past or of her identity deep underground on a subway platform. With the help of Captain Cuttlefish, she must retrieve four objects known only as “Thangs,” which are hidden in various locations within the Deepsea Metro subway system, to help her to find her way to the surface. Once the expansion is completed, players can play as their own customizable Octoling character in the game’s multiplayer mode.

This guide will show you exactly where each of the four Thangs are located to help you to reach the surface much more quickly. The Thangs can be obtained in any order. For convenience, I have listed them in alphabetical order by the subway line where they can be found.

Read the rest on LevelSkip.com

My Body is Not a Democracy: A Free Verse Poem of Empowerment

My body is not a democracy

Even in 2018, women are still being told what to do with their bodies. From politicians trying to pass laws that would restrict a woman’s access to needed healthcare, to relatives pressuring child-free women to settle down and have children that they don’t want; from men expecting physical intimacy whenever they want, to society as a whole pressuring women to have a certain body type that is unrealistic for most of us, women face a lot of pressure and unwanted input regarding our bodies. I wrote this poem to empower women to have the courage to stand up and not be afraid to take control over their own lives and their own bodies.

My Body is Not a Democracy: A Free Verse Poem of Empowerment

My body is not a democracy.

Debates and popular vote have no influence

Over the laws of the land.

They are decided by my ruling, alone.

Read the rest of the poem on LetterPile…

The Fable of the Sea and the Desert

The girl from the sea

The Fable of the Sea and the Desert is a four-part series I wrote several years ago. I have recently edited and published these stories on Letterpile.com. These stories are written in the style of classic fables and follow the journey of a girl who came from the sea and the people she meets on her journey.

The Fable of the Sea and the Desert: Part 1 – The Island in the Sea

The girl from the sea washes ashore on an island and builds a life with the man who built the island, but will she miss the freedom of the sea?

The Fable of the Sea and the Desert: Part 2 – The Oasis in the Desert

Far from the sea, the traveler thought he had finally found sanctuary, but it proved to be nothing more than illusion.

The Fable of the Sea and the Desert: Part 3 – Where the Desert Meets the Sea

The girl from the sea arrives on the shore of the traveler. The girl from the sea must help the traveler defeat the demons of his past.

The Fable of the Sea and the Desert: Part 4 – The Hut on the Shore

The girl from the sea once again grows restless living on land. She must choose between her life with the traveler on land, and returning to her old life in the sea.

My First School Year as a Substitute Teacher

I started working as a substitute teacher last December, but haven’t written much about that in this blog. In addition to substitute teaching and writing, I am also working as an English as a Second Language teacher remotely now. I will write more about substitute teaching and ESL teaching in the future. For anyone interested in what my experience working as a substitute teacher was like, I wrote the following article:

My First School Year as a Substitute Teacher

After finishing my BA in English and Creative Writing, I was still having trouble finding a job I’d like that was directly related to my degree. The idea of teaching wasn’t even on my radar, but I saw a job listing looking for substitute teachers for districts in my area. The education requirements only called for a bachelor’s degree in any field, and at least some experience with children. Since I did have some experience working with children in a previous position at a museum and as an after-school reading tutor in high school, I thought I might as well apply. This seemed like a job where I could really feel like I’m making a difference in the community and am doing something worthwhile.

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Game Over: A Short Story

Game Over: A Short Story

I wrote this story for a creative writing class while I was a student at Lorain County Community College. The assignment was to observe people around campus, and use some of them as inspiration for a character in a story. There really was a gamer’s lounge at LCCC. Theodore is based on several people I observed, people I know, and, regrettably, some of the worst traits I saw in myself at the time. As Theodore’s story shows us, we all have room to improve, as long as we recognize the things that we need to work on.

 

Game Over – A Short Story – Part 1

“Die alien scum!” Theodore shouted out at the TV screen in mock anger as the crowd cheered him on. “Your mother put up more of a fight than this last night!” His friends roared with laughter as he reached for his half empty bottle of Mountain Dew, his only sustaining life force.

It was a day like any other on campus. Theodore Lucas Fisher spent hours in the student lounge playing video games with his fellow nerds and social outcasts. Though he rarely attended the few classes he had registered for, Theodore spent most of his time here at his community college, for he had nowhere else to be (and even if he did, he couldn’t get there, for he still didn’t have his driver’s license, despite the fact that he was 19). He also didn’t have a job or a girlfriend, and he still lived with his parents, though from time to time he would stay with his older brother Joseph for the night or the weekend. Aside from the people he played video games with at the college, Joseph was really Theodore’s only friend.

From the outside looking in on this group, you’d think that they were the closest of friends; they laughed together, spent hours a day together playing video game, and all seemed almost the same in personality and demeanor, but Theodore rarely conversed with these people outside the student lounge in the context of first-person shooters and RPGs. Though he has been out of high school for a year now, Theodore still had not picked up the finer points of social interaction and for the most part, his socializing consisted of nothing more than a regressed form of parallel play with nothing but a television screen and a few game controllers holding the closest things he had to interpersonal relationships together.