Tag Archive for writing

Familiar: A Flash Fiction Short Story

February 23, 2018 Jen Ný Animals, Writing No comments

Familiar is a flash fiction short story about a black cat familiar named Willow who is about to meet her new witch apprentice.

Familiar

“This must be the place.” Willow stopped in her tracks and gazed up at the small brick home. The light from the full moon bathed the worn cobblestone road in a soft, subtle glow. The small black cat licked her paw before heading down the driveway to the house. She still wasn’t used to her feline form. “Yes, this is definitely the place,” Willow said to herself as she silently carried herself closer to the house. Willow knew she had found the right house, as she could feel a faint, yet distinctly, magical energy emanating from one particular room of the home. Though Willow hadn’t yet met the young witch in this plane, the energy felt very familiar.

Read the rest of Familiar on LetterPile.com…

The original version of this story appeared on my writing website that I created for a class I took at SNHU (a free WordPress site that I only used for the purposes of that class. I’ve since created a real writing portfolio site). I revised it and published the new version on Hubpages.

The original version can still be read here: Familiar by Jen Ný.

Please feel free to use both versions of this story as an example of how authors revise their stories between drafts.

Can’t Get Off the Carousel: A Short Story

February 22, 2018 Jen Ný Writing No comments

This short story is an mashup alternative ending to the short stories No One’s a Mystery by Elizabeth Tallent and Teenage Wasteland by Anne Tyler, based on the song Carousel by Linkin Park. This is the story of two very damaged people; a girl who keeps running between relationships with awful men, and a man who can’t deal with adult responsibility and turns to drugs. This story is a bit different from most of my stories, but I originally wrote this piece for a creative writing assignment in college. I suppose this story could be considered fanfiction of sorts, since the two characters were taken from other works.

Can’t Get Off the Carousel

I still have the diary. So much has changed in my life since Jack gave me the diary two years ago. I’m not even sure if I should still be using it. A diary is meant to be a chronicle of one’s life, but my life has changed so much that, maybe, it can’t even be considered the same life anymore. Perhaps it would make more sense to get rid of this thing and start fresh. But I guess it’s useless to try to destroy the past. The past is what lead us both here to the present, after all.

Donny is still in bed, though it’s nearly three in the afternoon. I didn’t hear him come in last night, but I think it’s safe to say he had a rough night and needs his rest. I don’t know where he goes most nights and he never tells me, but I respect his privacy. A man needs to have a life of his own. We’ve been together for over a year now, but there’s still so much I don’t know about him. But I can’t imagine anyone loving anybody more than I love Donny. And he needs me, just like I need him.

Read the rest on LetterPile…

The Forest Witch: A Short Story

February 21, 2018 Jen Ný Writing No comments

A young witch yearns for the life of a mortal and decides to leave the forest and move to the city once she comes of age, leaving behind everything she ever knew to start a new life of her own. Will the life of a mortal in the bustling city be everything she ever wanted, or will she yearn for the home she left behind?

The Forest Witch: A Short Story – Part 1

The lights below were mesmerizing. Though River knew that she shouldn’t be flying above the trees so near the mortal world – and so far from her own home – she couldn’t help but be drawn to the brilliant lights emanating from city. They contrasted with the darkness of the surrounding forests and seemed to beckon her to them. She felt spellbound by their promises of a life filled with freedom and excitement.

This wasn’t the first time that River had ventured so near the mortal city. She came here to observe the mortal’s ways after dusk whenever she got a rare chance to break away from performing rituals with her mother and father. Through the darkness River could see lights twinkling and moving below. Oh how wondrous it must be to live in a city like this. There must be so much to do, so much to see, and so many new people to meet. The mortals were not bound by the endless cycles of nature. Their artificial lights meant they could move around and live their lives as they chose, without the restrictions set by the sun and moon.

Even as the city lights called to her, River knew that she must turn back. Her mother and father were waiting for her in their cottage deep within the forest. She was still several moons away from becoming a fully independent witch and still had much to learn before setting off on her own.

Moonlight, River’s familiar spirit and closest confidant, had been uncharacteristically quiet for most of the trip. She let out a gentle purr as River turned her broomstick around and headed back into the forest.

Read the rest on LetterPile…

My New Portfolio Website

February 7, 2018 Jen Ný Writing No comments

I just realized that I never posted an update about my writing portfolio website that I mentioned in a previous post. My portfolio site, JenniferWilber.com went live back in January. My portfolio includes some of my favorite articles, short stories, and other writing projects that I have worked on. I hope to use this site to gain more freelance writing work or to get hired in a regular job as a writer. If you are looking for a writer, please check out my site. My contact information is listed there.

If you or your company are looking for a creative freelance writer, or looking to hire a writer to join your team, please visit my portfolio website to view my work samples and contact information.

JenniferWilber.com

The Crow’s Cry: A Short Story

December 28, 2017 Jen Ný Writing No comments

The Crow’s Cry is short story of betrayal. The entire village turns on their back on their healer Abigail and her lover Sarah upon accusations of witchcraft by a stranger who recently arrived in their village.

The Crow’s Cry

As the flames crept up her dress and engulfed her bound body, Abigail gazed out into the crowd. So many familiar faces who had once relied on her and her craft now looked upon her with derision and fear. The bishop stood in front of the raised platform, chanting in an ancient language she could not comprehend. Abigail gasped as smoked filled her lungs. She was determined not to let the mob see her wince in pain as the fire rose higher, scorching her skin.

A crow circled above the mob, drawing Abigail’s attention to one face in particular amongst the sea of betrayers. Abigail’s dear friend Mary was there with the others. The words “burn witch!” stained Mary’s lips in an echo of the mob that surrounded the fire. A crow called out as Abigail closed her eyes and let the flames overtake her body. Only weeks ago, this village had regarded her as they would a saint.

Read the Rest on LetterPile

Update, and New Sites Coming Soon

December 20, 2017 Jen Ný Cool Story Bro, Nýbiru Studio No comments

Hi readers. I know I’m bad at keeping this blog updated, but I just wanted to check in in case anyone is wondering what happened to me. I feel like I have out grown this type of blog, I am in the process of creating a new personal website that will serve as a professional portfolio for my writing.

In the meantime, I have recently started writing on HubPages. Check out my articles! My favorite ones I’ve posted so far are Naughty Children Watch Out, Krampus is Coming to Town, Shield-Maidens or Housewives? The Real Role of Viking Women, and Introducing A New Kitten to Your Resident Cats. The rest of my HubPages “Hubs” can be read from my profile. For writers who want to write about many different topics, I think it makes more sense to publish them on sites like HubPages than in a blog (unless you want to have a bunch of separate blogs for different topics, and are willing to actually keep them all updated). While I do get search traffic on this blog for my video game posts, I think I will have more success with most topics on HubPages. It also gives me a place to publish some of my writing to link back to when my portfolio website goes live.

I am also planning on expanding my business, Nýbiru Studio LLC, to provide freelance writing services including copywriting, content writing, blog posts, email marketing and newsletters, product descriptions, and other custom writing services. I may also offer social media services and graphic design.

I will keep this website up since people are still searching for QR codes for Miis and other 3DS game content. I may post more here in the future if I have such things to share.

On a personal note, my husband and I bought a house last December, and I graduated with my Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and English last spring. I have accepted a new job as a substitute teacher for this school year, but ultimately I am going to focus on my career as a writer. My goal for 2018 is to build up my freelancing business, continue adding to my portfolio, and hopefully get a regular job as a writer.