this poem opens itself with a knife.
"
using the knife like a scalpel,
the body is split
"
open
"
bleeding all over
the guts are a tangle
and littered with vestigial bits:
"
this love is like no other;
a stone on the hill like the sun on the horizon;
light over water;
the bombs bursting in air;
zang tumb tuuum;
before the law;
Major Major Major Major;
and so on.
"
its origin must be lowly;
its designer must be feeble;
it must have been a blind watchmaker--
this results from hearing about Giants' shoulders,
their hands counting the seconds
while nothing has happened but the obsession with...
"
but it had come too late.
there was nothing it could do.

"How could you say such a thing!" she said loudly.

I felt sick.  I thought, even if she doesn't have a career in opera, she could easily become a soap star.  I wondered if she ever used soap.  Her skin was always slightly oily.  Maybe she'd been up all night rehearsing this and that's why she didn't seem to have taken a shower today.  Actually, I thought, she's probably just lazy.

Anyway, the way she spoke to me, at any moment I expected to find out she had been having an affair with my evil twin.  I thought that this was too much drama for a coffee house and that the conversation should sound slightly more intellectual.

"But don't you see what a problem that is?  I mean, if you only try to see the good in people, how can you make moral judgments?  How can you decide who to trust and who not to trust?  I mean, if you just... ignore things you consider unpleasant, isn't that a lie?  Aren't you lying to yourself, then?  Then, I mean, you could meet Saddam Hussein and just be like, 'I think he's a nice guy, I like his beard and I like how dedicated he is to his position and how he fights for what he believes in.'  Do you understand?"

( Read more... )

I found this community while I was searching for a new writing community since the NaNoWriMo community kind of died after NaNoWriMo ended. So, my name is Mary or Moo, whatever, I'm ~17. I write fiction. I'm nearly done with my NaNoWriMo novel.
Here's a sample of my work. It's a short story and not nearly as cheesy as it sounds. Feedback is much appreciated!

( Love at First Sight )

The sole purpose of her work is to tempt people to dream.
click on the picture to see and know more

"How could you say such a thing!" she said loudly.

I felt sick.  I thought, even if she doesn't have a career in opera, she could easily become a soap star.  I wondered if she ever used soap.  Her skin was always slightly oily.  Maybe she'd been up all night rehearsing this and that's why she didn't seem to have taken a shower today.  Actually, I thought, she's probably just lazy.

Anyway, the way she spoke to me, at any moment I expected to find out she had been having an affair with my evil twin.  I thought that this was too much drama for a coffee house and that the conversation should sound slightly more intellectual.

"But don't you see what a problem that is?  I mean, if you only try to see the good in people, how can you make moral judgments?  How can you decide who to trust and who not to trust?  I mean, if you just... ignore things you consider unpleasant, isn't that a lie?  Aren't you lying to yourself, then?  Then, I mean, you could meet Saddam Hussein and just be like, 'I think he's a nice guy, I like his beard and I like how dedicated he is to his position and how he fights for what he believes in.'  Do you understand?"

( Read more... )

Hi. I have always had a bad habit of re-reading the same books over and over. I would really like some recommendations of authors anyone feels like everyone should read such an such book. Some of my favorite books are "The Witching Hour" by Anne Rice, "Hearts in Atlantis" by Stephen King, "Sleepers" by Lorenzo Carcattera. V.C. Andrews (up til the Orphans series) is a guilty pleasure of mine. Thanks in advance for any and all suggestions :) I want to make a 50 book list for 2010 :)

Title: The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks
Author: E. Lockhart
First Line: I, Frankie Landau-Banks, hereby confess that I was the sole mastermind behind the mal-doings of the Loyal Order of the Basset Hounds.


Frankie Landau-Banks has rich parents. She attends Alabaster, a rich boarding school. She was a geeky, awkward but clever freshman. Now a sophomore; let's just say she filled out. Attracting the attention of the most popular guys in school; she starts dating one and is friends with the others. But her ex-boyfriend is bugging her out, and suddenly her newest boyfriend excludes her from a secret society he and all the boys are a part of. She's not happy; and decides to do something about it.


I cannot really say that I enjoyed this book. I had mixed feelings about it. I kind of liked Frankie as a narrator; but half the time her wanting to be "in" annoyed me a lot. I loved the dynamics and concept of the friendship of the boys, but I didn't enjoy the book in it's entirety.

am i less of a person now that my bones of stopped moving
and my fingers are turning cold
cause i'm splintering into bits
and the marrows stop reproducing
and my cells are fast asleep

i found a nest inside my body
where there was cancer trying to breed
but by now its long gone because
even death wants nothing to do with me

and there are holes in my backyard
where purple and red flowers used to grow
but they were put in terracotta pots some time ago
and the holes in my backyard lead to bengal

so lets take a trip with shovels
and uproot the entire earth
and shake our lifeless bodies till they are suddenly less inert

our bones will creak and rattle
we've been dying for so many years
but the holes in my backyard lead to bengal

i had a dream last night of boy
i one time knew and cared about
he said we'd never be together
our birthdays were numerically incompatible

and the flowers in my backyard grew into an entire forest
they tore away their terracotta
and the holes in my backyard lead to bengal

I turned in the final paper for my class at 8 pm and the professor said he would be picking up the papers at 5 pm. He said he was lowering papers a grade letter each day they were late.. When I dropped off my paper he had clearly already picked up the papers...

Do you think he ACTUALLY MEANT he would drop the paper a grade letter for each day it was late? Or is this a hollow threat?

If I get a B on that paper it will seriously F up my getting an A in his course... anyone have experiences with this kind of thing?

I didn't e-mail him because I don't want to draw attention to the fact the paper was late ...

Love? No, it was not love she felt for him. 'Why did you say yes?' He asked, disappointed and sad and serious. Why had she answered him with the promising, the binding word 'yes'? 'I think it was the moment. It was romantic, and it tricked me into thinking I had feelings for you' He was struck, looking down at her - hurt. And this was what she had feared, his expression when she would tell him. Would he hate her now? 'I'm sorry , but it's true. I've realized that you are nothing but a good friend to me, and it makes me real sad that we probably will never speak to each other again, I know I can't. I hate myself for saying yes, and now I have ruined our friendship forever. He didn't answer, he didn't deny. 'Cause it was the truth. 'For weeks I have fooled you, giving you hugs and said that I loved you. Why? Well, a lie is so much easier than the truth' 'I started getting annoyed with you, I didn't really want you there. I snuck away from you, I felt uncomfortable in your presence. I hated it when you touched me, it didn't feel right. I hated it when I had to force myself to laugh at your silly jokes. 'I hated you when you didn't put the book you'd read back in it's shelf at the library. I told you to put it back, but you just laughed at me and let it lay on the table. You didn't think I was serious but I was, now the nice lady who worked there had to clean up after you because you was irresponsible. 'But the worst of all - I hated myself even more, because I hated you. The truth is, that you are a nice guy. You are smart, you are funny, you are cute and you are kind. But I'm not that into you, and I hate it when you are so clingy. You're always trying to hold me in your arms, but I sneak away - I hide in the girls bathroom. 'I got mad at you when you tried to justify child labor. How can you even try to justify that? I tried to talk seriously with you, but you just laughed at me again - like I was stupid. But no, I'm not the one who is stupid when it comes to this stuff. I wanted to punch you in the face' Her ranting was over, he stood blank looking at her. He nodded. 'I understand, I'll leave you alone' He turned and went away. She opened her eyes and looked out of the window. No, all of this hadn't just happened. It was just a hope. It was just what she wanted to tell him so badly. But how? It was nice imagining it, but so painful when she realized it was all just a dream. What in the blazes was she going to do? 

Skin Game (2009)
Written by: Ava Gray
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 307 (Mass Market Paperback)

The premise: taken from the author's website: A beautiful fugitive—wanted dead or alive.
Kyra is a con woman and a particular kind of thief. She steals with a touch, but she only takes one thing: her target’s strongest skill. Which means she can be a fighter, an athlete, a musician, an artist—anything she wants… for a limited time. Heartbroken, she turns her gift toward avenging her father’s murder; with deadly patience, Kyra works her way into casino owner Gerard Serrano’s inner circle. After pulling off the ultimate con, she flees with his money and his pride.

A hit man who never misses the mark.
Reyes has nothing but his work. Pity for Kyra, he’s the best and mercy never sways him once he takes a job. He’s been hired to find out where Kyra hid the cash—and bring her back to face Serrano’s “justice.” Dead will do, if he can’t locate the loot. He’s never failed to complete a contract, but Kyra tempts him with her fierce heat and her outlaw heart. So Reyes has a hell of a choice: forsake his word or kill the woman he might love.

My Rating

Worth the Cash: another tricky rating, because by all rights, the book is very solid with an engaging premise and interesting characters. I liked all the details surrounding Kyra's ability, how those details made her more human than super-human, and Reyes was the type of character you could sympathize with (even though he's a hit man). But whether it was because I read this book during an EXTREMELY busy week or I was turned off by Kyra and Reyes's initial meeting, but I wasn't engaged by this book like I expected. Maybe it's because I know the author, under her real name Ann Aguirre, does a fantastic job with angst, and there was very little angst in this book until the end, and then, of course, Gray had my full attention. Perhaps I prefer my romances to be slightly more subtle or more in the background, but that's not fair to say either, because I've read books that are straight up romance that I connected with better. So maybe my reaction is more of a "I had a horribly busy week while reading this" kind of a thing. I'm certainly interested in the sequel, Skin Tight, which focuses on two secondary characters that appear in this book, as Gray does introduce larger plot elements that don't get resolved (no worries, the immediate story is DEFINITELY resolved), so I'm curious to see what she's going to do with the four-book cycle. Plus, even though I wasn't fully engaged, I like this author a lot, and have faith that the next installment will work better for me. If it doesn't, no skin (ha ha) off my back. :) At any rate, if you're a fan of Ann Aguirre, you of course have to pick this up. If you've never heard of Ann Aguirre, but you're a romance reader, know this book includes rough sex and characters who are certainly darker than your traditional hero/heroine. If you can handle that, you'll be just fine.

Review style: no spoilers, which surprises me, since I thought there would be. But if you're paranoid, then there's no need to click the link below, which leads to the full review. However, if you're interested, comments and discussion are most welcome!

REVIEW: Ava Gray's SKIN GAME

Happy Reading!

Skin Game (2009)
Written by: Ava Gray
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 307 (Mass Market Paperback)

The premise: taken from the author's website: A beautiful fugitive—wanted dead or alive.
Kyra is a con woman and a particular kind of thief. She steals with a touch, but she only takes one thing: her target’s strongest skill. Which means she can be a fighter, an athlete, a musician, an artist—anything she wants… for a limited time. Heartbroken, she turns her gift toward avenging her father’s murder; with deadly patience, Kyra works her way into casino owner Gerard Serrano’s inner circle. After pulling off the ultimate con, she flees with his money and his pride.

A hit man who never misses the mark.
Reyes has nothing but his work. Pity for Kyra, he’s the best and mercy never sways him once he takes a job. He’s been hired to find out where Kyra hid the cash—and bring her back to face Serrano’s “justice.” Dead will do, if he can’t locate the loot. He’s never failed to complete a contract, but Kyra tempts him with her fierce heat and her outlaw heart. So Reyes has a hell of a choice: forsake his word or kill the woman he might love.

My Rating

Worth the Cash: another tricky rating, because by all rights, the book is very solid with an engaging premise and interesting characters. I liked all the details surrounding Kyra's ability, how those details made her more human than super-human, and Reyes was the type of character you could sympathize with (even though he's a hit man). But whether it was because I read this book during an EXTREMELY busy week or I was turned off by Kyra and Reyes's initial meeting, but I wasn't engaged by this book like I expected. Maybe it's because I know the author, under her real name Ann Aguirre, does a fantastic job with angst, and there was very little angst in this book until the end, and then, of course, Gray had my full attention. Perhaps I prefer my romances to be slightly more subtle or more in the background, but that's not fair to say either, because I've read books that are straight up romance that I connected with better. So maybe my reaction is more of a "I had a horribly busy week while reading this" kind of a thing. I'm certainly interested in the sequel, Skin Tight, which focuses on two secondary characters that appear in this book, as Gray does introduce larger plot elements that don't get resolved (no worries, the immediate story is DEFINITELY resolved), so I'm curious to see what she's going to do with the four-book cycle. Plus, even though I wasn't fully engaged, I like this author a lot, and have faith that the next installment will work better for me. If it doesn't, no skin (ha ha) off my back. :) At any rate, if you're a fan of Ann Aguirre, you of course have to pick this up. If you've never heard of Ann Aguirre, but you're a romance reader, know this book includes rough sex and characters who are certainly darker than your traditional hero/heroine. If you can handle that, you'll be just fine.

Review style: no spoilers, which surprises me, since I thought there would be. But if you're paranoid, then there's no need to click the link below, which leads to the full review. However, if you're interested, comments and discussion are most welcome!

REVIEW: Ava Gray's SKIN GAME

Happy Reading!

His lips
Press to mine
My eyes Spiral
Even though
They're closed

My heart is racing
Flying, Soaring
Running a thousand miles
A minute

His tongue
Slides in
Rubbing against my tongue
It's an oral dance
And so intoxicating

His lips
Are soft
Tasting like cherry
Stupid Katy Perry
And her stupid song

He's holding me
In his arms
I feel warm, safe
I want
To be here always

His lips
Leave mine
My breathe comes back
Filling my lungs

My vision
comes back
No more lines, swirls
Or color,
Only shapes

His eyes
Look into mine
And his lips
Curl into a smile
Then, he winks

I smile
ready to turn away
But
He pulls me back
To the haven
Of his arms
And his sweet lips

Speaking of humans, how are they these days? How's their work going? Are they enjoyin' themselves? How grand. I hoped they would. Speaking of people, how much time do they have left? 2,5 millions heartbeats only? Painful, are they? Aren't they lucky. I wish I had heartbeats. Speaking of couples, how are their fights these days? Heartcrushing? Heartbreaking? Lots of screaming and crying that wounds and tears? Good for them. It's only healthy. Speaking of this, how are you these days? Are you happy yet? Has Luck showed up at your door yet? No? Then maybe you should go find it. Or make one yourself. If you're unhappy with only having mud to work with, be happy that you're not me. I've got only me. No group to call my own, humans. No life to grasp when wondering who I am, people. No place to return to, couples. Not even you, whom I'm trying to reach with these words. My words are too thin and frail even on this sturdy paper. A paper that I'm gluing my first and last breath onto, because I want, really want to change it all.

Title: Tchaikovsky Chocolate
Rating: PG-13
Chapters: 7 Akts
Genre: Romance, Slice of Life, Drama, Books, Classical Music.
Summary: "Olivia Benbow is the owner of a bookshop/library on Earlham Street, named "Tchaikovsky Chocolate". Her everyday life implies the art of knowledge and the books that she sells or borrows, of how she sweetens the customers with her handmade chocolate and inquire a hint of love for classical music, together with the playfulness of her pet own Tawny. But at the end of one late autumn day, her usual customers are put into shade by a mysterious man, who spends one hour in her shop without buying anything, but decides in the end to take the most expensive volume collection by Shakespeare. And it does not remain the only day of his strange visit, for he comes tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow, until Olivia is curious enough to befriend him, and find out more about him." ( Tchaikovsky Chocolate - Akt IV - Trepak )

Today I've finished another square still life with frontal view from above.
Quite tempting thing for me to paint :)



Still life with sugar cubes.
Oil on canvas, 60x60 cm., 2009.

Ealier in this series: "Still life with Chronos" и "Still life with stripy tablecloth".

My painting catalogue: http://rubenm.spb.ru

He was tired.
He had walked for miles, hours and hours, after his car had stalled on a back road. He was delusional, suffering from hypothermia, trying desperately to get home after a business trip. 
The snow fell around him in swirls, and the tiniest snowflakes began to collect on his eyelashes. He blinked, and he stared ahead of him, at the unending blanket of heavy snow. It looked like a featherbed, soft and comforting, and he lay down. He knew it wasn't safe to go to sleep, but his eyes closed and just wouldn't open. He was trapped, trapped inside his exhausted body. His mind was screaming for him to get up, to keep going, but he kept picturing that blanket of snow without an end in sight. 
As the hours passed and he continued to lay there, he remembered home. His wife, his children, they were all waiting in the house. Dinner was on the table, and there were warm, fresh sheets on the bed. A featherbed.
Soft and warm. Inviting and enticing. 
He saw the end in sight. 

If you live in the U.S. or Canada and are in grades K-12, you can submit to one of Creative Communications' contests. They have one for poetry and one for very short essays, the themes of which are announced on the site. It's a great way to get a foot in the door, something to add to your writer's resume. Submission is free and done over the Internet on an easy-to-use form accessible from the website. The anthologies are worth the $30 or so that they cost. They're nicely printed hardcovers.

Here's the site: http://poeticpower.com

( Testimonial )

Just wanted to remind everyone about ficathon go Here to sign up... you get a prompt after giving one of your own and you get 3 months to write a story that is 3000+ words... I'd love everyone to sign up... theres the potiential to get a snazzy new banner... if you have any questions comment or email at officathon@gmail.com.