Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts

Saturday 29 February 2020

Zebrafish

We take an unknown leap when we fall in love; trusting the care of our heart to another person.

This month I had the prompt to write a love story from my online writing group. The assignment was to choose one of the 6 senses: touch, sight, smell, sound, taste, or magic. We had to write about a character whose sense we chose is heightened or diminished. We needed to explore how their distorted sense affects them or those around them? And we could make it a love story... This was well within my wheelhouse since love and relationship stories are my passion. I also decided that I wanted to play on the current themes of how people meet that differs from when I was growing up.

I concentrated on sound since it is a sense that I don’t appreciate in the context of love or give a tremendous amount of thought to, but it is something that I imagine could confuse someone's feelings. I remember as a child I went to camp and had a tremendous crush on a counsellor whose speech was dysarthric or apraxic. It made me wonder how a love story incorporating that auditory dissonance in contemporary times might play out. 

“His voice was distinctively him, my Zebrafish. The absence of the alveolar trill of the dropped Rs in my name, and his soft sweet drawl pulled the corners of my mouth into a smile.”

There were so many threads that came together to weave this story of mine, and it took a lot to imagine the reality of my character. Not to mention, speech can be difficult to describe. But, I wanted to give myself a challenge. So I donned my academic hat and dove deep into the research of learning a new glossary of terms. In our day and age of texting and digital culture, I thought to explore the auditory experience of a relationship in the context of our current modalities of communication would make for an interesting love story.

I'd been doing some edits on my novel and took a break to work on my monthly writing group assignment. I was feeling like I wanted to give my novel’s protagonist some sort of hope. My novel ends dismally and so this little piece also felt like it could be an epilogue of sorts for my own peace of mind... I doubt I have more to say about the short story to actually make it a sequel to my novel.

“… delighting my tympanic membrane like a gentle caress that would linger along its journey deep within me… his words would bounce around inside me until they’d find their final resting place in the warming of my heart.”

One of my writing group members mentioned the dissociation we sometimes have when meeting a radio personality in person. All these little threads came together to craft Zebrafish; a story about a broken-hearted girl who finds love and learns to trust again despite all these auditory obstacles. 

My short was very well-received and I am always humbled by the compliments on my prose. However, so far the male love interest in my novel, let's call him Joe, is not well-liked. I have woven my female protagonist into a few stories outside the novel and her other male counterparts are always better received than Joe. I am going to have to start sharing some of the wooing passages to get my readers to fall in love with Joe just as they have fallen in love with my Zebrafish. 

Perhaps, I took a leap with Joe and was blinded by love myself... 


Wednesday 31 August 2016

Immortal Beloved

This month's Love Wins story is about a specific Jellyfish and the reality of this being's immortality...


Sunday 14 February 2016

Friday 24 July 2015

The Hawthorne Effect

My final summer class was yesterday and the end of the session is always bittersweet. When I refer to the term bittersweet I think of a discussion I had with a confidant a while back who always explains everything so eloquently. In his words, bittersweet is about the full spectrum of life rather than the simultaneous highs and lows of an experience. I always love his stories, letters and the word journeys he takes me on. He has an ability like no other to perfectly string together verses that shape the meanings of my moods or frames of my mind.

In the final discussion of my class, we explored science fiction. The week’s reading by Vint and the references to xenotransplantation had inspired one of my students’ discussions. In her post, she put forth a wonderfully creative exercise for us all to craft a being pieced together from a variety of species that would best represent our true selves.

It was a bit of challenging exercise if you truly delve into the depths of the beings you choose as it takes research, time and honesty to critically assess the best species to use for each of the parts of your mad scientist creation. In today’s fast paced social media driven society, we can float on the surface of the water in our self-awareness and the medium very much distorts the message. It makes me think of a recent article that highlighted the false reflection of our lives through social media. This final exercise was such a fun and thoughtful way to end the term. I have included her description of how to approach the task and shared my own exploration below.


Now is your turn to play a "mad scientist" without actually hurting any animals. Create an alien which contains animal parts to express your personality or style. The parts can be based on actual behavioral/physical traits or popularised ones (like the “heart of a lion” denotes courage). Remember, this type of xenotransplantation is purely fictional, but make sure that the parts you choose relate to your personality and explain why.



I am a collection of beings...


I am an empath, a forgiving person and I will instantly respond to another in need.
  • My creature has the heart of a Rat
I am a soft spoken person and patient to a fault. However, when the need arises to defend my wellbeing or survival I am quick to respond and hold my position strong.  
  • My creature has the jaws Crocodile
I am quite sensitive. Although I may not reveal it on the surface, my feelings can be deeply hurt quite easily. However, I am able to quickly redevelop from an affront.
  • My creature has the skin of a African Spiny Mouse
I am a problem-solver, learn from observation, and I have a mind that is constantly seeking adventure and new experiences.
  • My creature has the brain of a Cephalopod
I am hyper aware of my surroundings and I approach situations from new perspectives.
  • My creature has the eyes of a Dragonfly
I have an acute intuition and I can quickly see through ambiguity.
  • My creature has the stomach of a Bat
I am an explorer, a wanderer and I love to discover the hidden.
  • I have the “feet” of an Adelie Penguin

Wednesday 1 July 2015

Happy Canada Day!

Starting this August I will begin to explore the bonds between species on a new page joining Beautiful Creatures. As I work on my writing over the summer, I am looking forward to learning about new species, the bonds they form and understanding the worlds of other than human beings.

A friend recently wrote me with the question of bonds between species and how they differ. He was interested knowing about the difference in the variety of love bonds that other animals express and their experiences of loss and emotional depth. How can we as humans truly have an understanding of another species umwelt and how much projection is there from our own experience upon others?

I have touched on the topic with some of the Alphabeasts narratives and the thread of love has been stitched into a few of the character interactions in Beautiful Creatures. And so, I felt inspired by my friend's questions and thought I would really like to explore this further in my own stories. I look forward to sharing my thoughts, findings and stories with you about love and bonds across species


So, from the one who never fails to make me smile...

We wish you all a great day!

Monday 6 April 2015

Stardust


Like flashes of lighting on a stormy night the brief illumination revealed moments past. Memories hidden in time came rushing to the surface. The first moment they had shared a breath, the feeling of calm as they traveled side by side across the dry landscape and the deep blue of the sky in the early morning light. She nickered softly stomping her hoof upon the ground of her stall. Her head nodding in longing as though to affirm the reality of her mind’ eye…

“And the rest is rust and stardust.”
~ Vladimir Nabokov, Lolita

Saturday 28 February 2015

Betrüger

Several months had passed since her first meeting with Schatz, yet they remained closely linked as he was deep within her heart. Their parting was one of sweet sorrow as she watched him slowly disappear in the haze of a warm summer sunset. He hopped along slowly and turned one last time to meet her gaze before he vanished into the thicket. Although they were no longer side by side in body they would remain inner life companions. This bond was one that seemed to traverse distance and was felt deep with Flitzen. 

As time went on, Flitzen paired with another buck when the colder month began to creep in. It had been a chance meeting, but Betrüger had watched her from the distance for a few months. He had seen Flitzen play in the fields nearby but stayed in the background until he found the perfect moment to enter her world. Betrüger was a playful and passionate hare with a flair for the dramatic. But, like a true Belgian Hare, he was highly excitable and had a nervous energy that kept him in constant motion. Much like Schatz, Betrüger had the ability to create a world in which Flitzen could lose herself. She and Betrüger had played for months into the cold nights before the winter crept in. Although Flitzen was initially hoodwinked by Betrüger’s spell, it would eventually dissolve, and the bond they had would scatter like dandelion spores in the breeze. She was weary after spending hours trying to pacify the unrest that had arisen from the impromptu attack of another buck. Her unexpected freedom from Betrüger’s ensnarement came sooner than Flitzen had anticipated and she had been initially caught off guard.  Flitzen’s ear was in ribbons from the encounter with the other buck and as she sat licking her bloodied wounds she felt the sudden intense sting of Betrüger’s teeth as they pierced through her…

Saturday 14 February 2015

A symphony of trumpets...

It was but a dream, a fleeting twinkle in time. She would revisit that moment of their rupture for years to come. They had come together with such an energy that had overwhelmed them both. With their initial parting, their rupture had been so sudden, painful. She had remained paralysed by sorrow and the uncertainty that she would ever see him again. But unlike Kivuli, Kingsley would return over the years. 

[CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsKingsley was both gentle in his gaze but confident in his manner. His infrasonic chirps would send a wave of peace through Myani. The interchange between them was always fluid and when reunited they would quickly mirror the other in the ease of their connection. 

It was a quiet day when Myani sensed the familiar sub-sonic rumblings in the distance. She knew then that the bliss within her was too much to contain. She flapped her ears and called out in a symphony of trumpets! All the while, certain deep down, that it was him. She quickened her pace toward the diection of the muted roars. As they drew nearer she continued to meet his roars and rumbles with her own. It was around this time that she and Kingsley had first crossed paths. It would not be long before she heard the familiar chirps! She knew the interplay of their emotional contagion would quickly follow suit...

Wednesday 7 January 2015

Stay Gold...


He was like a raging fire. She had been warned by her stablemate to keep her distance from the Appaloosa in the stall opposite her but Amore was not one to heed a warning. In fact, her curiousity was something that had led her to adventures beyond her imagination. And so, when Amore was captivated by something or by another she would follow that sense of intrigue in quick pursuit… She had watched the Appaloosa for a few days now. He kicked about in his stall and reared when anyone would approach. His dappled coat, fair golden mane and his gleaming distinctly white sclera were striking in the morning sunlight. She was intrigued by the novelty of this newcomer that stood out from all the rest in the stable, so much so, that she would not be deterred from engaging with the fiery new character!

Monday 22 December 2014

Happy Holidays!






I am off on an adventure of my own... I would like to wish all my readers a very happy holiday season from all of us at Beautiful Creatures. We look forward to sharing exciting adventures with you when we return in the New Year!

Sunday 9 November 2014

The Iridescent Dragon

Nick Hobgood
Among the Knysna settlement inhabitants were two wandering souls, Griffin and Sabine. Griffin had been a long-time resident whereas Sabine had only recently returned to Knysna. It was like having been in a dream that she found herself back in the watery refuge of her birthplace. This was mainly because she did not have any recent memories of her time in the settlement. Sabine felt as though she had fallen into a deep sleep only to reawaken surrounded by the softness of the undulating sea grass that calmed her unsettled soul. She had not known this at first but Griffin was to become an exceptional companion. His soft copper markings dotting the side of his pouch and head made him stand out from the rest in the herd. But there were many elements to why Sabine was so drawn to Griffin. One being that he had traveled between the settlements and was a treasure chest of adventures... A truly wonderful storyteller! Sabine and Griffin had briefly met as fry. Although he did not have much of a memory of her, Sabine certainly had kept a place in her heart for Griffin over time. She had not been conscious of this rooted emotional memory until it was sparked at the end of the dry season when he finally engaged after she had silently watched him for the past few months. The reawakening of this embedded unconscious history with Griffin gave her hope that the loss of her recent memories would return to her one day. She hoped that in time the memory gap between fry and present day would rematerialize in much the same way her love for Griffin had come rushing back. It was an unusual chain of events that reunited Griffin and Sabine with such fervour. As such, this was a bit daunting for Sabine, yet she was not one to shy away from the promise of such a deep connection with another. And now, as they entered into the hot season of South Africa’s November, the bond between them grew exponentially stronger each day...

Wednesday 20 August 2014

Mirror Mirror



This week at Beautiful Creatures we continue with the storyline of Flitzen and Schatz which was first introduced in April. When we left Flitzen, she had just escaped Molly and come face to face with Schatz. If you have followed the Alphabeast series you will be familiar with the beginning of this week’s story which is the continuation to Beautiful Creatures’ Mad as a March Hare.

Schatz gazed upon her with gentleness like no other. They were similar in many ways, yet distinctively different. Flitzen was a true Belgian Hare, and Schatz was a Blue-Eyed White Beveren. Flitzen had a very friendly nature but she was easily startled by any sudden change in the auditory or visual shift of her environment. Her long slender body and graceful lines gave her the appearance of a wild hare. She had a deep chestnut red-coloured coat that would catch the rays of sunlight and emanate the warmth of her soul within.

Their first meeting was one for the storybooks as Flitzen’s canine pursuer poked its head into the underground refuge ruffling her tail with its hot breath. As they found each other face to face their twitching noses mirrored the other in the safety of Schatz’s underground hidden world. They were deep enough in the ground that they were safe from the dog but Schatz hopped forward and Flitzen followed closely behind. They had hopped through a short tunnel to Schatz’s cool den beneath the earth and from the heat above ground. Sitting across from the other they closely examined the contrast between their coat, eyes and size… 

When she looked upon Schatz he reminded her of the morning frost with his sparkling white fur that twinkled like the stars of the deep night sky. Although there were several outward differences, Flitzen could feel the parallel rhythm of Schatz’s heart. He was cautious yet warm, respectful and welcoming, deeply loving and calm. Flitzen knew from the moment of their first encounter that he was a rare breed. She was a spirited rabbit but took comfort in the tender voice of a wonderful storyteller and Schatz was the perfect match for her! He was full of energy yet balanced with his calm and laid-back demeanour... He had a delicate charm and subtle shyness that was quite endearing and she knew then and there that she had fallen upon a genuinely authentic soul. This first meeting was an unexpected gift, and Flitzen was immediately drawn to him. Schatz had a deep inner beauty that was so powerful it glowed, lighting up the room and warming her from within. 

He was intoxicating, much like Tom’s belly on a storytelling night… 

Popular Posts