Welcome to the Creative Corner!

Hi! Welcome to the Creative Corner! This is going to be a site devoted to book-lovers like me who are always looking for a good read. I am going to do book reviews, recommendations, list off short stories and post some of my own. If you are looking for a good, reliable source for all things book, you've found it. So, again, welcome! Hope you visit my site again soon!

Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Unjournal 9

Prompt: Write an original tongue twister. Some ideas: use a lot of words that start with and/or include the same letter as in Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. Or use a lot of words that are very similar to each other like, group, goop, spot, slot.

Responses: 
Lucy lays layers of lilacs and lilies lividly.
Nancy nags the nanny annoyingly.
Boy borgs bite bots.
Scooby scoops groups of goop.

Monday, January 25, 2016

Unjournal 8

Prompt: Write a quick story consisting of 4 sentences, made up of four four-letter words. Alternatively, make up 4+ sentences consisting of four words.

Response: 

  1. Jake isn’t very cool.
  2. Anna will skip rope.  
  3. Adam won’t like cake.
  4. Kyle pets many cats.
  5. Lacy sips from cups.

Saturday, January 23, 2016

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard Fanfic

I have just finished re-reading 'Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard' by Rick Riordan for the 4th time. I am proud to say that it only took me a day (clapping from anonymous crowd inserted here). I am very sorely disappointed to learn that there is no fanfiction whatsoever for the series on the internet. Granted, it's just the first book and a fandom hasn't been established yet, but I still feel as if this needs addressing. I don't know why, but I'm already thinking of ship names. So, here it is. If this is terrible, I am sorry.


     Now that Samirah had been re-established as a Valkyrie, she had many more duties. She was constantly trying to deliver the souls of heroes into Valhalla while trying to keep up with regular life at school and at home. She still had homework, after all. Sam had also volunteered to help out Magnus, Hearthstone, and Blitzen with their possible missions from Odin. Between all of it, she was completely swamped. There had been no spare time for her to set up her temporary sleeping quarters in the hotel, and now that it was far too late for her to go home without waking anybody up, she had nowhere to go for the night.
     It really wasn't fair.
     Maybe I can go and sleep on the front porch, Sam thought. How bad can it be? I can go to bed on the giant outdoor chair. It'll be long enough for me, I think. Maybe I can . . .
     However, her thoughts were interrupted by Magnus, who saw her beginning to leave.
     "Where are you going this late at night?" he asked, somewhat surprised.
     "Home, probably," she replied. "I haven't quite decided where to spend the night, to be honest."
     "Well, now you have."
     "What do you mean, Magnus? I haven't made my mind up about anything of the sort in the 30 seconds that you've been talking to me."
     "No, but I have. You're staying with me for the night." Magnus smirked triumphantly.
     "But I-" she protested.
     "Nope, none of that, Sam. Come on, I never sleep in my bed, anyways. I always just bunk on the grass." He shrugged off her complaints. "Besides, you don't have a place to go, do you?"
     He definitely had a point.  It's not like she had made any plans.
     She sighed. "Okay, you win."
     "Of course I do. When do I not?" he teased. She promptly shoved him.

- later, in Magnus' room -

     "So, what movie should we watch?" Magnus asked Sam. She yawned in reply.
     "Why do we have to watch anything?" she pondered. "I'm tired. I want to sleep."
     "Because movies are awesome, and it's my room. That, and you haven't had any down time in days. You deserve a break that doesn't involve sleeping."
     "It's not your concern, though. I don't have to do any of the things that I do," Sam said incredulously. "I want to take on all of those Valkyrie assignments and I want to go to school and I want to help you guys. I want a mix of all of it. I'm not forcing myself to be overworked."
     "Okay, but still. When was the last time you watched a movie?" he asked.
     "Well . . . it was . . . no, not then, but it was . . ." she struggled.
     "My point exactly. You need a movie education. You need a movication!"
     "Yeah, sure. Whatever you put on is fine," she grumbled softly. "As long as it's good."
     "Oh, it will be," Magnus said confidently as he shoved 'Harry Potter' into the DVD player.

- 2 hours later -

     Sam had to admit that she was impressed by his selection. She had never watched or read 'Harry Potter' before, but she was definitely a fan now. The movie was almost over, though, and she would be ready to go to bed soon.
     "Magnus?" she yawned. "Thanks for letting me stay here. It was . . . fun." He didn't respond. "Magnus?"
     She looked to the side and found that he was slumped over, asleep and laying down at an uncomfortable angle. Sam couldn't help but laugh.
     Sam pulled him over onto the grass, so that he would wake up starring at the starry ceiling. She propped a pillow under his head and covered his body with blankets. She smirked at his sleeping form. Apparently he had been tired, too.
     "Goodnight, Magnus," she whispered. She kissed his forehead before getting up and slipping into his unused bed. She quickly fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

- in the morning -

     Magnus did, in fact wake up looking at his ceiling. He stared at it for a second, relaxed; until he began wondering how he got there. Did Sam drag him here? She did, didn't she. It was the only explanation. He didn't even remember half the movie, much less getting into the foyer.
     Wait. He didn't remember half the movie? He must have fallen asleep!
     Stupid, stupid, stupid. He thought to himself. I was supposed to be taking care of Sam, not the other way around! I'm an idiot. Is she upset? Did I ruin her night? Uhhhhhh . . .
     He contemplated her reaction until he noticed Sam walking out of his room, smiling.
     "Hey Magnus," she said. "Thanks for having me over last night. I really enjoyed it. I owe you one."
     "But, I fell asleep . . ." he replied, confused.
     "Yeah, but it was still . . . nice. I had a great time. We should do it again sometime," Sam smirked while elbowing him. "And next time we do this, we can watch the second one. You were right. I did need some 'me' time; a little mindless fun would probably do wonders for me."
     "Of course," Magnus said, somewhat flustered and surprised. "So, how about next month? Same day? You know, if you aren't busy with your stuff and we aren't on an epic death quest for Odin by then."
     "Wouldn't have it any other way."
     And, with that, Sam left Magnus' home and continued to her old room. It was about time to move in again.


So, what did you all think? Was it any good? Please like or comment to tell me!

Unjournal 7

PromptChris walks into the room.  By describing only the reactions of others in the room, let us know something about him.

Response: Chris walked into the room. Everyone sat up straighter in their chairs. As he walked to his chair at the end of the long table, nobody said a word. As the meeting began, everyone tensed up nervously, almost afraid to be called on and to have their ideas rejected. The woman who was chosen first began to gag on her coffee in surprise and shock. Unprepared for the incoming embarrassment in front of such an important man, she stuttered through her entire speech. When it was over, everyone cringed in sympathy for the woman and in fear of the fact that it would be one of them next. It was a nerve-racking day for the applying employees.

Thursday, January 21, 2016

'Into the Unknown' Lyrics

I really enjoyed the special TV series 'Over the Garden Wall' that was aired on Cartoon Network. In the show, everything has a deeper and more metaphorical meaning. It may look like a child's show, but it has an amazing storyline dotted with connections to real life. For example, the main protagonist of the story is 'The Beast', a creature made of shadows whose soul is trapped in a dark lantern. To me, he embodies the darkness and evil of mankind. Also, the problem that the brothers have of being stuck wandering in the woods called 'The Unknown' symbolizes the struggle that all of us face to find home again. I really enjoy the lyrics of the theme song for the series, 'Into the Unknown'. Here are the lyrics:

Led through the mist
by the milk-light of moon
all that was lost is revealed.

Our long bygone burdens,
mere echoes of the spring.
But where have we come
and where shall we end?
If dreams can't come true,
then why not pretend?

Oh, how the gentle wind
beckons through the leaves,
as autumn colors fall.

Dancing in a swirl
of golden memories;
the loveliest lies of all.
The loveliest lies of all.

Isn't that beautiful? I have yet to see anybody or anything else that writes or possesses music like this anymore. Here is a video from YouTube to show you all how the song sounds and how it was used for the cartoon's purposes:


Unjournal 6

Prompt: Describe someone who looks bored.  Don't use any form of the words yawned, stared, or sighed.

Response: Nick’s head was slowly falling. His eyes had bags underneath them, and he looked like he was ready to pass out. His gaze was shifting over the room with an uninterested expression, and his arms were drooping to his sides. It was very obvious that Nick was bored with the lesson.
The Wishing Spell

* * * */ Four Stars

Genre: Action, Adventure, Humor, Fantasy, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery

In this book by Chris Colfer, you meet Alex and Conner, twins with secret family origins that they are oblivious to. When they transport into their grandmother's special fairy tale book, the two realize that their world wasn't all that it appeared to be. Alex and Conner have grown up in a world of logic and reasoning, but now they are immersed in a place filled with real-life princesses, witches, a giant talking frog, evil wolves, and kingdoms filled with all sorts of storybook characters. In order to get out of the book and back into the 'real world', the twins must gather the elements of the legendary wishing spell, a spell so powerful that its possessor can accomplish any impossible feat. However, the wishing spell has a catch; it can only be preformed one time. And the twins aren't the only ones after the spell. Other powerful people want the wishing spell, and they will stop at nothing to make it before the twins do. Will they be able to race through all of the enchanted kingdoms and make the spell first, or will Alex and Conner be doomed to stay in the Land of Stories forever?
I, personally, really enjoyed this invigorating book. I think it adds a great twist in classic fairy tales by producing a cutthroat Goldilocks, a pampered (and clueless) Queen Red Riding Hood, and a (not-so-evil) Evil Queen. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the magic and the madness of 'Fablehaven' and 'The Sisters Grimm'.

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Unjournal 5

Prompt: Write a paragraph that starts with this sentence: The grass smells red.

Response: The grass smells red, but not like a regular red. Like an artificial red dye or spray that construction people use to make crude plans. It was the site for a new high-rise that would begin being developed the next day.



Unjournal 4

Prompt: People often say, "If we can send a man to the moon, surely we can figure out how to..."  Complete the sentence FIVE different ways.

Response: 
. . . send the envelope into the new mailbox.
. . . send people to Mars.
. . . go underneath the waves and explore the ocean.
. . . send a spacecraft out of our own solar system.
. . . colonize other planets.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Other Websites?

I, a few months into the start of this blog, had shared the links to some websites that other people owned. I am reposting a link from that list and adding some more links of interesting websites that I like to visit. Be sure to visit them!

Optical Illusion Pictures
Go to: http://brainden.com/optical-illusions.htm
Do you like being fooled? Do you see through a lot of magic tricks and mind games that others don't? If so, then this website is the place for you! This categorized gallery of optical illusions has everything from faces in flowers to skulls in the trees. They have sidewalk 3D art and afterimages that trick the eye. Check it out!

Stories to Make You Think
Go to: http://www.rogerdarlington.me.uk/stories.html#Story58 
This is a collection of short stories sure to touch the heart. They come from lots of different people and centuries, and they include classics such as King Solomon and the Baby and The Last Ride as well as tales that everyone knows, like the one with the grandfather throwing starfish back into the ocean. (Note that you might have to scroll this page up to the top to see the table of contents, though . . .)

Peace, Love, and Chipotle
Go to: http://peacelovechipotle.blogspot.com/
This is a blog that was started around 1 1/2 years ago. It is about history, merchandise, and film fridays. And, of course, salsa. This blog is about Chipotle, America's favorite Mexican Grill (or so it says . . .). Anyways, if burritos, chips, and beans (and plenty of randomness) are up your alley, you'll love this blog.

Unjournal 3

Prompt: If you had to be a villain, what kind of villain would you be?  Describe what your power would be?How would you use that power to enforce your villainy? Come up with a name for your villainous persona.

Response: 
Name: Itchy Squirrel
Powers: Invisibility, Telepathy, Super Genius, the ability to summon bazookas (and other weapons) out of thin air
More Info: Itchy Squirrel is a murderous squirrel-person with advanced genetics thanks to a toxic explosion. Itchy is famous for kidnapping innocent children and police officers and tying them up with itchy barbed wire ropes. After this he puts the tied up people in terrible circumstances, like dangling over a shark pool or being balanced on the rim of an active volcano. He also blows up stuff and robs banks and such with his mighty bazooka. Sometimes he turns invisible, allowing him to sneak into museums and galleries to steal precious artifacts unnoticed. He places bombs in public areas while invisible as well. His teleportation powers make him almost impossible to catch. Itchy runs a crime ring with his distant cousin and acquaintance, Chubby Bunny. He is the ultimate super villain.

(I know that I didn't really create a persona for myself, but I did create a weird villain, so I still get some credit, right?)

  

Unjournal 2

Prompt: Different groups often use slang that others don't understand.  A teenage skateboarder may use slang that is baffling to his parents.  A grandparent may use slang that sounds silly to her grandchildren.  The kitchen staff in a cafe may use slang that a soccer mom wouldn't understand.  Computer geeks use slang that only other computer geeks understand.  Write a paragraph about a movie or concert, using as much slang as possible. (You choose the kind of slang.) Be sure to overdo it!

Response: Amy went to the drive-in theater. She and her friends bought pop and kettle corn. They were wearing their best poodle skirts and flats. “Gee, it sure is swell to see this film with you all!” Amy chirped. “Well golly, Amy, we wouldn’t have it any other way!” replied one of her best friends, whose name was Sue. Then the movie began. Halfway through the film, Becky laughed, “What a delightful venture. I am having a marvelous time!” Everyone else giggled politely in agreement. When they left the drive-in and had all gone back to their houses, Amy clutched her handbag and a cherry coke and went back up to her room to read her new novel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, and she thought about the wonderful evening she had participated in.

Saturday, January 16, 2016

My Book Guide

This is a really quick guide on how to find books based on what you read. All of them listed on this page are great, but I get the fact that everyone has different tastes. This is a recommendation for what to read based on personal preferences, in other words.

If you like fantasy action/ adventures, you should read . . .
'Inkheart' by Cornelia Funke
'The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe' by C.L. Lewis
'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' by J.K. Rowling
'Of Giants and Ice' by Shelby Bach
'Half Upon a Time' by James Riley
'Artemis Fowl' by Eion Colfer
'Fablehaven' by Brandon Mull
'Midnight for Charlie Bone' by Jenny Nimmo
'The Key to Rondo' by Emily Rodda
'The School for the Insanely Gifted' by Dan Elish
'The Unwanteds' by Lisa McMann

If you like books about magic, you should read . . .
'The Magic Thief' by Sarah Prineas
'Winterling' by Sarah Prineas
'Splendors and Glooms' by Laura Amy Schlitz
'So You Want to be a Wizard' by Diane Duane
'The Spiderwick Chronicles: The Field Guide' by Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi
'Witch and Wizard' by James Patterson
'The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles' by Julie A. Edwards

If you like mythology, you should read . . .
'Percy Jackson and the Olympians; The Lightning Thief' by Rick Riordan
'The Heroes of Olympus; The Lost Hero' by Rick Riordan
'Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard; The Sword of Summer' by Rick Riordan
'The Kane Chronicles; The Red Pyramid' by Rick Riordan
'Pegasus' by Kate O'Hearn
'The Pharaoh's Secret' by Marissa Moss
'The Cronus Chronicles: The Shadow Thieves' by Anne Ursu
'Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos' by Robin LaFevers

If you like (good) romances, you should read . . .
'Fairest' by Gail C. Levine
'Ella Enchanted' by Gail C. Levine
'The Selection' by Kiera Cass
'Matched' by Ally Condie
'Incarnate' by Jodi Meadows
'Dissonance' by Rosemarie Waldrop
'Flipped' by Wendelin V. Draanen

If you like time travel novels, you should read . . .
'The Time Travelers' by Linda Buckley-Archer
'Found - The Missing Book 1' by Margaret P. Haddix
'Time Snatchers' by Richard Ungar
'The Time Fetch' by Amy Herrick
'The Time Machine' by H.G. Wells

If you like mermaids (yes, mermaids), you should read . . .
'Oceanborn' by Amalie Howard
'The Deep Blue' by Jennifer Donnelly
'The Tail of Emily Windsnap' by Liz Kessler
'Wake' by Amanda Hocking
'The Vicious Deep' by Zoraida Cordova
** The last 2 books here aren't my favorites, but some people enjoy them.**

If you like mysteries, you should read . . .
'A Series of Unfortunate Events' by Lemony Snicket
'Who Could That Be at This Hour?' by Lemony Snicket
'Three Times Lucky' by Sheila Turnage
'The Name of this Book is Secret' by Pseudonymous Bosch
'Gilda Joyce: Physic Investigator' by Jennifer Alison
'Double Identity' by Margaret P. Haddix
'Chasing Yesterday; The Awakening' by Robin Wasserman
'Chasing Vermeer' by Blue Balliet

If you like superpower/ superhero/ superhuman novels, you should read . . .
'Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment' by James Patterson
'The Girl Who Could Fly' by Victoria Forester
'Steelheart' by Brandon Sanderson
'Hero' by Mike Lupica
'The Quantum Prophecy' by Michael Carroll
'The Ability' by M.M. Vaughan

If you like animals, you should read . . .
'Warriors; Into the Wild' by Erin Hunter
'Survivors; The Empty City' by Erin Hunter
'Seekers; The Quest Begins' by Erin Hunter
'The Wolves of the Beyond; Lone Wolf' by Kathryn Lasky
'The Last Dogs: The Vanishing' by Jeff Sampson
'Finding Zasha' by Randi Barrow
'Shiloh' by Phyllis R. Naylor
'Old Yeller' by Fred Gipson (WARNING: this book is extremely depressing)
'Redwall' by Brian Jacques
'The Leanin' Dog' by K.A. Nuzum
'White Fang' by Jack London

If you like spy/ heist novels, you should read . . .
'Heist Society' by Ally Carter
'I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You' by Ally Carter
'Etiquette and Espionage' by Gail Carriger
'Two Lies and a Spy' by Kat Carlton
'Spy High: Mission One' by A.J. Butcher
'Lawless' by Jeffrey Salane

If you like sci-fi/ futuristic novels, you should read . . .
'Ender's Game' by Orson S. Card
'Insignia' by S.J. Kincaid
'The Clone Codes' by The McKissacks (3 members of the same family wrote this)
'Cinder' by Marissa Meyer
'Slated' by Teri Terry
'Incarceron' by Catherine Fisher
'The Supernaturalist' by Eion Colfer
'Frozen in Time' by Ali Sparkes

If you like books about survival, you should read . . .
'Julie of the Wolves' by Jean C. George
'My Side of the Mountain' by Jean C. George
'Hatchet' by Gary Paulsen
'Island of the Blue Dolphins' by Scott O'Dell
'Nim's Island' by Wendy Orr
'The Island: Shipwrecked' by Gordon Korman

If you like a big (awesome) mix of everything, you should read . . .
'The Emerald Atlas' by John Stephens
'Obsidian Mirror' by Catherine Fisher
'The Book of Story Beginnings' by Kristin Kladstrup
'The School for Good and Evil' by Soman Chainani
'The 13th Reality; The Journal of Curious Letters' by James Dashner
'A Wrinkle in Time' by Madeline L'Engle
'Mark of the Dragonfly' by Jaleigh Johnson
'The Orphan Queen' by Jodi Meadows

So, I think that's enough to keep most of my readers busy for a while (I'm winking and smiling so hard right now, don't worry). I hope everyone finds something that they like from this!

Friday, January 15, 2016

Lights in the Attic - A Short Story

In my creative writing class, we were instructed to write a short story. It could be about anything, have any genre, etc, so as long as it had an actual plot and a beginning, middle, and end. I named it 'Lights in the Attic'. Enjoy!


There was a single light still shining in the house. And it bothered her. Her great grandmother had just died last week, and Dani had inherited the house. It wasn’t that Dani and her great grandmother were close - they had only met a handful of times - but her grandparents had passed away, her uncle moved across the world to be with his fiance and her family in Russia, her father had died of a heart attack, and her mother was currently in the hospital. The only person left in their family who was both old enough to take care of the house and physically capable of doing so was Dani.
There used to be more lights still shining in the home, a lightbulb for each person’s life. Within the lightbulbs, the memories pertaining to an individual person were stored. Dani’s great grandmother was the keeper of the house, destined to stay there forever to watch over the lights. If she touched them, she could look into any point of someone’s life within her bloodline. For example, if she touched her uncle’s light, she could see the day he went to kindergarten for the first time, when he joined the baseball team, and when he got engaged. It’s all a predetermined system that everyone in Dani’s family was forced to participate in. When her father and her uncle were born, two lights suddenly turned on in the old attic. When her father died, one blacked out, and when her uncle moved away, his light slowly faded, a reminder that he was forever lost to his family due to the huge distance and communication barriers.
Although she wanted to run back to her old apartment and ask to stay there again instead, or go back to the hospital to visit her mom again, Dani knew that she had to face the house sooner or later. She knew that her fear of living there was completely irrational, and that getting a free establishment was a huge gift, and yet there it was. The thin prickle of fear that laced her thoughts as she gripped the door handle, reluctant to venture inside.
Dani took a deep breath, and then proceeded to turn the knob.
As Dani walked into the home after opening the front door, she shuddered. There were thousands and thousands of photographs hanging on the walls. The furniture was mismatched and old, smelling of mothballs and flowery perfume. The home looked dingy and unkempt overall, even though a cleaning service visited every 3 days for years. All of it reminded her too much of the freaky side of her family that she wished to forget.
Dropping her bags in the spare bedroom (because she didn’t feel comfortable sleeping in the bedroom that her dead relative had slept in), Dani went downstairs and proceeded to strip the walls of the house. They made her head spin.
For the next several hours Dani spent trying to clean up the house. She had shoved the chairs and randomly placed entables that she was getting rid of into the corner of the living room, which essentially meant that everything excluding a tiny wooden coffee table had been crammed into the space. The kitchen was an absolute mess. It was adorned with cobwebs, grease stains, and a thick coating of dust and grime over the countertops. After deciding that nothing could avoid a thorough cleaning, she removed all of the chipped china and bent silverware from the cabinets before wiping down absolutely everything. Dani removed all of the broken (regular) light bulbs from their sockets and exchanged them with fresh ones. And, like she had originally planned, she took all of the photographs off of the walls. She let out a breath of air that she didn’t realize she was holding in until then when she took down the last picture. They were finally gone.
It was only until it was starting to turn into morning again did Dani realize that she had been cleaning the whole night. Satisfied with her work for the time being, she went to bed, passing out as soon as her head hit the pillows.
Dani soon understood why her grandmother kept up the photos, however.
When she woke up in the early afternoon, Dani ran downstairs to continue working on the house. But, as soon as she did, she saw that the pictures had miraculously reappeared on the old walls. It was as if she hadn’t taken them down at all.
The furniture was still in its place. The kitchen was still void of utensils and plates, yet clean. Her grandmother’s bedroom still remained person-less. And yet the walls were still plastered and overwhelmed with photographs.
Dani tried to ignore it at first. She ditched all of the old furniture and shopped for new couches, cups, plates, desks, tables, etc. She started hanging new artwork. She even began painting over all the other walls. But soon the pictures would creep into her thoughts again, and she knew that she could only avoid them for so long.
She tried to rip them up. That didn’t work. Nor did shredding them in a shredder, painting over them, burning them in a fireplace, or simply trying to give them away. The photos kept coming back, attaching themselves to that same wall morning after morning. No sooner were they gone would they come back.
Dani was forced to admit to herself that they were there to stay. She tried to pretend that she was alright with having the pictures come back night after night for the past few months. But inside, she wasn’t having it.
Since she had no other ideas, Dani grabbed the rickety ladder that folded up into the ceiling and pulled it down. She pushed up the thin trapdoor that concealed the old attic and began to ascend the ladder. She hated the feeling of the crumbling wood beneath her palms and the way that it splintered at the slightest touch. She grimaced as she felt at the floor of the attic with her pen hand. It felt damp to her, like dew on a carpet of grass. Whatever it was that she was touching, it had no place in her home.
She hefted herself all the way up into the attic, sliding the trapdoor shut behind her. It fell into place silently, not making the tiniest bit of sound. It envolked a self-fulfilling moment of suspense, and Dani didn’t like it one bit.
Suddenly the room seemed a little brighter, as if something knew she had arrived. As she turned around, Dani saw her bulb, and she cringed. All the members of her family knew about the lights, and yet they all went to extreme measures to avoid them altogether. Dani had taken after the trend a long time ago, after her father had died. The light had blacked out only a day before he died, a heads-up that his life would be ending soon. Even though her father’s light had just been predicting his fate, not explicitly killing him, Dani still felt that the lightbulbs were responsible for the death of her dad. That was when she had made up her mind; she would have no part of her family’s magical ties, no matter what. And yet, here she was, standing in the same room as the bulb that could see her destiny.
She couldn’t do it. Seeing the bulb again made her want to cry. As Dani turned around, trying to go back down the ladder, the room lit up. Suddenly, she wasn’t in control of her legs anymore. She kept walking towards the lightbulb against her will. Dani soon closed the gap between herself and the bulb, which was hanging above her head. Then she lost control of her right arm. With her outstretched, possessed hand reaching forwards, her left arm tried to yank the other away, but it was too late. Contact had been achieved already.
With that, Dani saw a little girl that was maybe 4 or 5. With a start, she realized that it was her. The girl had the same dark hair, green-brown eyes, and quirked smile, but she seemed somewhat happier. She was in the same house, up in the attic. Dani recognized this memory as the time when she first learned about the lights. She frowned at the memory. Thinking about how she used to love the prospect of magic made her feel terrible. She felt like she had been betraying her father by enjoying such things. And then the memory shifted.
She was in 4th grade, and she was arguing with a boy in her class about whether or not her great grandmother could do magic. Dani snapped that her relative could, of course. The boy didn’t believe her. Nor did anybody else.
Then she was in 6th grade, and then in 8th grade, and then in 10th grade. In each situation, she saw how much she had changed from someone who used to enjoy the unusual to someone who hated it. The day when she visited the hospital and realized that her father had passed away was the last date Dani saw. Or so she thought. As she turned away, the room began to look dim and somewhat normal again. She sighed, relieved and very shaken up. But then the last bit was shown to her. It was of a few months ago, when she had first moved in. Dani tore up the house and ‘fixed’ it. The few childhood memories that she had made in the house were both forgotten and irrelevant.
It was then that Dani began to sob on the floor. It wasn’t the house’s fault, or that of the lights, that her father had died, her uncle had moved away, and that her grandmother hadn’t ever cleaned up. She was just looking for something to blame, and it was convenient to blame magic. But she couldn’t hide from it anymore. It was a part of the house, and a part of her.
As she descended the attic ladder and walked across the house to her room, she passed the wall of photographs. Dani smiled a small, sad smile. They no longer bothered her.
In the morning, as she woke up and started moving towards the kitchen to make breakfast, she passed the wall. She quickly glanced at it and kept strutting forwards, but then she back tracked to get a better look. The pictures were finally gone, save for one. It was a picture of her parents and of herself. Dani grinned. It was a sign that things were changing, and that the house was officially hers to look after. With that settled, she proceeded to go make herself some food, and then to go on a jog, and then to go visit her mother. It was a routine that was familiar and comforting, and that kept her in a mental line. But maybe it was also time to go visit her father’s grave again. She’d had enough of living in the past.


**********************************************************************************

Dani lived there for 40 years, before it was given to her children, and then her grandchildren. She moved into a new home that was only a few miles away from where her family lived, and made sure to visit them - and the new lights that shone in the attic - often. It wasn’t just because she liked to do this - although she did. No, it was also because it was her responsibility to show her descendants that magic in their foreign, modern world was to be protected, and not scorned or ignored like she herself used to do. As long as there were still lights in the attic, there would still be hope of a better future for her family yet.

So, what did you all think? Was it any good? Like this or comment to let me know!

Unjournal 1

Here is my first unjournal. The prompt was: Write a story in 3 sentences. The first sentence should be the beginning, the middle sentence should be the middle, and the last sentence should be the end.

My response was: Erin was a famous monster slayer who traveled to Africa. Once there, he fought a fearsome dragon king on top of the ragged mountains. With the dragon king gone, Erin had protected the rest of the creatures on the mountain and saved the people of Africa.

Mind you, this was very short, and somewhat based on Jenny Nimmo's 'Chronicles of the Red King', but this was my first unjournal in the class and was simply meant to be a tiny challenge and an introduction to the class. I hope you enjoyed it. If you think you can make a better story, please leave comments.

Unjournaling, anyone?

In my creative writing class, we are supposed to create a new blog and post our 'unjournals', or a combined group of strange prompts made to make you think in a more 'outside-the-box' manner, on it. I, for one, thought that instead of creating a new blog, I could just share the unjournals and the responses on this blog and let my work count towards my final grade. So what do you guys think? Unjournals, anyone?

Thursday, January 14, 2016

A Bad-Lip Reading

I just found this hilarious video where the words from random clips in the movie 'The Hunger Games' were taken out and dubbed over. Although this may seem really stupid to you all, me and my family couldn't stop laughing. It's called 'Hunger Games: A Bad-Lip Reading'. Enjoy!


Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Cinder

* * * * */ Five Stars

Genre: Action, Adventure, Humor, Futuristic, Fantasy, Fiction, Mystery, Intellect, Romance

In this extraordinary novel by Marissa Meyer, we are welcomed into a world where the moon is inhabited by beings called Lunars who can glamour people, the earth is divided into kingdoms rather than countries, and deception lies thick. On earth, living in the kingdom ruled by Prince Kai and his very ill father, we are introduced to the cyborg Cinder, who works as a mechanic to provide for her adoptive family. She has a way with machines and a troubled and mysterious past. When her beloved sister, Peony, catches a terrible and deadly plague that doesn't have a cure yet, her wicked stepmother and other sister send her in for plague testing and experiments. None of the previous people who have been used for testing have lived through it. But Cinder has. Her body neutralized the sample of the disease when it was injected into her; she is immune. Needless to say, this brings up many questions for her. Will her sister survive now?  What is the Lunar queen, Levana, hiding? Why is the prince interested in her? And, most importantly, who is Cinder?
I really loved this whimsical yet futuristic book. The characters are all developed and unique, especially Cinder herself. Although the novel is based loosely off of the classic tale of 'Cinderella', Cinder is set apart from all other versions of the main heroine in her heroics, strength, cunning, and witty-ness (if that's technically a word). Needless to say, this book is a great one that will soon become staple.
(In other words, READ IT AND THEN BUY IT. And buy the Percy Jackson novels. And the Kane Chronicles. And the Emerald Atlas. And everything else featured on this blog. ;-D)