show me a hero

i’ll write you a tragedy. erik powell, 32. author, manager of westbooks.

[chandrilas-deactivated20180714]

Michiel Huisman for Elle NL 2015

[erikpowell-blog]

helenaprice:

Helena sat down the moment he moved his bag. It was like a battle of where to find a seat, because practically most seats were occupied. It surprised her, really, how many people had crashed the Valentines event. It was curiosity that brought her here, a want to understand why certain people had been handed roses and others hadn’t. Of course there was also the addition of the free drinks that gave people into the appeal of turning up even if you didn’t have a rose. She and one of her friends had had pre-drinks before the event, so Helena was a little tipsy. Luckily, alcohol often lifted her mood rather than having the opposite effect. She wasn’t completely drunk quite yet. “No, it’s fine,” she smiled at him, who she noticed was playing with a pen in between his fingers. “It’s not your fault this place is so damn crowded.” A single glance around could confirm that. “Whatcha up to?” She hoped he didn’t mind her asking, pointing to the pen in his grasp.

A pretty blonde sat down next to him, the kind of girls Hemingway wrote about in Parisan cafes. He remembered one of his favorite lines from A Movable Feast, which he could quote off the cuff, though he wouldn’t. ‘I've seen you, beauty, and you belong to me now, whoever you are waiting for and if I never see you again. You belong to me and all Paris belongs to me and I belong to this notebook and this pencil.' The words drifted through his mind as he peeked over his writing, a grin at how nervous he suddenly was slipping out. “I’m just doing some writing,” he told the girl. “It’s got the perfect touch of absurdity to make a good story. Like, look at that lady dance. What’s she doing with her arm?” he asked with a laugh.

[erikpowell-blog]

Erik had ventured out to the streets of Lanford and had headed to the event for the sole purpose of writing inspiration. He hadn’t gotten a rose, and he didn’t want one. Often times, he would put himself in uncomfortable situations and purposely outside of his comfort zone to become a better writer; and see sides of life he didn’t usually see. This was something the introvert was very much not used to seeing. He flicked the pen in between his fingertips at the table covered in flower petals, candles, and the like. He noticed his bag was taking up an extra seat, and moved it out of the way for more people to sit if they so desired. “Sorry about that,” he spoke to the stranger next to him. “Hope I wasn’t keeping you standing.”

[erikpowell-blog]

Text

Elijah: If you're at that party thing, can you please remind the powers-that-be that noise pollution is still a crime?

Erik: I'll try but a drunk lady just gave me a rose and threw up on my shoes

Erik: Glad I didn't wear flip flops

[aliyah--j]

“I stole these from a few people who got these pretty red roses,” Aliyah waved the rose petals across her cheeks, enjoying the feel and the smell of the sweet flower. “I’m trying to decide who I want to give them to. It has to be someone special, someone who didn’t already get a rose.” The trapeze artist could have kept it for herself but where was the fun in that? “Do you know anyone who might fit that criteria? But, hey, they have to be special. Remember that part before you answer.” 

[erikpowell-blog]

Amidst all the action of the event, Westbooks was dead. Not a single customer had walked through the doors of the little shop all evening, and so Erik had wandered out to the streets for writing inspiration. He tried to leave the house as little as he could, though currently, the path to his place was blockaded by an infuriating huddle of cars; and so he decided to float through the chaos before he had to close shop for the night. Little fireworks and sparklers littered the streets, and booming amps reverberated across the city. He found solace in his notebook, writing little observations here and there to be potentially added to the pages of his novels in the future. Suddenly, he bumped into a young woman, and tried to hear her over the cacaphony. “Well, I’m certainly not special enough. You should give it to one of those losers over there,” he laughed, finger trailing through the air with his pen towards the people who were obviously far too invested in the event already.

[marcusaldridge]

Marcus sat down at the closest table he could find and, before whoever was at the table with him could say anything, he started talking. “Yes, I did get a rose. Of course I’m supposed to be here. I’m not crashing. Why would I be crashing a Valentine’s Day party? I definitely have other stuff I could be doing. Like…fixing up a car or something.” He hadn’t gotten a rose. And yes, he was crashing. To be honest, he was kind of salty about not getting a rose. Maybe he just wasn’t as likable as he would’ve liked to be. Who knew? All he knew was that he was crashing a party that he didn’t technically get invited to. And talking to someone random about it.

[erikpowell-blog]

Erik kept his nose tucked in his book, a light chuckle escaping his chest as he heard the man extrapolating on where his rose was. He didn’t get a rose either, though it hardly bothered him. Not enough to wax poetic on where his rose was, at least. Who even gave out roses these days as a romantic gesture? The idea seemed beyond cliche to Erik, almost bordering on a joke. “It’s okay, I didn’t get one either. It seems we’re doomed to a life of solitude,” he joked to the talkative stranger, eyes still locked to his novel, desperate to finish the next paragraph so he could bookmark his place. 

[scarlcttpierce-blog]

         “So, what’s your take on all of this? Your theory?” Scarlett asked the nearest person and stretched her legs out in front of her, feet buried in all the rose petals. “I mean, I personally thought it would have been obvious by now, but since it’s not, there has to be a big reveal later, right? Where the roses play a part or something, because right now… well, right now it doesn’t really matter if you got one or not. It’s pretty easy to crash this place.”

[erikpowell-blog]

Erik wasn’t quite sure what to make of the recent stirrings in his little town. He usually preferred it the way it was, the quality of quiet contemplation wrapping around him like a comforting shroud. That was what drew him to Lanford, as well as the job offer for the managerial position at Westbooks. Even the store was playing a role in the event, rose petals littering the floors and silly little strands of hearts lining the windows. “I don’t know,” he began with a blossoming smile, “though I didn’t get one. Typical.”

[erikpowell-blog]

hello everyone! i’m grace and i’m super pumped to be writing with all of you talented individuals. please like this post if you’re interested in plotting with erik, or if any of the plots listed below strike your interest so that i can shoot you a message.

-big fan: erik is a local author, and has received some acclaim for his work. i would love to engage him with some characters who have read his work. he writes dark fairytales and other pieces of the horror genre, partially as a result of his troubled past. maybe your character is disturbed, or they could be intrigued. the possibilities are endless.

-westbook buds: erik has been in lanford for under a year, and has come here from brooklyn, ny for an escape. perhaps our characters are in a book club together and bond over their love for a shared book, or author. it’d be interesting to see your character geek out over literature with him, or even someone who has a negative reaction to a book in the shop - it’s up to you.

-coffee house: perhaps erik wanders into a coffee house to chill out and our characters spill coffee on each other. he’s a fairly introverted person, though maybe he could feel guilty enough to buy your character a replacement coffee and have a chat over it. 

-AA meeting: erik’s father is a longtime alcoholic, and the prospect of addiction is very frightening to him. let’s say he occasionally goes to meetings for preventative measures. our characters could have a bonding moment at a meeting, or talk over shared experiences.

-car troubles: maybe erik’s car poops out on the side of the road, and your character gives him a jump? maybe they have a collision on the way to work and it’s just one of those mornings, but an unlikely friendship comes from it. 

there are lots of future ideas swimming around in my head, and i’d love to hear yours! i’ll update this as we go, and potentially even make a plot page. thanks again!

[michieldaily]

[erikpowell-blog]

cigarettes after sex // nothing’s gonna hurt you baby