Stacia Joy

is an author of speculative fiction. When not writing about kickbutt ladies, derring-do, sarcasm, and feels, she can be found creating cut paper and digital illustrations, watching superhero cartoons, and weeping over things like mountains and clouds....

[sjaisling]

I just apologized profusely to a pancake I burnt because I got distracted by looking up what kind of flannel Wolverine wore in the Origins movie. 

I’m turning into a Canadian.

[sjaisling]

Story-Lovers

My early written pieces were awkward first attempts at flirtation.

The stories had smitten me and I was so dazzled by the glorious idea that they might be mine

That my fingers were clumsy

And my words superfluous and obsessed in describing every detail,

Capturing every moment and quirk of my darling that I’d known only a little

But obsessed over in my mind.

Then once the bliss abated I wondered why, for all their content,

Instead of growing with me,

The stories stayed awkward and gangly and failed to provide anything new.

Some crushes are better left in old school notebooks.

I’m a little suaver, now.

I know how to play hard to catch.

A story will pass me by on the street and I’ll think ‘not bad!’

But my standards are set, now,

And I don’t hurry to grow weak in the knees

And weak in the wrists with carpal tunnel. 

I’ll let the stories pass me by.

Maybe even twice.

But if we bump into each other three times – well, that’s no coincidence.

So we meet up at coffee shops and book stores,

And over thermoses of tea in parks, and get to know each other.

Once we’ve invested some time in each other we get down to the business

Of arguing and making up 

And learning more about ourselves the more we learn about each other.

And as the dust settles around us, we can see how far we’ve come and grown together,

Both made better by the experience.

We’ll always have those lines and phrases of each other floating around inside,

Bringing lasting sweetness to that bitter short Dear John letter 

‘The End’

That all story-lovers know:

You made me cry and I threw you across a room, 

But oh, how glad I am I knew you. 

Story-Lovers, by Stacia Joy

[sjaisling]

Lunchtime doodles. The Chancellor and Lady Nátala from THE PHOENIX THIEF. 

[sjaisling]

Writing a vur dramatic, vur intense scene for The Fire-keeper. And my characters do this. 

[sjaisling]

Friend: Why are you wearing a sweater it's 90º outside.

Me: All I heard was 'sweater'.

Friend:...

Me: Sweatersssss

[sjaisling]

“BARE BONES is a collection of poetry, prose, and freeform writings by author/illustrator Stacia Joy that peels back the thick skin of expectations, self-preservation, and societal norms in an attempt to honestly communicate what life with depression and PTSD is like; a glimpse through the stark lens of rediscovering emotional fluency that reveals the juxtaposition of pain and beauty in its rawest form.”

Read the collection at barebonescollection.com

[sjaisling]

There’s no beat inside my chest so I beat it now to see If stayin’ alive will be the best opportunity To beat some blood into this brain set captive thoughts free Beat feeling into these two hands if temporarily And maybe Just maybe By some rhythmic art Beat by beat Beat by beat Jumpstart this faulty heart

Stalled :: Stacia Joy 

[quotethat]

A woman is not written in braille, you don’t have to touch her to know her.

(via lailli)

[spejoku]

I had a dream last night that soos was all excited for a road trip or something but then an alien attacked and it’s revealed he’s an interplanetary celebrity and hero but he just never managed to get out of oregon. He’s been to alpha centauri but not Seattle and that was hilarious to me because he was just so excited.

[rocketumbl]

Morgan EV3

[sjaisling]

Oh.  Now that’s lovely. 

[whoson1st]

do you ship Peggy more with Daniel, Jack or Jason?

I ship Peggy with self-worth, life choices that are in no way derivative of the men around her, and eternal happiness.

Also Steve.

[sjaisling]

This Is How It Was (Psalm of Grief)

Can you hear me, Father?

Can you hear me, Father?

Daddy’s gone, mama’s home

Lying in the bed

Demons are in sister’s blood

Brother’s eyes are dead

The miles between these winter fields

Are longer than whistle’s blow

Can you hear me, Father?

Can you hear me?

Sometimes I just don’t know

Daddy, oh, where did you go?

You’re a big boss man, I know

Hours, numbers, suit and tie, there's

Less of you the more I grow

The distance of these frozen flights

Are longer than whistle’s blow

Can you hear me, Father?

Can you hear me?

Sometimes I just don’t know

Mama sleeps, dreams of sheep

Neat and white as snow

While wolves rush in with sugar lips and

Her flock don’t know to say no

The wanderings of these un-marked trails

Are longer than whistle’s blow

Can you hear me, Father?

Can you hear me?

Sometimes I just don’t know

Sister feels a battlefield

Runs screaming in her sleep

The demons want to be cut loose

And bad blood it runs deep

The beats between these cold hard hearts

Are longer than whistle’s blow

Can you hear me, Father?

Can you hear me?

Sometimes I just don’t know

Brother mine I miss the times

I saw sunshine in your face

But I’m not the one to bring it back

I must trust the ways of grace

But the hours beneath these hoarfrost stars

Are longer than whistle’s blow

Can you hear me, Father?

Can you hear me?

Sometimes I just don’t know

Can you hear me, Father?

Can you hear me, Father?

This Is How It Was (Psalm of Grief), S. J. Grabber

[firstglancefeelings]

What I've learned as a follower of Jesus with an anxiety disorder and mood disorder.

Being a Christian affected by mental illness is HARD. It’s hard, and it’s a constant fight, and it’s okay to admit that to yourself. Give yourself some grace. Some days you’ll have trouble going to church or reading your Bible or praising Jesus because the dishes aren’t washed & you can’t see the floor of your room & your cuts are stinging & people are scary. Some days, you may feel like turning away from it all & just letting depression (or anxiety, or borderline, or bipolar disorder) consume you.

But please don’t stop fighting for it. Make plans for church next Sunday. Find a Bible reading plan or a Bible study that gets you excited, even if it’s just a teeny tiny microscopic bit excited.

Most importantly, don’t stop praising Jesus. It’s okay to be angry. It’s okay to be hurt and not understand your suffering. It’s okay to tell God you’re mad, mad, mad.

But just the thought of who Christ is and what He has done for us should always bring you to your knees. Remember that, in His mortality, He suffered as you did- suffered so that, even on your darkest night, you can have hope for life everlasting- with no physical disabilities, no mental impairments, no sadness, no pain.

Keep reading

[sjaisling]

*sits down to write*

Well these characters ain’t gonna kill themselves.

[sjaisling]

Just now I shouted out to my roommate across the house that I thought she was wonderful and I wanted her to know just because, and she came into my room with tears in her eyes and hugged me and then left without saying a word and that is why I always encourage people every chance I can.

[sjaisling]

ONE WEEK MORE (or, THE ART STUDENTS ARE THE MISERABLE ONES)

--Listen to the above, but pretend they are singing the below revised lyrics--

[ValJean]

One week more

Another class, another harsh critique

This never-ending road to Calvary

My professors don’t seem to mind

That revisions take up so much time

Just one week more

[Marius]

I hadn't even started until today

From social life I must be parted

[Valjean]

One week more

[Marius & Cosette]

It was no work and just all play

But now I’ve really got to get started

[Eponine]

One week more all on my own

[Marius & Cosette]

Will these finals ever end?

[Eponine]

One more week of professors not caring

[Marius & Cosette]

Was this what I came to do?

[Eponine]

Ah if only I had known

[Marius & Cosette]

The crazed artist trope is true!

[Eponine]

What pain art school holds for me here!

[Enjolras]

One week more before the storm

[Marius]

Do I follow my new muse?

[Enjolras]

One more week till creative freedom

[Marius]

Shall I stick with what I’ve got here?

[Enjolras]

Shall I join those in the workrooms?

[Marius]

Do I start over; do I dare?

[Enjolras]

Who’ll pull an all-nighter with me?

[All]

The time is now, the week is here

[Valjean]

One week more!

[Javert]

One week more till end of term

I’ll crush them before it’s done

I’ll be ready for these schoolchildren

I’ll make them paint with their own blood

[Valjean]

One week more!

[M. & Mme. Thenardier]

Watch ‘em run amuck,

Catch ‘em as they fall

Never know your luck

When there’s a free for all

Here’s a little ‘dip'

There’s a little ‘touchup’

Most of this art is failures

So they won’t mind much!

[Student (2 groups)]

[1]

One week til this term is ending

[2]

Struggle to keep your hopes high!

[1]

I hope this doesn’t look like a Kinkade!

[2]

I hope this doesn’t look like a Kinkade!

[1]

There’s a good grade for the winning

[2]

Do you hear the muses sing?

[Marius]

My place is here, I paint with you!

[Valjean]

One week more!

[Marius & Cosette]

I did not begin work until today

[Eponine]

One week more, my mind is gone

[Marius & Cosette]

And still I've only gotten started

[Javert]

I will join these students’ work times

I will trail them to their studios

I will learn their incorrect techniques

To demerit them for what they don’t know

[Marius & Cosette]

I haven’t even started till today

[Eponine]

Ah if only I had known

[Marius & Cosette]

I’ve really only just gotten started

[Javert (overlapping)]

I will join these students’ work times

I will trail them to their studios

I will learn their incorrect techniques

[M. & Mme. Thenardier (overlapping)]

Watch ‘em run amuck,

Catch ‘em as they fall

Never know your luck

When there’s a free for all

[Valjean]

Next week seems so far away

Yet next week is the judgement day

[All]

Next week we’ll discover

What our professors and grades have in store

Work ’til dawn

Then work all day

One week more!

[sjaisling]

Cut Paper Illustration

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