The Heart of Magic: Novel. Four sisters are given a magical artifact to protect, but there are other forces at work that they need to unravel [Progress: second draft started]
BNF: Novel. An actress on a popular supernatural fantasy tv series meets a fan who won a contest to be a consultant on the show. The changes start being more than anyone can take, and the fan's ideas are only getting worse. [Progress: planning stage]
Another One Bites The Dust: Novella. A man is given the powers of Death/The Grim Reaper and goes power mad. [Progress: planning stage]
By Her Majesty's Grace: The beloved queen of a faraway magical land is murderer in a bloody coup, which rocks the population to it's core. Then the story slowly unravels [Progress: very light planning stage]
Vigilante: Novel. A brother and sister gain super powers and decide to fight crime. Hilarity ensues. [Progress: very light planning stage; might be aborted]
Forever and Always: Novel/Short Story. Main character runs into an old childhood friend and the two rekindle their friendship. But there's something very different-- and strange-- about MC's old friend [Progress: idea reworked; no planning done yet]
The Guardian series: Novel series. A dark magical girl series about a group of women who find each other through the magic powers they gain and become a vigilante team [Progress: very light planning stage]
Queen B: Novel. A former high school mean girl becomes an adult and goes into the work force. [Progress: planning stage]
Sirena Says: Novel/Novella. A cool, quirky new streamer takes the online world by storm, but another streamer feels that there's something off about her [Progress: planning stage]
[Unnamed]: Short Story. Sapphire makes friends with her new coworker, Ruby, but she can't help but feel intensely jealous of Ruby's life and skill. After Ruby wins one too many times for Sapphire to handle, Sapphire begins plotting her revenge.
List may or may not be updated as I come up with things
also we have GOT to collectively come to terms with the fact that me or any other stranger online disliking or even making fun of something you like is not saying “no fun allowed” “no one can ever enjoy this” you have simply got to grow a spine and be able to like the shit you like. you don’t even have to defend it! like 90% of the media i really enjoy is divisive and half my friends actively hate it. i really don’t give a fuck though because i like it. you can write whatever you want! you’re allowed! even if it’s MY least favorite genre or style of writing and i have active distaste for it!
sorry i don't write men. yeah idk i just can't get into their headspace.... i don't know how to act like a man lol. idk how men feel. do they even have the same feelings as us? that's crazyyyy lol. still tho idk how id do it im not educated enough to write them sorry. you wouldn't want me to write a man badly would you.... im afraid of messing up and those angry men online to shout at me they're so aggressive
he would not fucking say that, but with disability.. he would not fucking be able bodied. sick n tired of characters walking away from multiple life changing injuries without a scratch. let’s get some natural consequences in here.
give that knife/sword fight survivor nerve damage. give the character who was shot in the gut a stoma. give that fire survivor lung damage and an oxygen cannula. give that leg injury survivor a cane. give that starvation survivor gastroparesis. give that spinal injury survivor a manual chair or powerchair.
while we’re at it, give your characters congenital disabilities too, just because. give them intellectual and development disabilities. give them acquired and postviral illnesses. dare to make somebody bedbound. for me.
the sky is not going to fall if you admit that tastes and preferences do not exist in a vacuum, like. also let’s be serious, a lot of what passes for ‘personal preference’ is actually deeply shaped, if not manufactured, by cultural boundaries and the market. your ‘personal preference’ was given to you by social mores masquerading as individual choice bc you live under racial capitalism. true personal taste is not something that generates discourse
A preview of the short story I'm working on! It's still untitled for now, but here it is!
It started when she was first hired.
Sapphire remembered that she was on her break, chatting with one of her coworkers, and she had looked up in time to see her boss, Taryn, speaking to the girl in the nearby office. New girl was a very pretty Black woman in her late twenties, possibly early thirties, with long black hair styled in a single braid. She wore a pink bow in her hair, and her clothes consisted of a simple, long white sun dress with sunflowers on it, black ballet flats, and a gold locket.
She remembered how, after the office chat had ended, the new girl had left the office, spotted Sapphire, and had run up to her. The new girl had stuck out her hand and introduced herself.
“Hi! I'm Ruby!” she'd said, her hand extended, a big smile on her face.
Sapphire smiled back, liking Ruby’s energy.
“Sapphire,” she had responded back, shaking Ruby's hand. “Or just Saff if you want!”
She remembered Ruby being assigned into her room and teaching her how things worked, from the children and their temperaments to the classroom routine. Ruby picked up on things quickly, and the two of them found that they worked well together. Over the next few months, she and Ruby became fast friends, and Sapphire learned more about her. She learned that she and Ruby had a lot of the same interests (like listening to the same Korean pop groups and watching the same anime) and similar thoughts and worldview. They both loved painting. Ruby was willing to listen to Sapphire talk about acting in theatre, and Sapphire was willing to do the same for Ruby when she went off about soccer and the carious other sports that she loved. Sapphire also learned that Ruby was married. His name was Kalen, and they had been together since they were in high school. He hadn’t been to visit the centre yet, but Sapphire was sure she would like him if he ever did.
Sapphire loved working with Ruby. She made the days much more bearable, even fun! Even the tough days were easier with Ruby around.
Overtime, though, Sapphire began to notice her painful jealousy regarding Ruby’s existence. Ruby was gorgeous, hardworking, and was good at the job. Sometimes, watching her friend made Sapphire feel inadequate. Annoyed, even. She understood jealousy in an intellectual sense, in that it was an emotion that people felt sometimes. She couldn’t understand why she would have these feelings where Ruby was concerned.
Whenever Ruby worked, or assisted her through mistakes, or even existed, really, Sapphire had to take a deep breath to stop the anger and self-loathing from taking over. The compliments that Ruby got were even worse.
“Ruby is amazing,” Taryn had told her once, and Sapphire faked a smile to hide the rising panic, hurt, and rage filling her head and heart.
“I love how Ruby’s so quick to help out!” one of their other coworkers, Ellie, had told Sapphire, while watching Ruby assisting the kitchen staff. Sapphire had only nodded, not trusting herself to speak through the irritation that flooded her being.
“Would you be able to give this to Ruby? I just want to thank her for her advice,” Adele, one of the parents, had asked Sapphire while picking up her daughter, handing Sapphire a small package. Sapphire smiled and agreed, while secretly thinking that she wished that she would get this kind of appreciation from parents.
She always stuffed the feelings down, though, because they made no sense. Why would she feel bad when Ruby was complimented, or when Ruby was just being herself?
She had no idea just how bad it would get.
Sapphire could remember the day like it was just yesterday. It had been about a month or so after Ruby had started, and it was after work. Sapphire was sitting outside of the daycare with Ruby while waiting for Ruby’s husband to pick her up after they had finished closing up for the night. Sapphire couldn’t quite remember what they had been talking about exactly, but she could remember the fun that she was having just chatting with Ruby.
Ruby soon stopped talking and looked up, smiling widely.
“Oh, there he is!” she had said, standing up, and Sapphire stood up with her as a small black car drove into the parking lot. The driver stopped in front of the doors, and Ruby walked out and spoke to him briefly. Suddenly, Ruby turned and beckoned Sapphire over. Sapphire blinked and then walked over just as a man stepped out of the car. Sapphire stopped in her tracks as she took in the sight of this man.
Kalen was tall with light brown skin, and appeared to have brown eyes (at least, that’s what Sapphire thought, given how dark it was). He had long black hair tied in a low ponytail, and a short beard. He was dressed simply, just a t-shirt, jeans, and a black leather jacket.
Sapphire was sure she was staring, but she couldn’t help herself. Kalen was just..gorgeous. She managed to quickly look away before being caught, thankful for the darkness of the night as she could feeling her cheeks heating up
Sapphire was pulled out of her reverie by Ruby calling her name.
“Saff, this is Kalen,” Ruby said with a smile. “Kalen, this is my friend, Sapphire!”
Kalen smiled and reached out his hand. Sapphire quickly shook his hand, pretending that she hadn’t just been internally drooling at the moment.
“It’s nice to finally meet you! Ruby’s been telling me so much about you!” he said with a laugh, looking at Ruby. Ruby smiled softly and linked her arm with his, taking his hand.
The sight made Sapphire sick with rage, irritation, jealousy. This was Kalen? He was so attractive! He may well have been the most handsome man that Sapphire had laid eyes on in her 35 years of life! Why did he have to be married to Ruby? Why did Ruby have to have everything good going for her?
Sapphire quickly stuffed those feelings down and smiled at the two as they all continued chatting, congratulating herself on not freaking out and remaining calm on the surface
Finally, they both left, and Sapphire walked to her own car. She drove home, thinking of Kalen despite her attempts to stop.
This was terrible. She needed to stop.
But she couldn’t. Her head was filled with Kalen for the rest of the night.
this is for my black writers only. but if you recall way back when i tried to start a writing challenge for black romance stories cuz i was not satisfied with the state of romance targeted at black readers. there was a lot more interracial stories with white partners than anything and i want to gauge interest for the writing challenge again.
interact with this post if you would be interested in participating.
it doesn't matter what's written on the page, what matters is what's written in your heart. so stop asking me how many words i've written today that doesn't matter
Silver is walking with her family, the four of them going…somewhere. Home maybe? Or maybe to the flea market. Onyx, her small boy who could camouflage into shadows, always clutched her hand now that he was far too big for back rides. Opal, a shimmering child who could sometimes be hard to look at, was always walking ahead. So fiercely independent in contrast to her new brother. And Lucky, the comforting arm around her shoulders. Safe. Secure. Everything tends to work out for them because of him.
There’s sirens, the sound worrying to Silver, but that’s fine, Lucky always protects them. She turns to look at him to further ease her concerns and he's gone. Silver’s heart drops to her stomach. She turns to Onyx except he’s slipped from her fingers. Opal no longer trails ahead. Silver panics turning in circles, pushing through the crowd now threatening to crush and suffocate her.
She breaks free and finally sees Opal and Onyx hiding behind Lucky as he stares at Silver—green eyes unreadable. They’re all suddenly sideways as Silver is pinned to the ground. Opal and Onyx are gone leaving Lucky staring straight into her eyes, his expression dark. Silver begs him to help her until her throat aches. Why isn’t he help—
She gasps awake as her phone rings.
“What have you got?” Warren's voice demands.
Silver sighs, of fucking course, “Good morning to you too.” She keeps her voice monotonous refusing to give him any clue that he startled her. She looks at the clock reading 7:35 am and mentally swears at him, shaking her head as if she can dislodge the recurring nightmare that never leaves her.
“Get on with it.”
“There’s five of them,” Silver starts, recalling the tight knit crew she met after the show. “One makes illusions,” Mirage was childish, his voice was always bit too loud and he never sat still. The boy took all his cues from More. They might have actually been related for how close they seemed to be. Now that she thinks about it, there might actually be a resemblance.
“One uses charisma,” Star was bubbly and ethereally beautiful when she was using her ability in the ring. She kept the audiences rapt attention in a trancelike state as she floated through the air. She was the type of girl Silver wouldn’t have meshed well with when she was much younger, way too hopeful and excitable. Star didn’t seem to mind the gloom and doom surrounding Silver, immediately latching on because ‘More seems to like you.’
“One is…a mime? You’d have to see it to believe it.” Charlie exclusively used sign language with Star and Mirage and was constantly smiling. Silver thought he was the most worrisome after Claire. There’s no limit on a power like his and Silver can’t fathom the danger he could possibly cause. Warren could though.
“The other two I can’t say if they are even enhanced at all.” She half lies. Claire was very possibly a psychic who had sporadic visions and that could be a big problem for Silver. Silver recalls her buzzcut, black cloak and swore she was staring right into her soul. She delivered a vague and unsettling message that deeply concerned Silver. She didn’t want to tell Warren this yet. If he learned he was looking for a psychic he might pull Silver out and that would put her right back in her cell. Unnerved feelings aside, Claire absolutely would have been Silvers' judgy best friend way back when. She could see it, two mean goth girls.
And of course Silver knows More is enhanced even if she can’t figure out what exactly he can do. If Mirage really was related to him, perhaps their abilities were similar.
“The two you can’t figure out, can’t you just ask?”
Silver sees her skull with how hard she rolls her eyes. “Do you want to catch them or not?” No she can’t ask. It’s a thing. Call it culture or etiquette you never ask. If you figure it out, that's nice. If they tell you even better. But asking directly is what the feds and civvies do.
“Alright alright. Good work so far. Good to know what we’re working with.” He hangs up without so much as a goodbye. Silver sucks her teeth. Her stomach rumbles and she remembers she crashed into bed after taking her notes. After a quick shower she gets dressed, grabs her gloves, and heads back for the café with the weird drinks.
—
As strange as it is, she's grateful for the new café. Silver was always a sucker for breakfast foods but never a morning person. She remembers fondly a moment she and Lucky taking ‘the kids' to one around minutes to 10 and enjoying an obnoxiously large Belgian waffle for their birthday. It was on the house like most things are when Lucky is around. She savors the memory as it helps make the nightmare dissipate.
“So you come here often?” Silvers snapped back to reality by his voice. More leans against the counter waiting for his order. Silver rolls her eyes which only makes the goofy grin on his face widen.
“Clearly you do.”
“Glad to see you again, you know, Star would not stop talking about you,” he says.
“What?” Silver asks, genuinely confused.
“Yeah she’s young, never really met someone with a similar gift to hers.”
“You’d call that similar?” Silver asks.
“Means are different but the effect is similar,” He shrugs. “She’s not as fine tuned as you, though.”
Silver gives him a look of disbelief, a piercing glare, through squinted eyes. If anything, Star was way more skilled with her gift for her age. To entrance that whole crowd with no visible side effects on her end, she couldn’t possibly be impressed by Silver’s sneaky little gift. But still—This is good. They like me.
“I’m flattered but you’ve barely seen me so I would have to disagree.”
“Touché.”
“Alright I have one mint tea with two sugars, one vanilla frap, one black coffee with 5 espresso shots, and 5 breakfast sandwiches for… a Claire?” The barista says carefully placing the large order on the pickup counter. Silver flinches at the espresso shots as More collects the order.
“Five shots?” She asks incredulously.
“Yup! Can finally join the world of the living.”
“Or leave it.”
He laughs. “Claire used to say that.”
“She’s right, why'd she stop?”
“I'm still here right?” He grabs some napkins tossing them in the large paper bag and places the drinks in a cup holder. “‘Sleep is for the weak’ or however that song she loves goes.” He says the lyric with a rasp, mimicking the singer’s scream.
“If you want, you can come have breakfast with us.” He suggests.
“What?”
He shrugs. “We’re not too far from here. Unless you just wanted to go back home.”
Her first instinct is to decline, to tell him he's being a little forward. But she does have to locate their base of operations and he has a way too eager look in his eyes that’s basically begging. Before she can answer, the barista comes back.
“Mint hot chocolate for Silvia?”
Silver curbs her irritation with a sharp exhale. Instead gives her a fake smile and takes the drink. “That's me. Thanks.”
“Silvia?” More chuckles.
Silver sucks her teeth, “Shut up!”
—
Growing up with a power like hers and no guidance on how to use it had ended Silver with some pretty awful assumptions made about her. The one that stung most came as a teenager with people whispering she was selfish. Because a girl who could always get what she wanted by just touching you could only be a selfish spoiled brat.
A selfish spoiled brat with no parents and nowhere permanent to call home. She had it made.
It was through Onyx she realized maybe she wasn’t. Silver wouldn't deny she was tired of being displaced and unwelcome and a few simple handshakes and suggestions landed her as a live-in babysitter for this kid. She had a place to rest her head as long as that kid was happy. or a short time, Silver had a home and the semblance of a family. What the circus family seemed to have.
She did eventually feel bad, the parents were good people. They supported her kind and just wanted better for them. If it was because their child was also enhanced…
Either way they’re long gone leaving Silver no choice but to run and return to the streets but this time with a young enhanced who had no guidance and nowhere permanent to call home. A selfish person would have left him. Let the foster system figure it out again. Or maybe a selfish person wouldn't want to be alone.
Either way she's accepted these assumptions and has stopped trying to prove to anyone that she’s anything else. Hell, looking out for others got her thrown in jail. It’s better this way.
—
More was right, it wasn't very far. And their apartment was barely better than the place Warren had set up for her. One bedroom they designated to Claire and Star and a living area the guys shared. A small kitchen barely big enough for two people to stand in and small dining table with mismatched chairs. Two were lawn chairs, one was a metal one that squeaked when More unfolded it for Silver to sit, and the last one was an actual dining chair with worn padding that. She expected more of a mess but the space was simply well lived in. It was so painfully cozy and the thought of what she used to have forms a lump of envy in her throat.
How quaint, she was really going to take this from them, and get back what she lost. She could be cozy and safe again, track down her own ‘kid’.
Mirage and Charlie stir as More sets their food down. “Breakfast is here!” He says and they finally scramble out of the Murphy bed nearly stumbling to the two lawn chairs.
“Is she here? Claire said Silver was coming.” Star’s voice travels from the bedroom.
Right. The psychic would know that. Silver wonders again if Claire will be a problem for her task. She didn’t seem to be fully in control of her visions and most psychics weren’t, by design. But just because she couldn't choose what she saw or when she saw it doesn’t mean she couldn’t eventually see something exposing Silver.
Silver had a plan for her but she needed to bide her time, which was infuriating on a time crunch. She needed Claire’s guard down in the hopes of using her ability. Using it on More was too risky when she didn’t know what he was capable of. But if Claire was like any psychic Silver has met over the years, she’s still susceptible.
Hopefully she can use whatever feelings Star claims More has for her to her advantage. He’s the one calling the shots.
—
Breakfast at their place was nice, homey. More and Claire ate in the living room as “the kids” and Silver occupied the dining table. Star bombarded her with questions, claiming she wanted to better her act. Silver didn’t think her answers were sufficient, but Star took each bit of advice earnestly. “Play up the coyness. Remember at all times you are innocent.”
Full and finally more awake Claire hands More an envelope with his cut of the circus funds. “Everyone’s getting one, one, new outfit and Charlie needs a new pair of shoes.”
“Wait, how come only Charlie gets shoes?” Star protests as More counts his cut.
“Because his heels are falling off sweetheart. Next time.” Claire says to placate her.
Silver almost impulsively asks why they just don’t steal and remembers. Amazing what you get away with when you have power of suggestion and the luckiest man alive. It’s not lost on Silver that outside of the circus, they don’t do anything risky.
“One outfit a piece and a pair of shoes. can do.” More says as he finishes counting. He chuckles.
“What’s so funny?” Silver dares to ask.
“She actually took your ticket from my cut.”
Petty.
“Anyway. Are you coming with us?” More asks looking eagerly at Silver.
“What…me? Where?”
“The mall duh,” Star says. “Please say yes. Claire doesn’t understand my sense of style. No offense! I’m just not a fan of all black”
“And you think Silver will?” Claire says and actually shares a knowing look with Silver in her long black cardigan.
“She doesn’t wear black band tees everyday.” Star argues.
Claire rolls her eyes. “You’ve literally only met her twice.”
“I mean she has a point I don’t even own a band tee.” Silver remarks only to get one over on Claire.
Claire glares, insulted. “Poser.”
—
Before Silver did her time, the mall was nearly desolate. Stores that she frequented had slowly started shutting down. Coming back to the same mall seeing it back up with luxury stores that wouldn’t have been caught dead in a town like this was shocking to say the least. Seeing that they were populated with patrons was also a trip.
Still, no matter what obscene prices were on the tags, all of them still had clearance sections. And Star was like a kid in a candy store. She argued with Claire about what constituted as an outfit. The more Silver watched her the more familiar she seems. As if she’s met this girl already. A head strong, excitable, sometimes loud girl who’s personality literally shines—
Opal
Opal had come with Lucky, except he wasn’t ‘Lucky’ yet. He was just a young and clueless man responsible for this girl who had so much to say and a weak ability. Star’s attitude and cadence was just like Opal’s and Silver started to see similarities in their faces. The resemblance was so jarring it shocked Silver to her core. The neighborhood couldn’t be that small could it? Were they aware of each other? Silver shakes her head, her mind must be playing tricks on her. Making up resemblances that aren’t there. You just miss her. That’s all.
—
“So how long have you guys been this…group?” Silver asks as Mirage looks through a rack of shirts.
He tilts his head in thought and then shrugs, “A few years I guess. More fought for me and took Star along.”
“When you say fought…?”
“They love separating enhanced from siblings. Probably more than they love separating us from our parents.”
“Fosters?” Every enhanced is a foster. Something silver has always wondered about. She heard years ago something about an incentive to integrate the enhanced kids with other kids that gave parents money for housing them. She’s sure that’s Onyx’s parents had done and even though they had loved that boy, she hates that the practice still continues.
“Yeah. Star was already placed with this family when I got there. Then More came for me and Star asked to come with,” he pulls one of the shirts off the rack and inspects it. It has some superhero on it and Mirage hangs onto it, excited. “She’s looking for her actual sister and More promised to find her because he found me.”
Sister? What are the odds? “And Claire?” Silver deftly turns one of the accessories stands while he’s distracted and pockets a unique set of earrings.
Mirage moves on to looking for pants. “She and Charlie joined a couple years back. She actually hasn’t told us much about their past but she’s protective of him. Probably because he doesn’t talk.” He shrugs again.
Or because his ability is dangerous. Silver ponders his words. More and Claire seemed very close, constantly staying back together while the younger ones explored, the familiarity that colored their speech in regard to each other, so it was odd to learn Mirage doesn’t really know her.
He continues, “It’s fine. I actually think sign language is better than talking most times.”
“Really?”
“Yeah when thing’s are loud as long as we can see each other I can always talk to Charlie.” Said boy comes up behind Mirage and taps him, signing excitedly before running off again. Mirage laughs.
“What did he say?” Silver asks.
“He wants us to hurry up so he can go pick out his shoes.”
—
“Are you going to drag her with us everywhere now?” Claire asks, eyes shifting from the cargo pants in her hands to the silver haired enhanced currently chatting up Mirage.
More takes a glance over at them, chuckles to himself watching the exchange between Mirage and Charlie. “I’m observing her. Plus, it ain’t every day we meet others like us.”
“Yeah there’s a reason for that.” She tosses the pants over her shoulders moving on to another rack. “We’re only in this city to make some cash and find Star’s sister, she’s not a part of the plan.”
“Yeah but if she needs help like you think we might be the only ones who can do that.”
“And if she doesn’t? If she’s the enemy?”
“All the more reason to keep her close.” He watches as Silver pockets the earrings, almost missing it by how fast she was. Interesting.
Claire sucks her teeth. “You can just say you like her.”
More shakes his head. “We’re the only enhanced we’ve known for the last few years and this city nearly wiped them out. You don’t find her interesting? Suspicious? You’re not a little bit curious?”
“I find her to be another addition we don’t have space for. Unlike you, I’m a realist. I keep telling you, you can’t save everyone.”
“And yet. I saved you.”
Claire scoffs, whacking him with the pants she’s chosen and he pretends to be wounded by the action. She inspects them again, freezing in place as that familiar distant glare takes over her. “G’night More.”
“What?” He gently shakes her shoulder. “Claire? What did you see?”
She blinks back into reality shaking her head from the vision. “You were sleeping,” Claire says, more so like a question and shrugs, “Good, cuz you have been awake a long ass time.“
More furrows his brows, confused, but Claire has moved on, spurred on by Charlie trying to drag her towards the shoes. “Okay, okay! I’m coming.”
He glances back towards Silver and Mirage who have now been joined by Star, asking for SIlver’s thoughts on a dress. He’s a bit unnerved by Claire’s vision, Something’s up, and he’s always been too curious for his own good.
a worrying amount of people wont give the time of day to a piece of media unless it has characters that they can ship. and like, im not saying shipping is bad or you cant be drawn to a piece of media because of its characters, but also it wouldnt hurt you to think about something outside of shipping and making incorrect quotes
also please stop sending me anon hate because of this post i am not that pressed about it and you shouldnt be either ❤️
