The Social Porcupine

Cockroaches and Math It was early morning, but I felt today was perfect. My friend, Rose, was in the kitchen, her music playing gently as she started breakfast. I skipped into the kitchen, “The animals - can you help me find them?” Rose motioned toward the back porch, “I just let them out.” I sang loudly with Rose’s music (a song I’d never heard before) as I rushed to the pantry. I asked Rose, “Would you like me to cut sourdough?” She nodded, smiling. I knew she hated cutting through the hard crust. I cut the bread, still singing. I dropped several pieces into the toaster. “I have this great idea for a short story! About a good cockroach. It’s sad how people hate them, so I want to portray how they are mistreated.” Rose’s eyebrows arched sharply. The cat and dog scratched at the door. I threw the knife into the sink, ran to the door, and let the animals in, pouring food into their dishes. I came back into the kitchen, stuffed food into my mouth, and sang. “My, you...

Young And Stuck He was too young to be running from the law. Mistakes. They shouldn't affect him yet... he was just a kid. A kid holding a bank bag, running from raging sirens. “It was a mistake,” tears squeezed from his eyes as he clutched the bank bag, wishing he could throw it far away. He was stuck. He didn’t know what to do, what he needed. A place to hide. That’s all he needed before his legs turned him in. A hospital. He ran inside. The halls were empty, full of doors. Which one would hide him? Would any? He didn’t know, so he chose one. A whimper startled him; the boy screamed a single curse word. “A baby,” he tried to laugh, but his nerves were too tight. He neared to the crib. “All alone?” he whispered. “I wish for your peaceful solitude. I had a baby brother. Are you a baby boy? Or a girl? I feel like I’m talking to the air.” Footsteps exploded in the hall. The boy fell to the floor, hiding behind the crib. The door opened, a painful jolt erupted insi...

New Hair I know we should go, my daughter and I. But I can’t manage to make myself move. The scissors in my hand clang to the floor. What have I done? They’re expecting us, my family. But wait until they see me. Linnie knocks on my bedroom door, but she doesn’t wait for me to answer. She rushes in. “Mom, we’re late-“ her words change. “Your hair.” I laugh. “Yes, Linnie. My hair.” “It’s on the floor.” her words shatter me. I forget about being strong and not scaring her. I start sobbing, pulling at the hair that remains on my head. For so long I loved my hair... it was my pride. I kept it long, healthy, beautiful. Now it falls through my clothes, itching my skin. It clings to the carpet floor. It’s all gone. Linnie doesn’t freak. She’s too mature for a child. She gives me a quick hug. “We need to go.” Somehow she drags me to the car. She fastens my seatbelt. “It’s OK, Mom. Just drive. I’ll tell you when to turn.” I don’t pay attention to the speedometer or...

Love Warms  The child had discovered many things in her few short years. Tonight she thought of them as she spent her last night wrapped by cold. Confidence is choosing to not care. Not caring hardened one, made them as stone. Stones crumble, with none to keep them from washing away in the storm. There was no way to shelter oneself from the onslaught of betrayal and treachery one faced from every person that pretended to be friend. Yet she also knew she could not live much longer. Not without someone to trust, to help her. To show her love’s warmth. Love must be warm. She shivered. “I will if you give me a chance. I love you already.” The voice was distant, as if a memory. But she knew the sound. She looked about her, hoping to see a face. There were many faces passing by, but none had eyes to see her. Memories flashed before her eyes. A black book. A man that read words from that book, who spoke in the big, beautiful, warm church. That man did not understan...

1. Hey! Welcome to Keturah's Korner. I'm so glad you could join us today and tell us about your book "Where Dandelions Grow." Thank you! It’s good to be here. I’ve read various blog posts of yours over the years, but never imagined I’d one day be featured on here. It’s an honor to be invited!  2. What was the inspiration for this book?  Growing up my sister and two of our girl cousins did everything together. At my cousin’s high school graduation party I was sitting there musing over all our shared adventures and it hit me that I should write a book focusing on the bond between cousins.  3. In one line - what is your book about? The horrible consequences of bitterness, and how important family and forgiveness is.  4. How do you handle caffeine? Or what was the inspiration for how Destiny reacts to too much caffeine?  Oh, dear! You’re asking me that question as I sit next to a large iced coffee that I had meant to...

Joined in this fun tag from here 1. WHAT GENRES, STYLES, AND TOPICS DO YOU WRITE ABOUT? I write many different genres, styles, and topics. I love art. And so I experiment with it all. I do like writing first person the best. I love expressing deep emotions and thoughts all at once. I love fiction that makes you think and feel. The perfect ending is this: like a sunset, bittersweet, even though it's over and dark, there is the knowledge of future hope. For non-fiction I love writing about what is on my heart of I am currently opinionated on. This includes ideas I am thinking about, my struggles, and articles on anti-feminism, homosexuality, roles and duties in friendships and love, honesty, and life. I like people and ideas, and so I write about both. I also really enjoy writing moral fairy tales. 2. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WRITING? For as long as I can remember. When I was little I was drawing and writing books, stapling them together. I still have those books :)...

Every now and then some tags just make you super excited. Like this one that Alexa nominated me in. Only thing: Why is it a book sacrifice? Because all the books I'm about to mention, doing this thing to them would be no sacrifice to me. AT. ALL. It would be my pleasure to take such a hand in their demise. *evil and satisfied laughter*  I present to you the: An Over-Hyped Book Situation: You are in a bookstore when the zombies attack. Over the loudspeaker, you hear the military informing you that over-hyped books are the zombies’ only weakness. What over-hyped book will you chuck at the zombies? Christian romances better labeled "garbage for the mind." LOL. First off, just about any book in a book store is over-hyped - all the good ones take a lot more work to find. Ya' know, the things worthwhile (doing or reading) in life aren't acquired easily. It all takes time and effort... But I'd probably choose a Janett...

Hello, all!! I believe in this post I promised to tell you all more how NaNo went for me. First of all it went . (Like literally, November is over, guys). Second of all I, uh, won. I guess that's what they call it when you complete NaNo, though I don't understand why. What did I win? Lol... the feeling of accomplishment???  I don't really call completing a challenge winning. Contests are for (one) winners and (lots of) losers. Challenges are for the many who achieve to do the impossible: stretch their mind for the mere sake of stretching. It's the time to hold yourself accountable to yourself. The thing about challenges is when you fail there are no real consequences, but when you succeed the victory is sweeter than any reward! Rant finished: I am a NaNo completer!!!!! Now for my story of how it actually went. The last couple weeks of October I spent doing a lot of thinking... "talking" to my ch...

Mirriam Neal is a twenty-two-year-old Northwestern hipster living in Atlanta. She writes hard-to-describe books in hard-to-describe genres, and illustrates things whenever she finds the time.  She aspires to live as faithfully and creatively as she can and she hopes  you do, too. Check out her  blog  or email her at  the-shieldmaiden(at)hotmail(dot)com So, what's more exciting than a new book!? Pretty much  nothing , right? Haha. But, seriously, all of us that are writers will admit that a new book is just like completely AWESOME, so, let's all be excited for this new book, which I know Mirriam is so happy to be sharing with all of us!!! Three cheers for Paper Crowns ! (Isn't that just an awesome title?) Ginger has lived in seclusion, with only her aunt Malgarel and her blue cat, Halcyon, to keep her company. Her sheltered, idyllic life is turned upside-down when her home is attacked by messengers from the world ...

Rebels of the Heavenly Kingdom by Katherine Paterson Buy on Amazon My rating : 4.5 stars because I loved this book and it was a well written plot, but there was one inappropriate paragraph at the end that totally shocked me (not a Paterson thing I thought). Because of that and much violence in the book I'd say this book is only appropriate for readers 16+. Even then use caution. Genre: Historical fiction, Taiping war, religious, political, Goodreads: Newbery Medal author Paterson presents the story of Wang Lee, the young son of starving peasants in 1850's China. Seized by bandits and carried away from home during the Taiping Rebellion, Wang Lee meets Mai Lin when members of her undercover society save him from his captors. Amazon: Carried away by bandits, Wang Lee is rescued by the Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace and he joins the group's leader, Mai Lin, in the battle against betrayal, oppression, and tyranny. Reprint. AB. PW. My review and though...

The Master Puppeteer by Katherine Paterson Buy here. My Rating: 5 stars Genre: Medieval Japanese Novel Back Cover: Who is the man called Sabura, the mysterious bandit who robs the rich and helps the poor? And what is his connection with Yosida, the harsh and ill-tempered master of feudal Japan's most famous puppet theater? Young Jiro, an apprentice to Yosida, is determined to find out, even at risk to his own life. Meanwhile, Jiro devotes himself to learning puppetry. Kinshi, the puppet master's son, tutors him. When his sheltered life at the theater is shattered by mobs of hungry, rioting peasants, Jiro becomes aware of responsibilities greater than his craft. As he schemes to help his friend Kinshi and to find his own parents, Jiro stumbles onto a dangerous and powerful secret.... My Review: All over the land the poor are dying of hunger. The rich have plenty, but still this is not a safety for them against death. Starvation has made the people...

Inspired by true events. Amish. A word that says a lot. A culture. A religion. A way of life. And even a cult according to some. This people holds more fascination over people than probably any other in the 21st century. Maybe it's because they look like they belong to the 1800's. The thing is most people know absolutely nothing about the Amish. That's right. Nothing. All those books and movies out there portray a false image of Amish. So much that some people that shouldn't, get mistaken for Amish. One such man is named Lawrence Miller. He knows a lot about the Amish. And even has the same mutual fascination for them as most people. Only difference is he actually knows them. That's why he isn't one of them. Still, being an Amish man can have its ups. And it is rather awesome. So, pretending to be Amish is what he does. And he fools just about everyone. He lives on a small farm with his wife and five small children all under eight...