let me hear your voice tonight (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
alexseanchai) wrote2014-11-28 11:43 pm
alexseanchai) wrote2014-11-28 11:43 pm
Entry tags:
Giftmas Open Mic
Come, O Poets, O Singers, O Crafters. Come, O Storytellers, O Comedians, O Essayists. Come, artists of every stripe and every hue, to the microphone.
I cannot show financial support to nearly as many of you brilliant artists as I would like, but I can give you another forum in which to find supporters. Many of you are trying to make at least part of a living off your art, and I want to help you do that. And many of you want to support small businesses, to support independent art and literature and creativity, and I want to help you do that too.
Leave a comment below with a piece of original art you have created, be this a short poem or a flash fiction, a song verse or a brief essay, a sketch or a joke, an excerpt or a pair of earrings. It can be previously published or not, as you choose. Leave also a link to where more art by you may be found, and directions to a Patreon or Paypal, Etsy or website, or other means by which those who like your art and have a bit of money to spare may support you with their wallets. In these comments, please include a subject line consisting of "AT THE MIC:" and your artistic identity.
Leave also a comment linking to a piece of original art some other independent artist has created, someone whose work you recommend and whom you wish to see supported, and a link to where people who like their art and have a bit of money to spare may show support for them. In these comments, please include a subject line consisting of "AUDIENCE:" and their artistic identity.
If you are looking for a particular sort of art, perhaps as a gift (Giftmas is, after all, coming), leave a comment saying what sort of thing you are looking for, and with a bit of luck the Internet indie art community can hook you up. In these comments, please include a subject line consisting of "LOOKING FOR:" and a brief description of what you want to see.
Finally, please signal-boost this post. Every comment below that links to a place where this post has been signal-boosted will receive an Alex Conall haiku or tanka. (Feel free to accompany each linkback notification with a one-word prompt.) Three linkbacks, three haiku.
The microphone awaits you.
I cannot show financial support to nearly as many of you brilliant artists as I would like, but I can give you another forum in which to find supporters. Many of you are trying to make at least part of a living off your art, and I want to help you do that. And many of you want to support small businesses, to support independent art and literature and creativity, and I want to help you do that too.
Leave a comment below with a piece of original art you have created, be this a short poem or a flash fiction, a song verse or a brief essay, a sketch or a joke, an excerpt or a pair of earrings. It can be previously published or not, as you choose. Leave also a link to where more art by you may be found, and directions to a Patreon or Paypal, Etsy or website, or other means by which those who like your art and have a bit of money to spare may support you with their wallets. In these comments, please include a subject line consisting of "AT THE MIC:" and your artistic identity.
Leave also a comment linking to a piece of original art some other independent artist has created, someone whose work you recommend and whom you wish to see supported, and a link to where people who like their art and have a bit of money to spare may show support for them. In these comments, please include a subject line consisting of "AUDIENCE:" and their artistic identity.
If you are looking for a particular sort of art, perhaps as a gift (Giftmas is, after all, coming), leave a comment saying what sort of thing you are looking for, and with a bit of luck the Internet indie art community can hook you up. In these comments, please include a subject line consisting of "LOOKING FOR:" and a brief description of what you want to see.
Finally, please signal-boost this post. Every comment below that links to a place where this post has been signal-boosted will receive an Alex Conall haiku or tanka. (Feel free to accompany each linkback notification with a one-word prompt.) Three linkbacks, three haiku.
The microphone awaits you.
AT THE MIC: Alex Conall
Spanish is the language of the conquistadores,
Mandarin that of the Han.
English is spoken by the colonial powers
United States and United Kingdom,
Arabic by conquering Islam.
How does a language
become common
to many peoples
without also being
that of the subjugator?
(What is the history of Hindustani?)
(What says it about me that I do not know?)
My published art. How to support me.
Re: AT THE MIC: Alex Conall
Re: AT THE MIC: Alex Conall
Re: AT THE MIC: Alex Conall
Re: AT THE MIC: Alex Conall
~K.
AUDIENCE: Murder Ballads
If that does not work properly, Pretty in Scarlet by Murder Ballads is a fantastic recent debut album. I'm particularly fond of "Step It Out Mary" and "Dead Egyptian Blues". Also, "The Ballad of Captain America's Disapproving Face". (Geeeeks.) The album can be streamed for free or purchased for $10 or more.
AT THE MIC: Elizabeth Barrette
"unfolding wings"
the blind beggar sits
on a sunny street corner
folding paper cranes
two wen will buy one
to take up to the temple
and leave with a prayer
a little girl stops
to watch the old man working
what seems like magic
she tugs mother's sleeve
the string is untied, coins freed
and given over
in her tiny hands
paper crane opens white wings
and bursts into flight
Re: AT THE MIC: Elizabeth Barrette
Re: AT THE MIC: Elizabeth Barrette
Re: AT THE MIC: Elizabeth Barrette
AUDIENCE: Dialecticdreamer
Meet the librarian dragons of the Heliodrax.
AT THE MIC: S. T. Farag
I have a Paypal you can donate to and a Patreon you can join if you'd like. I am also willing to take on commissioned stories and do content editing if you'd be interested in either of those things.
Note: I do not do line edits because it is far from my strong suit but content stuff, I am happy to work with.
I am offering up a little piece from a world that needs to be developed but I do hope to work more with in the future.
~
They kiss by the seaside, mouths tasting of blood and saltwater. They pull each other into the waves, laughing and teasing one another as they fall into the ocean's embrace.
They love fiercely and with nothing but devotion but they also know that neither of them will go against their natures.
The selkie will always have the need to leave in his blood and the kelpie will always bring death in his wake.
It's what they do, who they are, and they love each other, but they know that fighting against their natures is a losing battle.
~
"I have to go."
"I know."
"I'll be back."
"I know."
They kiss, hard and fierce, teeth and tongues warring with one another for dominion. Their hands push back shreds of clothing and they fall into the ocean again, an old pattern they always return to.
~
The kelpie makes the selkie bleed before he leaves and the selkie shows him ho to be gentle. They leave with marks upon the other that no one else has been able to make stick, yet they both know this is not over.
The old dialogue happens again and again. Coming back, promises, devotionals to each other. They dance around familiar phrases like preforms punting on a show for the hundredth time.
They know their roles and they know they'll put on this song and dance again soon enough.
~
"I can't promise I wont' come after you.
The selkie is about to lave, to let the water take him far away, when the kelpie says it
He blinks, uncertain of what to say,. It's not a part of the old script.
"I'll come back," he tries, attempting to get them on track again.
"Or I'll bring you back."
"I don't....What am I supposed to say?" The selkie sounds scared, unsure and like he's craving direction, like he needs someone to tell him what to do.
"Just say that you'll let me bring you back," eh kelpie supplies. "Say that when I find you, I can bring you home again."
The selkie swallows, nodding. "Okay."
"Okay."
The selkie lets the water take him then, his body shifting into seal for and vanishing into the water.
The kelpie watches, knowing he will soon enough venture into the waves to track down the one who maters to him.
Re: AT THE MIC: S. T. Farag
Re: AT THE MIC: S. T. Farag
Thank you, thank you!
AT THE MIC: Plures House
A sample of one of our ebook covers that we did as a commission last year:
Our commissions master-post is here, including the types of projects we'll do and pricing in various popular currencies. You can also see our commissions mini-site to see more examples of things we've done.
We'll send Paypal information (via PM) after receiving design prompts.
AUDIENCE: Mia S-N/likhain
I have three of her pieces on my walls and am about to acquire a fourth, because they remind me to seek beauty. Here's her Patreon.
Re: AUDIENCE: Mia S-N/likhain
AUDIENCE: Sudeshna Dutta
(our info anonymized; do let me know if I ought to swap these out for smaller images)
She was absolutely wonderful to work with as well. We met her through a fandom she shares with my wife, so there was an existing relationship there, but her work was stellar and professional from start to finish. Would highly recommend.
She also does web design, illustration, and other graphic design. Website at sudeshna.com.
AT THE MIC: K. A. Webb
***
It wasn’t until she walked past the window a second time that she noticed the… rabbit. Electra stared at it, wondering who would have put a broken rabbit outside her window. Then it tapped on the window with its paw and she realised that it was a live creature. With her free hand she opened the window, unable to drag her eyes off the creature.
“Are you Electra?” it asked.
All she could do was nod.
“That’s good. I’ve been looking for you for a while now and I’m glad I’ve finally found you.”
Licking her lips, Electra tried to work out what she wanted to say. “Why have you been looking for me?” she asked finally.
The rabbit looked at her. “There are creatures who aren’t as lucky as those who end up here.” It glanced over at the horse, which made a sound that made it seem as though it agreed with the rabbit, before looking back at her. “Some are brought to you for repair, if people know who you are or the man who works with you buys them from auction, but there are many who end up being thrown out. It doesn’t matter that we are sentient once the clay that made us in fired. When we are broken people don’t want us any longer.”
“You want me to fix you.”
“I’m not so bothered about me.” It lifted a paw and stroked its damaged ear. “I can deal with having a broken ear and living out there isn’t so bad, but I have friends who are damaged much worse than me. I look after them as best I can, but…” It sighed. “There’s only so much I can do.”
***
I'm a writer. I create stories, because I have to, but, due to money being the most important thing in life (*sigh*) I've had to focus on my ghostwriting a lot more recently. What I would love to do is earn a living writing my own work. I have an Etsy store, where I offer to custom write a story set in one of my worlds or write a story for one of yours (technically also ghostwriting, but better than Fiverr). Currently I'm having a half price sale, so use the code DECEMBER2014 and get 50% off anything available. At the moment I'm looking into options for my ebooks, due to some new EU legislation that is coming into effect on January 1st, but I have certain plans I'm looking forward to working on in the future.
Re: AT THE MIC: K. A. Webb