Category: Writing Prompts

Two Things Thursday #3

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1. Boys And Girls Screaming by Kern Carter
2. bell hooks quote

1. I am currently reading the above book, Boys and Girls Screaming by Kern Carter. Kern is a vulnerable and incredibly talented writer I met through the platform Medium. He uses language in a way I do not see used often, and he is also unafraid to write from various different perspectives.

So far, the book is tearing at my heartstrings and has kept me more than engulfed in it since I began reading it this past Monday night. Here’s a snippet of the synopsis, just in case you’re interested:

When Ever’s father passes away suddenly, she is devastated. Not long after that, her mom has a stroke and Ever’s anguish becomes almost too much for her to handle. That’s when she gets the idea to form a group she calls Boys and Girls Screaming. Along with her brother, Jericho, and her best friend, Candace, Ever wants to bring together kids from their school who have suffered trauma so they can share their stories and begin to heal.

2. The second thing for this Thursday is a favorite quote of mine from bell hooks. I don’t think I really have to say much about bell. You can google her name and read about her on various research and informational sites and you’ll find out she was a writer with which to be reckoned. She had a way of placing words together that you typically wouldn’t see, but bell would make them work and WORK, they always did. I have three of her books in my collection and I intend to purchase more.

She died in December 2021, leaving quite a literary legacy behind.

A Creative’s Workspace

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We all need somewhere to be creative

Small creative workspace #1. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

I have a workspace for my job; it’s in my bedroom. But as a writer, as a creative, I needed a small workspace not linked to my professional life.

It didn’t take much time to put this simple yet efficient (foldable) desk together, and the chair, although it looks plain & possibly unappealing (to you), it is serving its purpose. It was also quite pricey for that top-notch comfy cushion you see.

There is just something about having a place in which one’s creative thought-processes can flourish and produce digestible fruit. There is a peace in it that I cannot describe.

I’ll just have to show you.

And what workspace is complete without a candle to lend a light, inviting fragrance to the room, huh? Not one. Not one at all.

Small creative workspace #2. Photo Credit: Tremaine L. Loadholt

I’d forgotten the importance of lingering in a space for the express purpose of writing and creating and being at peace with how my mind works and operates as I am creating.

This space is surrounded by natural light and everything I need to bring soothing comfort to me regularly.

I do not think I could ask for anything more. I am prayerful it will fulfill its duties as time presses on. I have this feeling it will. My gut is telling me so. And, I trust my gut.

I reached out to a fellow friend and creative to see how he feels about collaborating. My idea is to write a poem and have him create art around that poem or have him create his own art piece and I write a poem enveloping his creative output. I am waiting for his response. If I know this person like I know this person, he’s going to be down for it, and before year’s end, I should have something to share here from our labor.

Now that you have been introduced to my new workspace, how about sharing your own? Tag this post or my blog in response by posting a picture and a snippet on your own blog about where you are most creative. It could be anywhere, of course.

Where do you get creative, beautiful people?

A Freeway Billboard of My Own?

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If you had a freeway billboard, what would it say?

That’s easy! It would say:

Black women are still here!

Why would I choose this as my message to drivers on the highways and byways, you may ask … well, oftentimes, I feel as though we aren’t seen or heard as much as we should be.

There are times it appears we have to yell all the top of our lungs for a whisper of our voices to reach another’s ears.

We’re all fighting. And one thing I know, we definitely will not give up easily.

Peace and blessings.

In Real Time

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5 Words: Tell me what you’re grateful for

A few snapshots from the Erykah Badu & Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) “Unfollow Me” Tour

Live show
blessed my
s o u l

A few more snapshots from the Erykah Badu & Yasiin Bey (Mos Def) “Unfollow Me” Tour

Thank you to everyone who participated in the “Grateful in 5 Words” Challenge. This has been a blast! We have 11 pieces published (not including mine), and they will be featured on the homepage until Saturday, July 22, 2023.

Stay tuned for the next challenge in September!

Originally published in A Cornered Gurl via Medium.

Edward Parker

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Flash Fiction

Photo by camilo jimenez on Unsplash

Ed tossed the remote control to the far right end of the couch after flipping channels for the twentieth time. He slid back in his reclining massage chair, pressed the button to activate the slow pulse on his lumbar spine, and sank into the peacefulness of the night.

Sadie had been gone since Tuesday, and it was Friday. She decided to visit her big sister, Sweetie. She hadn’t seen her in four years.

The WWE’s intro sounded throughout the entire living room. He blinked his eyes a few times to keep from falling asleep. Although he never missed an episode, he struggled tonight to stay awake.

Working the second shift at the power plant was starting to wear on his middle-aged bones. Years ago, he could pull a double, parade around town until 3 in the morning, and still wake up to get another day going at work.

Those days are long gone now. Everything hurts. Even his fingernails. But money’s got to be made.

He silently berated himself for tossing the remote to the far right of the couch. The chair had gotten comfortable and he didn’t want to get up.

He smacked his weary lips, placed two fingers in his mouth, and whistled for his oldest child to come downstairs.

The young one appeared; doe-eyed and slightly aggravated.

“Yes, Daddy.”

“Edward Sloane Parker, Jr., reach on over there on that couch and get your daddy the remote control, will you.”

It wasn’t so much a question as it was a statement — a cool command. Ed, Jr. shuffled past his dad, leaned over hastily, scooped up the remote, and tossed it in his dad’s lap.

“That it?”

“Yeah, son. That’ll do me.”

The night air crept into the cracks of their old Victorian home, Ed settled into the grip of the reclining massage chair, pressed the volume up button on the remote, and closed his eyes.

“I’ll just rest them for a few. I won’t even miss the main event,” he whispered to the thin air.

When Ed woke up, the sun was beaming down on his beady eyes and the kids were racing downstairs to the kitchen to make breakfast.

He missed the main event. He missed the whole damn show.

Originally published in Hinged.press via Medium.

Writers: A Challenge

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I’m posting this here as well, as I typically do with ACG challenges.

5 Words: Tell me what you’re grateful for

Photo by Sir Manuel on Unsplash

Hello, beautiful people! Welcome to the fourth challenge since A Cornered Gurl’s relaunch. What do I have in store for you for this challenge? Ah, a sharing of just how grateful we are, even in the midst of this turmoil and grief and age of endless bad news . . . there are still things for which to be grateful.

And how will we do this? Oh, you beautiful human beings, you . . . we will express ourselves by using 5 words only.

Grateful: the definition

adjective
1. warmly or deeply appreciative of kindness or benefits received; thankful:
2. expressing or actuated by gratitude:
3. pleasing to the mind or senses; agreeable; welcome:

— Dictionary.com

The challenge: Writers will share something (or some things) for which they are grateful. It can be anyone and anything, just describe it poetically — in verse by using 5 words only. Are you up for this challenge?

Note: This is a challenge — a challenge in brevity. Please do not submit a series of 5-word grateful responses to me in one post. Think outside the box, people. Use 5 words only in one set.

An example:

Nature’s kiss gives
me hope.

Let’s do what we know how to do best, beautiful people!

•Request to be added as a writer by emailing me at acorneredgurl[AT]gmail[DOT]com with “Please Add Me” as the subject line and please include the link to your Medium profile.

Don’t want to be a writer in A Cornered Gurl — simply comment with your response in this challenge post, or create your own post to your profile or in another publication, however, please use the tags, “Challenge” and “Grateful.”

The challenge will run from Friday, July 07, 2023, until 6:00 PM Monday, July 17, 2023 (with publishing days as Friday, Sunday, and Monday based on ACG’s publishing schedule). Please have “5 Words: Tell me what you’re grateful for” as the subtitle for your submission. CHALLENGE SUBMISSION BEGINS NOW!

It’s time to use our creative minds and share something or some things for which we are grateful; remember, use only 5 words!

Bring it, beautiful people!

A Cornered Gurl Guidelines: Instagram

Originally published as a newsletter in A Cornered Gurl via Medium.