Category: prompts

I answer prompts for Bloganuary, Wordpress daily prompts, and elsewhere.

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Bloganuary writing prompt: What books do you want to read?

This year, I’m making a point to go through my To-Read list of over 300 books. Some are recent, but most have been around for quite some time, and some may be pruned as I lost interest over the years. Additionally, excuse any preliminary typos for my Bloganurary posts. I refuse to give myself the luxury of sitting on these entries for months with revisions and hand-wringing (it’s January, after all), but I’ll do my best to edit in post (in-post?). But onward. I promise, this will be a short list!

Speaking of that To-Read List... 1

Around the Way Girl, by Taraji P. Henson

Look, she was the only reason I stuck with Empire to the end (okay, the first reason; the second reason is that I love mess and Empire’s storyline was Mess Squared, ending with someone getting bludgeoned with a prosthetic leg). But I love her in just about everything she’s in. Hell, she’s the reason I sat through one of Tyler Perry’s awful movies, and even her acting couldn’t save that thing. Since quoting Mean Girls is so hot right now, you can say I have a BIG LESBIAN CRUSH on her too (her as Shug Avery? SWOON, I tell you). Admittedly I have a surface-level knowledge of most celebrities and actors, and unfortunately Henson is no different. So I want to read her book and know more about her. I can’t wait to pick this up!

Speaking of that To-Read List... 2

Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and Other Realities of Adolescence, by Rosalind Wiseman

Since I mentioned Mean Girls earlier I figure I’m obligated to add this. Based on the movie that gave us Boo, you whore, this is actually nonfiction! I feel like I shouldn’t be surprised, but I am– this isn’t the first time the film deviated from the book its based on, and it won’t be the last. I’m morbidly curious and a little afraid– and I feel like I could’ve used this book.

Speaking of that To-Read List... 3

Now I’ll Tell You Everything, Volume 25, by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

This is what I call a Nostalgia Read. I grew up along with Alice as she experienced loss, befriended friends, and tried to find out what the hell a pomegranate was and why breasts were compared to it. And of course, the series slipped my mind until it was announced that this would be THE LAST ONE. So now I’m getting around to it. Finally. I feel like I should find a synopsis or summaries of all the previous books in the series; it doesn’t feel right just diving in after years of neglect. That’s the only reason why I haven’t gone further than the first chapter.

Speaking of that To-Read List... 4

Small Steps, by Louis Sachar

It’s the sequel to the much-beloved Holes. Enough said.

Speaking of that To-Read List... 5

So Let Them Burn, by Kamilah Cole

Cole was one of the authors affected by the terrible business of that Goodreads Review Controversy, which is… a lot. Here’s a comprehensive video by With Cindy and another from Reads with Rachel for good measure), for they both explain WTF happened and highlight other authors that were unfairly targeted. They aren’t the only writer I plan to check out, but I feel the strongest pull toward this book. A fantasy story based on Jamaican culture, I feel this is an absolute breath of fresh air from the vast majority of European culture-based ones (at least, when I was growing up; y’all kids got it much better these days!).

Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao

Frankly, I’ve been sleeping on this author and I’m forever Late to the Party. (And FYI, she was also instrumental in helping piece together the bigger picture re: Goodreads Review Controversy.) I knew her first from her analysis of Chinese culture and representation in media. I want to check out all of her work. > Iron Widow is a YA sci-fi retelling of the rise of Wu Zetian, the only female emperor in Chinese history. The series follows an 18-year-old re-imagining of her as she avenges her sister’s murder by an intensely patriarchal military system that pairs boys and girls up to pilot giant magical mecha based on creatures from East Asian myth (Nine-Tailed Fox, Moon Rabbit, etc.), but in which boy pilots are treated like celebrities, while girl pilots must serve as their concubines. https://xiranjayzhao.com/index.php/books/

Now tell me that doesn’t sound rad. I dare you.

Speaking of that To-Read List... 6

Winter Without End, by Casimir Laski

The author is also Cardinal West on Youtube, who I began watching for their in-depth video essays of xenofiction. When they announced and released their debut novel, I was pretty hyped! Their essays are so informative, illustrative, and thorough— suffice to say they know their stuff, and I have very high expectations about this tale of an uneasy post-pandemic alliance between dog and wolf. Yes, I love Watership Down, why do you ask? But seriously: in case you’re wondering what xenofiction even is, look no further than one of his videos.

Speaking of that To-Read List... 7

Alecto the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

No book cover as of this post, so have this. . No reason. No reason at all. It’s only the fourth book in an amazing series full of sci-fi, bone mischief, necromancers, lesbians, a certain red-headed badass (that’s also a lesbian), memes (that’s not as bad as it sounds, honest), monsters, ghosts probably, and bizarre magic (in addition to the bone mischief). MY EMOTIONS Y’ALL

Honorable Mention: something by Connie Willis

I could not finish one of her more recent works, Crosstalk. It stressed me out with its hectic farce-y pace. The constant need for the protag to dodge gossipy coworkers and meddling family was incredibly draining, especially for an introvert like me. My DNF Explanation

She is a big name in Science Fiction circles but I haven’t ran into her books until now– probably because she writes romantic ‘screwball’ comedy in the manner of 1940s Hollywood movies (Kathryn Cramer); romances are typically not my forte. So despite the lack of fun I had with Crosstalk (and, I admit, my allergy for romance in general), I want to check out some of her older work to give her stuff a fair shake.

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Bloganuary Prompt: In what ways do you communicate online?

Largely text-based, with the occasional voice memo if I’m not streaming.

I assume people are only interested in the big guys, the Web 3.0 jockeys. And the only one I reliably use is Discord. The mention of Facebook Messenger is strictly obligatory: I’ve family that can’t (or wont?) use anything else.

I’ll also say, sporadically. I’ve slowed down, considerably, since I reevaluated my social media consumption last year.

The platforms and protocols I do use seem slower in comparison to, say, Twitter– especially if they’re reminiscent (or artifacts) of the algorithm-free Old Internet, like Mastodon or XMPP. Forums are just snail mail compared to anything else… and that’s exactly why I prefer them these days.

I do still use email, just not nearly as much as I did a decade ago. It’s still good for long-form conversations and to talk shop (when it’s not a receptacle for coupons and news).

And I blog. Of course.

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NICE TRY, WORDPRESS

You are totally not swiping my brilliant, one-of-a-kind, quirky, innovative, awesome, stupendous, and did-I-say-awesome-already? business idea! Get your own!

I just wanted to be silly. I actually have no ideas that are crazy businesses, feasible or otherwise.

Unless…

You count the [REDACTED] with the [REDACTED], complete with [TECHNICALLY LEGAL BUT STILL IN BAD FORM]. Even with [NOUN] you can [VERB] for cheap, there are the setbacks including [LIST THREE-TO-FIVE THINGS YOU HATE, AND IT CAN’T INCLUDE BEN STILLER].

Maybe I can have [FAMOUS PERSON I HAVE A CRUSH ON] endorse it. Or if I just had more [???????] on a [RANDOM TECHNICALITY]. And I’d call it [HIGH-SCORING SCRABBLE WORD THAT ALSO DOUBLES AS AN ACRONYM].

…Of course they’ll be some [TECHNOLOGY CATEGORY]. But with [BEVERAGE]! And no, it’s not a [WEIRD SEX THING]! You perverts!

Anyway. It’s just fun to think about.

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Bloganuary writing prompt: What are your thoughts on the concept of living a very long life?

I want to note that I’m on two meds for depression, which could account for my more-than-rosy tone here (and on my worst days, it’s still meh, but at least I’m around to complain about it). Not everyone has that privilege, and I acknowledge that. I love y’all and I’m pulling for y’all. There’s no wrong answer to this question.

But what is my answer?

“Sweet.”

Edward from Twilight.
“Hey Dracula, meet me in my sunroom at high noon to say that shit to my face. Oh wait, you can’t? SUCKS TO SUCK, LOSER!”

But I’ll want to know the caveats up front, because what’s a long life (or immortality) if you can’t do anything with it? And, you know, what’s the catch?

  • Will you be taken care of?
  • Is it one of those science fiction things where you’re a brain in a jar?
  • Or a fantasy thing where you’re actually a vampire (and unless your story is set in Washington, can never set foot in the sun again)?
  • Or the most likely scenario of strutting around a nursing home with your best friend?
  • Will you still be of sound mind, if not body?
  • Can you even afford to?
  • Where is the fine print, Beelzebub!?

Despite the potential for Dubious Deals with Devils, Transhuman Technicalities, Monkey Paw Jackassery, Pitfalls of Capitalism, and whatever else you may think of… From where I’m sitting at this point of time, it sounds pretty dope.

You’ve done so much, and you can reflect and witness more history. You’ve more to experience and hell, even if it’s just existing and vibing, that’s still an experience. And the stories you can tell! To compare and contrast the then and here and now. To be a representation of an obtainable future for younger generations– I know, as a queer Black person, it is comforting to see an elder that has survived and continues to survive.

I wish to be that for someone else, too. The world may be against me, but I’m still here. Oh, and modems were real. Real slow.

I want to see the science fiction I grew up on finally become plain ol’ science. We’ll get those flying cars any day now. Just not anytime soon. And I’ll sign up for the cyborg program to extend my life another 100 years or something (provided that Elon Musk stays far, far away from the technology behind it; I’ll literally rather die than let him put chips in my brain).

I want to stick around to see if things get better. And if not? Well. You’re going to be hearing about it!

Anyway.

You know that bit where Sarah Lynn is on a talk show, spinning in a chair and declaring that she’s gonna live forever? That’s my answer, in a nutshell. Sign me the fuck up!

Sarah Lynn spinning in a chair, declaring that she is going to live forever.

Oh.

I’m utterly terrified of death with a tendency to procrastinate. If I had it my way, I will be late to my own funeral (which, for the record, will be a party). So that’s probably a factor.

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Bloganuary writing prompt: What is your favorite animal?

I’ll give you three guesses, and the first two don’t count. (Cats are a close second.)

Sonic popping out of a manhole, saying Hedgehog. Noun. A burrowing animal.
This panel gets a lot of mileage.

Let’s get the obvious reason out of the way: nostalgia! Not only is Sonic the Hedgehog my favorite color, but I grew up in the 90s as the Cooler Mario hit our TV screens. I loved the games, enjoyed both cartoons, and I read just about every damn issue of the Archie Comics series (and I am subscribed to IDW’s current run). Oh, and Sonic was totally my boyfriend as I pretended to be Princess Sally, crawling and climbing on the wooden playgrounds to thwart Dr. Robotnik’s plans.

…

…Anyway.

I relate to the hedgie. I relate to hedgehogs so much, my ALBI FACTS are cribbed from actual hedgehog trivia. I have terrible eyesight, solitary (introverted), and I seem most active at night. Being in the hedges is also a great time. Oh, and I make weird noises. And I bite. And, depending on who you ask, my Black queer ass could be illegal in 7 states if things keep going the way they are.

For fun, I like thinking about astrology things. Virgos are Earth signs, right? So it stands to reason that we can associate symbols or animals that are related to the earth, to Virgo. And if burrowing in gardens isn’t earthy, I don’t know what is.

I deal (as most of us do) with what the science types call The Hedgehog Dilemma. In my own words: It’s when you want to get close to another hedgehog, but if you do, you’ll very likely poke and be poked by quills. And if you have any empathy, you’ll think twice before snuggling up to a quill-less critter because you might end up hurting them, since they don’t have the same defenses. But to be human, sometimes you just gotta risk it.

…But I am willing to risk getting hurt sometimes. Perhaps it’s inevitable.

Sometimes, it’s worth it.

Amazing Facts About [Me]

And that, ultimately, is why I can relate to the spiny creature so much– because it embodies the struggle of a one-bitten-twice-shy-and-guarded-introvert, but also looks really cute while doing so. And while hogging the hedges.

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Bloganuary writing prompt: List five things you do for fun.

Sure, why not!? I did say I’ll look into more prompts.

Video Games

Video games span across so many genres, so it’s not hard to find something you like (unless you just hate fun). Despite capital-G Gamers trying to ruin it for everyone else, I still enjoy this medium! Stories unfold at your fingertips, and it’s a great feeling to clear a difficult puzzle.

My favorite types are Role-Playing Games, Platformers, Rhythm Games, and Cozy Live Simulators.

And Pokemon.

Runner Up: watching other people play them, especially if they’re more skilled than me. And especially if they’re speedrunning; I love watching them exploit glitches if they’re not just outright Really Damn Good At It! I like hearing their opinions, whether its about the game itself or what’s going on in their lives.

Fanfiction

Honestly, writing in general (especially journaling and poetry). But when I think of fun I think of fanfiction.

I love looking at something and going What If? And I love putting a different spin on things. Remember when the Internet was (and probably still is) obsessed with turning everything into some Grittier, Edgier, Darker (GRIMDARK) version of itself? I tend to steer the opposite of that (though I admit, I can get angsty). I also follow the ol’ adage: If you want something done, do it yourself.

Let Tietra live! Turn The Joker into a coffeehouse owner that makes lattes! Have the silent protagonist actually speak and be snarky about it! Do not close that love triangle and have a happy and healthy non-monogamous relationship!

Reading

Reading is a legitimate hobby. It takes hours of your time and it costs you money. The eReader I purchased last year was an excellent investment, and a lot easier on my wrists– I can pour through some serious door-stoppers.

Thanks to Octavia Butler in ASIMOV magazine in my formulative years, I go for the science fiction first. But one of my resolutions this year is to expand into other types of books: more poetry, nonfiction of topics I’m interested in, and autobiographies of my favorite people. Oh, and looking into those things called COMIC BOOKS. Regardless, getting comfortable with a world or person to explore is absolutely exciting.

Be Annoying

I pester.

I pester.

I pester.

I pester.

I pester.

Did I mention that I pester? I get it from my dad. He would do some stupid thing and then chuckle at my expense. And now, I’m going to do that to you! I come from a family of dry humor and bizarre in-jokes. Think Eric Andre without none of the wit, and all of the befuddlement.

A serious spin on this would be being silly and humor. I joke so I don’t cry. I use the absurd to point out the weirdness of life. And on a good day, I could even employ satire correctly!

Nothing

You read that right.

Probably the most favorite thing to do in the world is NOTHING. Nada. Zip. Zero. Blame laziness if you want (and I will certainly own that; Capitalism hates it when we share, and hates it more when we’re being lazy by its metric). But I see it as a moment of rest. I see it as a moment to just stop, take in the scenery. I feel like the older you get, the less schedule gaps you have (until you retire, at least), so I revel in the pure bliss of not being busy.

Sometimes, I simply do nothing. And it’s marvelous.

Especially if I can get a nap in.