__picture it & write

Tags

creative writing prompt, flash fiction, inspiration, photo writing prompt, photography, poetry, stories, weekly writing prompt, writing

I urge people to join in, comment with your paragraph of fiction to accompany the image. It doesn’t have to follow my story or reflect the same themes. It can be a poem or in a different language (provide a translation please ). Anyone who wants to join in, is welcome. This photograph will be reblogged under Ermisenda on tumblr and added to the Picture it & Write gallery on Facebook and Pinterest.

Please continue to write however you’re inspired, but add a tag to the beginning of your post if there’s mature content in order to keep Picture it & Write an engaging event for all of our followers.

by Gustav Johansson

“We should head back now. The sun is nearly gone.”

“She said she was meeting me here.”

“She said she’d meet you here an hour ago.” I put my hand on my friend’s shoulder and felt her curly, kinky hair caress my skin. “I don’t think she’s–“

“She’s coming,” she snapped. “You can go if you want, but I’m waiting.”

I retracted my hand and let out a small sigh. “I’m not leaving you alone.” I tightened my scarf around my neck, hid my hands in my coat pockets, and stared at the cathedral’s clock tower with her.

– Ermisenda Alvarez

__oxford comma: yay or nay?

Tags

funny writing memes, oxford comma funny meme, writing, writing memes

I found this little graphic on Facebook and had to share it here. I thought it was awesome. I personally like the Oxford comma. I use it when I write. Although I don’t feel so strongly that I get annoyed or angry at books that don’t use it. What about you? How do you feel about the Oxford comma?

– Ermisenda

__fiction versus non-fiction

Tags

books, fiction, non-fiction, reading, writing

As of late, I’ve been only interested in non-fiction. If you follow the blog, that probably isn’t a surprise to you (The Feminist Porn Book, Secret Sex Lives, Perv, etc.). I find it interesting that I’m in a non-fiction phase because I’ve never had it before. I hated reading non-fiction (even though I enjoyed learning). My heart was set only on fiction and the more fantasy-like the better.

Somehow this flipped a few months ago and now I can’t imagine picking up a fiction book (at least for a little while longer). I think it has to do with not being at university. I technically started again this week, so maybe my non-fiction interests will wither, but I had been university-free for nearly four months. I think that when I am not learning, I want to learn through my books. And when I am busy with university or school, I want to run away to fiction (instead of learning in my leisure time).

I’m sure I’m not the only one with this relationship with my fiction/non-fiction genres. Are you similar? Do you read ONLY fiction or non-fiction or do you alternate? Let us know in the comments below! 🙂

– Ermisenda

__kindle cover disasters

Tags

funny bad ebook covers, kindle cover disasters, photoshop disasters, terrible book covers, writing

Every time I open THIS Tumblr blog I just start laughing. These Kindle Covers are the definition of ‘disaster’. You’re welcome for the smiles and laughter! They even got featured on The Guardian.

– Ermisenda

__picture it & write

Tags

creative writing prompt, fiction, inspiration, photography, poetry, stories, weekly writing prompt, writing

I urge people to join in, comment with your paragraph of fiction to accompany the image. It doesn’t have to follow my story or reflect the same themes. It can be a poem or in a different language (provide a translation please ). Anyone who wants to join in, is welcome. This photograph will be reblogged under Ermisenda on tumblr and added to the Picture it & Write gallery on Facebook and Pinterest.

Please continue to write however you’re inspired, but add a tag to the beginning of your post if there’s mature content in order to keep Picture it & Write an engaging event for all of our followers.

Flickr / davideji

The drug swims through my veins, tickling my organs, and relaxing my limbs. I feel myself fall backwards but I don’t hit the hard ground, I float instead. I am surrounded by the sky, above me, below me, around me. I watch as the clouds glide by in the shape of pigs and dragons. It is so calm and beautiful and peaceful. This is amazing. I am somewhere else, somewhere both new and familiar, and there is not a worry on my mind. I don’t think until I start to fall from the sky and my body slams against the ground.

– Ermisenda Alvarez

__Livraria Lello & Irmão

Tags

famous book store, fiction, jk rowling, Livraria Lello & Irmão, oporto portugal, porto, writing

I went on a holiday to Porto (Portugal) last week. I chose it because it was a lot warmer than where I am currently residing (The Netherlands), it has a lot more sun, and there were cheap Ryanair flights. Before Ryanair, I hadn’t heard of Porto. On the second day, I went on a free walking tour. At one of our stops, we came to a famous, old, and very beautiful book store called Livraria Lello & Irmão. I was in awe looking around. Then the guide told us that it was a book store that JK Rowling was inspired by when writing Harry Potter. She apparently wrote the very beginning chapters of Harry Potter and the Philospher’s Stone in the little cafe above.

How did I not know this? I went back to my hostel, opened up Google, and researched. JK Rowling had spent three years in Porto! The guide was telling the truth. I was in awe and felt like my trip became a little more special (as a massive Harry Potter fan). I originally wanted to go to Edinburgh so I could visit The Elephant Cafe where she wrote a lot of Harry Potter, but decided against it in March because of the cold. But turns out, I ended up connecting with a piece of her past anyway! I was over the moon. The only famous person I’ve ever really wanted to meet was JK Rowling (and… maybe Ed Sheeran).

I took two photos of the magical book store and you can see some great photos on Google HERE. I wish a book store like this existed near where I lived.

__picture it & write

Tags

creative writing prompt, fiction, flash fiction, inspiration, photo prompt, photography, poetry, stories, weekly writing prompt, writing

I urge people to join in, comment with your paragraph of fiction to accompany the image. It doesn’t have to follow my story or reflect the same themes. It can be a poem or in a different language (provide a translation please ). Anyone who wants to join in, is welcome. This photograph will be reblogged under Ermisenda on tumblr and added to the Picture it & Write gallery on Facebook and Pinterest.

Please continue to write however you’re inspired, but add a tag to the beginning of your post if there’s mature content in order to keep Picture it & Write an engaging event for all of our followers.

I walked through the crowd, scanning the guests. Where was she? My gaze jumped from face-to-face. I had only seen her once before, but I knew that I’d recognise her the moment I saw her again. I placed a hand on my chest and felt my knife concealed inside my jacket pocket. I would bring her down before she brought all of us down.

Fireworks suddenly exploded to my left. The guests ahh-ed and ohh-ed in wonder. I briefly looked at the fireworks erupting like flowers in the sky. I felt the tip of a knife poking my back. A gentle hand rested on my shoulder and I heard her voice, “Let’s find a place a little more quiet, shall we?”

– Ermisenda Alvarez

__picture it & write

Tags

creative writing prompt, fiction, inspiration, photography, poetry, stories, weekly writing prompt, writing

I urge people to join in, comment with your paragraph of fiction to accompany the image. It doesn’t have to follow my story or reflect the same themes. It can be a poem or in a different language (provide a translation please ). Anyone who wants to join in, is welcome. This photograph will be reblogged under Ermisenda on tumblr and added to the Picture it & Write gallery on Facebook and Pinterest.

Please continue to write however you’re inspired, but add a tag to the beginning of your post if there’s mature content in order to keep Picture it & Write an engaging event for all of our followers.

“How much longer do we have to stay out here for?” Yezus asked, folding his arms behind his head.

“You said you’d let me show you the woods for a few days. Try and enjoy yourself.” Richard kept his gaze steady, watching the trees.

“But how long is a few days?” Yezus looked over to Richard, waiting for him to look over. With no response, Yezus looked straight ahead at the trees again and tried to relax. “Aren’t you scared a witch will come out? Or a bunch of giant spiders? Or maybe the chainsaw massacre guy?”

Richard chuckled lightly. “Nature is the most peaceful thing to me and yet you manage to think about those things while looking at it.”

“I’m not saying that it’s the only thing I see, it’s just–“

Richard leaned over and kissed Yezus on the lips. He pulled away and took his hand. “We’ll go for a hike in ten minutes.” Then Richard went back to staring at the forest.

Yezus nodded, leaned back, and stared ahead too. He squeezed Richard’s hand. “If anything was to jump out, it’d definitely be that chick from the grudge.”

– Ermisenda Alvarez

Book Review: The Feminist Porn Book

Tags

feminist porn, feminist porn wars, human sexuality, journalism, non-fiction, pornography, psychology, sexology

The Feminist Porn Book: The Politics of Producing Pleasure

edited by Tristan Taormino, Constance Penley, Celine Parreñas Shimizu, and Mireille Miller-Young

genre: non-fiction, psychology, sexology, journalism, human sexuality

There were so many great essays in here, but I found some repetitive. Find out why I gave it 4 out of 5 stars!

Summary

(Taken from Goodreads)

The Feminist Porn Book brings together for the first time writings by feminists in the adult industry and research by feminist porn scholars. This book investigates not only how feminists understand pornography, but also how feminists do porn—that is, direct, act in, produce, and consume one of the world’s most lucrative and growing industries. With original contributions by Susie Bright, Candida Royalle, Betty Dodson, Nina Hartley, Buck Angel, and more, The Feminist Porn Book updates the debates of the porn wars of the 1980s, which sharply divided the women’s movement, and identifies pornography as a form of expression and labor in which women and other minorities produce power and pleasure.

Review

I was excited to read this book because I wanted to hear the debate about pornography from an open perspective that would talk about the issues on both sides. Unfortunately, this book isn’t so much about the debate about pornography, but more about feminist pornography. Although the book talks about how feminist pornography differs for some, it is more or less ethically produced pornography that emphasises genuine sexual pleasure on screen (particularly the womans and other oppressed sexual minorities). I had heard about feminist pornography and this book really filled me in on the history and big debates in the field. For that, I found it fascinating, but I also wish there was more talk about mainstream pornography.

My favourite essays were from porn-stars-turned-directors and a psychologist. It helped me work through ingrained beliefs I didn’t believe I had. For example, that female sex workers are always victims or have somehow been ‘damaged’. Even though there is most definitely exploited women in pornography, there are also women (hopefully not a small minority) that genuinely love what they do and have not experienced any kind of trauma in their upbringing. Even though I had accepted that idea, I hadn’t really processed it as well until I read some of these essays. As a psychology student, I really enjoyed the essay from the psychologist and learning how pornography was able to help her clients through their identity and self-esteem troubles. It was an eye-opener because I had never considered pornography as a possible tool for counselling.

__picture it & write

Tags

community, creative writing prompt, flash fiction, inspiration, photo prompt, photography, poetry, weekly writing prompt, writing

I urge people to join in, comment with your paragraph of fiction to accompany the image. It doesn’t have to follow my story or reflect the same themes. It can be a poem or in a different language (provide a translation please ). Anyone who wants to join in, is welcome. This photograph will be reblogged under Ermisenda on tumblr and added to the Picture it & Write gallery on Facebook and Pinterest.

Please continue to write however you’re inspired, but add a tag to the beginning of your post if there’s mature content in order to keep Picture it & Write an engaging event for all of our followers.

Man in the suit by apaxngh on deviantart

As an Asian boy growing up in London, he was familiar to insults. They’d tease him for his eyes, the breadth of his shoulders, and made it clear that he would be useless in bed with women. He was never a man the way they were men. He had taken that anger and consumed its energy. He was known as The Man In The Suit now. He was a hot-shot lawyer and women draped themselves over him, he was known for his prowess both in the business world and in the bedroom. He was cold and distant but flicked on charm at a moments notice. He was ‘a man’ by the standards of the boys who would tease him. But one day he woke up being particularly aware of how empty and lonely his expensive apartment was, and he wondered whether this was the kind of man he had always wanted to be.

– Ermisenda Alvarez