42 Comments

Thinking of you, Nadia, as I read this, and hoping for relief for you. It's a lovely piece, and just your first - I hope you write many more.

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Aww thank you. I hope to write a book of fairy tales. But I'm all taled out right now lol.

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I love this! Beautiful imagery and lovely word choices, creating an atmospheric and vivid picture of the happenings within the story, and the feelings and sensations of the characters. Surprising in parts with lots of tangents and curiosities.

I believe I have SAD, so it was relatable, in a symbolic way. Lovely 🌕🖤🌞

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Aww thank you so much Leanne. I am so sorry you deal with SAD. It sucks, but spring always comes in the end.

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True. Although we are still waiting for if this year in the UK. Longest winter ever!

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Ooof. That is rough. Spring is a bit weird here too. Keeps being cold, then hot, then warm, then cold again, then hot again. I hope spring/summer comes to you soon!

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Yeah it can often be like that. But even my mother who is 77 this year ,said that this past winter has been the longest she has ever known and this Spring has been the harshest too, as it never seems to arrive. Thank you! 🌸

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Yikes. Yes. Hang in there, all of you. May tends to be gentler and kinder. Let's hope!

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I liked it, also the world you drew is really interesting as is, have you considered experimenting with drawing before?

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Oh thank you so much! Haha, maybe I should. I can draw real nice stick figures XD.

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In some sense, sadly most of the world can be portrayed as stickhumans, here is an idea: let’s write a story about this matter together and call it : Husticks 🤣

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Hahaha. Husticks - I like that! Maybe sometime we will collab ;-). If I do write a fairytale book, the drawings will be stickfigures for sure, or husticks as you call them! :D

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Wait maybe also a novel: Hustickty, where husticks exists in a 1D ecosystem/world 😆, im open to collab anytime with you in this project .

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ROFLMAO. I love that idea. It's very ambitious for a novel. Anyway, should you ever want to work on a poem or flash piece together, you know my email! I've never collabed with anyone in such a way, but it could be a fun experiment and exercise.

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Me too didn’t experience such a collaboration before, I think it would be cool, expect an email 🤘🏽

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Lovely story :)

I'm never sure if I have SAD, but my worst months mentally are always February-early April. I'm not sure how much of it for me is just a mix of Vitamin D deficiency and a brain habit (having been miserable in winter/early spring before), rather than anything inherent.

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Thanks so much! Vitamin d deficiency certainly does not help, lack of sun in winter, the cold, all the yuck, you just want to hibernate (I definitely do).

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So much rich detail! I don’t have SAD but I do crave the sun.

I hope you’re feeling better.

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Thanks so much, Priya! I too crave the sun, just not on my bad days lol. I hope this week is treating you well!

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Wow, beautiful. So moving. So much meaning and so evocative.

Sorry to hear you've been ill. I hope you're improving and I hope there's lots of sunshine.

I don't think I struggle with SAD per se, but I do struggle with winter in general. I must have been a plant in a previous life. When I step out into a sunny spring day, I can feel myself photosynthesising, like I'm taking physical nourishment from the sunshine.

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Thanks so much, Nathan! I was hoping it would evoke those feelings. I also tried to make it friendly for children too, something parents could read to their kids. Winter is definitely not easy. I think we should all just be hibernating like bears. How amazing, how sun gives you so much power. Enjoy it when you can! I hope this week is treating you well.

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You know what this made me feel? I read it like it was a little side-story in a novel. Something that gives some background lore or tale that a character would be telling to another character. I always enjoy those pieces of lore in books, that serve as exposition but in a kind of fairy tale way, so it works well within the plot. Brandon Sanderson is always good at this, offering smaller tales buried within a larger tale.

Nicely done!

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Ooo I will have to read Brandon's work! That is so creative. Resident Evil 8 did something similar, including a montage of a fairytale before the game started, and that fairytale looked a lot like what was going on in the game itself. I someday would like to write a bunch of fairy tales, but right now this is the only one I have written lol.

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That's cool, I like that. (Never played any Resi. Too much of a wuss, haha.)

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Hahah. I feel you. I'm a scaredy cat too. I always say, "Too scary." And then I play it anyways. Fortunately they have different difficulties, with casual being a bit easier to handle for beginners. But they still have the scary scenes, which is unavoidable. Maybe watching gameplays could feel safer.

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Heh, yeah, I've resorted to Let's Plays on many an occasion ;)

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Evocative, love the imagery, the melancholy yet hope imbued within. I notice some differences in style from the "purple flower" one. And I love the names, esp. when you read them backwards. ;)

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Why thank you! You are the first to notice! ;p

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trained by the backward dog in Green Grass Running Water... ;)

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That certainly helps! Haha.

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Whew, what a story. Really like the structure, cutting it into chunks. The seasons passing and the foggy mythic imagery. Such a gift for narrative. Well done!

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Wow, thanks so much Taegan! I'm delighted you like it!

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A haunting and poetic story, Nadia. For me, the best part of winter is when it's over!

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Thank you, Wendy! Haha. I'm with you!

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Perfectly written as always 👌🏽

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Thank you my friend! <3

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You’re welcome pal 👌🏽

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Apr 28, 2023
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Thank you so much, Garrett. I feel your pain. Tension headaches suck, but migraines can be the worst and indeed so debilitating, like you can't do anything.

The lack of sun can be annoying, frustrating, and upsetting, physically and mentally no doubt. Maybe because we won't be changing time anymore it may help with getting a bit more sun in winter? I hope spring/summer brings more sunshine your way!

I appreciate you so much reading my story. I was having fun playing around with light and darkness and wordplay. I'll give you a hint--focus on the names of the characters and see how they unravel to you!

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