Skip to main content

Emotion 365: The Land of Eloquent, the Capitol Thoughtful

Stacked high upon the hills sits Eloquent, a land of stories. Castles made of books dot the highlands. Cobbled streets and steps lead to terraces. Everywhere one comes upon little free libraries filled with treasures. Animal speak words and people vocalize with animals. Everyone understands one another through words or gesture. Animals think books and they appear. People write them painstakingly. Nothing needs translation. Eloquence does that and the wind. Hope rises in Eloquence on high winds. Balloon ships sail above. Parachutes carrying plush books fall. Everyone lives in a castle or in modest homes along the book terraces. Animals librarians can always find what you are looking for. The wind sings a soft song about all the words the land has spun.

In Thoughful, a low city perched on high steepes overlooking all of Eloquent is thoughtful, the denizens lift in their balloons to enjoy the view. All are welcome here and everyone is considered. Many owls make their home in the Thoughtful city.

"You can hear them hooting before they silently swoop," says Miss Doe Friend. "You know their wide eyes watch over all the land."

The great slow river Thoughtful encircles Eloquent winding down from the city.

"Rowing the River Thoughtful is a delightful way to take in the beauty of Eloquent and the great steepe," says Miss Emeline Traveler.

The highland winds are pleasantly scented with the floral bouquets of grass and blossom.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Thoughts on "Depression Hates a Moving Target": What I Mean by Relatable

Relatable — I used this word in my reviews of Depression Hates a Moving Target   by Nita Sweeney on Goodreads and Amazon . It's a nice word, but overused of late. So, it feels lazy. What do I mean? I connected with this book. It made me reflect more on my own first marathon experience. It made me want to put on my running shoes and head out the door again. In fact, I did. Now, typically, my mental health doesn't hinder my ability to do the stuff I want to do and my body flies under the radar. Still, I also felt goofy stepping out in my running gear a lot of the time. I didn't see myself as a "runner" or an athlete. And, I had no idea if I could run 13 miles let alone 26.2 when I started. More to the point, could I stay moving for the 4+ hours straight it would take to complete the marathon? To do the training mileage, I knew I'd have to run through streets and trails on my own and that made me nervous, too. Waves of grief wash us to strange shores. Whe...

Springy Story Review: "Gestella" by Susan Palwick

Why it springs to mind: A hauntingly beautiful horror story about what happens when a woman relinquishes her power. A unique werewolf story with commentary on aging. Where read: First in Sisters of the Revolution: A Feminist Speculative Fiction Anthology  ( 2015, PM Press edited by Ann and Jeff Vandermeer) and then in Palwick's collection The Fate of Mice ( 2007, Tachyon Publications ) — both outstanding! These presses won't steer you wrong. Summary: A young woman werewolf allows herself to be dominated by a lover who takes control of her fate. Memorable: The powerful ending! The word: sportfuck. A new take on lycanthropy. Written in second person — you. Quote:  "You know that your growing wisdom is the benefit of aging, the compensation for your wrinkles and your fading—although fading slowly as yet—beauty. You also know that Jonathan didn't marry you for wisdom."  Personal connection: Some of my favorite stories seem to be the ones that address t...

Springy story review: "State Change" by Ken Liu

Why it springs to mind:  You'll never look at an ice cube the same way again. Where read: In the 2014 Hugo award-winning Lightspeed Magazine , August. Length: 5,194 words Summary: A woman has an ice cube for a soul. Memorable: How the story invites us to think about the shape of our soul, how it (or our perception of it) influences us and how it changes. What ordinary every day object would your soul be? A silver spoon, a beech stick? A great party conversation starter, this. Quote:  “All life is an experiment." Notable:  The protagonist Rina is an avid reader (always a good choice). Pairs well with: T.S. Elliot, Edna St. Vincent Millay Origin:  The story was written in 24 hours based on a writing prompt. (See Author Spotlight: Ken Liu ) About the author: Ken Liu’s debut novel, The Grace of Kings , the first in a fantasy series The Dandelion Dynasty, is due out from Saga Press ( a new Simon & Schuster imprint ) in 2015.