Skip to main content

Emotion 365: The Ships of Powerful, the Ship Superior

Powerfuls live on the sea among crashing waves on enormous ships. They have strong stomachs and incredible balance. They leap from ship to ship and live on the salt air. At whim, they become sea creatures with tentacles, gills, and fins. 

“They are intelligent and beautiful,” says Miss Emeline Traveler. “Most especially in their octopi form.” 

Visitors, transformed, do not know what to do with their many arms. 

“I love it when gulls cry over our ships and warn of storms,” says the Guide. “I love the billowing sails, thunder and whales.” 

The ship Superior has a braid of gold and red trim carved all the way around its hull and a giant octopus splayed across its bow. It rides higher and taller and unfurls bigger sails than any other ships in the realm. When it comes ashore in other lands, people recognize the fabled ship. They greet Superiors with goodwill, welcome them, and feed, clothe, and house them with the best they have available. 

Fortunately, Superior spends most of its time at sea. The shipmates are nimble and quick and change into octopi-like creatures when they jump into the water. They speak the language of whales. The whales, although too polite to say it, wonder what the Superiors need with their old-fashioned and unwieldy wooden ship.


What is this? The Emotions 365 Project.

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...

What is Solarpunk? Good question, great answers from our community

What is solarpunk? My fellow Glass and Gardens: Solarpunk Summers authors Commando Jugendstil and Tales from The EV Studio put together this video for the Turin International Book Fair . It features editors and authors from the solarpunk community sharing their thoughts. Together we're imagining optimistic futures based on renewable energy. My soundbite was: "Solarpunk futures are — green spaces with clean water that are pedestrian, collective, feminist, creative communities. And they include non-human animals. " Mary "solarpunk" Shelley cat did a great job (at 6:15) helping from her rather ridiculous cat tree which she absolutely loves. And what better time to wear this solar-colored "Veganism is Feminism" tee from The Herbivore Clothing Company . Seriously. I'm holding a stack of solarpunk books: Glass and Gardens: Solarpunk Summers  edited by Sarena Ulibarri which includes my story "Watch Out, Red Crusher!".  Wings of R...

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...