Telling Tales with Magaly Guerrero: a Pantry of Prose, #7 ~ Gothic Fiction

Greetings, everyone, and welcome to another Pantry of Prose. Before we start Telling Tales, did you catch the latest Moonlight Musings? If not, take a look at Rosemary’s thoughts on writers’ use of names and pseudonyms. For those of us who enjoy plotting ahead, Susan’s next Midweek Motif is Literacy (I’m sure I just heard some muses squeal their delight).

And now, today’s feature:

                                           

“I wish to help them [students in a Gothic fiction class] fall in love with the course, but they are not interested in ‘old stuff’,” she said.

“Why not explore the genre using new stuff”,” I said.

“Because Gothic fiction without castles, centuries-long histories, and intricate fashion isn’t real Goth—” she began.

I interrupted to say, “That is nonsense.” No, she didn’t hit me. But…

…we had a deliciously loud discussion that lasted hours. She offered examples to justify her beliefs: The Castle of Otranto, Dracula, Wuthering Heights); and I brought up The Thirteenth Tale, “The Yellow Wall-Paper”, and We Have Always Lived in the Castle (which portrays exactly zero castles), to point out that Gothic fiction is more about dilapidation, suspense, fear, death, and romanticism than about actual castles or how characters dress.

And that, my dear Storytellers and Poets, was what inspired today’s prompt. Yep, for the 7^th Telling Tales with Magaly Guerrero: a Pantry of Prose, I invite you to write a short Gothic story (in 313 words or fewer). Feel free to set your tale wherever you please and have your characters wear whatever they like (or not *cough*).

As a secondary option, you can take one of your old poems, which fits this week’s theme, and turn it into a new story (of 313 words or fewer).

Want some inspiration? Behind the new boats in the photo below, rests La Merced, a “dilapidated ship carcass covered in trees”. You can find out more about her (including closer photos) in Atlas Obscura.

the carcass of La Merced, by Magaly Guerrero

This prompt will remain open until Tuesday night. Only 1 entry per participant, please. Visit other storytellers. Let’s go Gothic for a spell.

a wee note in red (for visitors and Pantry of Prose veterans alike): although poetry is beyond delectable (and we adore its yum), the Pantry of Prose is for prose. So, as always, links to poems will be deleted. 

Add the direct link to your contribution to Mr. Linky. Have fun!

Telling Tales with Magaly Guerrero: a Pantry of Prose, #6 ~ Stitches

Greetings, storytellers and poets. I hope August is being good to you. Did you read Sherry’s Monday feature? If not, give it a go: “Vivian Has Two New Books!” On Friday, Rosemary’s Thought Provokers glimpsed Jack Gilbert. Next Wednesday, for the Midweek Motif, Susan returns to us with: Safety. And for the 6^th month of the Pantry of Prose, I would like to explore one of my favorite words:

Stitch(es)

1. noun

a. one complete movement of a threaded needle through a fabric or material such as to leave behind it a single loop or portion of thread, as in sewing, embroidery, or the surgical closing of wounds.

b. a loop or portion of thread disposed in place by one such movement in sewing: to rip out stitches.

c. a particular mode of disposing the thread in sewing or the style of work produced by one such method.

2. verb (used with object)

d. to work upon, join, mend, or fasten with or as if with stitches; sew (often followed by together): to stitch together flour sacks to make curtains; a plan that was barely stitched together.

e. to ornament or embellish with stitches: to stitch a shirt with a monogram.

3. verb (used without object)

f. to make stitches, join together, or sew.

 

some of my own stitches,

(first shared on Instagram)

For today’s prompt, I invite you to write a new short story or essay or article (in 313 words or fewer), which uses “Stitches” in any of the ways described above.

As a secondary option, you can take one of your old poems, which fits this week’s theme (Stitches), and turn it into a new short story.

Do let us know which option you chose.   

This prompt will remain open until Tuesday night. One entry per participant. Visit other storytellers. Let us stitch some prose! 

a wee note (for visitors and natives): Poetry is delicious, and we love it so much. But… the Pantry of Prose is for prose (stories, slice of life pieces, essays). So, as always, links to poems will be deleted. 

Telling Tales with Magaly Guerrero: a Pantry of Prose, #5 ~ Away from Home

Greetings, fellow writers, and welcome to the 5^th Pantry of Prose—when Poets and Storytellers get together to read and tell tales. Today’s theme is Away from Home. The motif came to me while I was on vacation (I wonder why *cough*), but it does not mean that we are expected to write vacation stories (unless we really wish to).   

We can approach this theme from so many angles… We can let our muses dance with the words of Czeslaw Milosz, and write an Away from Home story that shows how “Language is the only homeland.”

Or, we can read into Maya Angelou spell, and craft a tale that shows how (if?) “The ache for home lives in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”

Only you can choose where your Away from Home story will take us… So, my beloved Poets and Storytellers, for today’s prompt, let us write a new short story or essay or article (in 313 words or fewer), that explores the idea of being Away from Home.

As a secondary option, you can take one of your old poems, which fits the week’s theme, and turn it into a new short story.

Please let us know which option you chose.   

This prompt will remain open until Tuesday night. One entry per participant. Visit other storytellers. Delight in homes made words.

a wee note in rose (for newcomers and seasoned dwellers): We love poetry, but the Pantry of Prose is… for prose (meaning, short stories, slice of life pieces, essays). So, with my deepest apologies, links to poems will be deleted. 

a tardy note in blue: the theme for Sumana’s next Midweek Motif is “Weather”.  

Telling Tales with Magaly Guerrero: a Pantry of Prose, #4 ~ From the Point of View of Trees

The other day, a friend on Instagram posted a picture of a flower, and asked if anyone thought that it could be possible to claim the bloom as a writing buddy. I thought, half-jokingly, Some of my best friends are potted in my terrace garden. Aloud, I typed, “My entire garden is [my writing buddy]. They are fantastic listeners!”

When I started wondering about a theme for this month’s Pantry of Prose, that exchange (and my slightly selfish desire to read tales narrated by plants) came to mind. So, my beloved Poets and Storytellers, for today’s prompt, I invite you to write a new short or essay or article (in 313 words or fewer), from the point of view of a tree.

As a secondary option, you have the choice of taking one of your old poems and turning it into a new short story (in 313 words or fewer).

If you can’t think of anything, feel free to use my photo (a tree with a heart-shaped scar carved into its bark) and/or the following quote, (from The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate—Discoveries from a Secret World, by Peter Wohlleben) as inspiration: “without bark [a] tree cannot transport sugar from its leaves to its roots. As the roots starve, they shut down their pumping mechanisms, and because water no longer flows through the trunk up to the crown, the whole tree dries out”

 

Please let us know which option you’ve chosen to story-tell.   

This prompt will remain open until Tuesday. Only one entry per participant. Visit other storytellers. Delight in the words of trees. 

A wee note in red (for visitors and veterans): I adore poetry, but the Pantry of Prose is for prose (meaning, short stories, essays, articles, slice of life). So, with my deepest apologies, links to poems will be deleted. 

A late note: the topic for the next Midweek Motif is “Plastic Bags”.

Telling Tales with Magaly Guerrero: a Pantry of Prose, #3 ~ Phobias and Fears

After a conversation (or 3) on phobias and fears, I thought those 2 could bring interesting stories to life. There are so many places we could go with this…

We could follow Edgar Wallace’s thoughts, and explore fear as “a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake.”

Or, we could dance with William Wordsworth’s question of fear being nothing of much weight, “Whispering harm where harm is not / And deluding the unwary / Till the fatal bolt is shot!”

Or, we could stroll into Frank Herbert’s Dune, and bring back tales that chant, “I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.”

For today’s prompt, I invite you to write a new story (of 313 words or fewer), inspired by phobias and/or fears. You are welcome to use the offered quotes as inspiration.

As a secondary option, you can take one of your old poems and turn it into a new short story (of 313 words or fewer).

Please, make your choice clear somewhere in your post (phobias and fears or turning a poem into story). In my own contribution, I tend to add the prompt at the end. Just because it’s always interesting (to me) to see if the story helped me see the storyteller’s intent. Of course, you can add your note anywhere you please (I’m just trying to satisfy my own selfish wants 😊).     

This prompt will remain open until Tuesday night. Links to poems will be deleted. Only one story per participant. Do visit other storytellers. Let’s enjoy birthing and sharing words…   

An Extra Note in Red: As noted above, the Pantry of Prose is for prose (meaning, short stories, slice of life pieces, essays). Links to poetry will be deleted. Not because I don’t love poetry, not because I think poems are less (goodness no!), but to give one day out of each month to prose and storytelling). 

“Yesterday’s News”, by Shelle Kennedy

the haunted look in this girl’s eyes (which looks a whole lot like the slightly horrified look I see in the mirror right after listening to today’s news) felt quite appropriate for this post