grocko's Picks | 08-13 October 2023

Hello, fellow wonderful Scholars and Scribes! Welcome to the weekly picks! This is where we go over which pieces were submitted to the Scholar and Scribe community that stood out and made an impression. I will give my subjective review on each piece selected in hopes of stimulating creativity and reaching our ultimate goal - becoming better writers.

This is a purely prose selection. No poetry I'm afraid.

The selections are placed randomly - these are not rankings❗❗

With that being said, first off we have @litguru with Where the Sparrows Feed.

Short and sweet. An amazing intro to a star-crossed lovers type of novel (?). @litguru's proficiency with the English language is evident from the first sentence. And their colorful use of words leads you along this lovable little piece. I just love the way they string their sentences, flowing together with ease. The mark of a deft pen.

Kai did not understand this man. Why was he so brash and barbaric in speech and behavior? Being a foreigner was no excuse. She knew plenty of men from the lands beyond the rising Sun, and while their manners left a lot to be desired, they were still courteous and thoughtful. Not him. The way he drank his tea offended her.

The implications of the story are also plain. Something we've seen before a thousand times but that makes the experience all the more relatable. Tropes exist for a reason, how we use them is how we leave our mark. They are but tools in our proverbial toolbox. In this particular piece, the door is left wide open for any future interpretation. Meaning the use of this trope might lead to something whole new. This is my favorite use of tropes - bring the reader in with the familiar to get them comfortable, only to then send them on a ride they've never experienced before. Regardless of the intent, the story was well told. 👏 Kudos.

She hated him, she decided, this foreign man. Everything about him was ghastly. His long hair, his broad shoulders, and insolent stare. Even the way he walked reminded her of a violent beast.

Next up we got @deraaa with THE FAE PRINCESS.

This read was such a treat. I love jumping into the middle of stories, really forces the reader to adapt. I usually don't expect much, as it takes a seasoned writer to enchant you with clarity through the understandable confusion. @deraaa did that in spades. Her poetic language paints a picture so vivid that it glews you to your screen. The scene setting, the way they structure the pacing - top-notch stuff.

Pulling out a sword tucked effectively at his waist, Ashton dived head first into battle. Running past gurgling sounds and falling warriors, he leaped into the air, the wild night a blanket to his form as he appeared stealthily in the midst of his foes.

The tale is gruesome and haunting. But at the same time comforting because of the characters therein. You want to know how they handle the conditions they are in. I also love the perspective @deraaa uses, as it seems to flip between omniscient and limited. That's my favorite way to write as well. 👏 Kudos.

A sharp whistle and one of the men is taken out, his head dangling atrociously from the spear now attached to a tree. Roma's hand goes over her mouth in horror at the ghastly sight. Her legs give way as Ashton appears with nothing but a thirst for blood. His opponent tries to fight back but his defenses are weakened by Ashton's experience. Another head rolls...

Third on the chopping block is @agreste's Las vacas | The cows.

Agreste has been with us since the inception of this community. The reason why I haven't featured his works here is he mostly does poetry. But with this piece he threw a curve ball - it's poetry and prose. An enticing combination I just had to feature. It is definitely more prose than poetry, but Agreste just can't help himself as the style still reminds me a lot of his poetic works.

"Fucking hell!" A cow. Less than two meters away. In the middle of the night. Looking placidly at the car. Damn cow. He looked at Felicitas and realized she had screamed. She wasn't looking at the cow placidly. She was grimacing in horror.

The translation is not what matters with this piece. Yes, I can't speak Spanish. But I also can tell a creative work from a throwaway. Intent is recognizable, regardless, and this story just oozes character. As always, I hope we can see more of our friend's work. 👏 Kudos.

"The one on the ninth floor. The one who comes down the stairs with her pants up her ass. You like that one, don't you? Skinny, showing her belly button. I'm not stupid. I see how she greets you."

✍️ Hope the Scholars found something to read and the Scribes discovered something new about the craft. Thank you for stopping by and see you all next week!

🖼️ Image Sources: 01 🖼️

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