Out of the Writer's Closet

Listen, guys, I started this post countless times and did not like the way it went and just hesitated to post. But I guess I'll just come and say what's real right now. I often find myself indifferent to fashion/style during hot weather, and this summer is unusually hot for our region (and for me, a mild weather kind of girl). I sort of lost interest in all that. But I am super busy exploring other areas of creativity, and have been busy cooking (I know, it sounds like a paradox, because it's hot in the kitchen too), or reading about cooking, or writing about cooking, or watching cooking shows (plenty on You-tube), and also very much into creative writing, particularly writing fiction. On the top of that I am starting a new creative writing link-up, dedicated to daily writing sketches. 

Getting out of the closet as a writer is a huge deal. Being raised in a culture that pretty much considers only one way of doing things the "right" way and getting a fancy university education studying all sorts of great writers of the world can be challenging, intimidating and can be big road blocks to get over. Think of it like this: imagine finding your own voice in styling, getting out there in front of other brilliant stylish women and telling them - this is me, this is who I am, love it or leave it. It takes guts, courage, and everything you can think of in this context. But we do it just because it's as important as breathing to us. Can you imagine wearing only sweatpants and dull T-shirts for the rest of your life? I thought so. No more than that can I imagine keeping myself from my desire to write and share. For your and my own convenience I decided to only publish fiction on my other blog (Write and Link will still use In the Writer's Closet as its home base). If you are interested, you can follow my other blog, Out of the Writer's Closet, and read all the details about daily sketches, or writing exercises, HERE. And if you're not, oh well, then you'll probably need to be patient and just wait until the style bug bites me again - I know it will, perhaps when it'll cool down here (though I have one or two summer dresses in mind, and might post them some time soon). In any case, thank you for everything, for all your kind and encouraging comments, I do appreciate them very, very much! And here are a couple of latest outfits when I did at least some attempt to bow to Style.

Write and Link #3: It Was One of Those Endless Summer Days

Bathing of a Red Horse by K. Petrov-Vodkin (1878-1939). 1912 (source)

It's time for Write and Link again! This link-up is all about creative writing, short fiction in particular, and is open to anyone who is a writer, loves to write and wants to get their creative juices going. The rules are very simple - please incorporate the offered opening phrase into your story, keep the story on the short side (1000 words is only a guideline, your story can be shorter or longer...as long as it's not a novel) and link back to this post. Сlick on the tab at the left top of the page to read all the creative stories we wrote in the past couple of months. We appreciate readers and comments very much!

UPDATE: I've decided to post all of my fiction (in both English and Russian) on my other blog, Out of the Writer's Closet - and posted my new story, The Essence, HERE. I cannot, unfortunately, redo my previous Write and Link stories simply because those link-ups are closed by now, but this is how I will do things in the future, so my stories will appear as links to this post, with all the other stories and writers. I think this is a more straightforward way to go for this link-up. My story is on the longer side this time (it is in two parts, all together about 2600 words), but I think it is worth it. I can't wait to see what you want to share. Happy writing and reading everyone! 

Oh, and let me know if you'd like to support our little writing group by adding the WRITE AND LINK badge to your blog - I can email you the badge and instructions how to add it to your Blogger site. 

The opening phrase for August stories:
"...Because everyone knows..."

  

The Talking Dress

It was a beautiful Summer evening. He came back from work at the usual time.

"Are you hungry?" said she. 

"I am," said he.

"How about I warm up dinner for you, and then we go for a nice stroll?" said she.

They loved going for a walk along the shores of the Sound, overlooking the hill where they lived.

"OK. Let's go for a walk first then," said he.

She went to their bedroom to change, as he waited for her in the living room.

"Are you ready for a walk?" said she as she came out.

"Would you like to take me out to dinner?" said the dress.

"WOW! Yes, yes, I would love to take you out to dinner!" said he.

"Let's go for a walk then?" said she.

"Yes, yes! I just must take you out to dinner!" said he.

The dress talked for her, and she let it.

:)

~The End~

Magic

Doesn't this fabric look familiar? No, it's not déjà vu or a magic trick - I do have a dress made of this same material (which you might have seen in this post). I loved that dress so much that when eShakti generously offered me a gift card in return for writing about their new web-site, I used that card toward purchasing this gorgeous maxi dress, made from the same beautiful shiny cotton. Similarly to my first eShakti dress, it also is fully lined, has pockets, and is made specifically to my measurements (custom sizing is the best!). I did not choose options to change details or the length because I love this dress just the way it is. It fits me like a glove, saves me in the heat of Summer when I want to be dressed up (and many of my fancy dresses are made of polyester), and I receive a lot of compliments on it. 

Night Owl in the Early Bird World

I don't know what association you'll have looking at this outfit, but to me it's African. I have not tried to create this with Africa in mind, but I do admire African bright and bold prints, and when I put this together, it said African to me. Hot and bright sun, blue sky and blue sea, brown earth, tribal prints, chunky jewelry, linen, metal, glass and leather - very rich, very expressive, very organic - and anything but shy.

Hair

 

It's official. All this getting up early in the morning and doing things on a schedule is not my cup of tea. End of bulletin.
Now on to fun and informal bits.

Stripes, Meet Stripes

Once upon a time, there was a stripy shirt living in a closet. She had an adventure or two - you might have read about them here. But most of the time, she led a pretty quiet life, thinking every now and then that maybe there is a more exciting closet for her to live in. She'd think that, sigh quietly and just continue to hang in there, I mean, literally. And then one sunny day a stripy skirt moved in the closet. 

A Little Love

Our mind gets used to worrying. Almost at any situation, more or less difficult, our first reaction is typically to start worrying. We defend our right to worry by thinking that it shows how much we care. We dignify worrying as something essentially gracious - we are better people if we worry, and if we don't, then there is something wrong with us - we are cold, we are indifferent, we are ignorant. We must worry. That's the first sign of a decent person - someone who is awake. We even worry when we are happy - what if this happiness will be destroyed? Better start worrying about it now, so we don't feel like fools later.