Welcome to volume twenty-six my Literature series, The Ladies of Lit!
The premise here is simple. Below you will find an assortment of Literature features from a selection of female deviants here on DeviantART, all of them suggested by you. In this article, you will also find a variety of other things of interest, including:
This article’s deviant spotlight: featuring the talented LionesseRampant. She has offered to answer a few questions as well, to tell us a bit about what inspires her writing and which piece in particular she favors. Additional information about our upcoming events, including a special critique Q and A session in our official TheLadiesofLit chatroom. And we also have a selection of other interesting Literature news links to share with you. Our “meet our contributors” section. Be sure to note me if you would like to volunteer your services or offer additional suggestions as to how to improve this series. We also have a new series format for this news article, due to DeviantART website changes. Deviants are still able to 
this journal, so please take a moment to do so, to continue to show your support for our devious writers.Now – On With the Features!
laurotica
Hannah, This Is ItI wake up Saturday morning to a purple sky. A pale lavender; similar to the color I wanted to paint the bathroom. The house is quiet.
I rise and pace down the hallways to find that I am alone. All of the beds are made and all of the clothes are put away neatly, but there is no sign of my family. It's as if they were taken, and any sign of them was erased on the way out. It is as if I have been alone on the farm the entire time. Their shoes are still at the back door. They weren't even wearing socks.
I wander onto the porch just as a rusted pickup truck turns onto the driveway, skidding down the loose dirt and gravel path between the wheat. I can just make out Jacob in the front seat, his dog riding shotgun.
There is something wrong with the sky. It is a purple that does not exist in nature. An angry purple. It contains rippled clouds that look like fingers held stern
A Sniper At Cavalry Baptist.Ten years later, we still talk about the day a man came to church with a gun.
Peter gave the sleeve of my shirt a gentle tug and I turned away from the front of the sanctuary, peeling my eyes from the always-enigmatic sermons of Pastor Arhipov. Peter did not say anything. He let his eyes do the talking, directing me to where his line of vision fell, far above the first floor and to the balcony. It was a fairly recent addition to the church; still not open for parishioner use. Donations and bake sales paid for it, though that morning it was home to an unexpected visitor, leaning over with his elbows on the ledge.
There was the gun. It was a big enough of a weapon to grab my attention, with a long and thin barrel and a scope mounted on top.
He was an odd man at first glance; unshaven yet well-dressed, and a bald head with a scar that ran around his left ear. He didn't look down at us from his perch, only straight ahead to
Mono.One morning a black pillar appeared in the center of town, within the boundaries of the park and right outside of the library. It stood at least thirteen feet tall and was as wide as a mature oak. They deduced it was made out of some kind of polished stone. Some guessed it was obsidian; others argued it was too strong to be such a fragile stone. It could have been granite, but when was the last time you saw black granite in that quantity, and in that shape?
"We should knock it down and drag it away!" someone shouted.
But they were too afraid to touch it.
"Why not just leave it here?" another suggested.
But they wondered what would happen if they didn't do anything at all.
Whoever put it there didn't do it alone. They'd need a truck to transport the thing, and they'd need some way to get it off the flatbed and stand it up straight. But why go to all of that trouble for a pillar of rock? Or was it part of someth
Suggested by: LiliWrites
“laurotica is a very talented story-teller. Her works tends toward the bizarre, but always explores some element of what makes us human.”
Suggested by: SadisticIceCream
“fainting-goat's fantasy and science fiction works center around worlds so detailed and characters so compelling that you can't help but keep reading. Her capacity for imagination is incredible.”
Heather-Chrysalis
AUTUMN WOMANDeep within the belly of my home...
I sip gingerbread tea and line my bed with
the skin of October, groaning beneath my feet
the floor creaks like aging bones, I hear the
air's cookie crunch outside, it breaks up the
fast of my fantasies with its crackling cold,
whispering that Autumn's pantry has been
stocked with a bounty of seasonal reruns,
I see the Sky skirt low before the nibbling
frost as I step outside, I am not as cold as
others may be, I am warmed by Autumn's
plump lips upon mine, keeping me warm
with her mulled applespice, I kiss her-deep
and probing even deeper-our love leaves us
tangled on the Earth, steaming and sweating
-but the mirror has never been clearer, looking
into the slow simmer of creeping years when
I will age into a crone-I do not fear them or her.
Age will make me an Autumn Woman, my belly
full of Wealth and Wisdom, an abundance only
matched by Autumn's full harvest belly, sinking
low, sunken hollow, this little world of me will
be drawn into the slow steady
GHOST SONGBeneath a hollow Sky I lie far below,
cold under the sleeping daisies, colder
under my silent gravestone, as the
Fire stirs up from the ashes of old,
what is dead in the world I can see-
whispering through the velvet velour
of my mind, I feel the secrets that
slumber in the dusky gaze of Forever,
they speak to me in the Moonlight wine
I drink, brewed by the beasts who walk
the landscape of visions only I can
see, I see them even on a Moonless
Eve for I exist in the celebration
between Dusk and Dawn, in the heart-
beat every spirit hears between Death
and Rebirth-there I will be, I exist
in the rays of the Midnight Sun that
illuminates the subconscious, in the
mist that separates the Known from
the Unknown, though others may not
see me-I live, I breathe, I dream-
not cold in my crypt of Solitude,
but warmed by the Wisdom tumbling
down on me from Stars long dead.
By NocturneJewel
Copyright: April 11, 2009
I HEAR THE COSMOS COLLAPSING...I hear the cosmos collapsing against my soul.
Black space exploding, my imperfect face imploding
into a million skinless Stars, screaming into the
palpable Silence that has been touched less often
than even I have, into the abyss and the blackness
that beckoned me forward I stared, shapes realigned
the perimeters of my reality into a new glaze.
I felt the gravity slip away from under my feet.
Do you remember the time you poured liquor into my
virgin glass and made cocktails from the universes
spinning under my skin? I said "cherish me, please,
this gift that was mine" you said "why" and laughed,
you didn't see the tears I cried, multi-faceted like
the memories imprinted on my little piece of Forever.
I saw a familiar metaphor storming your eyes.
Do you remember when you traced constellations over
my spine? Andromeda role-playing her virgin unrest
and Astraea crying for Purity's sake, that's when
you extinguished your joint on my skin, I pretended
not to feel the sting-but I did, the sc
Suggested by: LadyofGaerdon
“Heather-Chrysalis has a distinctive style, her imagery sings with potency, each line blending seamlessly into the other to create a vibrant tapestry of literary enchantment.”
BeyondJen
ConnotationsBetween pressed sheets
I am laid out before you—
with spine splayed
and my soul bared.
I ache for your eyes to see my truths,
plead for your fingers to explore me;
turn me and grasp at my edges, my corners,
before folding me down, to mark the place
where you'll return.
--
5/8/2012
Copyright © 2012 Jen Fowler
All Rights Reserved.
PlowIt's finally snowing again,
blankets of peace falling
with a freshness that lacks innocence.
Nearly forgotten, they're here as expected,
clearing the streets,
trying to push aside all the worry
that makes things unsafe, but
the steel mouth askew grates against my heart;
its thick bass scrape pushing more than piles of white aside,
it pushes my blood aside too,
piling it up in the corner of this pumping vessel that falters,
ice-caked and bitten, stiffened,
and keeps faltering,
again,
and again,
and again,
until the air is silent
and the street no longer shivers in torture.
The only evidence is the blanket of white
that keeps falling,
like fluffy stuffing that's been yanked out.
All is silent,
except the fond memories that peel away
from my heart in little shreds,
and the plows, scraping fresh wounds again.
--
1/20/2012, 1/22/2012
Copyright © 2012 Jen Fowler
All Rights Reserved
MapsRed and blue and green and black veins stretch
across pages, spider-webbing out across expanses,
across golden fields, green pastures,
and evergreen blanketed hillsides
that reach towards mountain tops.
The cardinal nor the rose can claim us.
We are more free than these boundaries insist upon,
free to break through their dashed lines;
it's all just an illusion, like so much else
between destinations and dreams.
We speak of wants and desires so freely
until we submit to being folded into creases,
never neatly, and always with a struggle
to open up and expand beyond outstretched arms.
Our seams will never touch like this, never flourish
into roots of family trees in gardens of our choosing.
I wish the wind would whisk us away on clear currents,
and toss us to fate and chance; hardships be damned!
Why do we never take our chances one step further,
testing the strength of our confines?
--
1/27/2012
Copyright © 2012 Jen Fowler
All Rights Reserved
Suggested by: SilverInkblot
“BeyondJen's work often has a softness to it that is very appealing - it's the kind of poetry I want to read on a cold night with a mug of tea.”
xlntwtch
:thumb312497216::thumb216437259::thumb263869183:
:thumb312497216::thumb216437259::thumb263869183:
Suggested by: neurotype-on-discord
“xlntwtch was a professional journalist at one point, and that wonderful, crisp style characterizes her works.”
My Spotlight Deviant:
LionesseRampant
:thumb332038154:
From a DistanceI'm writing to you from India,:thumb296325242:
and I wish that you were here.
I think you'd like to try curry;
it's far too spicy for my taste.
You'd talk to every person on
the street, and they'd question your
footwear, because wearing rain-boots
in the summer is irrational.
You'd correct the tour guide,
but you'd whisper it in my ear,
because the last time you did,
you were thrown out.
And when nightfall came,
you'd drag me outside to look
at the stars; different from the
ones back home. You'd paint a
picture of the moon, and
add it to your collection.
But I
Caitlan’s writing style is creative, relatable and down-to-earth. She easily endears readers to her characters with her vivid descriptions.
(This amazing deviant was also suggested by SilverInkblot.)
She has also taken a few moments to share some of her own insights as a writer. I asked her a few questions:
Why do you write?This is a very good question that I don't have a good answer to. Honestly, I don't know why I write. It's become so much a part of me that I wouldn't be myself without it. There's this little voice in the back of my mind that is constantly urging to sit down with a pen and paper, or my laptop, and just let the words flow out. It's been happening since I can remember, but the voice got stronger my freshman year of high school, when my depression sank in. I couldn't express my feelings to anyone, so I let them pour out of me onto the paper. If I think about it, the voice is the only thing I've put my whole and entire trust in; I've let it push me this far, so why not farther? I guess, then, the answer to this question is: I write because it's an integral part of me, and I'd be empty without it.
What other hobbies in your artistic life inspire you to keep writing?I actually have a myriad of talents (some better than others). I play the viola (it's like a big violin, but smaller than a cello), I can play songs on the piano by ear (not very well, it takes a while to get the notes down), I've been in choir since I was in elementary school, I was on the color guard (flag twirling (but it's not a girly girly sport, we totally kicked butt)) team at my school for three years, I dabble with the guitar, I draw fairly well (but it usually goes very wrong), I love trying my hand at photography, I play a few sports (tennis and volleyball), and I've been reading since I was 3 1/2 years old. I guess I've trained myself to do a lot of different things so that I can draw from all of my experiences and throw them together in my writing.
As a published writer, what motivated you to get started and what sorts of tips can you offer others looking to publish their works?I've always wanted to be published. Ever since I read my first book (real book, not the little picture books) when I was 3 1/2 old (incidentally, the book happened to be Harry Potter), it's been a dream of mine to see words that I've written in print. When I was seven years old, I wrote my first 'book;' it wasn't so much of a book more than a stupid little story that I came up with. But I worked hard on it, and it was about fifty pages long when I was done. I knew that it wasn't good enough for others to read, so I strove to make myself the best writer that I could be.
Actually, I never thought about publishing my poems that I'd written until one of my friends on another website mentioned it to me. So, I entered a contest to get published, and I won. I started to realize that I had improved enough to put myself out there, and that's what I've been doing ever since I held the anthology wherein I was published in my hands. When I send in my first manuscript (hopefully the middle of 2013) I want my name to already be part of the professional writing world.
Hmmm. Some tips for others. I'd say, be organized. Seriously. You might thinks that's stupid, and you won't have need for it, but I mean it. Keep a log with all the information: who you sent your piece to, what piece you sent, when you sent it, how you sent it, when they got back to you, if they said they would publish it, when it was published. That way, you don't accidentally end up sending one piece to two publishers, as that would cause a mess of copyright (unless it's stated in their submission guidelines)). On that note, be sure to thoroughly read the submission guidelines, and read them more than once. You don't want to be rejected just because you didn't format your submission right. And, keep trying. Remember, J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter was rejected 12 times before it was published.
What motivates you to share your writing on DeviantART?I want people to be able to access my writing easily, and deviantArt allows me to do that. Also, it makes me feel all warm and bubbly inside when someone comments on one of my pieces and tells me that it made an impact with them. I want to help people change their lives, or realize something that they never had even given thought to before. Sometimes, people just need to read something good, and I hope that I can provide that when they do need it.
Which piece featured is your favorite and why? Oooooh, that's a hard one. I'm wavering between Fire Touched, Chapter 1 and Explosions; the former because it's my baby: I've been working on the project for going on six years now, and I've revised the plot, the characters, everything so many times. But this time, I've got it right, and I know it; the latter because it's something that very lucky people get to have in their lives, and I hope to be able to experience it one day with someone special to me.
LionesseRampant will also be joining us in the our TheLadiesofLit chatroom for a special critiquing session for her wonderful literary work. If there are any critiquing tips you would like to offer her toward any deviations that you have seen featured here today or others that interest you – this is the place to be on November 11th at 7pm EST! (What time is this for me?) And as an extra incentive: for those of who offer LionesseRampant the best critiques, there will be a few extra goodies in store for you, so don’t miss out!
Meet Our Contributors:
I want to express my gratitude toward everyone for all of the ongoing support of this project. I duly hope to see even more suggestions in the future. Also – those of you who did not see your deviations selected and posted in this article, they may be featured on the next one. We will have plenty of upcoming deviants to spotlight in the future. If you would like to be one of those, or to suggest others, feel free to note me and be sure to tell me what you love most about them and why these writers appeals to you. Do not be shy – get involved! The more suggestions I receive, the more writers that get featured. For now, check out our volunteers who sent in their features and offered assistance, and don’t forget to thank them!
Our Wonderful Suggesters and Volunteers LiliWrites
SadisticIceCream
LadyofGaerdon
SilverInkblot
neurotype-on-discord
LionesseRampant
WorldWar-Tori
If this article interests you, be sure to check these out! LadyLincoln’s previous issues of The Ladies of Lit. I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII,IX,X,XI, XII, XIII, XIV,XV, XVI, XVII, XVIII, XX, XXI, XXII, XXIII, XXIV and XXV
LadyLincoln’s 30 Writers You Should Discover: Volume XII
The Literature Community Volunteer’s October Literature DD’s
DailyLitDeviations’ Daily Lit Deviations for November 7th
dreamsinstatic’s Friday Night Features: LXXI
SixWordStories’ #SixWordStories Showcase: October 8 – October 22
wyldhoney’s Writers with a Promise: #15
Sammur-amat’s Sundae Treat: Sunday Feature
Mrs-Freestar-Bul’s New Poems, New Poets
November is not only set aside for NaNoWriMo, but it is also Lung Cancer Awareness month. After you take a look at all of these wonderful features today, be sure to stop by my group LungCancer-Awareness and show us support by becoming a member to help make a difference! Help us to continue to spread the word. Together we can all continue to combat this disease.
Blessings,
LadyLincoln
