The Readers

  (a completely random essay by Shattered Teardrops about Readers and Reading.)

There is that certain power coming from a reader’s mind which brings the characters of a book to life; a power that is only given to the very few whose solitary silences are spent in the company of books. 

(c) JaneMere @ DeviantArt.com

It is a strange power but a wonderful one nonetheless, for it liberates readers from the physical constraints of their surroundings and gives them wings to fly through time and space without moving an inch from where they are standing or sitting.

This power is imagination – the very power to picture people, things and culture that may have not existed within the reader’s time or within the reader’s culture.

Reading allows the reader to glimpse into the minds and hearts of the characters within the book who are whole-heartedly written by the Author; and in a small indirect way, the reader and Author meets through these characters.

Whereas the Author teaches and weaves a series of events through words, the reader learns and rides the emotions and situations presented by the characters and their circumstances. And within the pages of a book, imagination makes the reader grow, learn and experience various things.

One can say that a Reader is a special being bestowed with such a power to be enlightened through the words inscribed within the pages of a book. He is given the unrestrained power of the mind to freely run where the book directs it to go.

And with each and every book a Reader reads, his heart soon follows and experiences the same guiding emotions felt by the characters. Not only the reader is an enlightened person to understand the complexities of human relationships as described within the books, he is also a compassionate person to be able to relate and feel the same emotions as the characters.

(c) ElementsOfPersuasion @ DeviantArt.com

Although the words within the book describe everything there is within the story, the Reader is freely given the liberty to read between the lines or not. At some point within the story, the Author loses control of the little things and details which the Reader’s mind makes up for.

Yes, the Author is responsible for the story and the characters; but it is the Reader who is responsible for the story’s interpretation and therefore, holds a more powerful position than the Author. Once the book leaves the Author’s hand and reaches the palm of the Reader, the Reader’s power is invoked and there… the magic starts.

DRABBLE #02

September 24, 2010 - In the Living Room

Some things need not be announced, proclaimed, stated, declared or even spoken out loud… What’s most important is what’s happening underneath all the pretentious words and actions, what’s unspoken and hidden beneath the surface, what we deem as the things that matter the most…

You and I both know… That after the game, after the chase, after all the manly charade you play in front of your so-called friends, you’d be here with me, sharing a snack or two while listening to the bands we both like.

This isn’t even love, it’s not even… anything.

You don’t know I like you. I don’t know if I like you. But I know as hell you don’t like me the way I hope you’d like me.

It’s like this one huge mass of chaos; messy, disorganized, unruly… Yet everything seemingly just falls into place the moment we’re in each other’s presence.

It’s like… being in an orderly state of chaos; a comfortable kind of chaos, might I add, the kind of chaos that you and I both share and prefer over any other sort of chaos.

We’re friends.

We got each other’s back.

For others, friendship is a treasure; to some, it is a boundary.

And for us?

Has friendship ever stopped us from sharing a comforting kiss when no one was looking? Has friendship ever stopped us from acting like two love-struck idiots inside a room-full of half-asleep students in Psychology class? Has friendship ever stopped us from being who we really are from each other?

What exactly is our friendship all about?

I badly wanted to clear every unspoken issue between us. It's been bugging me for days! I never realized how much everything mattered to me... And now, although I don't know if I'm actually in love with you, I'm starting to get really scared of the thought of losing you...

“Hey…” I finally broke free from the thoughts that were swarming uncontrollably inside my head. Funny, I seem to have been dazing off to dream-like thoughts these past few days. Of course, I hope you didn’t notice.

“Hmmm?” You asked while lying down on my lap with your eyelids closed. Have I ever told you how much I adored your eyelashes? They’re a spectacular sight up-close.

“Raph…” I spoke your name out loud.

“Hmmm?” You replied again.

“Raphael…” I spoke louder this time, calling your whole attention to me.

“Yeah?” You finally opened your eyes and stared back at me with a quizzical look on your face.

“Are we… Are we friends?” I tried to choke out more complicated words to ask a more complex question but the only thing that came out of my mouth was the question about our friendship.

You suddenly sat up and looked straight into my eyes as you sat in front of me. Without any warning, I felt your lips on mine in a brief and feathery kiss. It was your answer. It didn’t need words. It didn’t need any confirmation… but for me, that wasn’t enough.

I wanted to hear it from you.

“That wasn’t an answer…” I stated what was obvious.

“Of course not… I just wanted to kiss you.” You replied with a playful smile tugging at the corner of your lips.

This is getting painstakingly upsetting. Here I was, baring and betting everything I feel inside and yet, here you are, playfully teasing me. I hate that smile even though I feel butterflies in my stomach every time I see it.

“So what are we?”

You smiled genuinely this time and took my hand in yours.

“In front of them, we’re friends…” You said. “But as long as we’re with each other, Anthony, we know that we’re more…”


-//-//-//-//-//-


I don't actually know where I got the idea for this drabble but somehow, I ended up writing a confrontational dialogue between lovers who are both male. There is a transition from friends to lovers in this drabble and personally, I find it endearing...

As for the issue of sexuality, well, I don't really have much to say. My philosophy in life is to do whatever makes you happy, as long as it doesn't hurt other people in the process. I'm a pretty open-minded person so yeah...

Tsk, tsk... Who would have thought I would be able to come up with a rather very random drabble about sexuality? Free-writing does that to you. You just allow your mind to think of whatever it wants and allow your fingers to do the talking for you... haha

Free-writing... Hmmm... I like the sound of that. =) I'd definitely do it more often if I get more time.



P.S. I will be releasing the PDF File of The Art of Lip-Locking tomorrow!




regards,
shatteredteardrops

DRABBLE #01

June 1, 2010 - 9:32 PM - In my room.

I woke up with a drilling headache forcing my eyes to keep shut even though I was already wide awake. As I stretched my limbs to awaken my sleepy bones up, I felt something warm beside me... WAIT.

Someone is beside me.

My eyes fluttered open and stared blankly into the ceiling. 'This isn't my room...' I realized. I gulped nervously when something heavy suddenly placed itself on my waist. I looked at it and saw that it was an arm... It was hugging me.

And that arm was without an inch of doubt, a man's arm. It was long and muscular. Whoah... Wait, wait... What happened here?

I followed the arm and found my eyes widening involuntarily as I found myself staring at the half-naked glory of a man who was barely covered in sheets. 'Oh, shit...' I mentally cursed as I caught myself breathless just staring at him.

I seemed to have momentarily lost control of my eyes because they started staring unto his serene-looking face. His hair was long and disheveled. They were dark and shiny; almost tempted me to touch them and intertwine my fingers with each strand.

His eyes were closed but that didn't matter because I was allowed a close-up view of his long and cursive lashes. His nose was arrogant and straight. His lips were pinkish and slightly parted. I didn't know why but I found that very erotic.

He had stubbles growing on his chin but that didn't make him look dirty. Instead, by some completely unexplainable reason, I found them sexy. I stared at him for a full-minute, trying to soak in the image of his face.

I realized I didn't know his name.

That sudden thought made me jerk upward as I placed a hand on my temple while trying to collect my thoughts. It dawned on me that I was naked as the day I was born. And what's worse? It didn't take a genius to tell that I slept with him last night.

Gaining consciousness of the situation at hand, I finally realized three things:
One, I had a one-night stand.
Two, I had a one-night stand with a stranger.
Three, I had a one-night stand with a stranger who took away my virginity.

Oh, fuck.


-//-//-//-//-


Just decided to post a random drabble I wrote directly upon sitting in front of my laptop. It's a good exercise for random scenarios that play in my head which demands to be put into words. I don't know. Maybe someday I can collect all these drabbles and weave them into an actual story. Who knows?

Updates...

Just posted Chapter Eight of Keeping the Casanova.
University Enrollment started today. I haven't enrolled yet. I'll try tomorrow.
Classes are about to start in a week or two.



That's about it. keke



regards,
shattered teardrops

[Drabble + Daragon] A Secret...

I saw her singing by the center stage and could not help but be awed. She was sweating, panting profusely even, but she was smiling. The kind of smile that reflected how much she enjoyed performing; although personally, to me, her smiles bring nothing but enchantment and awe.

The claps of the appreciative audiences drowned my heartbeat, and yet, it was there; my heartbeat. The sudden gushing of emotions towards my chest, that sudden rush as if I was being chased and running for my dear life, that was how my heart went in rage. It was in secret, no one knew but me. Yet it was there.

As the lights fade and the music suddenly disappear into a low hum, our eyes met. And suddenly, there was just me and her. She smiled. I grinned. Within the dim confines of the back stage, our eyes locked. It was in secret. No one knew. Yet it happened. And it meant much more to me than I would have openly admitted.

I extended my hand for a handshake. She took it with a smile and bowed politely. I was still grinning, ear to ear, happiness overflowing. Did she know? That I was this happy every time I saw her? Did she know? That she was the reason for the sudden convulsion inside my chest followed closely by the unexplainable butterflies in my stomach?

Hmm... I wonder if she knew... Because this, again, was a secret. No one knew. Yet, it existed.

I opened my mouth to say something... Anything! Just to prolong whatever contact between us... Yet I was dumbfounded. What was I to say? Should I say, 'great performance'? Maybe 'congratulations'? A mere greeting? That won't be enough.

She broke eye contact and slowly retrieved her hand to end the handshake. 'No!' My mind screamed. I allowed myself a bit of liberty and allowed my hand to linger a bit longer with hers. She looked at me with a puzzled expression on her face as if asking 'What's wrong?'.

I grinned sheepishly.

The whole backstage was still in chaos. The other 2NE1 girls were still smiling, shaking hands and bowing with the other people at the backstage. Yet, there we were; she and me. We remained unnoticed amidst the ruckus.

"Sandara Park..." I uttered with a smile. Yes, I didn't call her 'Noona'. I never wanted to be her younger brother anyway.

I closed the gap between us to whisper into her ear. "Wanna know a secret?"

She looked confused and unsure. I never knew what was running inside her mind at that very moment. She could be thinking about a million of different things that I would never know about...

But this, I know for sure... and I grinned at her.

"I love you..."

It was a secret. No one knew. Just she and me. But it's true and it happened.

-//-//-//-//-//-

Ahhh... It's so nice to write a drabble every once in a while. My current fics are all written in third POV so this was a pleasantly welcomed break.

Actually, I'm going to be busy within the next few days even though it's summer here in the Philippines because it's my last year in my pre-Law course in College and this requires more effort at school. Plus the on-the -job-training that I was talking about in my previous posts has to be taken cared of.

I don't know when I'll have enough time to sit down and actually write a decent update for my current fics. To be honest, I've been finding myself exhausted towards writing. I mean, I get ideas but I just can't seem to concentrate.

Truth is, I've started writing the draft for the new chapters of TCI and KTC, but I haven't reached my minimum word count quota yet. Yes, I set a word count quota for myself and that quota is a minimum of 3000 words per chapter. This is to make sure that the readers get enough 'juice' from each chapter of my story.

Updates?

Lemme see...

Went to the Mall today.

I went to the mall today and met up with a classmate regarding our OJT. We talked briefly and then she left. I was left alone but I actually enjoyed my time alone being at the mall. Why? Because I was allowed to spend as much time as I like inside Book Sale! Yay! (Kinda brings out the inner geek in me, don't you think?)

I bought a book.

I bought a book entitled, "What If? Writing Exercises for Fiction Writers" by Anne Bernays and Pamela Painter. It's an old book and I bought it for only 86.00 Php! So cheap!

I started reading its introduction and stuff, and I think, I might just get something out of it. Teehee... It's nice to learn from pros. I mean, yeah, sure, I'm still hoping for a chance to get a work of mine published someday. A girl can dream, right? =)

Enrollment tomorrow.

By the way, I have to mention that being Seniors in College for the upcoming school year, our enrollment is just around the corner, plus, our OJT. Hn. Can't I have a break?! So, yeah, it means more busy time for me and less time for writing.

Thinking of changing my pseudonym.

It entered my mind that maybe, I needed to change shatteredteardrops into a more sophisticated and updated version of a pseudonym. Mind you, shatteredteardrops was my pseudonym since last 2004. You can verify it at my Fanfiction.net account. That was eons ago. I was a crappy writer then. Not that I'm not crappy now but, I think I've improved a lot since then.

I was thinking of changing it into a proper name, one with a first and last name, but I'm still torn about it. After all, I was known as shatteredteardrops for the last six years of my fanfiction writing life. And my accounts were all registered under shatteredteardrops or shattered_teardrops. It would be a waste if I suddenly overhauled everything, right?

Hm. I rant a lot.


Ciao.



regards,
shatteredteardrops