Story Embers | J.Parkhurst | Activity https://storyembers.org/members/j-parkhurst/activity/ Activity feed for J.Parkhurst. Thu, 14 May 2026 23:33:32 -0400 https://buddypress.org/?v= en 30 hourly 2 3bf0fbd8c56c6ffce0747cb21cf3e0b3 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Name That City! in the forum New Wessex Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/27669/ Wed, 07 Nov 2018 15:50:40 -0400 Might I suggest https://dicelog.com/yafnag to help you create names based on sound?

]]> 0 0b0d1358160689f1b5181a8ad175d97f J.Parkhurst replied to the topic New Wessex Worldbuilding and History in the forum New Wessex Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/27668/ Wed, 07 Nov 2018 15:47:26 -0400 I look up from the uppermost book in my stack of books, attention caught by something I can’t quite place. I listen, waiting.

Voices, outside the door. I have, once again, managed to lose track of time again, and in the process, also managed to wind my way back to the front of the warm, hardwood shelved library. They’re also still looking for the…[Read more]

]]> 0 cc43b82638c59de83c1d5f73e47eca5d J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Relationship developement in the forum Annual Theme Discussion https://storyembers.org/activity/p/27653/ Wed, 07 Nov 2018 14:11:01 -0400

Another thing that matters to relationship development is the characters’ ghosts. By ghosts, I mean the ghosts of their past. The mistakes they’ve made, abuse they’ve suffered, doubts that gnaw at them. On the one hand, these can create tension in a relationship as characters try to hide their ghosts. There may also be the tension of them wantin…

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]]> 0 f02aa2588e2871bfeec2e5418803163b J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Let's write /more/ in the forum Announcements https://storyembers.org/activity/p/26467/ Wed, 31 Oct 2018 23:45:48 -0400 Please add my 600 words to the word count if at all possible. I rounded down to the nearest hundred since I have several projects in the works at the moment, and barely enough mental time to eat regularly, let alone write 🙂

]]> 0 2dcfc8972226955a2b78d9f1734cc657 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Character workshop in the forum Annual Theme Discussion https://storyembers.org/activity/p/20098/ Wed, 03 Oct 2018 16:12:53 -0400 If folks are still interested in doing this… my antagonist needs severe help.

Haeldur’s firmly established on the throne of his generation’s old inheritance. It’s uncontested, and honestly pretty boring. With his illustrious heritage though, he also inherited the paranoia and tendency towards madness that his predecessors carried. He’s not the…[Read more]

]]> 0 4ee02dcc07b4353ff9838869e98d265c J.Parkhurst replied to the topic The Middle of my story in the forum New Wessex Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/20092/ Wed, 03 Oct 2018 15:47:43 -0400 @literatureforthelight

In my current revision, I’m struggling in much the same way. I have the major scenes fleshed out, and a few connecting ones finished or drafted. What I’m struggling with is the motivation to work on writing the in-between connections and day to day scenes that are also needed to get us from point A to point B. They are far…[Read more]

]]> 0 3dcd0e48e3fb2de4e57cde67caba6801 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Odd ways of talking in the forum Annual Theme Discussion https://storyembers.org/activity/p/20089/ Wed, 03 Oct 2018 15:23:42 -0400 @r-j-karas

Regarding your r-w comment- While I’m not familiar with the character, that’s a rather clever way of sneaking it in. The r sound is often late in speech development, and is a fairly common speech challenge past that stage as well. Yay for roots in real-world problems!

@julianne

“Not only can speaking style tell you where the…[Read more]

]]> 0 59fa9e7510621024c79738210fea6c7a J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Odd ways of talking in the forum Annual Theme Discussion https://storyembers.org/activity/p/20086/ Wed, 03 Oct 2018 15:12:02 -0400 @Daeus-Lamb

This is where someone should really stop me before I go down the closely related rabbit trails of:

  • linguistics/philology
  • conlangs and their relation to connected cultures in story
  • phonoaesthetics
  • formal and informal English usage
  • …and a few more

Do you think we remember these characters just because they are odd or do…[Read more]

]]> 0 1b09fdf61e254f1aa80f682c84f7b444 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic New Wessex Worldbuilding and History in the forum New Wessex Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/18432/ Fri, 21 Sep 2018 20:51:30 -0400 The outburst is not entirely unexpected. Once the reason for our gathering  had become clear, the road forward was not clear, but it at least resembled a road again.

“Gabby,” I say gently, praying I wasn’t about to thoroughly trounce upon the toes of our leaders. “I do believe you’re well on the right track already. Apathy may be one of the…[Read more]

]]> 0 daa0a6cab436708561477f8cd808c3e1 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic New Wessex Worldbuilding and History in the forum New Wessex Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/18419/ Fri, 21 Sep 2018 20:09:16 -0400 “I too, have seen the deception of Melkor’s lies spread further and deeper.” I add wearily. “The neighboring lands call them the Ice Folk  behind closed doors, and the inhabitants have given up refuting the name. It is not an obvious malice or evil which befalls them, but an insidious despair and ever-dimming of the light of hope. There are a few…[Read more]

]]> 0 3d56230d12824c4d14115880f903e192 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic New Wessex Worldbuilding and History in the forum New Wessex Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/18247/ Thu, 20 Sep 2018 23:15:19 -0400 For a time, I’m content to sit in watchful silence, observing the arrival of the others. Some take their time to adjust to the quiet atmosphere, taking in the details of their personalized seats with quiet awe while others bring a breeze of energy with them as they enter the room that all but sings with untold stories and answers to questions that…[Read more]

]]> 0 a7df31c44f6ddc6d020628192eb5aee2 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic A new day in New Wessex in the forum Announcements https://storyembers.org/activity/p/18192/ Thu, 20 Sep 2018 16:16:11 -0400 Well, I was looking for motivation to a) persevere with my writing tasks and b)stay connected with a healthy community- it’s time for me to shape up my act too! Even if it’s 15 minutes after the students head home each day, I’d like to stick around, and will be more proactive towards that front.

]]> 0 b29dd9d762667907ca9c152e85613049 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Talk, you frigid people! in the forum Announcements https://storyembers.org/activity/p/18188/ Thu, 20 Sep 2018 16:03:37 -0400 Tea or coffee? (The world breathlessly awaits your answer.)
Tea, always tea- preferably hot, sweet and herbal.

How did you become a writer?
How does anyone become a writer? I feel like it just happened to me! I grew up at the library, and wrote my first “story” in first grade. The ideas haven’t really ever stopped since then.

What has the theme…[Read more]

]]> 0 c8995b58a29fc1351c391364f5c5ec9d J.Parkhurst replied to the topic New Wessex Worldbuilding and History in the forum New Wessex Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/18186/ Thu, 20 Sep 2018 15:51:43 -0400 …Somewhere in the depths of the hall, hinges creak.

Go on, open the door. Everyone’s already heard the hinges’ complaint by now, anyways.

The words are a familiar echo of an old chastisement I’m altogether too familiar with. Another task, another not-quite-success. I mentally shoulder them aside, refusing to give them any more attention than…[Read more]

]]> 0 6c35a54bafdc10ab9a239211604cb486 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Backstory in the forum Annual Theme Discussion https://storyembers.org/activity/p/16305/ Wed, 05 Sep 2018 14:48:18 -0400 Oddly enough, most of my characters spring out of their backstory. I often end up knowing their backstory before I know the ‘present’ character’s state. Most often, the backstory is a compilation of their emotions, notable interactions, and the connections between the two. Their surface-level  traits are frequently the last things I learn about…[Read more]

]]> 0 99e5ca2c8627421eb12f0c0111444b89 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic The Accountability Thread in the forum Accountability & Achievements https://storyembers.org/activity/p/10339/ Mon, 02 Jul 2018 15:13:21 -0400 It’s Monday and day 2 of NaNo! Therefore I really do have to focus on writing (and break this binge-reading phase). My goal for the rest of the week is 14 hours of revision on my primary novel. Within those 14 hours, I want to have the new Chapter 5 finished- organized, aligned with the plot/s, and at least 80% of the new scenes fleshed out. It…[Read more]

]]> 0 bd844f3d020cd303c6c060b64b39ca6d J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Camp NaNoWriMo in the forum General Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/9155/ Mon, 18 Jun 2018 20:36:49 -0400 I will also be doing Camp Nano, but with another revision goal for the month. I should probably get my self signed up soon, no?

]]> 0 f38338515d1faa32c5f83415376402b6 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Getting Knocked in the Back of the Head by a Fire Extinguisher in the forum General Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/9154/ Mon, 18 Jun 2018 20:34:15 -0400 I can’t speak to the medical side of things on this one, but as self-defense-by-extinguisher has come up in our worst-case-scenario planning for the classroom… blasting the bad guy with the chemical spray (in the face), and then going for a headshot with the bottle will theoretically disorient him for more than a few seconds.

]]> 0 3e45f914b65ac2385ceb6e87340b7346 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Any others at intermediate level? in the forum Writing Level & Journey Plans Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/9153/ Mon, 18 Jun 2018 20:27:37 -0400 @esther-sears The thing is, I know can do better than this, and that’s the irritating part 🙂

]]> 0 6c04050ec10f00c3dab66ab459f5eaf8 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Any others at intermediate level? in the forum Writing Level & Journey Plans Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/8777/ Tue, 12 Jun 2018 17:54:31 -0400 I’m also an intermediate, score at 50. My goal is to finish this revision cycle on my novel before the end of the year, and add what I learn to my writing habits along the way. I’m also going to kick this binge-reading tendency so I can really focus on writing again!

]]> 0 6da0946d18a77fe889773dcbc658b52b J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Why Are You Writing? in the forum New Wessex Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/8776/ Tue, 12 Jun 2018 17:40:04 -0400 How old were you when you started writing?

I know there’s a folder, somewhere, with a story I wrote about a dinosaur named Sue, with chemo from my K-3rd grade years. That was my first ‘real’ story. Junior high math class was another keystone point when I started (and finished?) my first multiple-chapter piece. It’s laughable now, but was still an…[Read more]

]]> 0 5d197005b15cff4193e960cc71ad9ab9 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Bondage in the forum Annual Theme Discussion https://storyembers.org/activity/p/8773/ Tue, 12 Jun 2018 17:25:18 -0400 . How do we write about bondage without letting it pull our readers down either with the temptation of the bondage or the despair of its power?

Always offer an alternative, the hope and knowledge that this isn’t the end, even if it seems that way to the character/s in the moment. It’s dark, it’s bleak, it’s the end road to them, but as the author…[Read more]

]]> 0 5f6648daff35d0a3f1188c1683ec28b6 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Internal monologue in the forum Annual Theme Discussion https://storyembers.org/activity/p/8770/ Tue, 12 Jun 2018 17:06:38 -0400 I very carefully hop heads several times throughout each chapter’s narration, but when I do get to settle in long enough to play with internal monologue, it’s usually rather entertaining (for me, at least).

For example, this scene was reworked a number of times to find the right balance of shock and denial.

“He was… banished?” Ealdur asked, b…

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]]> 0 4e2db2ae9cd261c48ce9ca6e27983ce9 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Characters you feel like you understand coming across as flat in the forum Annual Theme Discussion https://storyembers.org/activity/p/8767/ Tue, 12 Jun 2018 16:47:59 -0400 Thanks for the insight on where to start poking again.
My FMC is stalling out on me (as emotionally flat) because of the undefined relationship with her father (the antagonist), and he’s flat because his main goal is vague, and not at all defined. He’s also a shadow-on-the-wall lately, and not actually doing anything remotely threatening.

Now,…[Read more]

]]> 0 d0c7ab3aa6f67476b994321ad0b57f30 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic We're giving word wars a try in the forum Announcements https://storyembers.org/activity/p/5489/ Mon, 21 May 2018 19:19:03 -0400 I know I dropped the ball on this one.. for future reference, how would one count revision in such a count, if at all?

]]> 0 3a38cdd3b7d8f324150234ded33d13dc J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Chatter in the forum Announcements https://storyembers.org/activity/p/5487/ Mon, 21 May 2018 19:18:00 -0400 Hey everyone! I just wanted to apologize for my extended absence. There was a bit of post-event business to be dealt with, which unfortunately dragged into the following week/last week. In any case, life is starting to return to normal, and it’s back to writing!

]]> 0 06cd2dfc4cb4a128d7101fcabc78e271 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Longer chapters in the forum Annual Theme Discussion https://storyembers.org/activity/p/5486/ Mon, 21 May 2018 19:14:49 -0400 I will readily admit that I may be an outlier here. As I’m revising my pet-project novel, one of the things I’ve started to pay attention to is the chapter breaks and length of chapters. In the original draft, each chapter was around the 1,000-2,500 mark, and it the overall appearance became rather gangly. In my revisions now, I’m working at…[Read more]

]]> 0 4acc2686d05336e8d7c38876315c5822 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Let's world build ourselves! in the forum Announcements https://storyembers.org/activity/p/2141/ Thu, 26 Apr 2018 13:33:55 -0400 The “Wessian Scribes” has  a lovely feel to it. It may also help that I consider myself a scribe already…. (I do medieval-calligraphy and illumination, which gets super fun since I’m lefthanded…. sinistre scribe at your service!).

]]> 0 0c7a2198ec020c264d4de78a161b3624 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Welcome to New Wessex! in the forum Announcements https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1843/ Wed, 25 Apr 2018 19:54:33 -0400 @lady-iliara Which play?
Our local SCA group is hosting our first-ever event, (it’s a kingdom level event, so cancelling’s never an option), and the Crown has decided that it would also be super convenient/timely to raise our forming group to full-status. Just a bit of pressure!

]]> 0 764919d6e36e92076e8057734a98cfc5 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Welcome to New Wessex! in the forum Announcements https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1834/ Wed, 25 Apr 2018 19:46:28 -0400 Hello everyone! It appears we’re going to have an awesome guild going, already!

As a forewarning, I have responsibilities that are essentially taking over my life right now, and are most definitely hogging all of my free time. (Sleep? Eating? Do those really need to be priorities?) I will, however, be free after May 12th! In short… I apologize…[Read more]

]]> 0 3ea89a18c8c267f1dd8cfa54ed9b819a J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Good Day Y'all Mates *Sips Chai Tea* in the forum Introduce Yourself https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1711/ Wed, 25 Apr 2018 13:14:13 -0400 @j-a-penrose

It’s another Quenya textbook, available a few different ways:

http://www.science-and-fiction.org/bookstore.html#lambe_eldaiva

]]> 0 d55547e33321f49071ffab4f0653388b J.Parkhurst changed their profile picture https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1470/ Mon, 23 Apr 2018 15:25:06 -0400 0 34c42e79fe81d3752f20185c57c9d0df J.Parkhurst changed their profile picture https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1468/ Mon, 23 Apr 2018 15:24:00 -0400 0 7ec27778557de186f17d1c7c4f2abf81 J.Parkhurst changed their profile picture https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1467/ Mon, 23 Apr 2018 15:23:40 -0400 0 2aa6377f2df02c60d0dcc1096e1e24df J.Parkhurst's profile was updated https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1466/ Mon, 23 Apr 2018 15:22:08 -0400 0 516106d9cce5e7643553bee4c53dd017 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Who is doing which writing plan? in the forum Writing Level & Journey Plans Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1460/ Mon, 23 Apr 2018 14:16:23 -0400 I scored a 50, so I’m at the intermediate level. I’m not allowing myself to write until after May 12th (for purposes of sanity and priorities), but when I do, I’ll be most likely be using the Writer’s Rank to focus on the areas I need improvement in, but while referencing the Journey to keep an eye on the overall result as well.

]]> 0 d19b9824d7c2573fa882bc5738b085b9 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Conlangers? in the forum General Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1457/ Mon, 23 Apr 2018 14:06:15 -0400 @daeus-lamb The noun class cultural differentiation is a fascinating idea! My nouns have to be classified by suffix to determine the rank of the person being addressed in the conversation. The verb declensions are fascinating too! Are you primarily using prefixes, suffices, infixes, or a mix?

]]> 0 814927ae4af257d800e0ddedc34975e1 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Conlangers? in the forum General Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1174/ Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:54:15 -0400 It’s what I get for learning Quenya and the tengwar (and a bit of the Sarati, but that’s reference only) and then starting to take up Hebrew by learning the letters first! Language growth and change in reference to the parent culture is also a large factor 🙂

]]> 0 15e9609b4f61ba99228cb7b42649877b J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Conlangers? in the forum General Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1169/ Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:44:51 -0400 @lady-iliara Good luck with ‘not using it much’. That’s what I said too, once upon a time! I know have a mostly-working grammar, spelling rules (they’re inherently tied to grammar), and I have to work against creating a paleo-script for the modern script, which I also want to develop soon.

]]> 0 9f3591374a2bbea2edc22dcc34d196b7 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Conlangers? in the forum General Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1164/ Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:31:30 -0400 @lady-iliara That sounds neat! Do you have rules you follow for which parts of speech can come from each language? Do you use the English grammar system, then as your primary structure?

]]> 0 2b3dbbde0704fb9b2252a420551e71bd J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Conlangers? in the forum General Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1159/ Fri, 20 Apr 2018 16:10:06 -0400 @daeus-lamb I’d love to hear more about it!

]]> 0 4ddaa894703bfcc20768daea1e05683f J.Parkhurst started the topic Conlangers? in the forum General Writing Discussions https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1132/ Fri, 20 Apr 2018 14:53:00 -0400 Out of curiosity, are there any other folks working on a constructed language here?

]]> 0 f8471b20e29aee535e8c978a5513bae7 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Good Day Y'all Mates *Sips Chai Tea* in the forum Introduce Yourself https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1116/ Fri, 20 Apr 2018 13:36:22 -0400 @j-a-penrose Have you seen Thorsten Renk’s “Quentin i Lambe Eldaiva” text?

]]> 0 a2785ef5d113686854e548f97d1838a4 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Pick A Hat in the forum Introduce Yourself https://storyembers.org/activity/p/1115/ Fri, 20 Apr 2018 13:34:02 -0400 @josiah I’m particularly falling in love with the depth of the tri-consonantal system. It makes so much sense at an intuitive level, especially when considering the paleo-Hebrew letter origins.

@sam-kowal Yay lefties! I particularly love the formalities of court, and the dancing as of late 😀

]]> 0 d0e5fb1e87114fa8962e1398dbdd765e J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Pick A Hat in the forum Introduce Yourself https://storyembers.org/activity/p/773/ Wed, 18 Apr 2018 14:44:49 -0400 @lady-iliara I love how Hebrew very clearly reveals the different ways of approaching a language with a different script 😀

]]> 0 a7340d5b20a9dc7d24f8a28704dcb309 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Pick A Hat in the forum Introduce Yourself https://storyembers.org/activity/p/767/ Wed, 18 Apr 2018 14:15:13 -0400 @lady-iliara You are miles ahead of me! I know a few words here and there, mostly from church and worship, and I’m getting somewhat confident in reading the script, but still heavily reliant on vowel points.

]]> 0 c80b8d3067f3933366bd3da02078e567 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Introducing a Paradox in the forum Introduce Yourself https://storyembers.org/activity/p/750/ Wed, 18 Apr 2018 13:18:39 -0400 @brandon-miller Yep! I’ve recently (August) started learning in earnest and teaching ECD and a handful of bransles with my living history group. I love the courtly decency involved, and the simplicity, which is why I’m not looking at any of the medieval Italian dances any time soon 🙂

]]> 0 02255fa89047734533230bad8efc5d9f J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Good Day Y'all Mates *Sips Chai Tea* in the forum Introduce Yourself https://storyembers.org/activity/p/748/ Wed, 18 Apr 2018 13:11:54 -0400 @j-a-penrose That is absolutely fantastic. (Can I join as a refresher? 😛 ) Which course/resources are you using to learn?

]]> 0 74dc4f48989c95585777c0be0edb8d70 J.Parkhurst replied to the topic Pick A Hat in the forum Introduce Yourself https://storyembers.org/activity/p/747/ Wed, 18 Apr 2018 13:09:56 -0400 @josiah
Hi! High school kiddos have their own challenges too, though. You’re awesome for working with them! In my student teaching experiences, I worked with kids K-12 to meet all my requirements for all three licenses. In all honesty, I still haven’t found a favorite grade yet 🙂

Hmmm, real-world languages. I have a deep appreciation (and…[Read more]

]]> 0 9d0d225082941c0a80c4d0d4a2f9c74c J.Parkhurst started the topic Pick A Hat in the forum Introduce Yourself https://storyembers.org/activity/p/622/ Tue, 17 Apr 2018 20:06:26 -0400 Good day!
Feel free to pick a hat today:

1) Beloved child of Yeshua HaMashiach. Raised Baptist (mostly), now learning the road of Torah-observance as a believer in Yeshua’s saving work.

2)  Teacher. I hold licenses in Elementary, Reading and ESL education, and am serving as a third grade Reading Corps tutor this year as I await the revealing o…[Read more]

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