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Wednesday, April 23, 2014

The Work of a Tryant {Character Inspiration #1}

 The Work of a Tryant
By Evelyn Ashby

   My laughter echoed through the general store as I heartily slapped my friend on the back.
   “Oh Jake, leave it to you to get an ornery, untrained horse that you have no need for. Old Ben sure can smooth talk you, can’t he?” I shook my head in delight, my friend glowering at me through his lopsided grin. He laughed as he said,
   “I tried working with him yesterday, and Russell, he’s not alive, he’s living.
   I was about to reply and ask more about the horse, Derro, when there was a noise from outside. I looked past Jake’s shoulder to where the door stood open, giving me a glimpse to what was going on.   
   A group of ten or more men stood in a circle, some laughing, some frowning, and others looked uneasy.
   I glanced at Jake, a look of curiosity on my face. He turned to see what I was looking at and a moment later we walked up to the circle.
   In the middle, surrounded by the laughter of enjoyment and the silence of disapproval, stood two young men. They were both of the same height, but one gave the impression of being taller. 
   Perhaps it was his air of arrogance, or maybe it was the slouched position in which the other stood - I know not. I opened my mouth to ask a question, but the arrogant boy beat me to it.
   “What’s with the frown, coward?” The coward (whether that was true I didn’t know) lifted his head ever so slightly and opened his mouth, but nothing came from his lips.
   I was, like you are, confused. I had no clue what was going on, and personally I didn’t like the looks of what I saw. My brows furrowed into displeasure.
   Mr. Arrogance sneered at the young man before him, 
   “You are a coward aren’t you?” His hand flew from his pockets and slapped him, painting his cheek bright red. The crowd murmured both approval and disapproval. The boy’s eyes smarted and watered, but he didn’t move and silence stood over his mouth.
   I stepped forward to try to break it up but the tall one saw me and interfered, turning on his foot,
   “Come to save the day hot shot?”
   “What has he done, sir, that requires such harsh treatment?”
   “Nothing that concerns you, sir.” He threw his voice at me, mimicking scornfully my words of respect.
   “Oh well you see,” I slowly smiled, giving him a look of one who is trying to explain a complex problem. “I make it my concern.” My words bounced from my lips and then off of him. His face twisted into annoyance.  
   “I’ve got it under control, thank you Sir.” He gave a low bow of mock politeness. His body bent in two for but a moment. It was as straight as a rod in the next, and a fist came flying towards my expression of disgust.
   I ducked, barely missing the shot. Straightening I cocked an eyebrow at him, a mistake I then realized, for it only made him more upset. He stepped forward his eyes narrowed, opening and closing his fist. Five fingers, zero fingers, five fingers... zero. I focused on them watching their every move.  
   Then, the coward said his first words, 
   “Your fight is with me,” he paused and you could hear his quick breathing of fear, “not him.”
   The young man in front of me smiled, 
   “Oh is it?” In a movement that was as smooth as his words, he turned and landed the clenched fist in the boy's face. With a groan, he crumpled to the ground.
   The flames of anger and annoyance that I had been trying to smother, rose high into my throat. I grabbed the boys shoulder that was turned towards me - the only part of of his upper body that wasn't jeering at the fallen boy. My hand twisted and pushed causing the arrogant face to gaze at me once more.
   "That was uncalled for!" This time I left off the respectful title, this man did not deserve it.
    He looked surprised, 
   "Was it? Because I could've sworn he asked for it with those few 'brave' words." He laughed as he pronounced the word 'brave', making it clear that he thought they were anything but that.
   The laughter that had echoed around us minutes earlier was gone and in it's place an awkward silence reigned.
   I glanced around at the men, 
   "Do you do this for them? To show of your power to be able to injure a fellow man with both words and fist? It's disgusting." I grabbed his collar and pulled him close."You want to know something? I'll tell you a secret."
   He struggled against my grip and tried to use his arms.
   "Shut up and leave." He spat at me.
   I looked from the boy that still lay on the ground in a crumpled heap to the boy that stood struggling in my grasp. 
   "Hear me out then I'll leave and you can shut up."
   I looked him in the eye and with a voice that caused fear to rise in his heart, and the crowd to looked down with ashamed embarrassment, I said, 
   “Everyone, hates a bully.”
   The boy’s eyes widened slightly then thinned to a line. 
   “Your mouth knows what to do, but does your fist?” He twisted from my grasp, and tried again to deliver me a fist full of pain.
   I managed once again to moved out of the way and stepped quietly behind him. He pivoted on his foot and swung around. 
   “I said your fist, wimp.” His face twisted into the sneer that I had learned to hate in such a short amount of time.
   “Oh no need to repeat it, I understood you. But do you understand me when I say that, you may wish I was a liar?” The sneer lessened as his face turned to confusion. I answered the unspoken question, 
   “Because my answer is yes.” 
   My hand clenching the anger I felt flew towards his face and as he ducked to avoid it my second fist lowered and squarely hit him in the face; breaking his sneer. I watched with satisfaction as it fell to pieces on the ground.
   He crumpled in the same manner the coward had, and I felt a guilty pleasure in watching him do so. Walking over I stood over him as he rolled over gasping for breath, his broken sneer bleeding in several places. 
    “Do I need to repeat myself?” My words fell onto his chest ringing a reminder that he had been defeated.
   I turned before my words even hit his chest, and walking over to the unconscious boy I picked up him up. 
   I glanced around at the varied expressions of the men: some looked at me with respect, some with bewilderment, and others with amusement. I made eye contact with my friend who stood with quiet approval,
   “Jake, let’s go.” I stepped around the bully and walked away, leaving the murmuring questions behind me. 

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This short story is in response to Character Inspiration {picture} #1.
I expect to someday write another off of the readers' choices (thank you for participating!), but for now I should really work on my book. 
I hope you enjoy it, because to tell the truth I didn't really know how this came about. It just did. I mean, seriously. I know nothing about fist fights. :)

<3 Eva
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Friday, April 11, 2014

Broken, but Alive

Broken, but Alive
(by Evelyn Ashby)
It was dark,
it was cold,
and I was crying.
Scratch that - I was sobbing.
My broken heart lay in pieces around me, shattered, splintered, and bruised. The raw emotions that had been caged up inside were now let loose. They surged from the ruins flooding, choking, drowning my very being.
My future looked bleak. The road of life was covered in a thick, black, and foreboding shadow. And the smooth road became twisted and mangled before it disappeared into the gloom.
What was left of my heart cowered and cringed at the vision. I wanted to scream - to escape from this wretched view.
Suddenly, a light appeared in the shadow. It shone strong despite the darkness’ effort to overtake it, and slowly but confidently it came through the frightening barrier. It brought with it a feeling of comfort, and I stared at it, not wanting to look away.
Then memories from long (oh so long) ago came surging to the front of my mind, unbidden, uncalled for, as if in response to the light.
They were covered in dust and yellowed with age, but I was able to read them nonetheless:

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path...Yea though I walk through the valley of shadows of death, I will fear no evil for thou art with me...In God I have put my trust; I shall not be afraid. What can mere man do to me?”   

I lifted my head from the surrendered position it hung, I felt unspeakable joy as I had never felt before. Where had these words from from? I remembered suddenly and clambered across my room to grab the Bible that had lain, untouched, for years.
I felt drawn to a verse, and collapsing to the ground I read,

“For You have delivered my soul from death, Indeed my feet from stumbling, So that I may walk before God In the light of the living.” -Psalms 56:13

It was light,
it was warm,
and I was smiling.
Scratch that - I was grinning.
* * * * * * 
This is a piece of fiction work, but I can say that experience has had a small hand in helping write it, even if I didn't realize it. 

<3 Eva
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Saturday, April 5, 2014

Writing off of Character Inspiration

I have been really slacking on writing The Snow Daughter (temporary name), and I'm scolding myself for not working on it. I love having it there though, waiting to be written; knowing what's going to happen and what the characters are like. I have never had a story that's come so far, and I'm really excited.

So while I've been procrastinating on writing my book, I had a wonderful idea for a short story. And it actually involves you. Yep you. On my Pinterest Account, I have a board entitled Character Profiles.

http://www.pinterest.com/evelynashby/character-profiles/

I want you to go on there, browse as long or as little time as you want, and pick a character that strikes your fancy. Or rather, one that you would like to read about.

Once I find the time, I will then pick one from the list you, the readers, create and will write a page-long story about her/him/them. It may not be a story, but simply a glimpse into who they are. Or it may be a story, but just a short snippet of their life. Either way, I thought it would be a fun little project and it would mean something to you, the readers, if you saw the picture and knew I based the writing off of it.

And while I'm waiting for replies, I will try to work a lot on my book so that I don't feel guilty for writing something else. :)

Take your time and chose wisely. ;) Maybe someday I'll be able to write one on everyone's character choice..

Have a lovely weekend, 
<3 Eva
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Thursday, April 3, 2014

My Art {Drawings, Graphics, + Photos}

From lack of post ideas, I have decided to post my most recent art. Some of them are drawings, others are graphics, and still others are edited photographs. The one that I love the most, and worked on the longest, is a drawing of Anna from Frozen. It was a blast and a challenge to draw animation like this and most certainly worth it. I'm hoping to draw Elsa sometime in the near future, but I was taking a break from drawing animation for awhile. :)



Anna of Arendelle  
I'm still not sure what my favorite part was to draw, but her braid, her eyes, and her hair were really neat to do. (Note to self: Do not upload pictures of your drawing and then stare at them blown up. Errors will appear, even if they aren't real.)

Far Across the Field 
A picture of our awesome field taken with my nifty iPod touch.

Defeating the Darkness Inside
This is my most recent graphic, and while I really like how it turned out, there's a part me that's not sure what to think. I was trying to experiment with different techniques, so I suppose I should expect that. :)

The Loveliest of Beauties
Belle from Beauty and the Beast. I love this story so much, and I have to admit that drawing 2-D cartoon is so much easier than 3-D animation. :)

Containing a Storm
My always epic cat posing in a leftover box from Christmas. I do believe he loves that time of year. :) (also taken with my iPod)

The Need of the Heart
I love it when people take songs that have no relation to a movie, and find part of the lyrics that somehow fit so perfect with said movie. I kept a look out for one to hopefully fit with Frozen, and this is what I came up with. The lyrics are from the song 'Everybody'. :)

The Girl who Flew 
 I also love the story of Peter Pan, and Wendy is such a darling girl to draw! I drew this within a couple hours (as was the time for Belle's) so yea.. fairly easy!

Tea and Biology
Once again taken by my iPod, so not the highest quality. But it seemed cool when I was supposed to be studying biology. :)

Misty Eye of the Mountain. 
This one of absolute favorite graphics I have ever made... I'm still amazed at how it turned out!! 

The Heavens Declare His Majesty
Ok, so I know that planets aren't really this close together but.. I don't care. :) 

Hugo Cabret
This is such agGorgeous movie visual-wise. I love it so much. And the story line is awesome too. (even if it doesn't follow the book amazingly well)

That is all for now! Though that ended up being quite a few. :) I hope my brain will return from vacation soon, so that I can figure out a worth while post idea.

<3 Eva
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