JayaLaw

Jaya Lakshmi

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FFM 2022 #31: Finale by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #31: Finale

When the cast members come to take their bow, there is a little-known fact: they practice. The director decides who goes first. Usually the ensemble has to, and they spin it as the ensemble is the most important part of the choir. But the leads are the ones who get the highest amount of applause. Some in the ensemble become the leads, as the alternates. Their absence is not notable when they have to substitute. Instead, they get a chance to shine. Maybe the ensemble will become the leads, after the contracts expire. Tonight, the roles are reversed. The leads come out first. They give a short bow. Then they stand back and let the ensemble receive cheers. The audience claps, puzzled. They do not mind, of course. But why this difference? "We wish to give thanks to those that support us," the lead actress said. "That includes you, and that also includes our ensemble. We had some technical difficulties backstage, and they stepped up to the plate. They are wonderful." No one mentioned that

FFM 2022 #30 Challenge: Puzzle Book by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #30 Challenge: Puzzle Book

If you are reading this, I am trying to understand. Where did my Sunday go? And why did I have to help with this ridiculous quest? I just wanted to read and review a book. Then I would send it to the PR person with the link, and I hope get paid to do more coverage of the stories that I love. Codes are not my strong suit, and haven't been for a while. I once wanted to be a detective, to solve puzzles. That was not happening now; I had a boring job, and learned that places like the FBI didn't focus on being heroes but on maintaining stability that conformed to their needs within a country. So when a book of mystery codes appeared, that seemed to be aimed at kids, I squinted at it. Seemed to be one of those review copies that I had requested; maybe it had slipped past me because I had no impulse control when it came to seeing review copies on lists. It had a colorful title with bright red, and someone writing a code while in a dungeon. It was one of those cartoony dungeons. I opened

FFM 2022 #29: Acrylics by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #29: Acrylics

In class, kids wore aprons and could use plastic trays for palettes. But you are no longer a kid, and you don't want to wear an apron. Instead, you squeeze paint directly on the cardboard. It serves as your canvas. You paint a new world, a winter wonderland. That was the requirement for this challenge. Some happy clouds, and silver on the mountains. Snow lumps on the ground. The smell of acrylic won't leave you. Nor will the dissatisfaction as you want for this layer to dry, that you are no Bob Ross. Nonetheless, you have made art. That is more than enough.

FFM 2022 #28 Challenge: Anxiety Attack by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #28 Challenge: Anxiety Attack

The emotions inside of him had their own personalities and views on the world. He had dropped his wallet. Logically, he had only been to two places. No one could have stolen it in that short amount of time. Fear was running around in circles. Anger was saying, "Not again!" Joy asserted everyone to calm down, as Sadness hid in a corner. He retraced his steps. Two places. Fear kept running around. There! On the ground, near the bench where he was reading. He picked up his wallet. Fear wouldn't stop. Anger punched Fear. Fear collapsed. "He'll be fine," Joy said.

FFM 2022 #27: Purple Grass by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #27: Purple Grass

The sky does not reveal itself until the sun goes down. Then the light touches the grass, allowing it to change color. It's a gradual transition, revealing what you have not seen before. Green grass means that the world is normal, and conforming to a picture-box image. Purple grass shows the possibility of a sky that changes colors, introducing stars that move at a snail's pace. They are thousands of years away, but we still know them. Purple grass reflects the night. It also reflects what we cannot see.

FFM 2022 #26 Challenge: Bread (Trollhunters) by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #26 Challenge: Bread (Trollhunters)

Proofing bread was one thing Jim never mastered. At least, he thought he never did. He had a knack for kneading and baking time, but yeast never worked the way it was supposed to according to the instructions. "Please wait," his mother said. "It's been a few months." Jim tapped his foot. The dough sat in the oven at the proofing setting. Ahh, the return of fall. Jim had taken time to acclimate back to Arcadia. Some people like Steve's stepdad had muttered, "Poor soul" after they had looked at his face. He had a hard time ignoring the school being destroyed, and he had been under an evil spell at the time. Steve himself had been a bit more serious, after treating the whole alien invasion that Jim had missed and escaping monster-hunting nights like a game. Silhouettes and shadows seemed to hold more danger. But his bread seemed to be proofing all right. He hadn't lost it.

FFM 2022 # 25: A Persistent Frog by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 # 25: A Persistent Frog

Each summer, like clockwork, a familiar face appears outside our front door. It always perches above our shoe racks, looking inside. Webbed feet sometimes cling to the glass windows next to the door. Brown skin. I can recall the first time the frog got inside. Webbed feet clung to our front door. It leaped with grace, landing on the wood floor. Perhaps it liked the gleaming reflections in the foyer. When I was a kid, a frog jumping around meant screaming. I screamed because the other kids screamed. This time, I grabbed a broom. A gentle nudge, a gentle poke. The frog did not leap. It crawled steadily. A few more sweeps, and it was out the front door. I locked it, and turned off the porch light. That was the end of it. Or so I thought. Year after year, a frog has returned to the porch. It perches, looking inside. I make eye contact each time. The limbs have gotten thicker with time. Its hops are smaller. The frog stared through the porch’s front windows. Glassy black eyes asked

FFM 2022 #24: Weight by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #24: Weight

You feel the weight crushing you, all the words that need reshaping. Shaped like dough and water, as you beg for the expiring shortening to cooperate with the butter. Working with dough allows you to knead all that frustration out. The moment when the flour comes together with the butter and shortening, reassuring you that it has coherence. It is significant, like you.

FFM 2022 #23 Challenge: Decoy by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #23 Challenge: Decoy

Kelpies understood the art of illusion. They were bred for it. Occasionally they shifted form for that purpose. Humans used decoys of ducks when hunting. Kelpies used decoys of unattainable prey. It stood still in the water, watching the human. Food was scarce these days, though the unicorns claimed they had found strange fruit. The kelpie ran a tongue over its sharp teeth. Meat right ahead. The kelpie waited, as the man argued with his weapon. No bullets could harm it. Only a silver bridle could do the trick. But who would attack first?

FMM 2022 #22: Sock Puppets by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FMM 2022 #22: Sock Puppets

It was supposed to be a big day, except everyone wore socks on their hands. The socks had buttons attached to them, to mimic eyes. When they opened their mouths, it seemed they were jeering. This was why they asked for people to spend a little more. The bride and groom were hand-sewn from high-quality puppet flannel. She wore silk, and he had a nice satin tuxedo. They were the best-dressed in the room. If they renewed their vows, they were eloping.

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FFM 2022 #31: Finale by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #31: Finale

FFM 2022 #30 Challenge: Puzzle Book by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #30 Challenge: Puzzle Book

FFM 2022 #29: Acrylics by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #29: Acrylics

FFM 2022 #28 Challenge: Anxiety Attack by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #28 Challenge: Anxiety Attack

FFM 2022 #27: Purple Grass by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #27: Purple Grass

FFM 2022 #26 Challenge: Bread (Trollhunters) by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #26 Challenge: Bread (Trollhunters)

FFM 2022 # 25: A Persistent Frog by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 # 25: A Persistent Frog

FFM 2022 #24: Weight by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #24: Weight

FFM 2022 #23 Challenge: Decoy by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FFM 2022 #23 Challenge: Decoy

FMM 2022 #22: Sock Puppets by JayaLaw, literature

Literature

FMM 2022 #22: Sock Puppets

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Where Eagles Daren't by DamonWakes, literature

Literature

Where Eagles Daren't

“For honour!” growled Gunthrag the orc, hefting his mighty axe. On the slopes of Mount Darkspire down below, a thousand bows were drawn. “For Elvenglade!” cried Gildrael, thrusting forth her sword. “For lunch!” roared their mighty dragon steed, dropping into a swift dive. “Nonono!” Gildrael jabbed her heels into his iron-hard scales, to absolutely no effect. “We’re only here to kill the demon lord!” she yelled. “Everybody else is innocent—they’re under his spell!” The dragon landed heavily on top of a dozen pikemen—or rather, villagers brainwashed into holding pikes—and seized yet one more with his jaws. “Stop it!” Gildrael jumped off the dragon’s back and began beating it with her sword. “Stop eating people! They’ve been bewitched!” “S’okay,” grunted the dragon, horking down the villager like a blackbird with a gooseberry. “They still taste good.” Gunthrag swivelled awkwardly in the saddle to address his companion. “Maybe this why puny wizard man say to walk to mountain.”

vortex shedding by raido-ehwaz, literature

Literature

vortex shedding

it's not only up to you. as you lay down on the bridge and dip your hand in the stream, what calligraphy do you draw in its memory? like each encounter leaves a mark the movement of your fingers creates turbulence, rarely harmony. you try to find a way to birth beauty, but who decides how fast the water runs? you almost think you have a say as you lie there, picturing the surges arising from your swelling thoughts. yet, something did change as you touched the indifferent flow. i saw your fingers forming vortices, little swirls in a stream, short-lived but definitely real.

Unmakening by Oreramar, literature

Literature

Unmakening

His Supremacy the Dark Lord Malefacorum was the undisputed tyrant of Pyrexia and the one and only wielder of the one and only Dread Pistol of Unmakening, which ran on Quasihyperfantasium and therefore had a vast number of unbelievable abilities. He was, undeniably, powerful. He was also-- “--a complete and utter tit, but you never heard it from me.” “But…you’re one of his personal guards?” “Yeah, and so are you. Doesn’t make him any less of a long brown streak on the underpants of humanity, just also demotes the likes of us to toilet paper…or something. All right, the comparing-whatsit-

Ode to Birds by Oreramar, literature

Literature

Ode to Birds

The birds found Ode early in his life. A crow perched outside the window and cawed to him as he cried in his cradle, until he calmed and began to caw back. A wren danced in the branches above his head as he waved his fists in the air, following its movements with bright, dark eyes while his mother worked nearby. A dove nestled in his blankets and cooed him to sleep without fear. They found him too early. If they had waited longer, he might have understood how strange it was when he spoke to them and listened as intently as though they were speaking back. He grew up known as the Bird Boy, and the more the other children teased and shunned hi

Reconciliation by Oreramar, literature

Literature

Reconciliation

“That’ll be five-thirty-two, ma’am.” Valerie put down six and dropped the change into the donation jar, then continued to watch the door from the pickup counter, fidgeting with the strap on her purse. She was early, perhaps too early, but she couldn’t risk being late. She was already years overdue. They called her name, correctly this time. She took her drink to a round table with two chairs, one with a good view of both the café’s wall clock and the main entrance, and sat down to wait. Her cup was half empty and the whipped cream all but melted when her sister finally walked in. It had been years,

Bottled Spirits by Oreramar, literature

Literature

Bottled Spirits

The sage was probably overkill, but enough was enough. Three bottles in the last week alone, and that wasn’t counting the months beforehand. It wasn’t her stuff, but her roommate believed it was her doing. Purchasing replacements was getting expensive, and the looks Tanya kept throwing Emily’s way had bypassed ‘mildly embarrassing’ and were fast approaching ‘grating.’ Emily couldn’t even share her own suspicions about the vanishing alcohol, not without making those looks even worse. As far as Tanya - and most of the world - was concerned, the mysterious disappearance of bottled liquor typically

Deviation Spotlight

One-Sided love with a Monster, Part Five by JayaLaw, visual art

One-Sided love with a Monster, Part Five

JayaLaw

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About JayaLaw

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Artist // Student // Traditional Art

July 8
United States
Deviant for 14 years
alamode.smackjeeves.com
She / Her

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Biting Pear of Salamanca: Participated in April Fools' Day 2017

My Bio

I draw comics to make people laugh, including myself. The world is an absurd place, filled with crazy kids, crazier adults, and the craziest current events. If we can't laugh at these absurdities, then we reinforce them as normal parts of life.

My webcomic A La Mode is about a bakery that sells talking pretzels to pay the rent. I post it at alamode.smackjeeves.com as well as here on Deviantart.

Open for commissions, by the way; just send me a private message with visual references. My rates are as follows:

Sketch - $10 for one character, +$8 for each additional character

Linework (Brush pen or quill) - $15 for one character, +10 for each additional.

Full watercolor- $25 for one character, +10 for each additional

Watercolor comic- $50 for single-size (three panel minimum), $60 for double-size (five-panel minimum)

Fiction (Fan or original):

Microfiction (under 100 words): $1, or 20 points.

Flash fiction (100-1000 words): $5-10, depending on subject matter, or 200 points.

Original fiction only, OCs included:

Short story (1000-10,000 words): $20-50, depending on subject matter, or 2000 points.

Novellete (10,000 to 20,000 words): $50-250, depending on subject matter

Send me a note about any longer work, or serials!

Current Residence: Miami
Favourite genre of music: Broadway. Science-fiction bluegrass, classical
Favourite style of art: Impressionist
Favourite cartoon character: Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third

Favourite Visual Artist

Roy Lichtenstein, Marjane Satrapi, Brad Guigar, Nick Dupree,

Favourite Movies

Cars 2, How to Train Your Dragon

Favourite Bands / Musical Artists

John Powell, Hans Zimmer, Tori Amos

Favourite Writers

Neil Gaiman, Cressida Cowell, Sarah Berth Durst, Terry Pratchett, Meg Cabot, Shannon Hale

Tools of the Trade

Watercolors, Speedball nib pens

Other Interests

Reading, writing, drawing

Posts

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JayaLaw

Jan 18, 2016

Thank You to My Readers and Followers

0 min read

A week ago, I was having an emotional meltdown over the start of school, a disastrous job interview that messed up the family schedule for a day, and about being unable to write. The idea of watching more of Race to the Edge unnerved me, and still does, with fear that the new episodes would disappoint or yank at our chains. My attempts to douse my mood with chocolate and weeding a planter didn’t help. Several of my friends recommended that I vent it on paper. So I did, writing a fanfiction of Hiccup suffering my mood swings based on the spoilers I had heard (and honestly I don’t care about RTTE spoilers), and I posted it after mi

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JayaLaw

Jul 8, 2015

Where I've Been: The Night Before My Birthday

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Hi all, I'm writing this with about one hour to go to midnight, and then by Eastern Standard Time I will be 24. So, I was going to write a blog asking for gifts, if anyone had gifts to spare, but then I realized it wouldn't be fair to you, all my faithful followers. You've watched me in the hopes of seeing constant drawings and HTTYD fanfiction, or even occasional drawings as part of trades. That hasn't happened as much; I've been posting long one-shots and watercolors, with fanfic chapters coming far and in between and my webcomic has been on hiatus. Where have I been? Why have I not been writing as much this year? The truth is that the t

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JayaLaw

Mar 5, 2015

March Madness: Support The Real Twilight Star!

0 min read

Hi all, HTTYD March madness is going on; please support ~FireOmens (https://www.deviantart.com/fireomens) by voting for her here: http://httyd-fanarts-admin.deviantart.com/journal/poll/5072086/ . The amount of voters for her competitor has suddenly increased by about twenty-six people in thirty minutes; please show her support and vote honestly!