tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post4351938389599750748..comments2023-11-17T03:52:12.782-05:00Comments on murmurs: The Fortune TellerSarah Hinahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13888406261817690010noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-43444661201527186302009-03-30T15:01:00.000-04:002009-03-30T15:01:00.000-04:00What a great short story Sarah. You really have a ...What a great short story Sarah. You really have a talent for writing.Rose DesRochershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15758803804821592690noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-61708030473466139512009-03-26T15:35:00.000-04:002009-03-26T15:35:00.000-04:00Vesper, I'm tantalized by those questions, too. Th...Vesper, I'm tantalized by those questions, too. They've been circling around a lot in my head lately. <BR/><BR/>I'm glad you enjoyed this different take from me! Thank you, my friend. :)Sarah Hinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13888406261817690010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-78377650876922826042009-03-26T07:43:00.000-04:002009-03-26T07:43:00.000-04:00What a great, captivating story, Sarah. I enjoyed ...What a great, captivating story, Sarah. I enjoyed every element of it, the rhythm, the suspense, the outcome... I often wonder what fate is, something that we bring upon us or something that we can never escape no matter what we would do... Very interesting!Vesperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12417602625059442986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-17862577816040243672009-03-22T13:43:00.000-04:002009-03-22T13:43:00.000-04:00K, I think you do have those conversations. Their ...K, I think you do have those conversations. Their essence shows up in your poetry, anyway. <BR/><BR/>I appreciate the kind words about my range here. I haven't always felt like I had that ability to draw on different voices and techniques. I think blogging has been exceedingly helpful in developing that a little. I never even wrote poetry until I started blogging. So I am so grateful to this wonderful medium, and the supportive people I've met along the way! Thank you, K. :) <BR/><BR/>Walking Man, I thought you might get a kick out of this one. <BR/><BR/>I think we're responsible for our fates to a large degree. Or our innate nature is. Madame Olenska might have penetrated the narrator's character, but the woman relented to the dark illogic of that suggestion without a fight. She doomed herself. <BR/><BR/>Thanks for your comments, as always, Mark.Sarah Hinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13888406261817690010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-22732418642456750622009-03-22T05:37:00.000-04:002009-03-22T05:37:00.000-04:00Sarah...Again you prove your literary mettle. I id...Sarah...Again you prove your literary mettle. I identified so much with the end. <BR/><BR/>All the while thinking after the parlor trick reading "foolish woman, why would one want to know, just knowing that death comes should be enough, why tempt the gods of knowledge?" And here it is the ugly gods played the parlor trick not Madam Olenska.the walking manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10058913927297370740noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-11348417620432567382009-03-21T21:42:00.000-04:002009-03-21T21:42:00.000-04:00I once went to a woman who studied my aura. She j...I once went to a woman who studied my aura. She just looked at me and shook her head and said, "If you wanted to, you could have conversations with trees or rocks." I do want to...<BR/><BR/>Your story was very well written. Great hook. Wonderful dialogue...strong character development, and nice flow/pacing. <BR/>Really intriguing subject!!<BR/><BR/>Ironic twist. Madame Olenska's predcition became like a self- fulfilling prophecy in the end. Captivating!<BR/><BR/>You have such a range of techniques, abilities, and skills that you employ in your writing. I am always impressed.K.Lawson Gilberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11204234196229710524noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-15292343762490504982009-03-21T19:32:00.000-04:002009-03-21T19:32:00.000-04:00Karen, I loved that one. Thank you so much. :) Bob...Karen, I loved that one. Thank you so much. :) <BR/><BR/>Bob, I'm glad you felt a power here. Thank you for reading and enjoying! :)Sarah Hinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13888406261817690010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-40485777790861185452009-03-21T18:33:00.000-04:002009-03-21T18:33:00.000-04:00Wow... that was intense... excellent tho! Wow.Wow... that was intense... excellent tho! Wow.Bobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18318020353229765431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-62225414290343497912009-03-21T17:11:00.000-04:002009-03-21T17:11:00.000-04:00Sarah - There's an award for you at my place.Sarah - There's an award for you at my place.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12003379181294550035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-81573950101230998612009-03-21T14:55:00.000-04:002009-03-21T14:55:00.000-04:00Aine, I agree. My mindset gets me into trouble mor...Aine, I agree. My mindset gets me into trouble more often than I'd like to acknowledge. Being more open, and accepting, of the unexpected is such a freeing experience. Especially with kids! :)Sarah Hinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13888406261817690010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-79576900020495562912009-03-21T12:26:00.000-04:002009-03-21T12:26:00.000-04:00Oooooh...I like what Jennifer said, too! Creating...Oooooh...I like what Jennifer said, too! <I> Creating chaos with expectation.</I> Great phrase! I must remember that everytime I fear that things will not "go" as I would like. Perhaps I'm the cause...<BR/><BR/>This will be rattling around in my head for awhile.... Thanks!!<BR/>:)Ainehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08402176500997528105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-3467303822418668332009-03-21T11:40:00.000-04:002009-03-21T11:40:00.000-04:00Jennifer, I think you're onto something here...the...Jennifer, I think you're onto something here...the burden of expectations driving us toward a fate that didn't have to be! Maybe there's something to that...or maybe the cosmos really does have a sick sense of humor. Especially where kids and lone parenting are concerned. :P <BR/><BR/>Thank you for the kind words about the piece! It was fun to mix things up a little. :)Sarah Hinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13888406261817690010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-51898996361899551992009-03-21T10:59:00.000-04:002009-03-21T10:59:00.000-04:00Sarah, this is so well done. You show her unravel...Sarah, this is so well done. You show her unraveling, in such short space, perfectly.<BR/><BR/>And I think, as others have indicated, part of the fun was that this type of story was somewhat unexpected from you. So you had us right from the beginning on several levels! :)<BR/><BR/>I need to find a way to learn from this something about the fact that the you know what always hits the fan when my husband goes out of town...I used to think it was to show me how capable and in control of things I am, but now I have to wonder: Am I creating chaos with expectation at this point??? ;)jazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09559917865938143791noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-68129436631565519392009-03-20T22:55:00.000-04:002009-03-20T22:55:00.000-04:00Aniket, superstitions are a lot of fun, as long as...Aniket, superstitions are a lot of fun, as long as people don't let them guide their thoughts and actions. That said, I'll continue to knock on wood. :D<BR/><BR/>Thank you for enjoying my dark side! (Mwaa ha ha...) And hey, now I have an excuse to drink more often. ;) <BR/><BR/>Karen, very good point. I really liked the circular nature of this concept. And the tension between fate and choice has always grabbed me. <BR/><BR/>Thank you for the kind, supportive words! This was a bit of an experiment for me, and it's nice to see it well received. :)<BR/><BR/>Aine, that's a fantastic idea! Why do I have the feeling some people would be more likely to believe the fortune teller over the psychologist? ;) Pairing the two could really work some magic...<BR/><BR/>(psst...I couldn't help but think of HP after writing this; prophecies are powerful :))Sarah Hinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13888406261817690010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-31225656412427612302009-03-20T19:14:00.000-04:002009-03-20T19:14:00.000-04:00Fabulous! The twist got me (though in retrospect,...Fabulous! The twist got me (though in retrospect, it shouldn't have.) I like seeing your dark side!<BR/><BR/>I, too, tend to believe that our thoughts create our fate. And I wholeheartedly agree that fortune tellers do "tell us what we want to hear" on purpose. In fact, psychologists should team up with a fortune teller-- educate them about a client and let them work their magic! LOLAinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08402176500997528105noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-28021688060796822542009-03-20T18:34:00.000-04:002009-03-20T18:34:00.000-04:00Sarah has a dark side! I like it!!The pacing of th...Sarah has a dark side! I like it!!<BR/><BR/>The pacing of this is really effective, especially moving from her skepticism to her own fulfillment of the fate. I like the irony of that fulfillment. Which came first?Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12003379181294550035noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-47446213058005300232009-03-20T14:43:00.000-04:002009-03-20T14:43:00.000-04:00Oooohhh!!! Dark,, very dark!I read the whole thing...Oooohhh!!! Dark,, very dark!<BR/><BR/>I read the whole thing and then went back again.... "Well the blog name does say 'murmurs'" i thought to myself. lol<BR/><BR/>You should drink more frequently, to show us the sinister side.<BR/><BR/>I sooooooo hate superstitions btw... my grandma believes in them and has got like a million stories to tell! :)<BR/><BR/>Here's one for Sarah...for a 10 on 10 she is! :-)Aniket Thakkarhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18311954967682696734noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-32791047495518355182009-03-20T12:31:00.000-04:002009-03-20T12:31:00.000-04:00Cat, I just had this strange idea about fate. If w...Cat, I just had this strange idea about fate. If we believe in it hard enough, maybe we make it so. <BR/><BR/>I didn't like the fortune teller, or the narrator. But I wanted the latter's brittleness, her chip-on-the-shoulder attitude problem to shout loud and clear. The fortune teller is perhaps more perceptive of human nature than supernaturally prophetic at all.<BR/><BR/>Jason, this story deserved more space. I really had to squeeze it down to make it fit a flash format. But thank you for the warm words. :) <BR/><BR/>Maybe there's a reason fortune tellers generally tell us what we want to hear. Anything else could worm its way into our minds, becoming the instrument of destruction rather than the passive outcome.Sarah Hinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13888406261817690010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-21588016304969053592009-03-20T11:06:00.000-04:002009-03-20T11:06:00.000-04:00What a great short story! I thought that the buil...What a great short story! I thought that the build and the pacing in the first half of the story was especially effective and gripping. I loved the build of tension and the massive implications of hearing those words from the fortune teller.<BR/><BR/>Yes, I think hearing the mode of our demise would critically change us. And as you've pointed out, not for the better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-87043792161643136252009-03-20T11:02:00.000-04:002009-03-20T11:02:00.000-04:00Well now, a whole new side of Sarah is being revea...Well now, a whole new side of Sarah is being revealed, and it's dark and shadowy. Ooooh. The image of strange men's eyes soiling her body with their hands in over sized coat pockets is kind of burning into me right now, as they walk through the dark foggy streets of my psyche. <BR/><BR/>I think that fortune teller is bad news. I don't like her, make her go away.Catherine Viberthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01354073276671196477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-69914099775766525442009-03-20T10:18:00.000-04:002009-03-20T10:18:00.000-04:00Charles, I think I must have been drinking when I ...Charles, I think I must have been drinking when I thought of this one. ;) But thank you.Sarah Hinahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13888406261817690010noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2133579337316674953.post-69287242197495901472009-03-20T10:04:00.000-04:002009-03-20T10:04:00.000-04:00A nasty little piece of work here. And as a horro...A nasty little piece of work here. And as a horror writer I mean that with the highest regard. :)Charles Gramlichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02052592247572253641noreply@blogger.com