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One of the prettiest moments in winter is when the sun starts to come out again in like february/march but it’s still cold but that doesn’t matter because everything feels light and fresh and you walk outside without freezing because the sunshine is warming your face and everything is starting to wake up

Muslim Characteristics and the Purpose of the Hijab

Anonymous said: hi! i’m writing a story where the main character is a muslim teen girl, and it’s not like the /main/ focus of the story but since i’m not muslim myself i was wondering if you had any pointers on how to show that as a part of her life (beyond the hijab, which is something she chooses only to wear at home?) without being too blatant/forced or oppositely non-evident? thank you!

Hi there! Islam is a deeply intricate religion that is woven into a muslim’s everyday life, and there are definitely easy ways to sneak in indicators of a person’s religion. For example, muslims only eat meat that has been cut the halal way- your character could ask about that at a restaurant, or forgo the meat just to be safe. Muslims also pray five times a day (with the exception of the days some people are on their periods), so you could show her waking up at sunrise to pray Fajr. Honestly, there are a million and one ways to portray a muslim girl.

Also, while I might not know the complete context of your character’s situation, the purpose of a hijab is to shield a person from the gaze of male strangers. Homes are places where girls let their hair down and relax. A muslim only wearing a hijab at home contradicts the very importance of a hijab and could be really offensive to some readers. There are many muslim girls who don’t wear a hijab, so I suggest maybe going with that. There are also muslim girls who wear the hijab in certain areas (read: around traditional family members) to preserve social standing, but aren’t actually committed to the hijab.

I suggest you do more research on Islam if you want to convey your character realistically.

-Yasmin

I’d just like to add that I see quite a few writers taking the non-hijaabi route in order to avoid repercussions of possibly negative representation. I’d just like to stress that, if you feel that offering this representation is important, and you feel that you can do the research and continue to ask the questions to make it as good as you can, you should strive to do it.

Of course, we need non-hijaabi representation, but I do not think that should be the only option offered if a writer is nervous about approaching the hijaab.

Besides that note, I agree with Yasmin’s eloquent answer and the fact that a girl only wearing the hijaab at home is rather unusual and offensive. Good luck!

-Kaye

“Saturday, November 30. Beautiful day! An accumulated lack of sleep caused me to pass out as soon as I got home yesterday, causing me to wake up this early. It’s cold. My body is craving salt. Feel like a bowl of miso soup. But… I’d better finish that bread I got two days ago. Miso soup or bread. Gotta pick one, since they don’t go together. Or do they? Maybe I can make miso soup… that goes with bread.” — Kitchen for Singles, Episode 3: Soy Milk Miso Soup in the Morning

Drew this today in the bakery to waste time ... ._. i came a bit TOO early for class ... 😂

Chibi doodle in my German notebook~

Cherished happy moments. :)

This is a compiled list of some of my favorite pieces of short horror fiction, ranging from classics to modern-day horror, and includes links to where the full story can be read for free. Please be aware that any of these stories may contain subject matter you find disturbing, offensive, or otherwise distressing. Exercise caution when reading. Image art is from Scarecrow: Year One.

PSYCHOLOGICAL: tense, dread-inducing horror that preys upon the human psyche and aims to frighten on a mental or emotional level. 

“The Frolic” by Thomas Ligotti, 1989

“Button, Button” by Richard Matheson, 1970

“89.1 FM” by Jimmy Juliano, 2015

“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, 1892

“Death at 421 Stockholm Street“ by C.K. Walker, 2016

“The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas” by Ursula K. Le Guin, 1973

“An Empty Prison” by Matt Dymerski, 2018

“A Suspicious Gift” by Algernon Blackwood, 1906

CURSED: stories concerning characters afflicted with a curse, either by procuring a plagued object or as punishment for their own nefarious actions.

“How Spoilers Bleed” by Clive Barker, 1991

“A Warning to the Curious” by M.R. James, 1925

“each thing i show you is a piece of my death” by Stephen J. Barringer and Gemma Files, 2010

“The Road Virus Heads North” by Stephen King, 1999

“Ring Once for Death” by Robert Arthur, 1954

“The Mary Hillenbrand Cassette“ by Jimmy Juliano, 2016

“The Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs, 1902

MONSTERS: tales of ghouls, creeps, and everything in between.

“The Curse of Yig” by H.P. Lovecraft and Zealia Bishop, 1929 

“The Oddkids” by S.M. Piper, 2015

“Nightmare at 20,000 Feet” by Richard Matheson

“The Graveyard Rats” by Henry Kuttner, 1936

“Tall Man” by C.K. Walker, 2016 

“The Quest for Blank Claveringi“ by Patricia Highsmith, 1967

“The Showers” by Dylan Sindelar, 2012

CLASSICS: terrifying fiction written by innovators of literary horror. 

“The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe, 1843

“The Interlopers” by Saki, 1919 

“The Statement of Randolph Carter“ by H.P. Lovecraft, 1920

“The Damned Thing” by Ambrose Pierce, 1893

“The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” by Washington Irving, 1820 

“August Heat” by W.F. Harvey, 1910

“The Black Cat” by Edgar Allan Poe, 1843

SUPERNATURAL: stories varying from spooky to sober, featuring lurking specters, wandering souls, and those haunted by ghosts and grief. 

“Nora’s Visitor” by Russell R. James, 2011

“The Pale Man” by Julius Long, 1934

“A Collapse of Horses” by Brian Evenson, 2013

“The Jigsaw Puzzle” by J.B. Stamper, 1977 

“The Mayor Will Make A Brief Statement and then Take Questions” by David Nickle, 2013

“The Night Wire” by H.F. Arnold, 1926 

“Postcards from Natalie” by Carrie Laben, 2016

UNSETTLING: fiction that explores particularly disturbing topics, such as mutilation, violence, and body horror. Not recommended for readers who may be offended or upset by graphic content.  

“Survivor Type” by Stephen King, 1982

“I’m On My Deathbed So I’m Coming Clean…” by M.J. Pack, 2018

“In the Hills, the Cities” by Clive Barker, 1984

“The New Fish” by T.W. Grim, 2013

“The Screwfly Solution” by Racoona Sheldon, 1977

“In the Darkness of the Fields” by Ho_Jun, 2015 

“The October Game” by Ray Bradbury, 1948

“I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream” by Harlan Ellison, 1967 

HAPPY READING, HORROR FANS!

I love planners, highlighters, giant calendars, nice ball point pens, to do lists, & anything else that gives me the illusion that I’m getting my life together

take your morning back from distraction and phones and planning and worry. wake up and drink water, move slow, brush your teeth, scrape your tongue. prepare your herbs and massage your body with oil. do a breathing exercise then rinse off. leave your phone in the corner. make a simple breakfast and your coffee. chew your food and only do that. when you’re finished, move on with your day. you’ll get more done during this morning moment than you think - maybe an hour of time total. this sounds like pushing productivity but im not, it’s ritual+routine and that makes humans feel really good. try it out for a month and see how nourishing and impactful it is to move with carfeul purpose, just for yourself and no other reason.