
Stories (8/0)
12 Tiny Moments
Some fleeting moments are so powerful that they throw their long shadows into the future and far into the past. They elicit meaning where none could be found before and give all else a frame, a structure, a shape. These moments reverberate through time, transforming lives and shaping identities.
By R. J. Rani7 months ago in Humans
- Runner-Up in Sky's the Limit Challenge
Betrayal Aboard the Last SkymasterRunner-Up in Sky's the Limit Challenge
As the stars surrendered to the fiery brilliance of sunrise, Captain Anjali Chanthavong found herself relying on the porthole to determine their exact position. She peered through the circle of clear crystal, hoping for a break in the dense smog below.
By R. J. Rani8 months ago in Fiction
R. J. Rani's Reflections: Thank Yous, Updates & Sneak Peeks
My dear readers and fellow creators, Greetings from a cozy Airbnb, roughly 3,534 miles (5,687 km) from home. The wind is throwing raindrops against the window, blotting out the already grey skies, while wet cars and blue-teal double-decker buses and folks bundled up in thick winter jackets rush by on the streets below.
By R. J. Rani8 months ago in Journal
- Top Story - March 2023
Muriel’s Second Hand Book Emporium, Chapter 1: The InheritanceTop Story - March 2023
Every night at midnight, the purple clouds came out to dance with the blushing sky. Only those who knew where to look saw them sway and weave and whirl to the quiet music of the night. Lavender and lilac, periwinkle and magenta, swirling and twirling. To the buzz of the cicadas, the chirp of the common nighthawk, the rush of bird wings, and the water lapping and tapping against the rocky banks of the meandering creek.
By R. J. Rani9 months ago in Fiction
- Top Story - December 2022
The Writer's Heroic Journey (+ Tips to Get Unstuck at Any Stage)Top Story - December 2022
A writer's creative journey is never linear. Just like our characters, we experience everything from curiosity and excitement, to self-doubt and despair, only to restart the cycle a few days - or sometimes hours - later. Sound familiar?
By R. J. Rani12 months ago in Journal
- Top Story - November 2022
Waiting to go to SchoolTop Story - November 2022
Malika wrapped her small fingers around the stainless steel tumbler for warmth as she stepped into the crisp, foggy mountain dawn. Her bare feet gently thudded on the ground as she moved to sit on the stair that surrounded the one-room mud hut she called home.
By R. J. Raniabout a year ago in Fiction
Such a Foreign Holiday
These days, I cannot help but laugh when I tell the story of my family’s first Halloween in the United States of America. Then again, these days, according to my Pinterest boards and Instagram feeds, Halloween is no more sinister than tummy aches from too much candy and cute kids in adorable costumes. In 2001, though, less than two months after we’d landed at Newark Liberty International Airport, laughter was the furthest thing from our minds. It was a bleak time for the world and indeed for our family of five.
By R. J. Raniabout a year ago in Families