S. A. Crawford
Bio
Writer, reader, life-long student - being brave and finally taking the plunge by publishing some articles and fiction pieces.
Stories (166/0)
Hiding from Devils: 'Guising' on Halloween
Born in Scotland in the '90s, I always knew this tradition as guising - it wasn't until the Americanization of our culture began in earnest that I heard it called "trick or treating". Less than 500 miles from the Artic Circle (with certain parts of the country closer to the Arctic than London), Scotland is dark and cold October. The nights draw in quickly and seem to hold intent, the air is cold and wet, biting at times, and the smell of decaying leaves and foliage is one I associate with this time of year thanks to the semi-rural nature of the town I grew up in.
By S. A. Crawfordabout a year ago in FYI
NaNoWriMo Prep
The National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo) is an authorial institution, of sorts. Founded by Chris Baty in 1999 with a word count goal set by finding the shortest book on his shelf (Aldous Huxley's Brave New World), NaNoWriMo has always been about the glorious spirit of "let's fuck around and see what happens", but that doesn't mean it's easy. Writing an average of 1,667 words per day isn't as easy as it sounds, after all.
By S. A. Crawford2 years ago in Journal
What I Learned From Self-Harm
This is an uncomfortable topic for most people, but the truth is that it never has been for me. Self-harm was always the best alternative to suicide, always the choice I made rather than breaking down... and I got very good at it very quickly. If you're starting to get angry, feeling that this is a glamourization of something seriously twisted now might be the time to dip out.
By S. A. Crawford2 years ago in Psyche
Glitter T*ts
At the arguably 'mature' age of 28, I pierced my nipples on a whim. When I was younger, I dreamed of piercing my nipples and belly button when I was 'thinner' (in quotes here because I was a UK size 10 to 12 at 18), when I had more confidence, after a boob job (because like most girls that age I thought my perky, natural breasts were 'saggy' thanks to porn). Of course, I never got thinner, perkier, or more confident because the world is a meat grinder and none of us make it out alive...
By S. A. Crawford2 years ago in Filthy
- Top Story - September 2022
Don't Let Tinder Burn You Top Story - September 2022
It's the age of technology and the impact has been felt in our romantic lives perhaps more than any other. We are more able to meet dozens, or even hundreds of people, very quickly, we're more likely to meet people far removed from our friend and family groups, and we're empowered to find people who really suit our lifestyle and preferences. Of course for every prince, or princess, online dating puts us in contact with there are hundreds of trolls, frogs, and grade-A boogeymen.
By S. A. Crawford2 years ago in Humans
A Doggone Disaster
I was crying at 3 am on the day of my dissertation deadline. With 8 hours left to submit the gargantuan project, a pounding migraine brewing behind my eyes, and the sense that all my hard work had been for nothing, I started to cry. You're probably wondering how I got in this position - why didn't I start sooner, right? Well, you'd be right to ask. I did start earlier you see - an accident involving a gerbil, a glass of wine, and my laptop set me back considerably.
By S. A. Crawford2 years ago in Petlife
Void Walkers
Nobody can hear a scream in the vacuum of space, or so they say. Unfortunately for Dolores Tan all she could hear when the airlock opened without warning was her own scream. It was pure luck that she was fastening her helmet when it did, but she couldn't find the silver lining in that as the stars pinwheeled around her in a nausea-inducing light show. Whatever she had grabbed in a vain attempt to save herself was hooked to a fold of the thick orange suit. She pulled it close as the Eternal Hope flashed by again and again. Hard, elongated, shining - instead of grabbing one of the rails she had torn a spare oxygen canister from its place in the case. This could work. The colossal form of the ship was now in darkness. Something was wrong, terribly wrong,
By S. A. Crawford2 years ago in Horror
The Body Isn't Something You Can Ruin
Scars, stretch marks, hyperpigmentation, acne, loose skin - I've had (or got) it all. At 28 years old my body has been through its fair share of damage and change already. From semi-violent sports, accidents, and injuries to genetic conditions, sensitive skin, and yo-yo weight gain and loss as a result of mental illness and binge-purge eating it's hard not to feel that I've ruined my body.
By S. A. Crawford2 years ago in Longevity