#MonstrousMay Day 7: Camouflaged

I wrote my own version of a Sussex folktale for this, and got a (fictional) 19thC folklorist, the Rev. J. D. Allardyce, to annotate it!

It's The Dairymaid and the Knuckerhole, where a knucker (a water dragon in Sussex) camouflaged himself and attacked people. Like all good folktales there's a dark underbelly but an HEA.

https://cmrosens.com/2023/05/07/monstrousmay-2023-camouflaged/

Been seriously struggling for a while in general mental health wise but today I really do think I'm having a much better day. I even started reading again (Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer) and I wrote a short story for Monstrous May that I really like (already posted it with the #MonstrousMay tag) ...

It has taken a really long time for me to work with my brain and understand it, but since figuring out I'm #ActuallyADHD, these periods of depression and insomnia are less stressful for me.

#MonstrousMay Day 6: The Monster's Hide

This went a different way than I expected: cws for fungal horror, body horror involving skin, eyes.

https://cmrosens.com/2023/05/06/monstrousmay-2023-the-monsters-hide/

#MonstrousMay Day 5: The Tentacled Beast

An unfinished experimental scene that takes place between THE CROWS and THIRTEENTH, so spoilers for the end of THE CROWS.

https://ko-fi.com/post/Monstrous-May-The-Tentacled-Beast-I2I7L16O0

#MonstrousMay Day 4 (I missed it) - The Cave

Crustaceous merfolk mating with a condemned man in a cave.

https://cmrosens.com/2023/05/05/monstrousmay-2023-the-cave/

#MonstrousMay 4: The Cave

A page from a screenplay that was quarterfinalist in the Final Draft Big Break contest.

#horror #writingprompt #MonstrousMayChallenge

https://johannestevans.com/post/711452

#MonstrousMay 3: The Cave

A page from a screenplay that was quarterfinalist in the Final Draft Big Break contest.

#horror #writingprompt #MonstrousMayChallenge

https://johannestevans.com/post/711452

#MonstrousMay 3: Hypnotized

Phosphor light from Sony tubes
In semi-darkness casts a spell
The magic glow ensnares a soul
And leaves behind an empty shell.
The soul is caught within a box
And there it tranquilized is kept
And with enormous forces bent
Then freed not knowing that it slept.

#horror #writingprompt #MonstrousMayChallenge

#MonstrousMay Day 3: Hypnotised

Bit of cosmic horror /weird fiction energy today!

https://ko-fi.com/post/Monstrous-May-2023-Day-3-Hypnotised-M4M4KMT7F

I pinned the post with all the links on my profile for anyone wanting to join in

#writingprompt #horror #monster #amwriting

#MonstrousMay 2: The Monster's Teeth

Page five from a work in progress.

#horror #writingprompt #MonstrousMayChallenge

#MonstrousMay - the post is here https://ko-fi.com/post/Monstrous-May-2023-Day-2-The-Monsters-Teeth-V7V8KMT0T

#MonstrousMay Day 2: The Monster's Teeth

I wrote a very short piece on today's prompt, leaving the "monster" open to interpretation but I'll be building on the POV character later.

To join in #MonstrousMay, I pinned a toot with the prompt card (which has alt text and text list) on my profile, but here it is again: https://johannestevans.com/post/711452098272854016/once-more-we-approach-that-most-wondrous-time-of

#MonstrousMay Day 01: The Werewolf

I wrote a series of vignettes for this, little fragments from (fictional) history books & newspaper reports, leading into a description of a pack Turning together under the full moon.

Posted on WordPress, Ko-Fi and tumblr:
https://ko-fi.com/post/Monstrous-May-2023-The-Werewolf-W7W8K7N9A

@CMRosens

#MonstrousMay 1: The Werewolf

Jaw distends
Pelt sprouts
Drop to all fours
I am a beast
A clever one

Moon compels
Twig snaps
Pick up the scent
You were my friend
You'd better run

#horror #writingprompt #MonstrousMayChallenge

https://johannestevans.com/post/711452098272854016

So if anyone's interested in #MonstrousMay - the creator has put up the prompts on his site with alt text here: https://johannestevans.com/post/711585431367614464 (scroll down for this year's list)

I'm going to link this post and maybe post mine here, and you can join in with literally any kind of creative response to the post, art, writing, whatever you want.

#horror #writingprompt #creative #art #artprompts #writers #artists #horrorhub #monster #monsters

Hey is anyone doing #MonstrousMay this year?? The prompts are up on Twitter and Tumblr and everywhere the creator Johannes Evans is. If you don't know it, it is a really fun #writing game with daily prompts for all creatives: art, microfic, prose, poetry, mixed media, whatever.

This year is a bit sexier for the monster erotica fans ... you can skip those days or interpret any way you want to!