Alys Prince

Howard Jacobson

Howard Jacobson is a famed British author .... quoting from an article in the Telegraph 20/1/24:

'Complaints about realism often dog him.
He had to fight to keep a character in his last novel, Live a ­Little: a 90-year-old man who has never had a relationship, being ­crippled by shame at having been caught trying on his mother’s underwear as a boy. Jacobson’s publisher found this implausible. “Then I asked a group of Jenny’s psychologist colleagues if this was likely, and they all said ‘Of course, it’d ruin your life, no question’.”

Author: 

Coincidence, Luck or Fate?

Coincidence, Luck or Fate?

The Fates of the ancient Greeks plotted and wove the threads of mankind. The Furies dealt with the tangles caused by the choices of those mere mortals. [Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos; Tisiphone, Alecto, Megaera]. You meddle with Fate and Fury alike at the risk of them noticing you. That’s a real risk.

How different is 'different?

How different is 'different' ?

Summary:
Written elsewhere as a fanfic for the Five Gods Universe of Lois McMaster Bujold. Amended and republished here by permission of the author.

The Five Gods are Father-Winter, Mother-Summer, Daughter-Spring and Son-Autumn. The Bastard deals with all the misfits. There are those who believe in Five Gods and the Quads who deny the Bastard. One aim of the Bastard is to help those who are 'different'. Sometimes even his priests fail. And how different is too much - abuse, cruelty, racism, transgender or other. Whispers on the breeze.

Miss Aisle

Miss Aisle

When you meet the right woman, she’s may well be a Missile aiming for Miss Aisle. And as she walks towards the Groom, she’ll be remembering the sequence ‘Aisle, Altar, Hymn. So what if the congregation hears ' I’ll Alter Him'. You have a choice? One anagram of Evil is Vile – but one can Live again. I'm glad Jane & I got through it.

** Going offline for a week or so while my computer is in drydock. Thanks AP
V sorry - there was a typo even in the heading!!! I hate it when others do that.


Miss Judged

Miss Judged

It’s a mistake to believe just in one god – there’s lots of them – Ahriman to Zeus – take your pick! . And it also means that people other than mere humans roam the world. Demi-gods for example. People of Power. And they have feelings. You annoy such people at risk. And with risk comes retribution, revenge and remarkable outcomes …………….. for Tim his self-centred attitude meant a risk of some big changes. And he thought it was just bad luck! Silly boy.


"How dare you! I'm NOT Gay!"

How dare you. I’m not gay!!

I knew at school that I was different. I was called ‘gay’ just for being different – cruel, ugly, untrue. Although I’d admit to being a bit puzzled about, erm, some aspects of life – yeah, alright, sex. Then things really got strange when I was at college and stayed with Aunt Maddie. And I learnt more than I ever expected about girls – in a new and different way. A story in two distinct sections.


Will I be ... glamorous?

Will I be … glamorous?

I’m more of a tank-type T, built big, built rough. Never likely to look neat, pretty, sweet, colourful, … and never going to be glamorous. And I hate this outward me. Will I ever be what I want? Would that I could be …. glamorous.

AP - bit close to the bone some of this. Hope it's worth putting up and reading?


The Trial of Elizabeth

The Trial of Elizabeth

It was that newspaper clipping that shook my foundations. I’d never considered before any idea that men could dress fancy and colourfully.

Telegraph Thursday December 29th 2018 ‘Dressing Up’
A law in the reign of Queen Elizabeth the First declared “None shall wear in his apparel satin, damask, silk, camlet (angora) or taffeta in gown, coat, hose or uppermost garments except that he may dispend £100 by the year.” The article went on about the colours that were allowed - red, purple and so on.

Wow. What an opportunity ….. for anyone born a bit over 400 years ago and had sufficient wealth to dispend. Could it really be true that the male was the flamboyant peacock? I knew some of the words for the materials but I knew nothing about their reality. Once more I looked with disgust and despair into my wardrobe and at the drawers open beside my bed. Drab, dull, grey, black, blue, BORING. Oh to be in Elizabethan times.

I can't get dressed.

I can’t get dressed

I hate this bloody pandemic. I want to get dressed and I can’t. I daren’t. My flatmates might not like it.

Authors note : I haven’t posted for a while now. Back in Dec 2018, I finished my set of 500-word ‘starter stories’ and the only person who took one and added a sequel ….. was me! Then the writing monkey took a break and couldn’t give me any worthwhile stories. Recently, I re-read some of my own stories and got a bit interested again. There may be a few posts in the near future. AP


I'm just a girl!

I’m just a girl!

"I know I used to be a freak. That's what you called me. But I’m not any more. I’m just a girl." I argued.

An AP-500 story.


“What d’you mean – used to be a freak”, screamed my Dad.

“Don’t be silly, Daddy, back when I tried to be a boy!” He tried to hit me but I stepped back just in time.

I love Silk and Satin and ....

I love Silk and Satin and, and, and, and

Title changed from 'Material Wealth'.
I love clothes – not just dresses and underwear. Therefore the raw material is interesting too. Lace & Leather, Silk & Satin and the rest. Enticing. Intoxicating.

An AP-500 story

To be different is a choice? Not for me!

To be different is a choice? Not for me!

This had a temporary possible title: such as 'Aren't you / they stupid? I’m not gay!' which could have grown a series of 'Aren’t they angry … '; Aren’t they wrong ...'; 'Aren't they nasty ...'; even 'Aren't they accepting … '. Another possible set of titles began How stupid are you? I'm not gay'.
Then the story veered away and the title had to change!


Mother - and daughter too.

Mother – and daughter too.

Auntie owned a dress-shop. Yes, I know now that’s the introduction to a whole sub-section of transvestite literature. I didn’t know it then. All I knew was that my mum had a sister in faraway Leeds and they rarely met, rarely spoke to each other and in fact mum rarely spoke of Aunt Lily. Perhaps Mum knew that working in a dress shop would be the right thing for me.

An AP-500 starter-story.


Alexandra's Leaving

Alexandra’s Leaving

This was triggered by Leonard Cohen’s song. There are overtones of The Beatles’ She’s leaving home’.

Another AP-500. Well, first a whole bunch of AP-500 ‘starters’ for other people …. Then I write a couple of follow-ons myself. Now another few ‘500-worders’ to come.

"I’m going to have to wear a bra – to SCHOOL!?"

“I’m going to have to wear a bra – to SCHOOL!?

If you think things were going a bit off-the-scale, then you’d be right.

This began as one of my AP-500 pieces. I got one very useful comment about 'why and how' which got me moving and has turned into this continuation. Thanks AP


I’m PROUD of who I am!

I’m PROUD of who I am!

Taboo, Stigma, Prejudice - does hitting someone with those labels make YOU fell clever, smart or better. It kills some people. Zombifies others. Would YOU like it back at you? I can cope - I've gone past the hate.

We all know the situation, when the story just keeps going. So here’s one five-time escapee from the AP-500 bundle.

"He's gone! I'm going to be ME!"

"He's gone. I'm going to be ME!"

Sometimes taking that first step is as big as 'One giant step for Mankind' and I've always been a woman. Haven't I?

Previously this was titled "I’ve done 25 – will I get to 26? Is it over." The OLD subtext said 'If these were lyrics they could be better – but I’m doing this My Way – or the highway – or the low way. And sorry – it may sound like this is going to be a suicide story – but – nope – not this time.'
I think it wasn't being read because of the bad vibes. I was trying to be punny about the number of 500-word stories. And jokes suggesting suicide don't work. Sorry.

The 25th AP-500 story - and none has, yet, been borrowed or adapted - come on, folks and folkesses,


Changing my life, what joy. To Joy.

Changing my life, what joy. To Joy.

It was the rite time ….. and the rite place. As Annis said, “It’s a kind of magic.”

And another AP-500 story - hooray me.

It may be the difference of a better-chosen title, but some recent stories have hit new heights - 1000 hits in a day; 100+ kudos too. But still nobody has been triggered to take one of my offerings to adapt, grow, build or whatever (as far as I know). Oh well. maybe sometime soon what with the suggestion by Angela Rasch and others for MORE STORIES.


"I’m going to HAVE to wear a bra! No way!"

“I’m going to HAVE to wear a bra! No way!”

“Stand up, Mike. And take your shirt off. ……… Well, that’s unusual.”
Some time later ……"NO, Mum. I’m never going to wear a bra. Never.”
“I’m not sure those, erm, chesty-things give you a choice!”

An AP-500 story

Waisting my life – why I love corsets.

Waisting my life – why I love corsets.

“That’s how it began – Just an injury – then a corset but now …...

You don’t get life-changing injuries in Tennis! Not unless you’re very unlucky. T’was so for me.

An AP-500 story

"What? I’m not a girl – am I?"

”What? I’m not a girl – am I?”

So many things that I didn’t know. I mean about girls and all the soft, pretty things girls do and wear. So much to learn. And something told me it was what I really wanted. But I was a normal boy, wasn’t I?

An AP-500 story to borrow and grow.

"Wears MY panties?” my sister screamed.

“Wears MY panties?” my sister screamed.

“Wears my panties – and what else! Not if I’ve got anything to say about it!” It was like being next to an angry avalanche.

An AP-500 story-starter


"Do you like wearing a dress, Daddy?"

“Do you like wearing a dress, Daddy?”

“Can you believe it used to be that Men told Women what to do, what to wear, their hair, clothes, everything!!!”
“You mean – we used to be in charge - and that women spent all their time wearing pretty clothes and looking after the house and the men? Weird!”

An AP-500 story
(posted quickly because a recent story got 1000 hits in less than 2 days! Yay!)


"My bra really doesn't fit. Can you help me?"

“My bra really doesn’t fit me. Can you help me?”

I’m a fairly ordinary 22 year-old bloke – but I love to wear proper underwear. And I don’t actually mean what is labelled as ‘proper’ for men but what I enjoy. Like I said (eventually) “It’s just what I like to do. I enjoy it. It’s private."

An AP-500 story


"You'll look like Angela - in a mirror!"

"You'll look like Angela - in a mirror!"

How often does something REALLY unexpected happen in the average life. Once? Twice? Never?

"It's just you copying what Angela does - as if in a mirror. You've got to be a look-alike, y'know. You can do it," Ashya insisted.

An AP-500 story


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