Immortalized in Ink by Aria Glazki – Book Review

Immortalized in Ink by Aria Glazki is a collection of 36 short stories and flash fiction pieces. 

The collection begins with the centre piece and 10-star opening story "Immortalized in Ink". I've read it before in Scripting Changes' anthology Beyond the Words and adored it. I still loved it and can't get enough of it.

"They say the pages give you lives – open the cover and step through. Escape into the words and find your solace, or adventure. Everything you never knew you needed exists within a book."

Glazki denotes from the beginning that the pieces in the collection were mainly part of the Flash! Friday flash fiction writing challenges, which used images to inspire writers, although many of the pieces have long since been revised. On that line, I must note that in some of the stories I felt I wanted to see the image that inspired them, sometimes because I didn't get the story the first time I read it and sometimes because I felt it would make more sense if I knew the source of inspiration.

Still, I must highlight that most of the pieces are easily read as standalones. With or without the picture that inspired them, the flash fiction pieces are easy to read and don't have many – if any – cliffhangers.

I've said it once before – possibly in another review – and I'll say it again: I adore Aria Glazki's writing and style. She has a way with words and Immortalized in Ink is evidence of that.

"Regenesis" took my breath away! Fantasy mixed with excellent visual and the overall theme of rebirth. 10 stars to this one!

"A wash of life carpets the scars of war etched into the land."

"Flight Plan" is an action-packed five-star flash fiction piece. Loved it and highly recommend it.

"Perspective" is a stunningly beautiful piece that artists and writers can relate to. Another five stars to this one.

One of the pieces that mixed several themes is "Heritage", a dash of the paranormal with art and excellent writing. A must read.

I also loved the way Glazki built the pressure in "Lookout". My breath picked up and I was about to start biting my nails!

I've read "On the Job" during the Flash! Friday challenges but I loved all over again. The piece titled "News to Share" is very emotional and made me cry.

Other recommended stories in Immortalized in Ink include: "Beloved", "Winter's Refuge", "Legacy", "Winter Promise", "Untethered" and "Institution".

One of the things I liked about the Immortalized in Ink collection is the fact that several stories handled the theme of writing or art - "Perspective" and "Heritage" are among those - while some had paranormal elements. I also liked several of the dark pieces in there.

Last but not least, "Be a Man" is a story I've read before, but is by far one of my favourites for Aria Glazki. Simply, it's a 10-star piece.

"I've lived a thousand lives, and none at all. Each time the cover opens, the path begins anew, an invitation to the reader to walk, hop, duck, devour, run – or linger. Meander through new minds." – From "Immortalized in Ink"

Overall rating for Immortalized in Ink: 4.5 stars

Note: I normally use British spellings on my blog but since this is a book name so I decided to use its original spelling "Immortalized in Ink" to avoid confusion in case anyone decides to search for it on Goodreads or elsewhere.

Check out my book review of Beyond the Words, where Aria and I have pieces, and feel free to purchase a copy to support literacy. (You can find my poem "Words" in that anthology)

The anthology Breaking Free features "Be a Man" by Aria Glazki and my poem also titled "Breaking Free". You can hear me recite my poem at a local poetry event here (start at minute 2:13)

My first ever read for Aria Glazki was her poetry collection Life Under Examination. Check out my five-star book review here.

About the Author:

Aria Glazki's first kiss technically came from a bear cub. Though no fairytale transformation followed, she still believes magic can happen when the right people come together—if they don’t get in their own way, that is. So now Aria writes heartfelt romances about relatable people overcoming real-world obstacles to build love that lasts.

Available now are steamy paranormal Mortal Musings, sweet contemporary Mending Heartstrings (now FREE on Kindle Unlimited!), and spicy contemporary Tasting Temptation. All of her novels are standalone stories, so you can pick just one or read them all!

Learn more about Aria's books on her website, or catch all the exciting moments by signing up for her newsletter.

Call of the Sea

The wind caresses my face, my hair, my whole being. Merging with the sea, the salty wind brings back memories of a long forgotten past. A tear falls to the never-ending expanse of water before me.

Then I hear him calling; the sea to me:

'Let go,

Come to the sea,

Let go,

Be forever free.'

Oh how I long to succumb to your call oh mighty Poseidon!

How I have missed our home!

The water flows cold at my feet. It comes to the shore, slowly trying to pull me back within. If only I can let go… If only… but I cannot; not now.

We will be together soon. I will be free and so will my baby.

Don't break my heart

For I will return;

And in the darkest night

My freedom will shine bright,

Bursting from your depths within

Shine, will our bright-coloured fins

This piece was originally written for one of the Flash Friday! contests

Alive Again

Surrounded by tranquil earth and trees, I stood head bent, back bowing. The sinister screeches of cars on tarmac, endless rush-hour beeping, peddlers selling no one cares what… all these sounds washed away as a wave washes the shore taking all the odds and ends on the beach to the dark depths to be long forgotten.

The silence was warming, serene; it was more than welcome.

Once all the chatter and clatter had died, I inhaled deep.

It was by far the most fragrant and energetic breath I’d inhaled in a very long time. I felt life gush through my veins as though I were a half-dead human, being awakened from a long life of hypnosis and routine.

Another breath and I could soar.

I opened my eyes. The sounds of life hurled and stabbed at all my senses, but I was different.

I was alive again, ready to face and embrace the world.

This piece was written for Friday Flash Fiction Contest.

I think we all need that deep breath to reinvigorate us again.

The Meeting

Kaya had passed the test – unfortunately. She didn’t want to, but she was a competitive girl and couldn’t just fail; not when everyone had their eyes on her like that. Now, she had passed the test, which meant she will be betrothed to a total stranger.

She respected the idea of marriage – if you knew your partner beforehand.

His name was Marek – so she had been told. What difference did it make?

She stood at the gate that led to the Meeting Table that bound their two worlds.

She sighed and reluctantly began to turn the doorknob.

***

Marek sat at the Meeting Table thinking of his bride-to-be. It was common knowledge that Fairy-Women were beautiful, but he wondered what would ‘Kaya’ - that’s what they said her name was – be like. He was restless, shy and afraid. He didn’t like the way Elf-Wizards and Fairy-Women met. He felt embarrassed; what if she didn’t like him. They were practically stuck.

As he sat at the Meeting Table, the Ancient Gateway door before him suddenly erupted into a shining sheen of white. It opened and Kaya entered escorted by her Unicorn.

Marek rose and gave them a small bow, which Kaya returned.

They were silent.

‘Hi,’ said Kaya.

So she was as embarrassed as he was – not a good thing but not a bad one either.

‘Hi. I’m Marek. I – er – let’s sit down, shall we?’

They did.

‘The colours of your wings are the most beautiful I’ve ever seen! – Er not that I’ve seen many!’

She smiled, turning pink.

She was far more beautiful than he’d imagined.

They were silent again.

‘Erm, can I try your hat on? I’ve always wanted to try one,’ said Kaya. She realised that in order to break the silence, she had to be her fun-self.

Marek was a bit surprised but gave her the Wizard’s cone-shaped hat.

‘At home, we try to make ones like these out of cloth and leaves to see what it’s like,’ she explained, ‘but they don’t stand up pointy like yours.’ She said as she tried his Wizard’s hat.

He chuckled.

She’d broken the ice.

Memories

 

"Where Next" by Brewtnall Edward 

“We were young and in love with the world ahead of us. Seamen told tales of raging seas and sea monsters and gold and new worlds. It was like a fantastical dream. Michael and I wanted our own adventure, our own tale to tell. I remember him one fine summer’s day showing me a huge map with all the lands that we’ve heard people return from. It was magnificent really, so many places to see. He had his arm around me and we had hopes and fantasies like everyone.”

“Tell us more, grandma!” The children said.

 She sighed as the memories of a time long past flooded back.

“India was under British rule at the time and America was called the New World. People said it was rich with gold and beauty. We were young and in love.”

A tear trickled down her face.

“The world was full of promise, both real and fake”. She paused to wipe her face. “We wanted to live the dream, get married and have children. but unlike the reveries we spent nights talking about. We journeyed, through pain and hardship, to the New World. We were young and in love.”

“Keep going, grandma! Tell us more about grandpa!” The squealed excitedly.

Wiping her eyes again, she said “I’ll tell you more tomorrow. Now off to bed. Your mother won’t forgive me for keeping you up.”

They left unhappily but with make-up fantasies of their own, while the old lady sat in her rocking chair by the window and let the memories flow like the smooth water of the lake before her.

“I miss you my Michael!”

- Inspired by prompt #38 in the Friday Flash Fiction Contest.

Flash Friday Prompt #34 - Yikes!

On her birthday, Mark took his girlfriend, Paige, to a hotel where they went to the beach, and enjoyed a romantic lunch overlooking the man-made waterfalls.

“For this next treat, I have to blindfold you.”

Paige was excited not knowing what to expect as he guided her and sat her down.

It took a second after Mark removed the blindfold, then Paige screamed past the top of her lungs.

Mark continues to have terrible hearing to this day.

This week's rules: 

*Use the Photo Prompt

*Word limit: 75-word story (5-word leeway) based on the photo prompt.

* How: Post your story here in the comments. Include your word count (70 – 80 words, exclusive of title) and Twitter handle if you’ve got one.