Character Explorations
2019
Whether living in a house of cards or a chicken suit, life is full of intriguing stories.
Melina, a young girl in search of happiness, embarked on a journey that seemed to stretch beyond time itself.
From the ocean’s rolling waves to the endless sky, she wandered, seeking what lay beyond the castles in the air that only her dreams could touch. Along the way, she found gardens of love blooming in unexpected places, yet the elusive nature of happiness remained, just out of reach.
She passed the empty fortress that once held joy but now stood silent, its walls echoing with memories of what was and what could have been. The land was vast, so beautiful, so full of promise, yet there was no special hurry, for she understood that some journeys unfold at their own pace.
As she journeyed through the landscapes of the heart, she discovered that happiness wasn’t a destination, but a way of seeing the world—each place, each moment, as the same kind of different as her own soul.
Melina: Happiness Is
Book Titles:
Happiness Is
BEYOND TIME
FROM THE OCEAN TO THE SKY
CASTLES IN THE AIR
GARDENS OF LOVE
Happiness Is
The Empty Fortress
SO VAST SO BEAUTIFUL A LAND
NO SPECIAL HURRY
LANDSCAPES OF THE HEART
same kind of different As me.
Charlie, a small boy with a big imagination, was on a mission to fool his mother into thinking he had chickenpox so he could avoid going to school for just one more day.
To him, the importance of being sick was clear—it meant staying home, away from the endless lessons and the schoolyard politics. He knew that at least for a few hours, he could wield absolute power, lying there with a bowl of soup and the luxury of not caring about math homework.
It took all his courage to suffer through the little act, covering his face with pretend spots, as if nothing could be finer than a crisis that was minor in the morning, a tiny inconvenience to everyone but him. Growing up in a world where television told him that adventures and excitement lay beyond the mundane, he was convinced that he needed to hold on to his childhood comforts at any cost.
After all, if he couldn't have his "best life now," he might as well make today his best sick day.
Charlie: Contracting Chickenpox
Book Titles:
The Importance of Being Sick
for one more day
ABSOLUTE POWER
COURAGE TO SUFFER
Nothing Could Be Finer Than a Crisis That Is Minor In the Morning
GROWING UP ON TELEVISION
AT ANY COST
Your Best Life Now
Charlie lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, trying to summon the courage to fall asleep without thinking about the monsters he was sure lurked just beneath him.
He knew they were the kind of monsters that only a kid who was definitely not scared could recognize. He’d heard it all before —You’ve been warned, Charlie. Stay safe in bed, or else... As if that would stop anything. Charlie wasn’t some crybaby who would let a few creaks and bumps make him lose his tough-guy nerve.
But even the bravest warriors sometimes prayed for sleep to come quickly, especially when the darkness felt a little too close. He could almost hear the ominous music playing out “the events leading up to my death" in the form of some snarly creature with glowing eyes waiting for him to fall asleep. He wasn’t scared, though. Of course, not.
He just hoped if something did happen, he’d get the credit for being the hero who bravely faced it with one eye half open. "If I should die before I wake," Charlie thought ironically, "at least I’ll know I had a really good reason to stay up all night."
Charlie: Who You Callin’ Chicken!?
Book Titles:
Praying for Sleep
Out There in the Dark
You’ve Been Warned
EVENTS LEADING UP TO MY DEATH
Monsters Under the Bed and Other Childhood Fears
If I Should Die Before I Wake…
Editorial Note: The above stories were created in a fun little collaboration with AI, prompted by the book titles and the general mood I desired for each piece. My intent was to provide a bit more of an emotional backdrop, evoking the vibe and undertones of the art.