STORY INFO
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The Porcelain Village

Content

My clay hands are becoming solid porcelain. I have always had potter’s hands. The throwing water absorbs the moisturizing oils of the skin. Leaves the hands rough. The clay paste dries and cracks the skin. Leaving it red. But now my hands are hardening. In the bisque firing, my hands harden like porous greenware. The cremated carbon and sulfur escape, exhuming my soul from the earthen clay, little by little, drawing it back to its source. The soul stews out in a boiling whistl...

Outstanding reviews

Hi Jonathan!This story was absolutely breathtaking, and a well-deserved win! I love how you managed to create such a rich world in 3000 words or less I also highly admired the deep and beautiful imagery that you packed into every single sentence. Your characters were beautifully crafted. Their souls kept from the page. I adored them and hope that they only experience happiness after this transition.
Thanks Amanda!
Nice work, man. You use words good. ;)
Thanks Shawn!
Exceptional writing. You transported me with your descriptive visionary writing to being in the room with them throughout this story. Absolutely, well deserved & an inspiring win (from a newbie aspiring writer!)
Thanks Trudy!
Congrats! Your prose is stellar as usual. I've been seeing your stories for a few weeks and pleased to see you get highlighted. Paragraphs like these are just amazing: "The palms petrify. The flesh sinters and binds to itself. In the glaze firing, my hands glow red as the enamel stiffens and makes the fingers rigid and reflective. The silicate vitrifies and turns to glass. Dust becomes crystal—like a baby’s flesh crystalizing into the windows of the eyes. I am born again in the womb of the kiln."
Thanks Scott! I love your work and have been reading as much of it as I can!
"If I am a simple rice bowl, Dandan is a hand painted dining set." Love the artistic use of words here. Delightful read.
Thanks Sarah!
Wonderful. It reminds me in part of Amy Tan. Authentic and peaceful. Well done Jonathan. You are more than ready to write that novel and I would hope to read it.
I'm new to reedsy so first time I read one of your stories. I'll read more as I enjoy and admire your talent. You are a winner. I hope you're working on a novel. Judging by the number of submissions here, you are doing what you love to do. It's not all about money. I wish you great success. Cheers
I am SERIOUSLY impressed by this story and your ability to breathe life into every sentence.Would it be wrong to say I’m jealous? HahaThis is the kind of writing that I aspire to, fantastic and a well-deserved win!
Thanks Dilettante!
i love your work
Thanks Inioluwa!
I am so happy to have read your story. It was heartfelt and soothing to read. Also it was nice to see a different cultural perspective that I had never really known before.
Thanks Chalice!
Brilliant imagery, and well-crafted emotion. Thank you for a fabulous story.
Thanks Kerry!
Amazing story! Really excellent descriptions and a total immersion experience. Congrats!
Thanks Claudia!
A beautiful and captivating story! A joy to read!
Thanks Emma!
Thanks Emma!
Thanks Rebecca!
Thanks Rebecca!
Thanks Michal!
Jonathan - just one word: Brilliant.
Thanks Robert!
Congrats.
Thanks Philip!
Welcome.
Congratulations, Jonathan. I enjoyed this story very much. You captured the essence of a working mother along with so many fine details of your character's surroundings that I wonder if you've spent time in China. Your story is a lovely, lovely piece of work that conveys delicacy, beauty, pride, longsuffering... reflective of the culture of it's people (as I understand it). Another fine touch were all the references to nature. They were succinct, exquisite... reminiscent of haiku. Thanks!
Thanks Sherry!
A really lovely use of descriptive imagery, and you construct a rich, immersive setting. The motif of pottery creates texture throughout the story, and poignantly so, as the narrator loses sense of physical touch. Congrats on the win!! So happy for you :)
Thanks Ean!
Beautiful story, immersive, with artistic descriptions and cultural elements. I liked the characters very much, and the story felt interesting, with nice flow. Congratulations on the win!
Thanks Belladona! I love your stories and will keep reading all of them. I've always been very gun shy about putting my writing out there, but it is such a good group, it has been giving me a lot more confidence--and reading everyone's work I am really seeing a lot of great ideas and a lot of great authors who enjoy doing this. It is very inspiring!

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