<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Mayasmusings]]></title><description><![CDATA[Mayasmusings]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2026 06:48:15 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Villanelle]]></title><description><![CDATA[Reality falls away While my nose disappears into a book I wish that I could stay The world is nothing but gray Nothingness, emotionless crooks Reality falls away When all goes astray And everything has me shook I wish that I could stay But how can I stay Forever in a nook Reality falls away But the truth wants to outweigh Fiction I mistook I wish that I could stay But at the end of the day A story one must not overlook Even if reality falls away And I so wish that I could stay]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/villanelle</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6983d4971e55646770015052</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 23:23:40 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_fafb63acdbf4477080ccb947d252a263~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Christmas Book Haul]]></title><description><![CDATA[Books I got for Christmas (and plan to [hopefully] read this year)! Ender's Game  series by Orson Scott Card Shutter Island  by Dennis Lehane The Left-Handed Booksellers of London  by Garth Nix Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone  by Benjamin Stevenson Somewhere Beyond the Sea  by TJ Klune The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes  by Arthur Conan Doyle Ender's Game  is a sci-fi series, which is something I don't normally read, though I have enjoyed some sci-fi before. Shutter Island  is a...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/christmas-book-haul</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6972bc73affc20191ac26217</guid><category><![CDATA[Experiences]]></category><pubDate>Fri, 23 Jan 2026 00:19:41 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_6013565ca79147258290641082647379~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[2025 Favorite Books]]></title><description><![CDATA[My favorite books of 2025! Briefly Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End  by Alua Arthur A deeply insightful memoir about everything surrounding death, allowing one to completely enjoy life Game Changer  by Neal Shusterman An insight into how putting yourself into others' shoes can not only help you understand others, but also help you understand yourself Dry  by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman A look into how humanity reacts when one of the most...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/2025-favorite-books</link><guid isPermaLink="false">695afca1bd1cfb4bde7ce1bd</guid><category><![CDATA[Book Reviews]]></category><category><![CDATA[Experiences]]></category><pubDate>Sun, 18 Jan 2026 22:10:05 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/1dcf92556a1d4708bdb93d755649d71a.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[2025 Reading List]]></title><description><![CDATA[Here is the list of books I've read in 2025! Witchwood: A Ravenfall Novel  by Kalyn Josephson ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Sideways Stories from Wayside School  by Louis Sachar ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Briefly Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End  by Alua Arthur ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Game Changer  by Neal Shusterman ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings  by Maya Angelou ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Thursday Murder Club  by Richard Osman ⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Great Gatsby  by F. Scott Fitzgerald ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Death of a Salesman  by Arthur Miller ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/2025-reading-list</link><guid isPermaLink="false">694ca76b00b0d11d888a5b19</guid><category><![CDATA[Experiences]]></category><category><![CDATA[Book Reviews]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 25 Dec 2025 03:31:49 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_2729c010f5ed4ff0b48ba518ade6eef1~mv2.png/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Creative Writer's Notebook #27]]></title><description><![CDATA[Prompt #27 " Sunlight Awaits" Write a short piece, starting with the word "sunlight," ending with the word "awaits," and including in the body of your writing the following words: Sunlight Fridge Magnet Venerable Artistic Awaits 	Sunlight streams through the kitchen window, reflecting off of the singular fridge magnet that proves that the immaculate room isn't just for show. My real estate agent walks in, a venerable woman I've known for years. 	"Oh!" she says. "It seems they've missed...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/creative-writer-s-notebook-27</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6930e5e1beedf468e531aa26</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 04 Dec 2025 01:48:39 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/5c02851dd7974e6d97adaecb268aeecd.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["Graduation": A Poem]]></title><description><![CDATA[As we stand here today, reminiscing on what we have done, what do we remember? Is it the long nights we spent trying to complete  the last page of homework? Or is it the hours we wasted talking on the phone instead of reconciling face-to-face? Perhaps it’s the must of our grandparents’ basement that we visited every summer. Maybe it’s the wonder we felt every winter when boxes of magic appeared under a tree. As we stand there tomorrow, what will we remember, as we journey into a new...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/graduation-a-poem</link><guid isPermaLink="false">69268ebc8fab50c3b6a24ad4</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 27 Nov 2025 00:18:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/a403bdefe2704eb28ff307df2d652ee2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["No Longer Alone": Part 16]]></title><description><![CDATA[Five Years Later 	“Are you sure this is a good idea?” I ask Brynn as she straightens my tie. 	“Yes! Now get your fancy pants out there and stop complaining!” 	She pushes me out onto the stage, forcing me into the spotlight. I only have a few seconds to collect myself before I have to give my speech. The same speech I spent a month working on. The same speech I am most definitely not ready for. 	“Hello,” I say shakily into the microphone. “My name is Jaehyun Kang, and today I will be talking...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/no-longer-alone-part-16</link><guid isPermaLink="false">690fb2266509164f21b1f803</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 17 Nov 2025 23:55:17 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_ebe0c295bc5746edb31cbe9d9d57f4ae~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["No Longer Alone": Part 15]]></title><description><![CDATA[We  turn around to see a girl crossing her arms and raising her eyebrows expectantly.  	“So is this the twin sister you told me about?” Jack exclaims as he makes his way over. 	“Wow, I really see the family resemblance. I can’t believe you didn’t figure it out sooner.” 	“Yeah, thanks. To be clear, are you the ex-best friend Jaehyun says betrayed him and broke his spirits forever?” 	“Okay, that’s enough guys,” I declare, moving between them. “Calm down.” 	“Well,” Brynn says, drawing out the...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/no-longer-alone-part-15</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68feab8d064dd83bede48ff0</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 12 Nov 2025 00:07:20 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_b94c3fbd5a3b457ba5de802393c2c8eb~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["No Longer Alone": Part 14]]></title><description><![CDATA[“Hi, Jack.” 	“I’m surprised you’re talking to me.” 	“Me too.” 	“Don’t want to break up the reunion here,” Bryan interrupts. “But I think it’ll be better if I just take the chicken casserole and go. Thanks.” 	“Of course,” Jack says as he hands Bryan the container. After my old bunkmate disappears around an old piece of debris, Jack turns back to me. “So, how have you been?” 	“Oh, you know,” I answer, trying to think up a lie. I come up short. “Turns out I have a twin.” 	“That’s cool!” Jack...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/no-longer-alone-part-14</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68feaac5dc39b5e10eaff5d3</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 05 Nov 2025 00:25:06 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_cbe805f19f0048f5bfda994778a28cbb~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["No Longer Alone": Part 13]]></title><description><![CDATA[Eventually , I make it to the center of the city. Buildings loom over me as I keep riding, riding into the night. Last I checked, it was about six. Robert and Kareema must be worried by now. Let them worry. Let them try and find me. I don’t care anymore. Everyone I’ve ever cared about proved they don’t deserve my affection. First Jack, then Brynn, and even my parents. I let my legs move me without thought. It’s hard to tell how long I’ve been cycling, but I can estimate about ten minutes. I...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/no-longer-alone-part-13</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68fea9e9064dd83bede48ca5</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 27 Oct 2025 23:37:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_76652d523750436a4a446b~mv2_d_2592_4608_s_4_2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["No Longer Alone": Part 12]]></title><description><![CDATA[Jaehyun’s POV 	What is her problem? I think to myself when I walk past her into the house. More like a mansion compared to Robert and Kareema’s residence. Guess I was wrong about her. She doesn’t have my best interests at heart.  	When I enter the home, my jaw almost drops at how immaculate and pristine everything is. And then I see her. Brynn’s mother. My mother. Her eyes widen and her eyebrows shoot up at the sight of me. Brynn’s father, my father, is walking down the stairs when he...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/no-longer-alone-part-12</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68f81c6e32ef022fab120e70</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 21 Oct 2025 23:55:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_ed2042eeb5a240388dcfd2f9b25140d8~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["No Longer Alone": Part 11]]></title><description><![CDATA[Brynn’s POV 	I pace my room. I tried calling Jaehyun several more times after he abruptly hung up on me, but to no avail. What is he up to? Most likely getting into a boatload of trouble. Based on the question about my address, he’s coming here. Which is a mistake. If only he would pick up his dang phone. Then I could tell him how horrible this idea is, he would go home to his family, I would go through another loathsome family dinner, and everything would be right with the world! But nope!...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/no-longer-alone-part-11</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68f0565260ceb7e0d1fe709d</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Thu, 16 Oct 2025 02:23:02 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_a6701c3c308f449da51bbf5cccccfc99~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["No Longer Alone": Part 10]]></title><description><![CDATA[Jaehyun’s POV 	My phone rings frantically. I look at the caller ID and am surprised when I see the name “Brynn.” I convinced her to trade...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/no-longer-alone-part-10</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68db17aba224de4e51da9aea</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 29 Sep 2025 23:53:36 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_8570f096fe9b4b62967e73f6601b3f18~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["No Longer Alone": Part 9]]></title><description><![CDATA[Brynn's POV 	When school ends, I decide to head to the school’s front curb. That way, I can depart on my bike right when it hits 2:35 to...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/no-longer-alone-part-9</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68ab91bb689a6f2361112553</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 24 Sep 2025 00:00:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_5046edd306c44bd5a455274eb685f40a~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["No Longer Alone": Part 8]]></title><description><![CDATA[I decide not to open my envelope. I trust Brynn despite all the signs pointing to the opposite. I know we’re friends, and I know deep...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/no-longer-alone-part-8</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68ab910ee0731e332669c2cb</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 09 Sep 2025 23:37:41 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_57bb63571dfd4632b30629a4b98b4bb3~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["No Longer Alone": Part 7]]></title><description><![CDATA[I refuse to succumb to Jaehyun’s friendliness. I refuse to admit that we are, inexplicably, friends. But, it’s inevitable. So I decide to...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/no-longer-alone-part-7</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68ab9090e0731e332669c155</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 25 Aug 2025 23:15:16 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_5647e37eb5cf4f5480d52b1430337fca~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["No Longer Alone": Part 6]]></title><description><![CDATA[Jaeyhun's POV 	I look up and see Brynn walking away fast. I wonder what she’s up to…  I’m about to go and find out when the bell rings....]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/no-longer-alone-part-6</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68a51adf81e6ee2fae5f9b1f</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 20 Aug 2025 00:54:44 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_a4cbb996d3ef4eb6a733d07c0d97640b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["No Longer Alone": Part 5]]></title><description><![CDATA[I head to French class in a hurry. I just had  to stop at the bathroom. As I run, I think about Jaehyun and how I told him not to look at...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/no-longer-alone-part-5</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68804c4a83d12f9006186046</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Mon, 11 Aug 2025 23:53:48 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_2aae4ab89d0940b0b36fb9229bc08bce~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["No Longer Alone": Part 4]]></title><description><![CDATA[“Hello, students! My name is Mrs. Jenkins, and welcome to 10th-grade biology! We are going to have so much fun this year! Our first unit...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/no-longer-alone-part-4</link><guid isPermaLink="false">68804b239f4d273a26ddd052</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Tue, 05 Aug 2025 20:39:04 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/nsplsh_6b587a7259515f4137546b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA["No Longer Alone": Part 3]]></title><description><![CDATA[The following day I woke with a newfound energy. I want to get to know my town and family better. 	“Good morning Kareema! Good morning...]]></description><link>https://mayamhardin.wixsite.com/mayasmusings/post/no-longer-alone-part-3</link><guid isPermaLink="false">687d66ee19f1db2c0b5436c8</guid><category><![CDATA[Short Stories]]></category><pubDate>Wed, 23 Jul 2025 02:35:31 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/11062b_6864d981fa86430f84b3926857b21d8c~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Maya Hardin</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>