Not Just Having A Good Time, But immersed in Misery and Conflict

 

 

This month's topic is what inspiration lies beyond your characters. Right now I'm thinking about my latest novel, Such Stuff As Dreams, scheduled for  publication in October of this year.  The story was inspired by my mother's scrapbooks, photo albums.and a couple of letters.  Mom had the trip of a lifetime in 1928, when as  a 22 year old schoolmarm from a tiny Kansas town, she was invited by  girlhood friends to spend the summer with them in Pomona, California. California! Oranges! Fun! Romance!  From the  looks of the scrapbooks and the photo albums she had a wonderful time.Now, a writer should never, ever write a novel about people having a wonderful time.  Think The Great Gatsby.   Yes, there are exciting parties, but the main characters (including Gatsby) are not enjoying themselves.  They're conflicted, even lost. The party-goers whom Gatsby doesn't even know are the only ones having a great time. Gatsby, yearning for Daisy and hoping to impress her,  does not have a fun, nor do any of the supporting characters enjoy themselves.  Everyone has inner conflicts.  Everyone.  

So it is with my novel, Such Stuff As Dreams.  The further I went into the writing, the more I discovered that for my characters, life is wasn't fun and games, not by any means. The main character, Carla, discovers she has the wrong clothes, doesn't know the latest dances (the suggestive version of the Black Botton).  She has to remind herself to call the latest kitchen appliance a refrigerator not an icebox. She is arrested en route home from a costume party, because the police think she's a gypsy.  The chief of police gets fresh. And so on.  He new romance is strewn with obstacles.  I put my characters through the wringer, all in the interest of a good story.    

Here are some bloggers who always have an excellent take on our topics:

 Diane Bator: dibator@hotmail.com

 Marci Baun: mgbaun@wildchildpublishing.com

Victoria Chatham vmchatham@gmail.com

Helena Fairfax : helena.fairfax@gmail.com>

 A.J. : aim.dyer@gmail.com

Dr. Bob Rich: robert.rich01@bigpond.com

 Anne Stenhouse:  mypostoffice@annestenhouse.co.uk

Skye Taylor:  skyetaylor@gmail.com

 

Faavorite things to do to get away from (sob!) stalled writing?

 Does it help you to resume with new ideas on the book you are writing?

 

Okay, we have two questions here, maybe three.  Third question is what do you do when technology, i. e.. email fails you?  

Answer:  you spent countless hours on the phone with Apple Help and Help from your internet provider.  Like half a day.  Is is fixed?  Well, kinda, sorta.  Next question? 

What do I do  when I have to get away from stalled writing?  My writing has been more or less stalled since Covid hit us.  What have I done? 

 Facebook essays 

Currently gardening: it soothes the soul.  I love gardening

Cooking delicious meals.  Just started into this seriously four months ago.  Always seems productive. Last night it was Greek chicken.  Tonight quiche with spinach and pancetta.  Yum!

Cleaning old "stuff" out of the house.  Seeing empty shelves again.  Cleaned garage after a long hiatus.  Anything but write.  

Re-read what I have written?. Does it stink?  Surprisingly no. Determined to write again after I get more stuff done.  Etsy shop,  swapping out winter clothes for summer clothes.  Mess in basement.  BIG mess in basement.  Clean out files.  Haul paper to shredder.  

But reader, this weekend I intend to spend one-half day writing.  Do I still remember how?  I think so.  

  Not sure who is participating this month. 

Saturday, May 28 2022

XX

Dr. Bob Rich  

Connie Vines 

Anne Stenhouse 

Diane Bator 

A.J. Maguire 

Rhobin Courtright