Showing posts with label Prompts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prompts. Show all posts
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Words of Art 9.27
Today's writing prompt asks you to come up with an original poem, short story, journal entry, etc., inspired by the picture posted below. Feel free to share your thoughts below. I'll be posting mine later because I have a crochet project calling my name.
Monday, September 26, 2011
Words of the Week
Here are today's Words of the Week and since I'm about to scoot off to take my son to school and then head to water aerobics, I'll have to post my short story later this afternoon.
Prompt: Use the following words in an original work: short story, poem, journal entry, etc.. Feel free to share your work in the comments section below.
Floe: A sheet of flowing ice
Gibber: Speak rapidly and unintelligibly
Kudos: Praise, honor
Parable: A story told to illustrate a moral
Contusion: Bruise, Injury
_____________________________________________________________________
Early November on the coast was already freezing. Out in the distance, a gaggle of seagulls bobbed on the water like a floe of jagged ice. It wouldn't surprise me to see ice already; it was bitter cold or maybe that was just the constant black cloud over my head doing my thinking for me again.
I gripped the old beat up copy of Ella and Emma and their adventures in the attic; the beloved parable my mother was most proud of. As a little girl, I'd read the same story and wondered how two seemingly bright little girls could get into so much trouble in an attic and why they needed so much trouble to learn the simplest of lessons. Life shouldn't hurt this much.
I was a doctor, I helped people from simple contusions to delicate cardiac surgeries. Now here I was six months pregnant, listening to the gibber of the cold ocean tides as if they held some secret I needed to know. When had life gotten so messy?
"Momma," Max said, tugging on the sleeve of my sweater. He looked so much like his father in that instant I felt my heart slam into my chest.
"It's too cold out here for us." I took his hand and started back up the beach toward the road.
"Momma sad. Max loves Momma." He clapped his hands together and looked up at me with his father's big brown eyes.
For just a moment, that was all the kudos I needed to remember just how lucky I was despite what our family was going through.
Prompt: Use the following words in an original work: short story, poem, journal entry, etc.. Feel free to share your work in the comments section below.
Floe: A sheet of flowing ice
Gibber: Speak rapidly and unintelligibly
Kudos: Praise, honor
Parable: A story told to illustrate a moral
Contusion: Bruise, Injury
_____________________________________________________________________
Early November on the coast was already freezing. Out in the distance, a gaggle of seagulls bobbed on the water like a floe of jagged ice. It wouldn't surprise me to see ice already; it was bitter cold or maybe that was just the constant black cloud over my head doing my thinking for me again.
I gripped the old beat up copy of Ella and Emma and their adventures in the attic; the beloved parable my mother was most proud of. As a little girl, I'd read the same story and wondered how two seemingly bright little girls could get into so much trouble in an attic and why they needed so much trouble to learn the simplest of lessons. Life shouldn't hurt this much.
I was a doctor, I helped people from simple contusions to delicate cardiac surgeries. Now here I was six months pregnant, listening to the gibber of the cold ocean tides as if they held some secret I needed to know. When had life gotten so messy?
"Momma," Max said, tugging on the sleeve of my sweater. He looked so much like his father in that instant I felt my heart slam into my chest.
"It's too cold out here for us." I took his hand and started back up the beach toward the road.
"Momma sad. Max loves Momma." He clapped his hands together and looked up at me with his father's big brown eyes.
For just a moment, that was all the kudos I needed to remember just how lucky I was despite what our family was going through.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Chain - Chain - Chain
(Did that title also make you think of Aretha Franklin?)
*From Room to Write by Bonni Goldberg*
PROMPT: Today, try a trick. Write one of the following words at the top of a page: fence, road, boil, or fall. Now without thinking or stopping, write whatever other words come to mind in a list down the middle of the page until you reach the bottom. Write a piece in which each line uses one of these words in the order in which they appear.
**********
"I fool myself, in a good way, into dodging the pressure. I tell myself that I'm not trying to write a scene, I'm just making some notes for the day." ~~Marsha Norman
**********
Fence
Grass
Privacy
Neighbors
Garden
Out
Picket
Home
Children
Dog
Happy
Family
Secure
Ivy
Tethered
Outside
Fortress
Hills
Trees
Dirt
Roses
Weeds
Jagged
Disrepair
Sad
Memories
She liked to feel the grass underfoot, squishing her toes down against the vibrant green blades. It'd been a long time since she'd had this kind of privacy. In the suburbs, neighbors made it a priority to know your business and then make it gossip-worthy. Standing amid the garden, she couldn't see any other windows or houses. She was out of the city, out of the suburbs.
Whoever would have thought she'd crave living on a ranch where white picket fences weren't just some cliche accessory to make your neighbors think life was perfect? This was her new home and the thought made her heart race. Her children would like this place, she had no doubt. For the first time in her life, she wanted a dog, a companion to share the front seat of an old rusted truck.She would be happy here. This was the kind of place where a family could strive, could get back to what was really important without distractions like iPods and texting and television shows. This was the kind of place where families were secure.
The thought gave her pause as she ran her fingertips over the leaves of ivy that snaked up around the long post of a bird feeder. A halo of colorful flowers was tethered to the feeder, almost like a memorial for something lost and loved. Chewing on what was left of her fingernail, she forced herself to think about being outside, about becoming a lover of the outdoors. There was a stable on the other side of the garden, a building that looked more like a fortress than a home for horses. She took off down the path out of the garden and toward the stable, amazed at the sight of rolling hills in the distance. Great, looming pine trees dotted the perimeter to the west, separating her new property from her nearest neighbor; three miles down the road. At the door of the stable she kicked her toe into the dirt, just to watch the dusty aftermath settle on the cowboy boots she never thought she'd ever want.
The smell of roses was strong and distinct in the air, like a hundred blue ribbon stallions had graced the stalls. She swung the doors open and stepped inside, unsure if she'd find an empty space overrun by weeds or a hoarder's paradise. Jagged rays of sunlight hit the ground she walked on. As she looked around, amazed at the cleanliness before her, she took note of the one stall that seemed to be in total disrepair.
In the wood of stall beams was a sad little heart and initials carved into the deterioration. It was broken, like her heart, and suddenly all the memories of her losses came sweeping back in an uncontrollable deluge of tears and guilt.
*From Room to Write by Bonni Goldberg*
PROMPT: Today, try a trick. Write one of the following words at the top of a page: fence, road, boil, or fall. Now without thinking or stopping, write whatever other words come to mind in a list down the middle of the page until you reach the bottom. Write a piece in which each line uses one of these words in the order in which they appear.
**********
"I fool myself, in a good way, into dodging the pressure. I tell myself that I'm not trying to write a scene, I'm just making some notes for the day." ~~Marsha Norman
**********
Fence
Grass
Privacy
Neighbors
Garden
Out
Picket
Home
Children
Dog
Happy
Family
Secure
Ivy
Tethered
Outside
Fortress
Hills
Trees
Dirt
Roses
Weeds
Jagged
Disrepair
Sad
Memories
She liked to feel the grass underfoot, squishing her toes down against the vibrant green blades. It'd been a long time since she'd had this kind of privacy. In the suburbs, neighbors made it a priority to know your business and then make it gossip-worthy. Standing amid the garden, she couldn't see any other windows or houses. She was out of the city, out of the suburbs.
Whoever would have thought she'd crave living on a ranch where white picket fences weren't just some cliche accessory to make your neighbors think life was perfect? This was her new home and the thought made her heart race. Her children would like this place, she had no doubt. For the first time in her life, she wanted a dog, a companion to share the front seat of an old rusted truck.She would be happy here. This was the kind of place where a family could strive, could get back to what was really important without distractions like iPods and texting and television shows. This was the kind of place where families were secure.
The thought gave her pause as she ran her fingertips over the leaves of ivy that snaked up around the long post of a bird feeder. A halo of colorful flowers was tethered to the feeder, almost like a memorial for something lost and loved. Chewing on what was left of her fingernail, she forced herself to think about being outside, about becoming a lover of the outdoors. There was a stable on the other side of the garden, a building that looked more like a fortress than a home for horses. She took off down the path out of the garden and toward the stable, amazed at the sight of rolling hills in the distance. Great, looming pine trees dotted the perimeter to the west, separating her new property from her nearest neighbor; three miles down the road. At the door of the stable she kicked her toe into the dirt, just to watch the dusty aftermath settle on the cowboy boots she never thought she'd ever want.
The smell of roses was strong and distinct in the air, like a hundred blue ribbon stallions had graced the stalls. She swung the doors open and stepped inside, unsure if she'd find an empty space overrun by weeds or a hoarder's paradise. Jagged rays of sunlight hit the ground she walked on. As she looked around, amazed at the cleanliness before her, she took note of the one stall that seemed to be in total disrepair.
In the wood of stall beams was a sad little heart and initials carved into the deterioration. It was broken, like her heart, and suddenly all the memories of her losses came sweeping back in an uncontrollable deluge of tears and guilt.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Words of Art (The Reader)
This week's photo is one I took of a painting I bought a long time ago. I found it at a yard sale and I don't know who the artist is. There are no identifying signatures on the front or back of the painting. I don't know why I bought it. It went with nothing in our home, and still doesn't, but I had to have it and now that I have it, I can't let it go either.
The object of this prompt is to write an original piece (short story, poem, journal entry, etc.) inspired by the picture posted. I'd love to read anything that you all come up with and comments are always welcome.
__________________________________________________________
Today, I'm just going to write my thoughts about this painting because everything I try to sit down and write seems too stiff and rehearsed. I bought this painting at a yard sale for three dollars. I wasn't in the market for a painting and I still don't know why it had to be this one. I imagine her name was Elizabeth and I get the sense she's not reading at all. I imagine that she is hiding her true feelings as best she can. Perhaps someone is watching her and she doesn't want that person to know the thoughts swirling around in her head. I imagine she's innocent, but strong and determined, although most everyone around her seems to think she's meek and fragile. When I look at this painting, it makes me thoughtful, curious about her, about what book she's holding. I think she looks very unhappy and it makes me sad for her.
The object of this prompt is to write an original piece (short story, poem, journal entry, etc.) inspired by the picture posted. I'd love to read anything that you all come up with and comments are always welcome.
__________________________________________________________
Today, I'm just going to write my thoughts about this painting because everything I try to sit down and write seems too stiff and rehearsed. I bought this painting at a yard sale for three dollars. I wasn't in the market for a painting and I still don't know why it had to be this one. I imagine her name was Elizabeth and I get the sense she's not reading at all. I imagine that she is hiding her true feelings as best she can. Perhaps someone is watching her and she doesn't want that person to know the thoughts swirling around in her head. I imagine she's innocent, but strong and determined, although most everyone around her seems to think she's meek and fragile. When I look at this painting, it makes me thoughtful, curious about her, about what book she's holding. I think she looks very unhappy and it makes me sad for her.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Words of the Week (Mardi Gras)
Words of the Week is a writing prompt where you're given about five words to use in an original short story, poem, or journal entry. This weeks words are;
Cavalcade: A dramatic sequence or procession.
Lampoon: Publicly mock or ridicule
Noxious: Harmful, poisonous.
Jocular: Characterized by joking
Mutable: Prone to or capable of change
_________________________________________________________________
She watched the parade from the safety of her apartment balcony, relishing in the barely audible sound of classical piano playing from the speakers in her living room. It didn't match the tone of the cavalcade of performers or drunken onlookers below her. It was soothing, such a stark contrast to the noxious smell of sloshed beer that wafted below.
Anyone who knew her would suspect she loathed the annual parade through the streets below, but she rather enjoyed the sight of it. People hung out with their friends and family, laughing, drinking, joking. These people were free to let go and completely uninhibited. She longed to be that way, to feel the rush of blood from a spontaneous decision she knew was probably bad for her but refused to care.
She took a drink of wine right from the bottle. That was about as wild as she was capable of. Most people were mutable, able to adapt to change, but how long had she been living in the Big Easy? She'd yet to experience anything but gumbo and live blues music.
She watched a group of guys below her apartment yelling at a group of college girls who'd just won Mardi Gras beads. Purple and green strands hung from their necks as they took another swig of something in a brown paper bag. One of the guys dared to cross the street and ask for a phone number or a one night stand. She couldn't be sure which, but the girl's answer had been no either way. Red faced, the college guy went back to his friends and of course was lampooned with hearty laughter and jokes she wished she could hear from her perch above them.
____________________________________________________________
Can you use all five words in a short original work?
Cavalcade: A dramatic sequence or procession.
Lampoon: Publicly mock or ridicule
Noxious: Harmful, poisonous.
Jocular: Characterized by joking
Mutable: Prone to or capable of change
_________________________________________________________________
She watched the parade from the safety of her apartment balcony, relishing in the barely audible sound of classical piano playing from the speakers in her living room. It didn't match the tone of the cavalcade of performers or drunken onlookers below her. It was soothing, such a stark contrast to the noxious smell of sloshed beer that wafted below.
Anyone who knew her would suspect she loathed the annual parade through the streets below, but she rather enjoyed the sight of it. People hung out with their friends and family, laughing, drinking, joking. These people were free to let go and completely uninhibited. She longed to be that way, to feel the rush of blood from a spontaneous decision she knew was probably bad for her but refused to care.
She took a drink of wine right from the bottle. That was about as wild as she was capable of. Most people were mutable, able to adapt to change, but how long had she been living in the Big Easy? She'd yet to experience anything but gumbo and live blues music.
She watched a group of guys below her apartment yelling at a group of college girls who'd just won Mardi Gras beads. Purple and green strands hung from their necks as they took another swig of something in a brown paper bag. One of the guys dared to cross the street and ask for a phone number or a one night stand. She couldn't be sure which, but the girl's answer had been no either way. Red faced, the college guy went back to his friends and of course was lampooned with hearty laughter and jokes she wished she could hear from her perch above them.
____________________________________________________________
Can you use all five words in a short original work?
Friday, September 16, 2011
Friday 45 (The Seductive Muse)
The Seductive Muse
Is strong, creative, beautiful and driven to creative projects that show the world who she is. She is able to stay cool under pressure, usually seeing the simplest solution to the biggest problems. She often desires a deep connection of love with one man but cannot give up the thrill of the chase. Needs many relationships and experiences to feel alive. Her open sexual nature and the power it gives her generally gives this kind of character a bad rap in the real world. This open sexuality often causes her problems when she looks to get married or start a family. May often find herself in the role of mistress as it is difficult for men to see her as a wife and mother, despite her charm. Sex seems to be the answer and root of all her problems.
She cares about the intimate parts of a relationship and loves being in control. She doesn't openly dominate men, but will manipulate them with her charm. She can read body language well and often tries to awaken those hidden desires in her partners and friends. She will construct a wall if she has been hurt by a lover, convincing herself that someone better is just around the corner. Friendships with other women are important, but rarely does she have a true best friend. She wants other women to express their sexuality as openly as she does, but only other Seductive Muses can truly understand her intensity and appreciate it. This also makes it harder for her to understand the other archetypes.
She fears losing her sexuality, allure and creativity. Rejection of any kind would be a huge blow to her ego, especially if it comes from a lover. She always wants to be the one who ends the relationship because her charm over men is what gives her power. Aging is her enemy. It would feel like the end for her. She may not get married but fear of isolation definitely fuels her need for people and attention. She might be afraid that other women hate her for the attention she receives, but she hates more not being the center of it. She is best suited to befriend Amazons, who are just as extroverted but also protective of her, like a big sister, and with Maidens who look up to her. If she is around other Seductive Muses, their friendships become competitive very fast.
Motivation for her is an urge to create and it doesn't matter whether she is publicly recognized for that creation or not. The need to produce things and experience life to the fullest is deeply rooted within her. She wears alluring clothes and is mostly likely always ahead of the trends. Everything about her ensemble will appear to be perfect and always has an inner glow or star quality that cannot be denied.
Developing her character arc: She will want to be recognized for her brain instead of just her beauty. She might have to learn that physical looks are temporary and superficial. She will want a true soul mate who sees her for who she really is. She will also need to learn to plan for the future instead of always living for the moment. To grow, she is best paired with one of the following;
The Woman's Man: He is capable of teaching her to value herself for her mind and spirit as well as her body.
The Messiah: He can teach her how to channel her sexual energy to advance spiritually.
The Recluse and Mystic: He can teach her to know herself deep down inside or how to be alone without fear of abandonment.
The Amazon: he can teach her how to set limits and accept discipline as a positive in her life.
Assets: Loves to be the center of attention, has a need to express herself, smart, creative, emotional, loves herself and body in a healthy way, loves to dress up and wear alluring clothes, enjoys sex, enjoys female friendships, encourages other women to be creative and sexual, inspires men.
Flaws: Is unable to do things alone, lives for the moment, never thinking or planning for the future, falls in and out of love easily, is manipulative and flirtatious, is impulsive and promiscuous, is very self-focused.
Examples:
Samantha Jones from Sex and the City (Kim Cattrall)
Vivian Ward from Pretty Woman (Julia Roberts)
Marilyn Monroe
Do you have a character who fits into the Seductive Muse role?
Is strong, creative, beautiful and driven to creative projects that show the world who she is. She is able to stay cool under pressure, usually seeing the simplest solution to the biggest problems. She often desires a deep connection of love with one man but cannot give up the thrill of the chase. Needs many relationships and experiences to feel alive. Her open sexual nature and the power it gives her generally gives this kind of character a bad rap in the real world. This open sexuality often causes her problems when she looks to get married or start a family. May often find herself in the role of mistress as it is difficult for men to see her as a wife and mother, despite her charm. Sex seems to be the answer and root of all her problems.
She cares about the intimate parts of a relationship and loves being in control. She doesn't openly dominate men, but will manipulate them with her charm. She can read body language well and often tries to awaken those hidden desires in her partners and friends. She will construct a wall if she has been hurt by a lover, convincing herself that someone better is just around the corner. Friendships with other women are important, but rarely does she have a true best friend. She wants other women to express their sexuality as openly as she does, but only other Seductive Muses can truly understand her intensity and appreciate it. This also makes it harder for her to understand the other archetypes.
She fears losing her sexuality, allure and creativity. Rejection of any kind would be a huge blow to her ego, especially if it comes from a lover. She always wants to be the one who ends the relationship because her charm over men is what gives her power. Aging is her enemy. It would feel like the end for her. She may not get married but fear of isolation definitely fuels her need for people and attention. She might be afraid that other women hate her for the attention she receives, but she hates more not being the center of it. She is best suited to befriend Amazons, who are just as extroverted but also protective of her, like a big sister, and with Maidens who look up to her. If she is around other Seductive Muses, their friendships become competitive very fast.
Motivation for her is an urge to create and it doesn't matter whether she is publicly recognized for that creation or not. The need to produce things and experience life to the fullest is deeply rooted within her. She wears alluring clothes and is mostly likely always ahead of the trends. Everything about her ensemble will appear to be perfect and always has an inner glow or star quality that cannot be denied.
Developing her character arc: She will want to be recognized for her brain instead of just her beauty. She might have to learn that physical looks are temporary and superficial. She will want a true soul mate who sees her for who she really is. She will also need to learn to plan for the future instead of always living for the moment. To grow, she is best paired with one of the following;
The Woman's Man: He is capable of teaching her to value herself for her mind and spirit as well as her body.
The Messiah: He can teach her how to channel her sexual energy to advance spiritually.
The Recluse and Mystic: He can teach her to know herself deep down inside or how to be alone without fear of abandonment.
The Amazon: he can teach her how to set limits and accept discipline as a positive in her life.
Assets: Loves to be the center of attention, has a need to express herself, smart, creative, emotional, loves herself and body in a healthy way, loves to dress up and wear alluring clothes, enjoys sex, enjoys female friendships, encourages other women to be creative and sexual, inspires men.
Flaws: Is unable to do things alone, lives for the moment, never thinking or planning for the future, falls in and out of love easily, is manipulative and flirtatious, is impulsive and promiscuous, is very self-focused.
Examples:
Samantha Jones from Sex and the City (Kim Cattrall)
Vivian Ward from Pretty Woman (Julia Roberts)
Marilyn Monroe
Do you have a character who fits into the Seductive Muse role?
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Character Interview
First and foremost, I need to direct you all to this blog HERE. Reading her last couple posts have inspired me to share with you the "interview" process I go through with my MCs. It sounds easy, right? Well, I'll warn you now, it's a long list of questions that I try not to rush through and I try to give thorough answers to. I sometimes complete the interview in a day, sometimes it takes a week. It just depends on how easily the character's voice comes to me.
Also, a few of the questions may repeat, but that's because I tend to add and edit as I fill them out. So, this is an interview I conducted for December Sloane, the heroine of Living Behind Glass Shadows.
1. Start out with a couple pictures of what you imagine the character to look like. December is supposed to be half Puerto Rican, so I was looking for a character who has Latina characteristics. I chose Sofia Vergara as a visual muse for this character.
2. At this point I have a general idea for the story so I tend to know the major plot points I'll be working with, which I think can either help you or harbor you when answering the following questions from the character's POV. I try to answer the questions as if the story has yet to happen. It covers a bit of everything from past to present to what the character is looking for in his/her future.
3. Feel free to copy the questions if you'd like to ask of your own characters. I keep a blank file of the questions and copy and paste them into a new document for my new characters.
4. Not everything in the interview will or needs to make it into the story, but I find that I can come up with ideas about my character's emotional state throughout the story by reading through the answers to these questions. Also, I realize I refer to her brother as both Avery and Tucker. His name changed by the time I got around to writing him.
What is your character’s full name? December Liliana Sloane
The reason behind the name? December was the only word of English my grandmother, Liliana could speak. She loved Christmas.
Nickname? Some of my friends just call me Sloane
Birth date? June 5th, 1983
Astrological sign. Any significance? Gemini. Don’t think it has any significance. Don’t believe in that stuff.
Glasses or contacts? Neither, but I’d prefer contacts if I had to.
Typical hairstyle? Long and wavy, but usually always pulled back in a ponytail.
Typically healthy? Yes.
What kind of distinguishing facial features does your character have? Big brown eyes.
Birthmark? Where is it? Small, cherry shaped brown spot on the back of my left thigh.
Scars? How did they get them? Some small scars on my hands from kitchen accidents.
Who are the friends and family? Who does he/she surround herself with? Who are they closest to? Who does she wish she was closest to? My mother is Maria Sloane. I have a sister, Harper, and a brother, Tucker. I’m the oldest. I’m closest to my mother, and although Harper and I have a bit of a rocky relationship, she and I are very close. They’re really the only family I know. I wish I could be closer to my father’s family, but they live out of state.
Where was she born? Pittsburgh
Where does she live? Pittsburgh
Where has she lived her whole life? I grew up in Pittsburgh, but moved to New York for college and culinary school. Moved back home to Pittsburgh afterward.
Where does your character go when she’s angry? The kitchen. I find myself there whenever my emotional roller coaster hits a peak in any of the emotions.
What’s her biggest fear? Who has she told this to? Who would she never tell and why? My biggest fear would probably be getting married and having a family. I’ve talked to my boyfriend, Josh, about this. I’d never tell my mother. I wouldn’t want her to feel like it was her fault.
Does she have a secret? Hmmm….I don’t think so.
What makes your character laugh out loud? I have a very dry, witty kind of humor. I like jokes and situations where you actually have to think about the words said, and process them to get it. I don’t really get into the crude humor and I stay away from anything overtly offensive.
When has your character ever been in love? Ever had a broken heart? I loved Alex Brooks. He was my first true love. And leaving him broke my heart. Now I think I’m in love with Josh.
What’s in the fridge right now? On her bedroom floor? On her nightstand? In her trash? I have a lot of things in the fridge. I’m a chef. Lots of fresh vegetables, herbs, fruits, juice, wine, milk, water, yogurts, and meats.
Look at her feet. What do you see there? Does she wear dress shoes or gym shoes? Is she in socks that are all ratty and holey? Or a pair of slippers knitted by her grandmother? My toes are painted right now, chocolate wine I think. I usually wear a comfortable pair of sneakers or dress shoes since I’m on my feet all day, but if I go out I like to dress up and I love shoes. I have a ton of high heels in my closet I rarely get to wear.
When she thinks of her childhood kitchen, what smells come to mind? Why? Lots of spices and the smell of tortillas on a cast iron warmer. Mom is Puerto Rican so our food always had vibrant colors, loud spices, and tortillas.
She’s spring cleaning. What is easy for her to get rid of? What is difficult? I don’t really have a problem throwing anything away. Except cookbooks or food magazines. I get ideas and inspiration from those so I have tons of them around the apartment.
Saturday at noon, what is your character doing? Give details. I’m either in the kitchen, in the office, or on my way to the kitchen. Work keeps me busy, especially the weekends.
What is one strong detail that has stuck with your character since childhood? Why is it so powerful and lasting? My father’s death. He was a policeman and I was with him when he died. We pulled up outside the International Grocery store and there was a robbery in progress. We were in the back of the store when we heard gunfire. Dad hid me between the freezer and a display. I saw him pull his weapon out of his holster and he left me there so I’d be safe. He ended up getting shot in the chest. But that didn’t stop him from firing two shots at the suspect. The guy who killed my father got out of the store with less than one hundred dollars. He made it three miles before he crashed the car into a stop light. He almost bled to death, but paramedics saved his life. He killed my father and two other people in the store that day and paramedics saved him.
Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where is she going? Who will she be with? What will she wear? Karaoke. I work far too long on the weekends to enjoy going out to the bar, so Nora and Spencer, Josh and I will go out on Wednesday’s for karaoke. I usually take this opportunity to break out my heel collection. I prefer jeans to dresses and a flashy little top.
What is her greatest achievement? Why? Opening the restaurant. It was something I worked really hard for, something I didn’t think was ever possible. And it’s really successful so I’m very proud.
What is her idea of perfect happiness? Perfect happiness would be a successful career doing what you love, having time to spend with someone you love, and enjoying the perks of being successful.
What is her current state of mind? Totally career focused right now.
What is her favorite occupation? Chef/Restaurateur.
What is your most treasured possession? A baseball glove. It was a gift from my father, the last gift he ever bought me.
What or who is the greatest love of your life? Bruce, my cat. He’s a short haired tabby. I named him after my father’s favorite baseball player, Bruce Kison from the Pirates.
What is your favorite journey? I kinda like the one I’m on right now. My life is starting to calm down and the pieces are falling into place. I am anxious to see where I go from here.
What is your most marked characteristic? My curves. I think it’s part of my Latina heritage.
When and where were you happiest? Dad used to take me to baseball games when I was a little girl. They’re my fondest memories. Sitting in the seats, all the screams and shouts, people we didn’t know but we were all there for the same reason. And Dad always bought nachos and hotdogs and the sweetest sodas. He was always happy and I didn’t have to think about him being a police officer. He was just my dad.
What is it that you most dislike? People who are given every opportunity to succeed and turn fail every time.
What is your greatest fear? Failing.
What is your greatest extravagance? My apartment. It’s a little expensive, but the kitchen was perfect and I couldn’t pass it up.
Which living person do you despise the most? Alex Brooks. The guy almost killed my drive. He was one of those people that took and took and took, but never gave.
What is your greatest regret? Well, I wish I’d realized as a child how important it is to savor those moments with the people you love.
Which talent would you most like to have? I wish I could play an instrument, like the piano or the guitar or even the violin.
Where would you like to live? I loved New York but I prefer Pittsburgh. It’s home and always will be.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Watching someone you love suffer and not being able to help them.
What is the quality you most like in a man? Responsibility.
What is the quality you most like in a woman? Independence.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I avoid emotional attachments.
What is the trait you most deplore in others? Selfishness.
What do you most value in your friends? My friends are fun, but also know how to be serious. I don’t have to tell Spencer that we’re at work and he needs to focus.
Who is your favorite hero of fiction? Rhett Butler. He made no excuses for the way that he was or the person that he was. He didn’t let go of the things he wanted, but he showed real change and progress at the end of the story, and that’s what life is about.
Who are your heroes in real life? My mother. She stayed single after my father’s death. I don’t even ever remember her dating. She was a nurse and she worked all the hours she could to take care of me and my brother and my sister. She never let Dad’s death destroy her. She’s always been the strongest person I know.
Which living person do you most admire? My mother. For the reasons above.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Forgiveness. I don’t know that forgiveness does much for the person doing the forgiving. It seems like a way for the wrong-doer to come to some sort of peace about whatever they’ve done. Forgiveness doesn’t set you free, it sets you back.
On what occasions do you lie? I try not to. I can’t think of anything that jumps right out at me.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse? That’s the way the cookie bakes. I also use “chick” a lot. “Divine” is one of my favorite words.
If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? Sometimes I wish I had a wild streak, like my sister. It would be so much fun to cut loose and forget about work, bills, money, and just be someone else for a day.
What are your favorite names? Haven’t really thought about it.
How would you like to die? In my sleep, when I’m ancient.
If you were to die and come back as a person or thing what would you like it to be and why? Rachel Ray … She’s living the dream life.
What is your motto? What do you want out of life? “Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” I don’t want to lose my drive. I want to keep going and keep getting better.
What do you want during the course of this story? I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like something is missing. Usually I feel like I have everything I could want, but there are those few times when I think how nice it would be to get out of my own head for a while.
If you had to choose one event in your life that most shaped who you are what would it be? Definitely would be my father’s death. It opened up a lot of things that otherwise wouldn’t have happened. When he died I kinda became a mom to my brother and sister. I learned to cook because Mom was working double shifts at the hospital.
Who is your mother? (name, occupation, birthday, personality) Maria Sanchez Sloane, February 14th, 1959, Small and petite, but very strong and courageous. She’s quiet, but definitely the kind of person you don’t want to cross.
Who is your father? ( name, occupation, birthday, personality) Charles William Sloane, August 17th, 1956, He was tall, very handsome. He was funny and kind, very brave, always giving people the benefit of the doubt.
Do you have any siblings? What is your relationship with them like? I am close with both my brother and sister. Avery is in the military so we usually communicate through written letters. He’s quiet and smart, brave like our dad. Harper is a little annoying at times, but I’m more like her mother than her sister. We’re close, but our relationship is complicated.
Describe the place and people you live with or near. My apartment is on Carson Street, in the artsy district of Pittsburgh. There are exposed brick walls, big windows, hardwood floors and exposed beams and pipes. It’s colorful with lots of warm colors like red and orange and yellow. The living room has lots of shelves for books and pictures of my family. The kitchen is extensive and contemporary. The bedroom has a big bed and cool colors for soothing and relaxation. The bathrooms are simple but elegant, definitely for relaxing in a long, hot bath.
What is your occupation? Do you enjoy it? Chef/Restaurateur. Love it.
Write a full physical description of yourself. Height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, scars, flaws, best features, distinguishing marks? 5’8, 145 lbs., Latina American, brown eyes, dark brown hair. I love jeans and girly blouses. I’m more flirty than girly in my dress.
Is this physical assessment accurate? Yes.
To which social class do you belong? The working class. Middle class.
Any allergies, diseases or other physical weaknesses? Nope.
Right or left handed? Left hand.
What does your voice sound like? Soft, kinda husky, a bedroom voice.
What do you have in your pockets right now? A grocery list for the restaurant and one for the apartment, my keys, and a pen.
Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits or other defining characteristics? I bite my bottom lip when I’m nervous or thinking. Sometimes I talk to myself in Spanish, especially if I’m cooking and things are too hectic.
What is your earliest memory? My earliest memory is of Dad taking me to the hospital to see Mom after Avery was born. I was only three, but I remember the day really vividly. My parents were so happy and they had this chubby little baby in their arms, and I wanted to be jealous that they were so doting toward him, but I just thought it was amazing that this little baby belonged to our family.
How much schooling have you had? Did you enjoy school? I spent four years at a culinary school in New York, but also got a lot of on the job training in various restaurants along the way. I loved culinary school and excelled there, but I wasn’t a great high school student.
Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities? Culinary school and various restaurants, as well as in my kitchen at home.
While growing up did you have any role models? Who and why? My father for his bravery, my mother for her strength.
While growing up how did you get along with your family? Yes.
As a child what did you want to be when you grew up? When I was a child I wanted to be a ballerina or an astronaut, or a doctor.
As a child what were your favorite activities? I loved playing Hide and Seek, coloring, and playing sports.
As a child what kinds of personality traits did you display? I think I was always really strong and level-headed. I was the leader.
As a child were you popular? Not really. I had some close friends, but once I was off the bus, I had to take care of Tucker and Harper. So I didn’t get to play much with the neighborhood children.
Who were your friends and what were they like? Brittany Campbell was my best friend in elementary school. She was a bookworm, very quiet, but she didn’t take to bullying at all. Spencer Steele was always my best friend. We went to school together and even moved to New York together. His modeling career didn’t go so well so he followed me back to Pittsburgh. I think people are given friends who were soul mates in past lives. Spencer is definitely mine.
When and with whom was your first kiss? Spencer. We were barely ten years old, and he said he didn’t like girls. So we kissed to see if that would change things. And it didn’t.
When and with whom did you lose your virginity? Seventeen … Bobby Reese; my high school crush.
What do you consider the most important event of your life so far? Opening the restaurant.
What is the most evil thing you’ve ever done? Left Alex with months of unpaid bills before leaving him without a word. He deserved it. He didn’t work. I did and went to school. He was a mooch who needed a lesson taught to him.
Do you have a criminal record of any kind? No.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you? Coming up topless in the pool at a party.
If you could change one thing from your past what would it be and why? The only thing I would want to change is my father’s death. Other than that, I think I’ve been really lucky that my life has been on track.
Optimistic or pessimistic? I am optimistic.
Religious views? More spiritual than religious. I believe in reincarnation and karma.
Political views? Independent.
Sexual views? Whatever bakes your cookie.
Are you able to kill and under what circumstances? I’d like to think I could if my life were in danger, but I think that’s one of those things you never know until you’re in that situation.
In your opinion, what is the most evil thing a person could do? Lead someone on, pretend to be someone you’re not, or not ready to be.
Do you believe in the existence of soul mates or true love? Yeah, to some extent.
What do you believe makes a life successful? Being the best person you can be and knowing that it’s a journey.
How honest are you when it comes to your true thoughts and feelings with yourself and others? I try to be as honest as possible, but sometimes it’s difficult to know what your true thoughts and feelings are.
Do you have any biases or prejudices? Stricter punishments for criminals. I don’t think bad people should be given chance after chance to do bad things.
Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances? Why? I’m sure there are things, but nothing springs to mind right away.
Who or what would you die for? My family.
How do you treat people in general? Does your treatment of them change depending on how well you know them? I am generally accepting of people. I like to be friendly and have fun when it’s time to have fun. I don’t allow people to hurt me more than once. I suppose some could say that I’m a little too hardcore and that I can carry a grudge, but I just see it as protecting myself.
Who is most important in your life and why? Bruce, my cat. Josh, my boyfriend. My family. Spencer and Nora. They are who I see every day, they are who I love.
Do you have a spouse or significant other? Describe them. Josh Logan. He’s tall, finger-length dark hair, a bit of a scruffy beard. He’s a very athletic and a workaholic. He’s an architect. Honest and trusting. Brown eyes. A nice smile. Sensitive guy. Smart, sometimes oblivious.
What do you look for in a potential lover? Someone who’s honest and doesn’t need a lot of time or attention to feel like he’s in a relationship. I need someone who isn’t afraid of a strong woman, and someone who understands me and accepts me for who I am.
Have you started your own family? Do you want to? Why or why not? No, and I don’t see myself as a mother. Maybe later, but not now. I just spent too much of my childhood being a mother for my siblings. I’m not ready to go there again.
Are all your children with the same partner? What is the custody agreement if not? N/A
How do you relate to children? I understand children, but I choose to avoid situations where I need to relate to them.
Which child is favorite and why? N/A
What is your favorite memory of child or children? Least favorite? N/A
Relationship to children important? N/A
Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help? I have a few people. Mom would be a last resort. I wouldn’t want her to worry. I’d go to Josh or Nora before my mother, and to Spencer before them.
Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who and why? My friends, my family.
If you died or went missing who would miss you? Spencer and Nora would be the first to notice because of work. Harper would be next because the girl always needs me to clean up her messes so I’m sure I’d miss some catastrophe she’d need me for and then realize I was missing. Then it would be Mom. I see her often so she’d be worried if it took more than a few days to hear from me. But she knows I’m strong so I think it would take her a while to come to the conclusion that I’m not okay. Then Josh would probably be last. He works so much that it’s not unheard of for us to go a few days without speaking or seeing each other.
Do you tend to argue with people or avoid conflict? I avoid conflict if I can, but I’m not afraid of it.
Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations? Yes.
Do you like interacting with large groups of people? Why or why not? Yeah, it doesn’t make me uncomfortable. I have a lot of confidence in myself and my abilities.
Do you care what others think of you? To some degree, but not enough to worry about.
What are your favorite hobbies and pastimes? I love catching baseball games. I like playing sports, karaoke, catching any kind of sport game actually. I love to cook even when I’ve cooked all day at work and I come home. I love to travel and wish I had more time to do so.
What is your favorite color? Least favorite color? Emerald green is my favorite. My least favorite would be pink.
Favorite food? Something spicy like fajitas, fresh from the grill.
What do you like to read? Cook books, new recipes I’ve found on the internet, food magazines, and the occasional romance novel.
What is your idea of good entertainment? A good movie, a quiet night of dancing, great food, time with friends or family. I like being outdoors.
Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs? If so, why? Do you want to quit? No.
What if anything shocks or offends you? The usual. I’m not easily offended or shocked.
What would you do if you had insomnia and had to find something to do to amuse yourself? Create a new recipe.
How do you deal with stress? Cooking. Trying to come up with new dishes or perfecting old ones.
Are you spontaneous or do you always have a plan? I always have a plan for work. At home, I just kinda leave things to what may come.
What are your pet peeves? I don’t like when people ask if you know what they mean. It drives me insane. And people who smoke in obviously smoke free places including businesses and homes.
Describe the routine of a normal day for you. How do you feel if this routine is interrupted? I get in some kind of morning exercise, shower, head into work and check to see if there is anything I need to get from the store, get into the kitchen, start working, go home and make a quick meal then watch a movie or catch up on emails. I also go to Mom’s a few times a week with frozen meals for her and Harper.
What is your greatest strength as a person? Weakness? My greatest strength is my strength. I know I can make it through anything. My weakness is sometimes I’m a little too emotionally distant.
Introverted or extroverted? Extrovert, but a healthy dose of the introvert as well.
Organized or messy? Mostly organized, especially in the kitchen.
Name three things you find yourself to be good at and three things you’re terrible at. 1. I can take care of myself and the people around me. 2. I’m responsible to a fault. 3. I’m an excellent cook, very creative and modern with a homemade flair. Terrible … 1. Sometimes hard for me to admit my feelings, especially if it’s an overly emotional thing. 2. I can’t parallel park at all. 3. Laundry totally gets the best of me.
Do you like yourself? Yes.
What goal do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime? I’d like to have another restaurant or two, maybe even outside of Pittsburgh. I want my restaurant to be successful.
Where do you see yourself in five years? Maybe married, no kids. Working on a second restaurant and actually scheduling time for a vacation.
If you knew you were going to die in 24 hours, name three things you’d want to do. 1. Be with my family, tell them all how much I love them. 2. Make love to my boyfriend. 3. Get my finances in order.
What is the one thing you’d most like to be remembered for after your death? That I was always the best person I could be and that I tried to learn from all of my mistakes, no matter how big or small they were.
What three words best describe your personality? Friendly, Funny, Creative
What three words would others use to describe you? Hardworking, fun, dependable
What advice would you give your character? Every day is a learning experience. Taking your heart out of the equation only makes the lesson you need to learn longer.
What do you like to eat for breakfast? Grapefruit, oatmeal, omelet, or toast
Night owl or early riser? Both
How old are you? 26
Favorite music? Artist? Album? Band? Instrument? I like indie music, especially from movies or shows that I like. I like music with lyrics that actually mean something. I like Gavin Degraw, Mat Kearney, Carolina Liar. Instrument: acoustic guitar.
Favorite book? Author? I don’t really read much outside of cookbooks so I can’t really say.
Expletives? Don’t really use anything too graphic. The occasional damn or hell, but that’s it.
Mode of transportation? A Ford Explorer, 2007, Green, Eddie Bauer Edition
Cautious or daredevil? Same when you’re alone? I’m cautious, same when I’m alone.
How do you spend a rainy day? Cooking, or browsing cook books, or visiting my mother and sister.
Close to your co-workers? I work with my two best friends. The other employees respect me because I treat them well. Happy employees are loyal, hardworking employees.
What is the one even that would most throw the character’s life into turmoil? Why? Pregnancy. The restaurant is popular and well liked. The last thing I need is a child or pregnancy taking me away from that momentum.
Soft spot? Is it obvious to others or not? I have a soft spot for people who try to do better for themselves, but hit speed bumps along the way. It’s not obvious, but if it were, then people would stop trying so hard.
Which of the seven deadly sins does she give into willingly or unwillingly? Lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, pride? Probably pride.
Which of the seven virtues does she have or fight against? Chastity, abstinence, liberality, diligence, patience, kindness, humility? Diligence is mine.
Talents? Cooking, and singing one heck of a rendition of Sometimes You Can’t Make it On Your Own.
Has she ever cheated on significant other? No.
Favorite clothing? Why? Least favorite? Why? Jeans and a nice blouse. It’s feminine and flirty, but still casual. That’s me. Least favorite would be turtle necks.
Jewelry or other accessories? I like earrings and necklaces, not big on bracelets or rings.
Does she shop frugally? Yes, on some things. Never on food.
What does she do too much of? Too little of? I work too much. I don’t enjoy time off nearly enough.
Is she depressed most days? Ever considered suicide? Not usually depressed and never considered suicide.
Wear skinny jeans? Yeah, if they fit right. I’m a curvy chick so it’s not always possible to wear skinny jeans.
Favorite actor or actress? Denzel Washington, Sandra Bullock
Favorite alcoholic drink? Chardonnay
Favorite non-alcoholic drink? Water
Favorite song? I don’t know. I like a lot of music and my favorite songs change all the time.
Does she write poems or stories or songs? Not usually. I write recipes. That’s about it.
Favorite flower? Gardenias
Afraid of thunderstorms? No. Love them.
Favorite animal? Cats. They’re independent.
How often do you take a shower? Every day.
What is your favorite kind of chocolate? Dark chocolate, rich and luxurious
Favorite candy? Chico-stick
Do you floss? Yes. Every day.
What side do you sleep on? Middle of the bed.
What’s your favorite restaurant? Mine.
Favorite holiday? Christmas.
Ever kissed in the rain? Movie theater? Underwater? Yes, yes, no.
Are you a tease? No, especially not intentionally.
Do you flirt a lot? Yes, sometimes.
Longest relationship? Josh …. Three years
Shortest relationship? Alex …. One and a half years
Have you ever gotten a poem? No.
Ever get flowers? Yes.
Do you drink coffee? Sometimes, not often.
Would you ever hook up with someone of the same sex? No.
Have you ever kissed two people in one day? At the same time? No. No.
Ever cried over someone of the opposite sex? No.
Ever been dumped? Ever dumped someone? Yes and yes.
Ever been rejected? Yes.
Do you have a lot of exes? No.
Are you a slut or ever been called one? No, and yes.
Shoe size? 9
Favorite number? 71
Do you sleep in your bra? Yes. My girls are far too big to be running around free at night.
Do you enjoy drama? Nope, not at all.
Are you a girly girl? Nope.
Small or big handbag? I usually don’t have a handbag. I carry a wallet.
Do you think you’re conceited? Nope.
Do you dress up on Halloween? Sometimes, for a party.
Double jointed? No.
Where is the weirdest place you’ve slept? I try to never be in a situation where I have to sleep in a weird place.
Has anyone touched or smacked your butt? Yes.
Do you call anybody by their last name? My brother Tucker.
Wear makeup? Yes.
Ever cried at a movie theater? Yes.
Can you put on mascara without opening your mouth? Yes.
Hoops or dangling earrings? Both.
Ever slapped someone in their face? No.
Cried yourself to sleep? Yes.
Ever wish you were famous? Maybe a time or two.
Funny or serious? Both.
Favorite season? Spring.
Would you move to another state or country to be with the one you love? Maybe.
Do you believe everything happens for a reason? Yes.
Which one of your friends do you think would make the best doctor? Nora.
Are you afraid of falling in love? Why? Eh, I’m not afraid of love. I’m afraid of what comes after.
Ever been in a bar fight? Yes.
Last person to lay in your bed? Josh.
What was the last TV show you watched? Something on Food Network
Also, a few of the questions may repeat, but that's because I tend to add and edit as I fill them out. So, this is an interview I conducted for December Sloane, the heroine of Living Behind Glass Shadows.
1. Start out with a couple pictures of what you imagine the character to look like. December is supposed to be half Puerto Rican, so I was looking for a character who has Latina characteristics. I chose Sofia Vergara as a visual muse for this character.
2. At this point I have a general idea for the story so I tend to know the major plot points I'll be working with, which I think can either help you or harbor you when answering the following questions from the character's POV. I try to answer the questions as if the story has yet to happen. It covers a bit of everything from past to present to what the character is looking for in his/her future.
3. Feel free to copy the questions if you'd like to ask of your own characters. I keep a blank file of the questions and copy and paste them into a new document for my new characters.
4. Not everything in the interview will or needs to make it into the story, but I find that I can come up with ideas about my character's emotional state throughout the story by reading through the answers to these questions. Also, I realize I refer to her brother as both Avery and Tucker. His name changed by the time I got around to writing him.
What is your character’s full name? December Liliana Sloane
The reason behind the name? December was the only word of English my grandmother, Liliana could speak. She loved Christmas.
Nickname? Some of my friends just call me Sloane
Birth date? June 5th, 1983
Astrological sign. Any significance? Gemini. Don’t think it has any significance. Don’t believe in that stuff.
Glasses or contacts? Neither, but I’d prefer contacts if I had to.
Typical hairstyle? Long and wavy, but usually always pulled back in a ponytail.
Typically healthy? Yes.
What kind of distinguishing facial features does your character have? Big brown eyes.
Birthmark? Where is it? Small, cherry shaped brown spot on the back of my left thigh.
Scars? How did they get them? Some small scars on my hands from kitchen accidents.
Who are the friends and family? Who does he/she surround herself with? Who are they closest to? Who does she wish she was closest to? My mother is Maria Sloane. I have a sister, Harper, and a brother, Tucker. I’m the oldest. I’m closest to my mother, and although Harper and I have a bit of a rocky relationship, she and I are very close. They’re really the only family I know. I wish I could be closer to my father’s family, but they live out of state.
Where was she born? Pittsburgh
Where does she live? Pittsburgh
Where has she lived her whole life? I grew up in Pittsburgh, but moved to New York for college and culinary school. Moved back home to Pittsburgh afterward.
Where does your character go when she’s angry? The kitchen. I find myself there whenever my emotional roller coaster hits a peak in any of the emotions.
What’s her biggest fear? Who has she told this to? Who would she never tell and why? My biggest fear would probably be getting married and having a family. I’ve talked to my boyfriend, Josh, about this. I’d never tell my mother. I wouldn’t want her to feel like it was her fault.
Does she have a secret? Hmmm….I don’t think so.
What makes your character laugh out loud? I have a very dry, witty kind of humor. I like jokes and situations where you actually have to think about the words said, and process them to get it. I don’t really get into the crude humor and I stay away from anything overtly offensive.
When has your character ever been in love? Ever had a broken heart? I loved Alex Brooks. He was my first true love. And leaving him broke my heart. Now I think I’m in love with Josh.
What’s in the fridge right now? On her bedroom floor? On her nightstand? In her trash? I have a lot of things in the fridge. I’m a chef. Lots of fresh vegetables, herbs, fruits, juice, wine, milk, water, yogurts, and meats.
Look at her feet. What do you see there? Does she wear dress shoes or gym shoes? Is she in socks that are all ratty and holey? Or a pair of slippers knitted by her grandmother? My toes are painted right now, chocolate wine I think. I usually wear a comfortable pair of sneakers or dress shoes since I’m on my feet all day, but if I go out I like to dress up and I love shoes. I have a ton of high heels in my closet I rarely get to wear.
When she thinks of her childhood kitchen, what smells come to mind? Why? Lots of spices and the smell of tortillas on a cast iron warmer. Mom is Puerto Rican so our food always had vibrant colors, loud spices, and tortillas.
She’s spring cleaning. What is easy for her to get rid of? What is difficult? I don’t really have a problem throwing anything away. Except cookbooks or food magazines. I get ideas and inspiration from those so I have tons of them around the apartment.
Saturday at noon, what is your character doing? Give details. I’m either in the kitchen, in the office, or on my way to the kitchen. Work keeps me busy, especially the weekends.
What is one strong detail that has stuck with your character since childhood? Why is it so powerful and lasting? My father’s death. He was a policeman and I was with him when he died. We pulled up outside the International Grocery store and there was a robbery in progress. We were in the back of the store when we heard gunfire. Dad hid me between the freezer and a display. I saw him pull his weapon out of his holster and he left me there so I’d be safe. He ended up getting shot in the chest. But that didn’t stop him from firing two shots at the suspect. The guy who killed my father got out of the store with less than one hundred dollars. He made it three miles before he crashed the car into a stop light. He almost bled to death, but paramedics saved his life. He killed my father and two other people in the store that day and paramedics saved him.
Your character is getting ready for a night out. Where is she going? Who will she be with? What will she wear? Karaoke. I work far too long on the weekends to enjoy going out to the bar, so Nora and Spencer, Josh and I will go out on Wednesday’s for karaoke. I usually take this opportunity to break out my heel collection. I prefer jeans to dresses and a flashy little top.
What is her greatest achievement? Why? Opening the restaurant. It was something I worked really hard for, something I didn’t think was ever possible. And it’s really successful so I’m very proud.
What is her idea of perfect happiness? Perfect happiness would be a successful career doing what you love, having time to spend with someone you love, and enjoying the perks of being successful.
What is her current state of mind? Totally career focused right now.
What is her favorite occupation? Chef/Restaurateur.
What is your most treasured possession? A baseball glove. It was a gift from my father, the last gift he ever bought me.
What or who is the greatest love of your life? Bruce, my cat. He’s a short haired tabby. I named him after my father’s favorite baseball player, Bruce Kison from the Pirates.
What is your favorite journey? I kinda like the one I’m on right now. My life is starting to calm down and the pieces are falling into place. I am anxious to see where I go from here.
What is your most marked characteristic? My curves. I think it’s part of my Latina heritage.
When and where were you happiest? Dad used to take me to baseball games when I was a little girl. They’re my fondest memories. Sitting in the seats, all the screams and shouts, people we didn’t know but we were all there for the same reason. And Dad always bought nachos and hotdogs and the sweetest sodas. He was always happy and I didn’t have to think about him being a police officer. He was just my dad.
What is it that you most dislike? People who are given every opportunity to succeed and turn fail every time.
What is your greatest fear? Failing.
What is your greatest extravagance? My apartment. It’s a little expensive, but the kitchen was perfect and I couldn’t pass it up.
Which living person do you despise the most? Alex Brooks. The guy almost killed my drive. He was one of those people that took and took and took, but never gave.
What is your greatest regret? Well, I wish I’d realized as a child how important it is to savor those moments with the people you love.
Which talent would you most like to have? I wish I could play an instrument, like the piano or the guitar or even the violin.
Where would you like to live? I loved New York but I prefer Pittsburgh. It’s home and always will be.
What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery? Watching someone you love suffer and not being able to help them.
What is the quality you most like in a man? Responsibility.
What is the quality you most like in a woman? Independence.
What is the trait you most deplore in yourself? I avoid emotional attachments.
What is the trait you most deplore in others? Selfishness.
What do you most value in your friends? My friends are fun, but also know how to be serious. I don’t have to tell Spencer that we’re at work and he needs to focus.
Who is your favorite hero of fiction? Rhett Butler. He made no excuses for the way that he was or the person that he was. He didn’t let go of the things he wanted, but he showed real change and progress at the end of the story, and that’s what life is about.
Who are your heroes in real life? My mother. She stayed single after my father’s death. I don’t even ever remember her dating. She was a nurse and she worked all the hours she could to take care of me and my brother and my sister. She never let Dad’s death destroy her. She’s always been the strongest person I know.
Which living person do you most admire? My mother. For the reasons above.
What do you consider the most overrated virtue? Forgiveness. I don’t know that forgiveness does much for the person doing the forgiving. It seems like a way for the wrong-doer to come to some sort of peace about whatever they’ve done. Forgiveness doesn’t set you free, it sets you back.
On what occasions do you lie? I try not to. I can’t think of anything that jumps right out at me.
Which words or phrases do you most overuse? That’s the way the cookie bakes. I also use “chick” a lot. “Divine” is one of my favorite words.
If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be? Sometimes I wish I had a wild streak, like my sister. It would be so much fun to cut loose and forget about work, bills, money, and just be someone else for a day.
What are your favorite names? Haven’t really thought about it.
How would you like to die? In my sleep, when I’m ancient.
If you were to die and come back as a person or thing what would you like it to be and why? Rachel Ray … She’s living the dream life.
What is your motto? What do you want out of life? “Try again. Fail again. Fail better.” I don’t want to lose my drive. I want to keep going and keep getting better.
What do you want during the course of this story? I don’t know. Sometimes I feel like something is missing. Usually I feel like I have everything I could want, but there are those few times when I think how nice it would be to get out of my own head for a while.
If you had to choose one event in your life that most shaped who you are what would it be? Definitely would be my father’s death. It opened up a lot of things that otherwise wouldn’t have happened. When he died I kinda became a mom to my brother and sister. I learned to cook because Mom was working double shifts at the hospital.
Who is your mother? (name, occupation, birthday, personality) Maria Sanchez Sloane, February 14th, 1959, Small and petite, but very strong and courageous. She’s quiet, but definitely the kind of person you don’t want to cross.
Who is your father? ( name, occupation, birthday, personality) Charles William Sloane, August 17th, 1956, He was tall, very handsome. He was funny and kind, very brave, always giving people the benefit of the doubt.
Do you have any siblings? What is your relationship with them like? I am close with both my brother and sister. Avery is in the military so we usually communicate through written letters. He’s quiet and smart, brave like our dad. Harper is a little annoying at times, but I’m more like her mother than her sister. We’re close, but our relationship is complicated.
Describe the place and people you live with or near. My apartment is on Carson Street, in the artsy district of Pittsburgh. There are exposed brick walls, big windows, hardwood floors and exposed beams and pipes. It’s colorful with lots of warm colors like red and orange and yellow. The living room has lots of shelves for books and pictures of my family. The kitchen is extensive and contemporary. The bedroom has a big bed and cool colors for soothing and relaxation. The bathrooms are simple but elegant, definitely for relaxing in a long, hot bath.
What is your occupation? Do you enjoy it? Chef/Restaurateur. Love it.
Write a full physical description of yourself. Height, weight, race, hair and eye color, style of dress, scars, flaws, best features, distinguishing marks? 5’8, 145 lbs., Latina American, brown eyes, dark brown hair. I love jeans and girly blouses. I’m more flirty than girly in my dress.
Is this physical assessment accurate? Yes.
To which social class do you belong? The working class. Middle class.
Any allergies, diseases or other physical weaknesses? Nope.
Right or left handed? Left hand.
What does your voice sound like? Soft, kinda husky, a bedroom voice.
What do you have in your pockets right now? A grocery list for the restaurant and one for the apartment, my keys, and a pen.
Do you have any quirks, strange mannerisms, annoying habits or other defining characteristics? I bite my bottom lip when I’m nervous or thinking. Sometimes I talk to myself in Spanish, especially if I’m cooking and things are too hectic.
What is your earliest memory? My earliest memory is of Dad taking me to the hospital to see Mom after Avery was born. I was only three, but I remember the day really vividly. My parents were so happy and they had this chubby little baby in their arms, and I wanted to be jealous that they were so doting toward him, but I just thought it was amazing that this little baby belonged to our family.
How much schooling have you had? Did you enjoy school? I spent four years at a culinary school in New York, but also got a lot of on the job training in various restaurants along the way. I loved culinary school and excelled there, but I wasn’t a great high school student.
Where did you learn most of your skills and other abilities? Culinary school and various restaurants, as well as in my kitchen at home.
While growing up did you have any role models? Who and why? My father for his bravery, my mother for her strength.
While growing up how did you get along with your family? Yes.
As a child what did you want to be when you grew up? When I was a child I wanted to be a ballerina or an astronaut, or a doctor.
As a child what were your favorite activities? I loved playing Hide and Seek, coloring, and playing sports.
As a child what kinds of personality traits did you display? I think I was always really strong and level-headed. I was the leader.
As a child were you popular? Not really. I had some close friends, but once I was off the bus, I had to take care of Tucker and Harper. So I didn’t get to play much with the neighborhood children.
Who were your friends and what were they like? Brittany Campbell was my best friend in elementary school. She was a bookworm, very quiet, but she didn’t take to bullying at all. Spencer Steele was always my best friend. We went to school together and even moved to New York together. His modeling career didn’t go so well so he followed me back to Pittsburgh. I think people are given friends who were soul mates in past lives. Spencer is definitely mine.
When and with whom was your first kiss? Spencer. We were barely ten years old, and he said he didn’t like girls. So we kissed to see if that would change things. And it didn’t.
When and with whom did you lose your virginity? Seventeen … Bobby Reese; my high school crush.
What do you consider the most important event of your life so far? Opening the restaurant.
What is the most evil thing you’ve ever done? Left Alex with months of unpaid bills before leaving him without a word. He deserved it. He didn’t work. I did and went to school. He was a mooch who needed a lesson taught to him.
Do you have a criminal record of any kind? No.
What is the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you? Coming up topless in the pool at a party.
If you could change one thing from your past what would it be and why? The only thing I would want to change is my father’s death. Other than that, I think I’ve been really lucky that my life has been on track.
Optimistic or pessimistic? I am optimistic.
Religious views? More spiritual than religious. I believe in reincarnation and karma.
Political views? Independent.
Sexual views? Whatever bakes your cookie.
Are you able to kill and under what circumstances? I’d like to think I could if my life were in danger, but I think that’s one of those things you never know until you’re in that situation.
In your opinion, what is the most evil thing a person could do? Lead someone on, pretend to be someone you’re not, or not ready to be.
Do you believe in the existence of soul mates or true love? Yeah, to some extent.
What do you believe makes a life successful? Being the best person you can be and knowing that it’s a journey.
How honest are you when it comes to your true thoughts and feelings with yourself and others? I try to be as honest as possible, but sometimes it’s difficult to know what your true thoughts and feelings are.
Do you have any biases or prejudices? Stricter punishments for criminals. I don’t think bad people should be given chance after chance to do bad things.
Is there anything you absolutely refuse to do under any circumstances? Why? I’m sure there are things, but nothing springs to mind right away.
Who or what would you die for? My family.
How do you treat people in general? Does your treatment of them change depending on how well you know them? I am generally accepting of people. I like to be friendly and have fun when it’s time to have fun. I don’t allow people to hurt me more than once. I suppose some could say that I’m a little too hardcore and that I can carry a grudge, but I just see it as protecting myself.
Who is most important in your life and why? Bruce, my cat. Josh, my boyfriend. My family. Spencer and Nora. They are who I see every day, they are who I love.
Do you have a spouse or significant other? Describe them. Josh Logan. He’s tall, finger-length dark hair, a bit of a scruffy beard. He’s a very athletic and a workaholic. He’s an architect. Honest and trusting. Brown eyes. A nice smile. Sensitive guy. Smart, sometimes oblivious.
What do you look for in a potential lover? Someone who’s honest and doesn’t need a lot of time or attention to feel like he’s in a relationship. I need someone who isn’t afraid of a strong woman, and someone who understands me and accepts me for who I am.
Have you started your own family? Do you want to? Why or why not? No, and I don’t see myself as a mother. Maybe later, but not now. I just spent too much of my childhood being a mother for my siblings. I’m not ready to go there again.
Are all your children with the same partner? What is the custody agreement if not? N/A
How do you relate to children? I understand children, but I choose to avoid situations where I need to relate to them.
Which child is favorite and why? N/A
What is your favorite memory of child or children? Least favorite? N/A
Relationship to children important? N/A
Who would you turn to if you were in desperate need of help? I have a few people. Mom would be a last resort. I wouldn’t want her to worry. I’d go to Josh or Nora before my mother, and to Spencer before them.
Do you trust anyone to protect you? Who and why? My friends, my family.
If you died or went missing who would miss you? Spencer and Nora would be the first to notice because of work. Harper would be next because the girl always needs me to clean up her messes so I’m sure I’d miss some catastrophe she’d need me for and then realize I was missing. Then it would be Mom. I see her often so she’d be worried if it took more than a few days to hear from me. But she knows I’m strong so I think it would take her a while to come to the conclusion that I’m not okay. Then Josh would probably be last. He works so much that it’s not unheard of for us to go a few days without speaking or seeing each other.
Do you tend to argue with people or avoid conflict? I avoid conflict if I can, but I’m not afraid of it.
Do you tend to take on leadership roles in social situations? Yes.
Do you like interacting with large groups of people? Why or why not? Yeah, it doesn’t make me uncomfortable. I have a lot of confidence in myself and my abilities.
Do you care what others think of you? To some degree, but not enough to worry about.
What are your favorite hobbies and pastimes? I love catching baseball games. I like playing sports, karaoke, catching any kind of sport game actually. I love to cook even when I’ve cooked all day at work and I come home. I love to travel and wish I had more time to do so.
What is your favorite color? Least favorite color? Emerald green is my favorite. My least favorite would be pink.
Favorite food? Something spicy like fajitas, fresh from the grill.
What do you like to read? Cook books, new recipes I’ve found on the internet, food magazines, and the occasional romance novel.
What is your idea of good entertainment? A good movie, a quiet night of dancing, great food, time with friends or family. I like being outdoors.
Do you smoke, drink, or use drugs? If so, why? Do you want to quit? No.
What if anything shocks or offends you? The usual. I’m not easily offended or shocked.
What would you do if you had insomnia and had to find something to do to amuse yourself? Create a new recipe.
How do you deal with stress? Cooking. Trying to come up with new dishes or perfecting old ones.
Are you spontaneous or do you always have a plan? I always have a plan for work. At home, I just kinda leave things to what may come.
What are your pet peeves? I don’t like when people ask if you know what they mean. It drives me insane. And people who smoke in obviously smoke free places including businesses and homes.
Describe the routine of a normal day for you. How do you feel if this routine is interrupted? I get in some kind of morning exercise, shower, head into work and check to see if there is anything I need to get from the store, get into the kitchen, start working, go home and make a quick meal then watch a movie or catch up on emails. I also go to Mom’s a few times a week with frozen meals for her and Harper.
What is your greatest strength as a person? Weakness? My greatest strength is my strength. I know I can make it through anything. My weakness is sometimes I’m a little too emotionally distant.
Introverted or extroverted? Extrovert, but a healthy dose of the introvert as well.
Organized or messy? Mostly organized, especially in the kitchen.
Name three things you find yourself to be good at and three things you’re terrible at. 1. I can take care of myself and the people around me. 2. I’m responsible to a fault. 3. I’m an excellent cook, very creative and modern with a homemade flair. Terrible … 1. Sometimes hard for me to admit my feelings, especially if it’s an overly emotional thing. 2. I can’t parallel park at all. 3. Laundry totally gets the best of me.
Do you like yourself? Yes.
What goal do you most want to accomplish in your lifetime? I’d like to have another restaurant or two, maybe even outside of Pittsburgh. I want my restaurant to be successful.
Where do you see yourself in five years? Maybe married, no kids. Working on a second restaurant and actually scheduling time for a vacation.
If you knew you were going to die in 24 hours, name three things you’d want to do. 1. Be with my family, tell them all how much I love them. 2. Make love to my boyfriend. 3. Get my finances in order.
What is the one thing you’d most like to be remembered for after your death? That I was always the best person I could be and that I tried to learn from all of my mistakes, no matter how big or small they were.
What three words best describe your personality? Friendly, Funny, Creative
What three words would others use to describe you? Hardworking, fun, dependable
What advice would you give your character? Every day is a learning experience. Taking your heart out of the equation only makes the lesson you need to learn longer.
What do you like to eat for breakfast? Grapefruit, oatmeal, omelet, or toast
Night owl or early riser? Both
How old are you? 26
Favorite music? Artist? Album? Band? Instrument? I like indie music, especially from movies or shows that I like. I like music with lyrics that actually mean something. I like Gavin Degraw, Mat Kearney, Carolina Liar. Instrument: acoustic guitar.
Favorite book? Author? I don’t really read much outside of cookbooks so I can’t really say.
Expletives? Don’t really use anything too graphic. The occasional damn or hell, but that’s it.
Mode of transportation? A Ford Explorer, 2007, Green, Eddie Bauer Edition
Cautious or daredevil? Same when you’re alone? I’m cautious, same when I’m alone.
How do you spend a rainy day? Cooking, or browsing cook books, or visiting my mother and sister.
Close to your co-workers? I work with my two best friends. The other employees respect me because I treat them well. Happy employees are loyal, hardworking employees.
What is the one even that would most throw the character’s life into turmoil? Why? Pregnancy. The restaurant is popular and well liked. The last thing I need is a child or pregnancy taking me away from that momentum.
Soft spot? Is it obvious to others or not? I have a soft spot for people who try to do better for themselves, but hit speed bumps along the way. It’s not obvious, but if it were, then people would stop trying so hard.
Which of the seven deadly sins does she give into willingly or unwillingly? Lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, pride? Probably pride.
Which of the seven virtues does she have or fight against? Chastity, abstinence, liberality, diligence, patience, kindness, humility? Diligence is mine.
Talents? Cooking, and singing one heck of a rendition of Sometimes You Can’t Make it On Your Own.
Has she ever cheated on significant other? No.
Favorite clothing? Why? Least favorite? Why? Jeans and a nice blouse. It’s feminine and flirty, but still casual. That’s me. Least favorite would be turtle necks.
Jewelry or other accessories? I like earrings and necklaces, not big on bracelets or rings.
Does she shop frugally? Yes, on some things. Never on food.
What does she do too much of? Too little of? I work too much. I don’t enjoy time off nearly enough.
Is she depressed most days? Ever considered suicide? Not usually depressed and never considered suicide.
Wear skinny jeans? Yeah, if they fit right. I’m a curvy chick so it’s not always possible to wear skinny jeans.
Favorite actor or actress? Denzel Washington, Sandra Bullock
Favorite alcoholic drink? Chardonnay
Favorite non-alcoholic drink? Water
Favorite song? I don’t know. I like a lot of music and my favorite songs change all the time.
Does she write poems or stories or songs? Not usually. I write recipes. That’s about it.
Favorite flower? Gardenias
Afraid of thunderstorms? No. Love them.
Favorite animal? Cats. They’re independent.
How often do you take a shower? Every day.
What is your favorite kind of chocolate? Dark chocolate, rich and luxurious
Favorite candy? Chico-stick
Do you floss? Yes. Every day.
What side do you sleep on? Middle of the bed.
What’s your favorite restaurant? Mine.
Favorite holiday? Christmas.
Ever kissed in the rain? Movie theater? Underwater? Yes, yes, no.
Are you a tease? No, especially not intentionally.
Do you flirt a lot? Yes, sometimes.
Longest relationship? Josh …. Three years
Shortest relationship? Alex …. One and a half years
Have you ever gotten a poem? No.
Ever get flowers? Yes.
Do you drink coffee? Sometimes, not often.
Would you ever hook up with someone of the same sex? No.
Have you ever kissed two people in one day? At the same time? No. No.
Ever cried over someone of the opposite sex? No.
Ever been dumped? Ever dumped someone? Yes and yes.
Ever been rejected? Yes.
Do you have a lot of exes? No.
Are you a slut or ever been called one? No, and yes.
Shoe size? 9
Favorite number? 71
Do you sleep in your bra? Yes. My girls are far too big to be running around free at night.
Do you enjoy drama? Nope, not at all.
Are you a girly girl? Nope.
Small or big handbag? I usually don’t have a handbag. I carry a wallet.
Do you think you’re conceited? Nope.
Do you dress up on Halloween? Sometimes, for a party.
Double jointed? No.
Where is the weirdest place you’ve slept? I try to never be in a situation where I have to sleep in a weird place.
Has anyone touched or smacked your butt? Yes.
Do you call anybody by their last name? My brother Tucker.
Wear makeup? Yes.
Ever cried at a movie theater? Yes.
Can you put on mascara without opening your mouth? Yes.
Hoops or dangling earrings? Both.
Ever slapped someone in their face? No.
Cried yourself to sleep? Yes.
Ever wish you were famous? Maybe a time or two.
Funny or serious? Both.
Favorite season? Spring.
Would you move to another state or country to be with the one you love? Maybe.
Do you believe everything happens for a reason? Yes.
Which one of your friends do you think would make the best doctor? Nora.
Are you afraid of falling in love? Why? Eh, I’m not afraid of love. I’m afraid of what comes after.
Ever been in a bar fight? Yes.
Last person to lay in your bed? Josh.
What was the last TV show you watched? Something on Food Network
Monday, December 20, 2010
Color Treatment
(From Room to Write by Bonni Goldberg)
Prompt: Make two lists: One of colors that attract you, and one of colors the repel you. Choose a color from each list. Approach each of them from your other senses. How do these colors sound, smell, taste, and what is their texture? Which images that emerge can you use in a current piece? Or, begin with the word color and use it as a diving-off place. Or, write a poem or short piece in which every line or sentence mentions the same or a different color.
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"Painting is silent poetry, poetry is eloquent painting." ~~ Simonides
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Colortry (Like Poetry)
From pink cheeks to crimson lips
Ivory skin hidden beneath white slips
A black heart behind slate shadowed eyes
Chestnut hair pulled away from all her russet lies
Gleaming navy irises shooting cobalt daggers
Sunshine painted fingertips and red hot kisses all that matters
Purple love and lust divine against a golden sunset sky
Midnight mascara lashes do hide all the silver coated tears she cried
Fiery orange betrayal revealed drenched in jealous emerald words
Sepia toned dreams long forgotten on the wings of ebony birds
A little of gray mixed with less of blue
She is Hazel, lost before she knew
Prompt: Make two lists: One of colors that attract you, and one of colors the repel you. Choose a color from each list. Approach each of them from your other senses. How do these colors sound, smell, taste, and what is their texture? Which images that emerge can you use in a current piece? Or, begin with the word color and use it as a diving-off place. Or, write a poem or short piece in which every line or sentence mentions the same or a different color.
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"Painting is silent poetry, poetry is eloquent painting." ~~ Simonides
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Colortry (Like Poetry)
From pink cheeks to crimson lips
Ivory skin hidden beneath white slips
A black heart behind slate shadowed eyes
Chestnut hair pulled away from all her russet lies
Gleaming navy irises shooting cobalt daggers
Sunshine painted fingertips and red hot kisses all that matters
Purple love and lust divine against a golden sunset sky
Midnight mascara lashes do hide all the silver coated tears she cried
Fiery orange betrayal revealed drenched in jealous emerald words
Sepia toned dreams long forgotten on the wings of ebony birds
A little of gray mixed with less of blue
She is Hazel, lost before she knew
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Critical Mass
(Taken from Room to Write by Bonni Goldberg)
Prompt: Turn your internal critical voice into a character. What is its gender? How does it look? How does it smell? Who are its favorite writers and why?
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"Most of the methods of training the conscious side of the writer--the craftsman and the critic in him--are actually hostile to the good of the artist's side; and the converse of this proposition is likewise true. But it is possible to train both sides of the character to work in harmony; and the first step in that education is to consider that you must teach yourself not as though you were one person, but two." ~~ Dorothea Brande
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My inner voice is female. I imagine she is reminiscent of old Hollywood and picture her in a sparkling gown atop a piano with a glass of whiskey at her side. When I hear her voice, it is a bit smoky, raspy, but poised, always pointing out what I first assume is irrelevant but actually ends up meaning the most to me. She has a cigarette wand, much like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, although I often think it is more for show than actual use.
She has sleepy eyes, the kind that were so seductive in 1930's Hollywood. She's a golden blonde with short hair in the traditional deep set fingerwaves set close to the head. Now that I think about it, I think she has become Tallulah Bankhead's image in my subconscious. She is mostly quiet, choosing to nip casual remarks at my writing, but the kind of remarks that make you question every word before and every word after. She is always serious, her facial expressions rarely changing, unless a scandalous quip or reference brings a smirk to her face. She makes no excuses for what she says or how she feels. Often there is the scent of delicate perfume wafting around her, mingling with the smell of cigarette smoke and stale liquor. She often looks sad or lonely but she is neither. And the only time she is quiet is when writer's block has a stranglehold on my internal pen. Then she chooses to luxuriate in expensive gowns and mink coats, effortlessly sipping at the glass of scotch at her side, an all knowing expression behind her eyes. It's almost as if she is happy by my silence, but there is some anxiety in her gaze, as if she is silently cheering me on, waiting for the next line to dissect and scrutinize.
Her favorite author would be VC Andrews, a woman who lived a quiet life but wrote about such dark and twisted events with a poise and flow that totally enveloped you in that character's world.
Prompt: Turn your internal critical voice into a character. What is its gender? How does it look? How does it smell? Who are its favorite writers and why?
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"Most of the methods of training the conscious side of the writer--the craftsman and the critic in him--are actually hostile to the good of the artist's side; and the converse of this proposition is likewise true. But it is possible to train both sides of the character to work in harmony; and the first step in that education is to consider that you must teach yourself not as though you were one person, but two." ~~ Dorothea Brande
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My inner voice is female. I imagine she is reminiscent of old Hollywood and picture her in a sparkling gown atop a piano with a glass of whiskey at her side. When I hear her voice, it is a bit smoky, raspy, but poised, always pointing out what I first assume is irrelevant but actually ends up meaning the most to me. She has a cigarette wand, much like Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's, although I often think it is more for show than actual use.
She has sleepy eyes, the kind that were so seductive in 1930's Hollywood. She's a golden blonde with short hair in the traditional deep set fingerwaves set close to the head. Now that I think about it, I think she has become Tallulah Bankhead's image in my subconscious. She is mostly quiet, choosing to nip casual remarks at my writing, but the kind of remarks that make you question every word before and every word after. She is always serious, her facial expressions rarely changing, unless a scandalous quip or reference brings a smirk to her face. She makes no excuses for what she says or how she feels. Often there is the scent of delicate perfume wafting around her, mingling with the smell of cigarette smoke and stale liquor. She often looks sad or lonely but she is neither. And the only time she is quiet is when writer's block has a stranglehold on my internal pen. Then she chooses to luxuriate in expensive gowns and mink coats, effortlessly sipping at the glass of scotch at her side, an all knowing expression behind her eyes. It's almost as if she is happy by my silence, but there is some anxiety in her gaze, as if she is silently cheering me on, waiting for the next line to dissect and scrutinize.
Her favorite author would be VC Andrews, a woman who lived a quiet life but wrote about such dark and twisted events with a poise and flow that totally enveloped you in that character's world.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
What a Character
(Prompt from Room to Write by Bonni Goldberg)
Pick someone you know either intimately or superficially and see on a fairly regular basis. Describe this person. When you are finished, notice what you concentrated on first, what aspects you have included and what you have left out. Did you include a physical description but leave out the way this person talks? Spend another half page on an element of the character that didn't appear in the original description, or rework the portrait by beginning with the last category of characteristics to show up in the original description.
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"I think what we do is take what we understand of both ourselves and what we see around us. Our own nature makes a selection; it selects which things please you more." ~~ Louise Nevelson
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Favorite Cousin
She is tall, imposing. She has a baby face with straight dark hair and brown eyes. She wears her jeans way too tight but she doesn't care what anyone thinks. She is funny and loud, naive at times. She scrunches up her face when she laughs. Her style is definitely more urban than anything else. Sometimes she seems more naive and unaware than she should be, but that is a defense mechanism. Sometimes she is very much a bully and puts on a tough act, but she has a heart of gold and takes things personally but you would probably never see her react to it.
Reworked from the last characteristic.
Heather portrays a tough exterior, but she has a heart of gold. She can rough house with the boys and put makeup on with the girls so she makes friends easily. She has a very urban street flow to her words but she is sweet and thoughtful. She might seem unapproachable because she has a lot of abrasive traits, but she is a kind person who has little encouragement at home. She is tall and imposing, but has this extra youthful smile when she is laughing that makes her seem so naive. She has long, straight dark hair almost always in a ponytail and brown eyes --- beautiful eyes! She always bites the tip of her tongue when she laughs.
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I had a difficult time with this exercise because I felt like I was cheating myself of it's benefits. I felt like I was focusing my character scope too widely because that was the point of the redirect. When I am writing, I fill out character interviews for each of my main characters and summarize my secondary characters so I don't think description is an area I truly need to focus on, but it was neat to "observe" my favorite cousin for a prompt.
Pick someone you know either intimately or superficially and see on a fairly regular basis. Describe this person. When you are finished, notice what you concentrated on first, what aspects you have included and what you have left out. Did you include a physical description but leave out the way this person talks? Spend another half page on an element of the character that didn't appear in the original description, or rework the portrait by beginning with the last category of characteristics to show up in the original description.
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"I think what we do is take what we understand of both ourselves and what we see around us. Our own nature makes a selection; it selects which things please you more." ~~ Louise Nevelson
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Favorite Cousin
She is tall, imposing. She has a baby face with straight dark hair and brown eyes. She wears her jeans way too tight but she doesn't care what anyone thinks. She is funny and loud, naive at times. She scrunches up her face when she laughs. Her style is definitely more urban than anything else. Sometimes she seems more naive and unaware than she should be, but that is a defense mechanism. Sometimes she is very much a bully and puts on a tough act, but she has a heart of gold and takes things personally but you would probably never see her react to it.
Reworked from the last characteristic.
Heather portrays a tough exterior, but she has a heart of gold. She can rough house with the boys and put makeup on with the girls so she makes friends easily. She has a very urban street flow to her words but she is sweet and thoughtful. She might seem unapproachable because she has a lot of abrasive traits, but she is a kind person who has little encouragement at home. She is tall and imposing, but has this extra youthful smile when she is laughing that makes her seem so naive. She has long, straight dark hair almost always in a ponytail and brown eyes --- beautiful eyes! She always bites the tip of her tongue when she laughs.
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I had a difficult time with this exercise because I felt like I was cheating myself of it's benefits. I felt like I was focusing my character scope too widely because that was the point of the redirect. When I am writing, I fill out character interviews for each of my main characters and summarize my secondary characters so I don't think description is an area I truly need to focus on, but it was neat to "observe" my favorite cousin for a prompt.
Destiny
(Prompt taken from Room to Write by Bonni Goldberg)
Today, begin by copying the word destiny in your own handwriting and see where it takes you for two pages. Or, record a dialogue between the characters in one or two of your pieces on their beliefs about destiny.
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"Our wills and fates do so contrary run that our devices still are overthrown; Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own." ~~ William Shakespeare
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I think I believe that destiny is a mix of free will and fate. Throughout our lives we have so many choices to make and I believe those choices lead us to our fates. I can choose to take my son to school every morning and fate may get us there on time or it may not. I also think fate is relative. We don't attribute fate to the mundane things that happen in our lives, like getting the kids to school on time, but we casually toss the word around when something catastrophically bad happens or when something exceptionally good happens. But think for a minute how many times destiny may intervene and we don't realize it. I could have left the house just forty seconds early one summer day going to visit my mother and it could have been me and my son who were in the roll over accident at the four way stop. Was it my destiny to avoid the accident? I guess we'll never know.
As a kid I guess I leaned more toward destiny as fate. It is what every little girl fantasizes about; you're a princess in a big castle and one day Prince Charming comes to rescue you. In one sense I understand how believing in fate can be taken to the extreme to the pint you do little outside of survive because you're waiting on fate and destiny to find you, but while you're waiting on life to find you, the world is passing you by. If you want to realize your potential, you need to give destiny a push in the right direction and make it happen.
Right now I am waiting on fate to find me. Hoping through some holy, unexplained miracle to be a published author some day, but without submissions, I am doing little more than waiting for nothing. I can't expect success or failure to find me if I don't go looking for it.
Fate is not tangible. Destiny cannot be held in your hands and studied. It is a lot like faith; you cannot see it or hear it but you can feel it and perhaps you feel it most when you perceive a lack of it in your life.
I have noticed I keep referring to destiny as fate. I'm not sure if that is the writer in me or the person in me. Most of my stories have a mixed belief of fate/free will. I think very rarely do I mention it, but is is always lurking in the plot just below the surface.
Believing in fate makes you a hopeless romantic; the kind of person who believes if you ride the subway at the same time to the same destination every night for twenty years, you'll meet that guy who gave you his number but you washed the jeans and never got to call him. He'll find you on the crowded subway car and tell you he hasn't stopped thinking about you for twenty years.
Believing in free will makes you a realist, but what fun is it to believe that life isn't some cosmically predestined event that we all happen to be attending?
Sounds to me like believing in fate makes a much better story and much more flavorful life.
Today, begin by copying the word destiny in your own handwriting and see where it takes you for two pages. Or, record a dialogue between the characters in one or two of your pieces on their beliefs about destiny.
*******************************
"Our wills and fates do so contrary run that our devices still are overthrown; Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own." ~~ William Shakespeare
*******************************
I think I believe that destiny is a mix of free will and fate. Throughout our lives we have so many choices to make and I believe those choices lead us to our fates. I can choose to take my son to school every morning and fate may get us there on time or it may not. I also think fate is relative. We don't attribute fate to the mundane things that happen in our lives, like getting the kids to school on time, but we casually toss the word around when something catastrophically bad happens or when something exceptionally good happens. But think for a minute how many times destiny may intervene and we don't realize it. I could have left the house just forty seconds early one summer day going to visit my mother and it could have been me and my son who were in the roll over accident at the four way stop. Was it my destiny to avoid the accident? I guess we'll never know.
As a kid I guess I leaned more toward destiny as fate. It is what every little girl fantasizes about; you're a princess in a big castle and one day Prince Charming comes to rescue you. In one sense I understand how believing in fate can be taken to the extreme to the pint you do little outside of survive because you're waiting on fate and destiny to find you, but while you're waiting on life to find you, the world is passing you by. If you want to realize your potential, you need to give destiny a push in the right direction and make it happen.
Right now I am waiting on fate to find me. Hoping through some holy, unexplained miracle to be a published author some day, but without submissions, I am doing little more than waiting for nothing. I can't expect success or failure to find me if I don't go looking for it.
Fate is not tangible. Destiny cannot be held in your hands and studied. It is a lot like faith; you cannot see it or hear it but you can feel it and perhaps you feel it most when you perceive a lack of it in your life.
I have noticed I keep referring to destiny as fate. I'm not sure if that is the writer in me or the person in me. Most of my stories have a mixed belief of fate/free will. I think very rarely do I mention it, but is is always lurking in the plot just below the surface.
Believing in fate makes you a hopeless romantic; the kind of person who believes if you ride the subway at the same time to the same destination every night for twenty years, you'll meet that guy who gave you his number but you washed the jeans and never got to call him. He'll find you on the crowded subway car and tell you he hasn't stopped thinking about you for twenty years.
Believing in free will makes you a realist, but what fun is it to believe that life isn't some cosmically predestined event that we all happen to be attending?
Sounds to me like believing in fate makes a much better story and much more flavorful life.
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Making Clay
(Prompt taken from Room to Write by Bonni Goldberg)
PROMPT: To practice making clay, today start with the word game and dive in for three pages. You don't have to write in complete sentences. When you are done, read over what you have written. Highlight any phrases or passages you like and save them for a poem or a scene in a story. You may not like anything you wrote. Don't let that stop you from trying this study and several times over using different words. You will find gems in many of the pages you write this way, but never in every one. Trust me; if you continue to use this technique, you will find it invaluable.
********************************
"I might write four lines or I might write twenty. I subtract and I add until I really hit something. You don't always whittle down, sometimes you whittle up." ~~ Grace Paley
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Life
Life is an evolution toward death. It is all the happiness, all the sadness, all the pain, all the good you will ever feel. Every hope and broken dream makes you who you are. Don't forget to grow up but remember who you were. Never lose the child in your heart. Life can throw a curveball you never saw coming. But it is a beautiful, crazy, forever worth it kinda frustration.
Life is about making mistakes, learning from every experience. All those school girl crushes and broken hearts define who we are as human beings. Each choice defines who we will become.
Life is always too short, even if you live a hundred years. There will always be something to see, something to do, a place you always wanted to go. Live it to the fullest, cherish every memory because it is over far sooner than we imagine.
Part of life is death. The death of others, loved ones, friends, neighbors, people you barely know. Losing someone is difficult, it so suddenly and completely reminds us of our own mortality and how quickly it can all be gone. Should we be sad in death? When we lose someone we love should it be so difficult to let them go?
And then what would be the meaning of life? Is it more than just living to die? More than procreation and working day in and day out? Is there some cosmic soul searching question we have to answer after death? There must be something more meaningful than just life. What is it all for?
Watching my son grow up and mature feels like what life should be about. Watching him learn something new or discovering a new favorite band, loving, caring, providing for and cultivating the life of another person feels worth it to continue through the daily grind, the upper lower class sludge, the monotony of day to day life.
I have often wondered what life is like in other parts of the world. Where would I be if I had been born in another country? Would I be a wannabe writer in Spain? Italy? France? Greece? Russia? What is life like there? I have always wanted to visit Italy and Ireland. I think writing there would be an ethereal experience.
Sometimes I wonder if life is some cosmic dream. Do we wake up to some otherworldly virtual reality game and then go take a test to see if we were paying attention? I don't know how some would fare, but I am a pretty decent test taker, and I feel I had to mature far earlier than most of my age appropriate counterparts.
Guess what I have never done in my life ... taken a road trip, had a girls weekend away, gotten drunk, went to a bar to go dancing, learned another language, gotten a passport, been on a plane, been to a NHL game, wore a wedding ring, been on a honeymoon, taken a family vacation, bought a new wardrobe, gone for a test drive in a brand new car, seen a Broadway show, bought myself something expensive just because I wanted it, danced in the rain, taken a long drive to nowhere just because.
There is so much I want to do in this life. I wish I could say that someday they will all be realized, but I am not that naive. As I've said before, when one dream is realized, another will be imagined.
My number one dream in life would be to officially relocate to Pittsburgh
PROMPT: To practice making clay, today start with the word game and dive in for three pages. You don't have to write in complete sentences. When you are done, read over what you have written. Highlight any phrases or passages you like and save them for a poem or a scene in a story. You may not like anything you wrote. Don't let that stop you from trying this study and several times over using different words. You will find gems in many of the pages you write this way, but never in every one. Trust me; if you continue to use this technique, you will find it invaluable.
********************************
"I might write four lines or I might write twenty. I subtract and I add until I really hit something. You don't always whittle down, sometimes you whittle up." ~~ Grace Paley
********************************
Life
Life is an evolution toward death. It is all the happiness, all the sadness, all the pain, all the good you will ever feel. Every hope and broken dream makes you who you are. Don't forget to grow up but remember who you were. Never lose the child in your heart. Life can throw a curveball you never saw coming. But it is a beautiful, crazy, forever worth it kinda frustration.
Life is about making mistakes, learning from every experience. All those school girl crushes and broken hearts define who we are as human beings. Each choice defines who we will become.
Life is always too short, even if you live a hundred years. There will always be something to see, something to do, a place you always wanted to go. Live it to the fullest, cherish every memory because it is over far sooner than we imagine.
Part of life is death. The death of others, loved ones, friends, neighbors, people you barely know. Losing someone is difficult, it so suddenly and completely reminds us of our own mortality and how quickly it can all be gone. Should we be sad in death? When we lose someone we love should it be so difficult to let them go?
And then what would be the meaning of life? Is it more than just living to die? More than procreation and working day in and day out? Is there some cosmic soul searching question we have to answer after death? There must be something more meaningful than just life. What is it all for?
Watching my son grow up and mature feels like what life should be about. Watching him learn something new or discovering a new favorite band, loving, caring, providing for and cultivating the life of another person feels worth it to continue through the daily grind, the upper lower class sludge, the monotony of day to day life.
I have often wondered what life is like in other parts of the world. Where would I be if I had been born in another country? Would I be a wannabe writer in Spain? Italy? France? Greece? Russia? What is life like there? I have always wanted to visit Italy and Ireland. I think writing there would be an ethereal experience.
Sometimes I wonder if life is some cosmic dream. Do we wake up to some otherworldly virtual reality game and then go take a test to see if we were paying attention? I don't know how some would fare, but I am a pretty decent test taker, and I feel I had to mature far earlier than most of my age appropriate counterparts.
Guess what I have never done in my life ... taken a road trip, had a girls weekend away, gotten drunk, went to a bar to go dancing, learned another language, gotten a passport, been on a plane, been to a NHL game, wore a wedding ring, been on a honeymoon, taken a family vacation, bought a new wardrobe, gone for a test drive in a brand new car, seen a Broadway show, bought myself something expensive just because I wanted it, danced in the rain, taken a long drive to nowhere just because.
There is so much I want to do in this life. I wish I could say that someday they will all be realized, but I am not that naive. As I've said before, when one dream is realized, another will be imagined.
My number one dream in life would be to officially relocate to Pittsburgh
Friday, November 12, 2010
Piece by Piece
(Prompt taken from Room to Write by Bonni Goldberg)
PROMPT: Today start writing with no thought about what form the material will take. Or, select material you already have and try it out in another form. Pick from short story, poem, essay, performance monologue, creative nonfiction, children's story.
***********************
"You know, you don't always have a choice of what you're going to write. You're not a cow that can give cream with one udder and milk with another." ~~ Bruce Duffy
***********************
I saw an open window and wondered what it would be like to jump.
Jump down and fall above where I've been. Maybe even touch my toes to my chin. Like a child in a crib, playing alone, again. But people like me aren't lucky enough to win.
I walked along a broken bridge until the ground crumbled under foot.
If I'd stayed behind I never would have found this place of forgotten times and melodic sound. Through long forgotten paths that twisted and wound. My heart and soul to a place to be forever bound.
I stopped swimming in the middle of the coldest spot in a lake.
Let the water gurgle up around me as I sank. Tasted the water on my lips like a misbegotten prank. Watched the billowing air rise above like a fish in a tank. Forgot for a moment that the world had a shore and a bank.
Looked in the mirror for the first time and wasn't sad to see me.
A woman staring back who had lived a life. Happiness was there and the lessons were rife. Too old to be a woman, still too young to be a wife. The truth was glaring back like tears on the blade of a knife.
PROMPT: Today start writing with no thought about what form the material will take. Or, select material you already have and try it out in another form. Pick from short story, poem, essay, performance monologue, creative nonfiction, children's story.
***********************
"You know, you don't always have a choice of what you're going to write. You're not a cow that can give cream with one udder and milk with another." ~~ Bruce Duffy
***********************
I saw an open window and wondered what it would be like to jump.
Jump down and fall above where I've been. Maybe even touch my toes to my chin. Like a child in a crib, playing alone, again. But people like me aren't lucky enough to win.
I walked along a broken bridge until the ground crumbled under foot.
If I'd stayed behind I never would have found this place of forgotten times and melodic sound. Through long forgotten paths that twisted and wound. My heart and soul to a place to be forever bound.
I stopped swimming in the middle of the coldest spot in a lake.
Let the water gurgle up around me as I sank. Tasted the water on my lips like a misbegotten prank. Watched the billowing air rise above like a fish in a tank. Forgot for a moment that the world had a shore and a bank.
Looked in the mirror for the first time and wasn't sad to see me.
A woman staring back who had lived a life. Happiness was there and the lessons were rife. Too old to be a woman, still too young to be a wife. The truth was glaring back like tears on the blade of a knife.
SNOT
(A prompt taken from Room to Write by Bonni Goldberg)
PROMPT: For a minimum of one full page, write about snot. Afterward, consider how you felt before you began, as you wrote, and once you were finished. Record your responses. Check if any material emerged that you could incorporate into a piece you are working on. Or, list other unmentionable topics your could explore as you write.
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"You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm." ~~ Colette
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How many times must I blow my nose? I'm sure this cold will last forever and just in time for my global presentation to the board and our subsidiaries. I grabbed a tissue from my purse and felt the thickly sticky substance on my fingers. Gross!
I was pretty sure I'd expelled more than my fair share of snot for one lifetime. I couldn't toss the snotted tissue in a receptacle. I was on the subway, but that didn't stop my urgent need to blow my nose. I shoved the tissue into my pocket and dug through my purse for a snot-less tissue. It was a futile effort. Was it sanitary to reuse a tissue? I mean it wasn't like it was someone else's snotty tissue. There was little else I could do. I already felt the lingering, slowly running drip of snot. From the way the woman across from me was glaring, I probably had a booger rolling down too, like a boulder in an avalanche.
I reused my tissue and couldn't help a quick glance down at it. Okay, that was even more gross. The once clear snot was now a sickly green. Great! That meant time off from work if I picked up anymore symptoms.
The train stopped at my station and I hurried out of the car, up the stairs, and onto the street. Every few seconds I sucked the snot back into my nostrils and thanked my lucky stars when my building was in sight. Hands in my pocket, I made a mental note to throw away all my gross tissues when I felt someone tap my shoulder. I spun around and Larry, my boss, was juggling a few drink carriers with hot coffee.
"Help me out, Jen," he said, and I reached for two of the carriers. I followed him into the building and onto the elevator, up to the seventeenth floor, and to the conference room that was already full of my colleagues. I passed out the drinks in my carriers and shrugged my coat off into my chair.
"Uh, Jen, I think this belongs to you," Larry said, handing me a Styrofoam cup. A sticky green covered tissued was attached to the lid and I felt my face flush red hot as another drip of snot betrayed my nasal passages.
PROMPT: For a minimum of one full page, write about snot. Afterward, consider how you felt before you began, as you wrote, and once you were finished. Record your responses. Check if any material emerged that you could incorporate into a piece you are working on. Or, list other unmentionable topics your could explore as you write.
***********************************
"You will do foolish things, but do them with enthusiasm." ~~ Colette
***********************************
How many times must I blow my nose? I'm sure this cold will last forever and just in time for my global presentation to the board and our subsidiaries. I grabbed a tissue from my purse and felt the thickly sticky substance on my fingers. Gross!
I was pretty sure I'd expelled more than my fair share of snot for one lifetime. I couldn't toss the snotted tissue in a receptacle. I was on the subway, but that didn't stop my urgent need to blow my nose. I shoved the tissue into my pocket and dug through my purse for a snot-less tissue. It was a futile effort. Was it sanitary to reuse a tissue? I mean it wasn't like it was someone else's snotty tissue. There was little else I could do. I already felt the lingering, slowly running drip of snot. From the way the woman across from me was glaring, I probably had a booger rolling down too, like a boulder in an avalanche.
I reused my tissue and couldn't help a quick glance down at it. Okay, that was even more gross. The once clear snot was now a sickly green. Great! That meant time off from work if I picked up anymore symptoms.
The train stopped at my station and I hurried out of the car, up the stairs, and onto the street. Every few seconds I sucked the snot back into my nostrils and thanked my lucky stars when my building was in sight. Hands in my pocket, I made a mental note to throw away all my gross tissues when I felt someone tap my shoulder. I spun around and Larry, my boss, was juggling a few drink carriers with hot coffee.
"Help me out, Jen," he said, and I reached for two of the carriers. I followed him into the building and onto the elevator, up to the seventeenth floor, and to the conference room that was already full of my colleagues. I passed out the drinks in my carriers and shrugged my coat off into my chair.
"Uh, Jen, I think this belongs to you," Larry said, handing me a Styrofoam cup. A sticky green covered tissued was attached to the lid and I felt my face flush red hot as another drip of snot betrayed my nasal passages.
FAILING
(A prompt taken from Bonni Goldberg and her book, Room To Write)
PROMPT: Today, write a full page of junk. It can be trite, repetitive, vague, clunky, melodramatic, gibberish, the worst stuff you can muster. Read it over and notice all the elements you understand about writing through the intentional ways you wrote against them. Now crumple, tear, or delete the page and toss it in the trash. Since this is a blog and the purpose of posting is for everyone to see, I'll just never look at this post again ... HAHA
*******************
"Try again. Fail again. Fail better." ~~ Samuel Beckett
*******************
Life was boring in this small town so I hitched a ride with the first car that stopped and climbed inside over the torn leather seats and a busted dash even though the inside smelled like a year old stash of fast food. Well, would you look at that? A pile of McDonald's bags and cups that looked at least as old as dirt. You should have seen the guy behind the wheel. He was tall with giant hands that looked swollen. He had a big belly, but he was thin and the black t-shirt with holes through the midsection didn't help him out. And seriously was that an eight track tape player? How did I even know what an eight track tape player was? I'm only seventeen. He smiled a toothy grin and almost like bit his bottom lip off. This guy had to have fallen out of some incest tree. He asked me where I was going and I told him I didn't care as long as it was far from here so he pushed down on the gas pedal and sped down the road, at somewhere around forty miles an hour. The sun glared off the wet pavement and I put my and over my eyes to shield from that glaring light. I tried to ignore the paper bag in the back floor board with the dark congealed stains and the pile of fabric that laid inside. A baby doll was back there too and I couldn't stop myself from turning back to look at him, but it was already too late and I saw him swing the tire iron over his head as it hit mine and the darkness swallowed my thoughts before the questions could leave my lips.
PROMPT: Today, write a full page of junk. It can be trite, repetitive, vague, clunky, melodramatic, gibberish, the worst stuff you can muster. Read it over and notice all the elements you understand about writing through the intentional ways you wrote against them. Now crumple, tear, or delete the page and toss it in the trash. Since this is a blog and the purpose of posting is for everyone to see, I'll just never look at this post again ... HAHA
*******************
"Try again. Fail again. Fail better." ~~ Samuel Beckett
*******************
Life was boring in this small town so I hitched a ride with the first car that stopped and climbed inside over the torn leather seats and a busted dash even though the inside smelled like a year old stash of fast food. Well, would you look at that? A pile of McDonald's bags and cups that looked at least as old as dirt. You should have seen the guy behind the wheel. He was tall with giant hands that looked swollen. He had a big belly, but he was thin and the black t-shirt with holes through the midsection didn't help him out. And seriously was that an eight track tape player? How did I even know what an eight track tape player was? I'm only seventeen. He smiled a toothy grin and almost like bit his bottom lip off. This guy had to have fallen out of some incest tree. He asked me where I was going and I told him I didn't care as long as it was far from here so he pushed down on the gas pedal and sped down the road, at somewhere around forty miles an hour. The sun glared off the wet pavement and I put my and over my eyes to shield from that glaring light. I tried to ignore the paper bag in the back floor board with the dark congealed stains and the pile of fabric that laid inside. A baby doll was back there too and I couldn't stop myself from turning back to look at him, but it was already too late and I saw him swing the tire iron over his head as it hit mine and the darkness swallowed my thoughts before the questions could leave my lips.
I Don't Remember
(A prompt taken from Room To Write by Bonni Goldberg)
PROMPT: This time, begin with the phrase, "I don't remember," and fill up a page. If you draw a blank at any point, repeat the phrase "I don't remember," in writing, until something else forms in your consciousness. Notice if one of these non memories suggests a section of a piece, an experience for one of your characters, or perhaps a topic to write about. Notice what subjects of non-memories emerge; are they the same themes you often write about? If not, further explore one of the new ones.
**********
"Not knowing when the dawn will come I open the door." ~~ Emily Dickinson
**********
I don't remember what it's like to be alone. I am only twenty five, but I've been married for eight years and with Joe for ten years. I am a wife and mother. Sometimes I don't remember who Tracy is. All these plans and dreams I had for myself were completely within my grasp but I gave them up to be a mother and a wife. I don't regret my choices. I love my son and my husband, but sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if I'd gone to college, spent a summer in Italy, went on a blind date, made a career for myself. Would I be married now? Would I be a mom? Would I still be in Indiana? Would I still long for Pittsburgh? I promise myself that once Christian is grown and in college that Joe and I will make a new life in Pittsburgh. I don't remember a time when I didn't want to be in Pittsburgh. Ever since my writing became a prominent fixture in my life, Pittsburgh has been a forefront in my thoughts. I don't remember a time in my childhood when I felt like I was my mother's daughter. I don't remember a time when I felt like she cared about me the way she does my brother. I don't remember a time when I felt like I belonged with my family. I don't remember a time I ever felt like I felt like myself; my true self.
PROMPT: This time, begin with the phrase, "I don't remember," and fill up a page. If you draw a blank at any point, repeat the phrase "I don't remember," in writing, until something else forms in your consciousness. Notice if one of these non memories suggests a section of a piece, an experience for one of your characters, or perhaps a topic to write about. Notice what subjects of non-memories emerge; are they the same themes you often write about? If not, further explore one of the new ones.
**********
"Not knowing when the dawn will come I open the door." ~~ Emily Dickinson
**********
I don't remember what it's like to be alone. I am only twenty five, but I've been married for eight years and with Joe for ten years. I am a wife and mother. Sometimes I don't remember who Tracy is. All these plans and dreams I had for myself were completely within my grasp but I gave them up to be a mother and a wife. I don't regret my choices. I love my son and my husband, but sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if I'd gone to college, spent a summer in Italy, went on a blind date, made a career for myself. Would I be married now? Would I be a mom? Would I still be in Indiana? Would I still long for Pittsburgh? I promise myself that once Christian is grown and in college that Joe and I will make a new life in Pittsburgh. I don't remember a time when I didn't want to be in Pittsburgh. Ever since my writing became a prominent fixture in my life, Pittsburgh has been a forefront in my thoughts. I don't remember a time in my childhood when I felt like I was my mother's daughter. I don't remember a time when I felt like she cared about me the way she does my brother. I don't remember a time when I felt like I belonged with my family. I don't remember a time I ever felt like I felt like myself; my true self.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Poetry Challenge
This week's word/phrase: New Beginnings
It lasted longer than we thought it could
loved you harder than I thought I would
Remember when you kissed me that day
Didn't think anything would get in our way
We say goodbye and walk apart
Ignore the beating of a broken heart
It will love again I'm sure
After all temptation is a lure
You are the ending
To my heart's new beginning
It lasted longer than we thought it could
loved you harder than I thought I would
Remember when you kissed me that day
Didn't think anything would get in our way
We say goodbye and walk apart
Ignore the beating of a broken heart
It will love again I'm sure
After all temptation is a lure
You are the ending
To my heart's new beginning
Word Interpretations
This week's word: NEWS
"For me it was just exciting to see fake news catching on like that. We don't ... you know, it's interesting. I think we don't make things up. We just distill it to, hopefully, its most humorous nugget. And in that sense it seems faked and skewed just because we don't have to be subjective or pretend to be objective. We can just put it out there." Jon Stewart
"The American people deserve to know that they're not just watching the administration's spin on their local newscasts --- they're paying for it too." John Kerry
"Problems are the price of progress. Don't bring me anything but trouble. Good news weakens me." Charles F. Kettering
"Nothing travels faster than light with the possible exception of bad news, which follows its own rules." Douglas Adams
"For me it was just exciting to see fake news catching on like that. We don't ... you know, it's interesting. I think we don't make things up. We just distill it to, hopefully, its most humorous nugget. And in that sense it seems faked and skewed just because we don't have to be subjective or pretend to be objective. We can just put it out there." Jon Stewart
"The American people deserve to know that they're not just watching the administration's spin on their local newscasts --- they're paying for it too." John Kerry
"Problems are the price of progress. Don't bring me anything but trouble. Good news weakens me." Charles F. Kettering
"Nothing travels faster than light with the possible exception of bad news, which follows its own rules." Douglas Adams
Words of Art
Why were guys like him so attracted to Kara? Sure she was gorgeous enough to be a model but did he really think someone like her would ever settle down? And why did I have to be the one he showed the ring to first? Couldn't he see how much I hated pretending like I wasn't attracted to him?
I did what I was supposed to. I smiled and fawned over the sparkly diamond and platinum band when what I really wanted to do was chuck that little red box into the nearest flambe presentation. There were two of them. After all, it was valentines day and most guys were busy impressing their wives or girlfriends or potential girlfriends. Where was Kara when she had a guy like Doug waiting for her? Oh, that's right. She was having date night with the surgeon. That plastic surgeon guy who made well over seven figures and was just about as much in love with her as Doug was.
So I was stuck playing go-between, filling in for her because she couldn't ever have a faithful relationship. I sighed as I gazed across at Doug, trying not to let myself get lost in the way his green eyes shimmered with such love and admiration when he spoke her name. He went through the details, telling me how he planned to propose, reciting the lines it was obvious he'd been working on for quite some time. I didn't want Doug to get hurt but I couldn't tell him that Kara was just playing games with him. After all, she was my best friend.
The table adjacent to ours must have thought he was proposing to me and began to clap. It must have been that stupid grin on my face that made them think a guy like Doug was asking a girl like me to marry him. Or maybe it was all those red and pink balloons; some kind of latex and helium poisoning for sure. Our waiter came to the table, a phony smile on his face that seemed more annoyed than anything else.
"How about a celebratory glass of champagne for the happy couple?" he asked, his eyes barely open as he hovered over us.
I was about to tell him no, they had it all wrong, when Doug chuckled, "is it on the house?" The waiter gave a bigger smile, obviously biting back a sincere disdain for his job. He nodded.
"Then bring my future wife and I a glass of your finest!" he smiled across at me, that same smile that always melted my heart. When he winked, I could hardly contain the excitement that bubbled under the surface. If I could only have this fake romance pretending he was thinking of me when that look of complete and utter hopeless love came over him, then I would soak up every second.
After all, Kara was probably in some five star restaurant with her surgeon. Who knew how much longer she'd string Doug along, and as her best friend, it wasn't like I could keep seeing him after she ended it. God, I hated her sometimes. Just once I wanted to have a man totally fall in love with me.
Doug slid the ring on my finger and whispered something about making sure it was the right size for Kara and how much fun it was that people thought he and I were getting married. As the waiter set golden champagne before us, I thought about what it would be like if Doug loved me the way he loved Kara.
Word Interpretation
This week's word: UNITY
Unity: A sacred bond. A friendship. A nation coming together over a common cause, emotion, tragedy, celebration. A candle lit from two as the promise of forever. A bloodline that runs deep in your veins. A sermon to a waiting congregation. A promise from the heart. A dream down in the soul. A family holding hands. Siblings playing hide and seek. Best friend bracelets. Mother's day flowers. Father's day ties. Valentine kisses. Christmas wishes. Thanksgiving grace. Graduation applause. A baby shower. A birth day. Get well soon balloons. Condolence blooms. From here to hereafter.
Unity: A sacred bond. A friendship. A nation coming together over a common cause, emotion, tragedy, celebration. A candle lit from two as the promise of forever. A bloodline that runs deep in your veins. A sermon to a waiting congregation. A promise from the heart. A dream down in the soul. A family holding hands. Siblings playing hide and seek. Best friend bracelets. Mother's day flowers. Father's day ties. Valentine kisses. Christmas wishes. Thanksgiving grace. Graduation applause. A baby shower. A birth day. Get well soon balloons. Condolence blooms. From here to hereafter.
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