Ideas That Go Bump in the Night

A Rant/Rave About Writing

I get some of my best ideas at night, probably because the inner censor in my brain shuts down, allowing the wild, creative side free rein. Such inspiration also strikes when I’m driving, and I don’t even want to know what that says about how much — or how little —  of my brain I use to control a vehicle weighing thousands of pounds.

On the other hand, I get some of my worst ideas at night — probably the inner censor in my brain shuts down allowing the wild, creative side free rein

But I already said that.

The other night, I got the brilliant idea to send a care package to my darling daughter. She’s away at college and has had a difficult couple of weeks.

Okay, so that idea wasn’t brilliant. It was just being a mom.

To understand the brilliant part, you have to know about the last care package I sent south, filled with random happy-making items including four Malley’s chocolate bars, one for Darling Daughter and one for each of her suite mates.

Nice, eh? I’m just that kind of mom.

The problem was, when the package arrived, it was open and sans chocolate.

Yeah, some low-down, scum-sucking thief stole my daughter’s chocolate!

So, here’s the brilliant bit — or maybe not so brilliant, you decide: In my half-asleep haze, I decided it would be a great idea to again send candy, but to write a curse on the package to deter any would-be chocolate thieves.

I figured if someone steals the chocolate, at least Darling Daughter and roommates can laugh about D.D.’s weird mom.

IMG_0007

You probably need a translation as my printing is not the best, so here goes: “To the would-be thief of my daughter’s treats — a curse upon thee and all thy family that thou wilt remain greedy, duplicitous, spotty-nosed toads. O’ horridness personified, Vile seething canker sore on legs, may thou taste only bitterness, the acrid stench of burnt cheese and ash fill your nostrils, the screech of one hundred circling hawks serenade your ears, and may thy remaining three brain cells die a protracted, painful death leaving thee a blathering, incoherent idiot.”

In my defense, I got a Shakespearean Insult Mug for my birthday, which may explain all the “thee”s and “thou”s. And I was still half-asleep when I acted on my (possibly brilliant, possibly insane) idea yesterday.

How about you? What brilliant/insane ideas have you had when half-asleep? Leave a comment and share all.

Oh, and one more plea in my defense, at least I had the sense to not write the curse on the outside mailing envelope — only on the inner one with the chocolate.

Update: Curse proved effective. Package arrived, chocolate intact. Score one for brilliant/insane ideas!

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A Battle Lost

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
— Attributed to Plato

Yesterday someone I love committed suicide.

No one saw it coming. He was not a person who shared his feelings easily. We didn’t know he was fighting demons we didn’t see.

“I don’t understand.” Our eighty-three-year-old mother’s voice breaks when she says this, turning the statement into a question, a plea for an explanation that will never come. Because this act speaks of a mind caught in darkness beyond our imagining. This choice, unlike all others, cannot be un-chosen, altered, or changed.

This battle was lost to an insidious, unseen foe. It was the decision of a person desperate beyond all comprehension, someone so deep into the night that he couldn’t see the light of the love around him. Someone in a hell so solitary he didn’t realize his action damns those he loves to the anguish of a different hell.

We wonder, if we had done something different, would he still be here? It is a question without an answer, a hollow exercise in self-flagellation.

He is gone, and nothing we do can bring him home again.

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Cliché Challenge: A Creative Writing Exercise

 

Cliché Challenge: A Rave About Writing
Earlier this month, I wrote a post about avoiding clichés “like the plague.” (And when I ran spellcheck on this post, WordPress underlined “like the plague” in blue and said “Clichés,” which made me smile. )Today, I’m serving up a way to use some of those same clichéd characters, settings, character attributes and plot devices to stretch your creative muscles.

Here’s what you need to do:
Write down your birthday in the classic __/__/____ format. For example, if you were born on July 4th, 1776, you would write 07/04/1776. Now, put another slash before the last two numbers. It should look something like this: 07/04/17/76.  These are your options for the lists below.

If the last number isn’t on a list, add those two digits for your final number.  7+6=13, so thirteen is my the fourth number.  Also, for any novel, you need at least two characters. So, use one number twice.  It’s not rocket science (though  rocket scientist is on the list).

This will give you several possibilities to work with. Such as “A librarian and a dreamy vampire indulge in a no strings affair in a consignment shop” or “A manipulative surfer dude meets a woman disguised as a duke at the library.”

The possibilities are numerous. Leave a comment and tell us what you get. If you can manage a paragraph or two to share, even better.

Have fun!

Characters

  1. Jock
  2. Cop
  3. Plumber
  4. Librarian
  5. Fairy
  6. Mermaid
  7. Vampire
  8. Zombie
  9. Shapeshifter
  10. Witch
  11. Werewolf
  12. Regency buck
  13. Surfer dude
  14. Hippie
  15. Hipster
  16. Princess
  17. Duke
  18. Fashion designer
  19. Pro bowler
  20. Ice skater
  21. Antique store owner
  22. Reality show star
  23. Chef
  24. Alien
  25. Punk rocker
  26. Gang member
  27. Refugee
  28. Bride
  29. Bridesmaid
  30. Groom
  31. Rock star
  32. Fireman
  33. Professional athlete
  34. Accountant
  35. Teacher
  36. Housewife
  37. Writer
  38. Vicar/minister
  39. Waitress/waiter
  40. Amish Man
  41. Private eye
  42. Doctor
  43. Bartender
  44. Best friend’s brother/sister
  45. Bookworm/nerd
  46. Bookie
  47. Bad girl
  48. Good boy
  49. Divorce lawyer
  50. Cowboy
  51. Sheriff
  52. Runner
  53. Nurse
  54. Rodeo Rider
  55. Soldier (SEAL, etc)
  56. Amish Woman
  57. Dentist
  58. Playboy/rake
  59. Flirt
  60. Musician
  61. Assassin
  62. Pirate
  63. Journalist
  64. Bigamist
  65. Smuggler
  66. Female motorcyclist
  67. Ranger
  68. Health nut
  69. Bad boy
  70. Good Girl
  71. Rocket scientist

Character Attributes

  1. Intelligent
  2. Graceful
  3. Can fix anything
  4. Manipulative
  5. Irascible/curmudgeonly
  6. Arrogant
  7. Good-natured
  8. Good sense of humor
  9. Dense
  10. Promiscuous
  11. Prim
  12. Judgmental
  13. Ambitious
  14. Blowhard
  15. Psychic
  16. Romantic
  17. Dreamy
  18. Optimistic
  19. Pessimistic
  20. Flashy
  21. Fastidious
  22. Conservative
  23. Reliable
  24. Honest
  25. Dishonest
  26. Pathological liar
  27. Flight
  28. Serious
  29. Lazy
  30. Hardworking
  31. Realistic
  32. Unrealistic
  33. Polished
  34. Inquisitive
  35. Drab
  36. Unemotional
  37. Loyal
  38. Conventional
  39. Unconventional
  40. Extroverted
  41. Introverted
  42. Aggressive
  43. Passive
  44. Intuitive
  45. Perfectionistic
  46. Messy
  47. Logical
  48. Sophisticated
  49. Very short
  50. Very tall
  51. Unsophisticated

Settings

  1. Parade
  2. Church
  3. School
  4. Library
  5. Street
  6. Airport
  7. Olympus
  8. Bookstore
  9. Amusement park
  10. Soccer field
  11. Gym
  12. Bike path
  13. Consignment shop
  14. Restaurant
  15. Bar
  16. Grocery store
  17. Local market
  18. Airplane
  19. Train
  20. Bus
  21. Castle
  22. Woods
  23. Beach
  24. Cruise ship
  25. Movie cinema
  26. Theater
  27. Fast-food joint
  28. Elevator
  29. Elementary school
  30. Christmas tree farm
  31. College
  32. Class
  33. Farm
  34. Big City
  35. Ranch
  36. Amish Community
  37. Small town
  38. Hospital
  39. Battleground
  40. Police station
  41. Doctor’s Office
  42. Med School
  43. Bar Exam
  44. Music store
  45. Bookstore
  46. Wedding
  47. Starship
  48. Scotland
  49. Gretna Green
  50. London Ballroom
  51. Country Estate
  52. City Townhouse
  53. Mansion
  54. A safari
  55. Auction
  56. Las Vegas
  57. Hotel
  58. Bowling Alley
  59. Book Club

Plot Devices

  1. Hate at first sight
  2. Marriage of convenience
  3. Secret baby
  4. No strings affair
  5. Blind date
  6. Affair with someone’s spouse
  7. Childhood friends
  8. Childhood sweethearts
  9. Childhood enemies
  10. Best friend steals man/woman
  11. Married/divorced/reunited
  12. Revenge
  13. Makeover/ugly duckling to swan
  14. Makeover/Frog to prince
  15. Will stipulates some action
  16. Amnesia
  17. Woman disguised as man
  18. Man disguised as woman
  19. Must put past behind him/her
  20. Quest
  21. Prove worthy of love
  22. Evil twin
  23. Heroine must rescue hero
  24. Evil/nasty mother-in-law,stepmother, stepfather, guardian
  25. Kidnapping
  26. Fish out of water (country boy in big city, etc)
  27. Time travel
  28. Have to prove someone’s innocence
  29. Repayment of a debt
  30. Save a marriage
  31. Run for office
  32. On a mission
  33. Blackmail
  34. Mistaken identity
  35. Witness a crime
  36. Divorce
  37. Childbirth
  38. Adoption
  39. Drug/alcohol addiction
  40. Someone getting married
  41. Runaway pet
  42. Lost child
  43. An heir is needed
  44. Someone inherits a fortune
  45. Someone loses a fortune
  46. A car/train/plane/spacecraft/carriage crash
  47. Passport stolen
  48. Teenager runs away
  49. A fall
  50. A hit and run
  51. Food poisoning
  52. Zip-lining
  53. Bungee Jump
  54. Skiing/snowboarding
  55. Whitewater rafting
  56. Serious Illness
  57. Thrown from a horse
  58. Love at first sight
  59. Return from war

For more fun ideas, check out the websites listed below.
http://www.lifeformz.com/cgi-bin/idea/idea.fcgi  — Random Logline Generator
http://facstaff.unca.edu/pbahls/TitleGenerator.html — Random Romance Title Generator
http://romancenovelyourself.com/ — Put yourself on a romance cover. Here’s what mine looked like: http://romancenovelyourself.com/37b38cd7b9

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It’s Critical: Learning to Love My Critique Group

A Rave About Writing

Until l recently, I’ve been reluctant to join a critique group. It’s not because I’m troubled by criticism (at least not too troubled, not when it’s relevant). I’ve entered my share of contests, and the feedback I received has mostly resulted in a series of “Duh!<smack-self-on-head> ” moments, rather than “I’m-putting-my-computer-up-for-sale-on-eBay-right-now” reactions.

But critique groups are structured, and I’m … not. Also, I tend to be a little — okay, very — contrary. That’s why I don’t read bestselling authors. It’s my  tiny, pathetic attempt at being different in a sad kind of bookwormish way.

I’m weird. I admit it.

However, about six months ago, it dawned on me that my writing was not going to improve unless I started getting regular feedback from readers who are familiar with the romance genre. I put out feelers to an existing critique group formed by members of my RWA chapter but ultimately decided the time commitment was not finite enough for me.

Then Shelley Shepard Gray spoke at one of our meetings and mentioned how her critique group works. Basically, they meet once a month, bring pages of whatever they’re working on, and pass them around the group, with each member writing her comments in a different colored ink.

This I could manage. So I sent an email to our chapter members asking if anyone else would like to try this type of group. Three people responded, giving us a  perfectly sized group for this type of critique work.

We started meeting in November, and have met twice since. Not only do we now have an excuse to sit around Panera and work on our writing for three hours once a month, I believe the sharing of opinions and impressions has resulted in a better product for all of us.

And, while I don’t agree with every comment, my partners’ ideas make me stop to think about why I have written something the way I did. The majority of their feedback, however, is the <smack self on the head> type.

I can’t think why I didn’t do this sooner.

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Avoid Clichés Like the Plague

A Rave About Language, Both Colorful and Clichéd 

Here in Ohio, as in many parts of the country, the nights have been pretty cold. The Engineer says such weather is “brass monkeys,” a shortened version of “It’s cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey.”  I would call it “colder than a witch’s tit in a brass bra.” And still others might say “It’s colder than a well-digger’s ass.”

Because these descriptions are colorful, if slightly vulgar, I would consider using any of them as part of a character’s dialogue. Employing such phrases can be used to illustrate part of that character’s personality. Clearly, anyone who compares the weather to a well-digger’s ass or a witch’s tit (either in or out of a brass bra) could hardly be — to employ an example of the opposite type of expression — a shrinking violet. In fact, that character would be considered — and here comes another cliché — bold as brass.

What’s wrong with shrinking violet and bold as brass, you ask?  They are, dear reader, clichés, overused phrases that adds nothing new or creative to the mix.

Except now that I think about it, both “shrinking violet” and “bold as brass” have fallen enough out of favor that using them might make a character seem charmingly old-fashioned. What do you think? Feel free to leave a comment and tell me.

But, back to those frigid, winter nights. I would certainly edit out any lazy writing which describes them as “cold as ice.” And I would do the same for a person I’ve characterized as “pure as the driven snow,” and anything I said was “black as night.” You’ll notice I said, “edit out,” not “would never write.” That’s because clichés are so ingrained they are impossible to avoid altogether.

Still, I like to try to channel my characters, creating new analogies that suit who they are and where they come from. I also look to old or regional expressions that may be less commonly known, and yet are somehow descriptive enough to get the idea across. Instead of having someone say, “Gosh, she sure is tall,” I might have them drawl (and the drawl part is important because this is a southern expression), “That girl is one tall glass of water.”

My West Virginia-born father used to say that (hopefully only about my mom), and  it’s quite a compliment. And guess what else — I just looked it up, and it can also be used to describe a handsome man. Now I can drawl, “My husband is one tall glass of water.” 🙂

Sigh. I love that. But then, I’m such a word geek.

Here’s another one I like: “He’s not smart enough to pour piss out of a boot with a hole in the toe and instructions on the heel!”  I can just picture some — cliché alert — bozo looking at the heel of an old cowboy boot, trying to figure out how to pour out the piss. Why there would be urine in a boot to begin with, I have no idea, but the expression makes me smile.

How about you? Are there certain expressions you’d like to expurgate (and what a great word that is!) from the English language? Any unusual phrases you’d like to share? Leave a comment and tell all!

 

 

 

 

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2013 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for my blog.

I am honored that you, my dear readers, take the time from your busy days to read my words.

Thank you.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,700 times in 2013. If it were a cable car, it would take about 45 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

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Christmas Note #12:Take a moment.

This Christmas, I hope we each take a moment to remember those who are gone, to dream of a better future for our world, and to be grateful we are here.

I wish you a day spent doing things you enjoy with those you love.

Here’s two Coldplay songs to help you on your way. 

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Christmas Note #12: Love Actually

Today’s note is another clip from “Love Actually” — this one a romantic proposal from Colin Firth.

Since this is one of my favorite movies, you can imagine my shock when I recently discovered the film is actually quite controversial. (No kidding! It was in The Week. Go here if you don’t believe me: http://tinyurl.com/LoveAct.)

 

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Christmas Note #11: Do They Know It’s Christmas?

 

Nearly thirty years have past, and not much has changed.
Except maybe the hairstyles.

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Christmas Note #10: A World War II Story

Christmas Note #10: A World War II Story

On 20 December 1943, a B-17 managed to limp back to England after being nearly destroyed by attacking enemy planes. What makes this story more amazing is the fact that it was escorted to the North Sea by a Bf-109 piloted by German Luftwaffe ace Franz Stigler who then saluted the remaining B-17 crew and flew away. Click below to read the story behind the story of Adam Makos’s A Higher Call: An Incredible True Story of Combat and Chivalry in the War-Torn Skies of World War II.

http://www.valorstudios.com/franz-stigler-photos-and-video.htm

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