I find myself waiting for my vacation (or "writecation" as I call it). Since I've decided to take this time off to write, I don't really do any writing at all these days. While lying in bed at night I still get ideas but I'm not really doing anything about them for now. I'm just piling them up on my computer, in my notebook or simply filing them away in my mind (probably they'll get lost forever there!)
I hope I'll actually make a real go of the time I've set aside for writing rather than just procrastinate through it. If I do, then I'll just have to give up my writing career (which I don't want to do). So it's a kind of sink or swim situation. That's the only way to go ;-)
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Weaveworld by Clive Barker
I read Weaveworld a couple of months ago and I have to admit that I was blown away. It instantly became one of my favorite books and I'm wondering what to read next by Clive Barker.
Weaveworld tells the story of Fugue, a magical world which lies woven within a rug. Just that concept alone is so incredibly wonderful that I was captivated. Some of the characters are also unforgettable but what I love most is the way Barker tells the story. I think I will read Weaveworld many more times but I would also like to read The Damnation Game, as well as other stuff by Barker.
Weaveworld tells the story of Fugue, a magical world which lies woven within a rug. Just that concept alone is so incredibly wonderful that I was captivated. Some of the characters are also unforgettable but what I love most is the way Barker tells the story. I think I will read Weaveworld many more times but I would also like to read The Damnation Game, as well as other stuff by Barker.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
First Real Feedback!!! (and it's positive :)
Got the first real feedback today. A woman read Against All Odds and even though I wasn't really happy with the latter part, she LOVED it :D :D :D
She urged me to get it published and said that she'd read plenty of chic lit that was way worse (even a popular chic lit book that she read recently). Her only complaint was that it was so short. This means that my next task is to review it with this in mind. Still, it's exciting to get true feedback :D
My "vacation" is coming up and I will rewrite, write, review and finish! Can't wait :D
She urged me to get it published and said that she'd read plenty of chic lit that was way worse (even a popular chic lit book that she read recently). Her only complaint was that it was so short. This means that my next task is to review it with this in mind. Still, it's exciting to get true feedback :D
My "vacation" is coming up and I will rewrite, write, review and finish! Can't wait :D
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Beginnings
I’ve been studying beginnings since it’s quite important to start off with a bang. I’ve looked at some of my favourite books and read the first paragraph, sometimes just the first sentence. There doesn’t seem to be a rule.
I’ve already published a special entry for my all-time favourite book, The Regulators and quoted the first page (Summer’s here...). Additionally, here are the openings of 5 of my favourite books:
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
My father has asked me to be the fourth corner at the Joy Luck Club. I am to replace my mother, whose seat at the mah jong table has been empty since she died two months ago. My father thinks she was killed by her own thoughts.
After the Quake by Haruki Murakami
Five straight days she spent in front of the television, staring at crumbled banks and hospitals, whole blocks of stores in flames, severed rail lines and expressways. She never said a word. Sunk deep in the cushions of the sofa, her mouth clamped shut, she wouldn't answer when Komura spoke to her. She wouldn't shake her head or nod. Komura could not be sure the sound of his voice was getting through to her.
Weaveworld by Clive Barker
Nothing ever begins. There is no first moment; no single word or place from which this or any other story springs. The threads can always be traced back to some earlier tale, and to the tales that preceded that; though as the narrator's voice recedes the connections will seem to grow more tenuous, for each age will want the tale told as if its were of its own making.
Cujo by Stephen King
Once upon a time not so long ago, a monster came to the small town of Castle Rock, Maine. He killed a waitress names Alma Frechette in 1070; a woman named Pauline Toothaker and a junior high school student named Cheryl Moody in 1971; a pretty girl named Carol Dunbarger in 1974; a teacher named Etta Ringold in the fall of 1975; finally, a grade-schooler named Mary Kate Hendrasen in the early winter of that same year.
Songs of Distant Earth by Arthur C. Clark
Even before the boat came through the reef, Mirissa could tell that Brant was angry. The tense attitude of his body as he stood at the wheel - the very fact that he had not left the final passage in Kumar's capable hands - showed that something had upset him.
When browsing through several beginnings I saw that they all start in a story mode (despite Barker’s conclusion that nothing ever starts ;-) Stephen King even takes it so far to start with a fairytale beginning. I’ve been writing my third (and last) chic lit book, called That Fat Feeling. Here is the first paragraph in the script as it is now:
That Fat Feeling by Nicole Ashby (that's my writer's name)
“Would you like fries with that?” the young girl with the greasy hair asked me. Up until three years ago, I never got asked if I wanted fries with my burger, to supersize a meal or enlarge the soda. It was just assumed that this 300 lbs woman wanted the biggest meal available. Now, as I straightened my size 6 skirt, I had a choice. I declined the deep fried carbs and walked away with my weekly package of sin.
I’ve never had much problems with beginnings, but I’ve never given them much thought either. Maybe my start is good enough, maybe not. It’s intended for a special audience so it’s bound to capture some people’s interest more the others ‘. But we’ll see :-)
Update! Received an e-mail from a reader who pointed out to me that actually The Joy Luck Club starts with a prefice of sort. The first paragraph is like this:
The old woman remembered a swan she had bought many years ago in Shanghai for a foolish sum. This bird, boasted the market vendor, was once a duck that streched its neck in hopes of becoming a gopse, and now look! - it is too beautiful to eat.
I just turned to the first chapter and didn't even check for a prefice. This type of intro is not uncommon, though, and it's good to know that this is a valid possibility when you're starting a story.
I’ve already published a special entry for my all-time favourite book, The Regulators and quoted the first page (Summer’s here...). Additionally, here are the openings of 5 of my favourite books:
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tan
My father has asked me to be the fourth corner at the Joy Luck Club. I am to replace my mother, whose seat at the mah jong table has been empty since she died two months ago. My father thinks she was killed by her own thoughts.
After the Quake by Haruki Murakami
Five straight days she spent in front of the television, staring at crumbled banks and hospitals, whole blocks of stores in flames, severed rail lines and expressways. She never said a word. Sunk deep in the cushions of the sofa, her mouth clamped shut, she wouldn't answer when Komura spoke to her. She wouldn't shake her head or nod. Komura could not be sure the sound of his voice was getting through to her.
Weaveworld by Clive Barker
Nothing ever begins. There is no first moment; no single word or place from which this or any other story springs. The threads can always be traced back to some earlier tale, and to the tales that preceded that; though as the narrator's voice recedes the connections will seem to grow more tenuous, for each age will want the tale told as if its were of its own making.
Cujo by Stephen King
Once upon a time not so long ago, a monster came to the small town of Castle Rock, Maine. He killed a waitress names Alma Frechette in 1070; a woman named Pauline Toothaker and a junior high school student named Cheryl Moody in 1971; a pretty girl named Carol Dunbarger in 1974; a teacher named Etta Ringold in the fall of 1975; finally, a grade-schooler named Mary Kate Hendrasen in the early winter of that same year.
Songs of Distant Earth by Arthur C. Clark
Even before the boat came through the reef, Mirissa could tell that Brant was angry. The tense attitude of his body as he stood at the wheel - the very fact that he had not left the final passage in Kumar's capable hands - showed that something had upset him.
When browsing through several beginnings I saw that they all start in a story mode (despite Barker’s conclusion that nothing ever starts ;-) Stephen King even takes it so far to start with a fairytale beginning. I’ve been writing my third (and last) chic lit book, called That Fat Feeling. Here is the first paragraph in the script as it is now:
That Fat Feeling by Nicole Ashby (that's my writer's name)
“Would you like fries with that?” the young girl with the greasy hair asked me. Up until three years ago, I never got asked if I wanted fries with my burger, to supersize a meal or enlarge the soda. It was just assumed that this 300 lbs woman wanted the biggest meal available. Now, as I straightened my size 6 skirt, I had a choice. I declined the deep fried carbs and walked away with my weekly package of sin.
I’ve never had much problems with beginnings, but I’ve never given them much thought either. Maybe my start is good enough, maybe not. It’s intended for a special audience so it’s bound to capture some people’s interest more the others ‘. But we’ll see :-)
Update! Received an e-mail from a reader who pointed out to me that actually The Joy Luck Club starts with a prefice of sort. The first paragraph is like this:
The old woman remembered a swan she had bought many years ago in Shanghai for a foolish sum. This bird, boasted the market vendor, was once a duck that streched its neck in hopes of becoming a gopse, and now look! - it is too beautiful to eat.
I just turned to the first chapter and didn't even check for a prefice. This type of intro is not uncommon, though, and it's good to know that this is a valid possibility when you're starting a story.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
One Profile Down...
...two to go :) It's all moving in the right direction. I'm going to start with about 30 publishers but I still have plenty of time since the plan is to start sending the profiles (and bits of the scripts) in late July. The novels are these:
Against All Odds: Elizabeth is in her late thirties when she unexpectedly becomes pregnant after a one-night-stand. She embraces her new role as an expecting mother but when she finds out that her best friend is dying from leukaemia, her life and her ideas about motherhood take a new turn.
The Other Woman: Take a peek into Kelly Cassel’s journal. She’s just broken up with her boyfriend, who’s left her for his wife. She’s lucky enough to be surrounded by a group of great girlfriends but she soon realizes that every heart has a story.
That Fat Feeling: Sara has been fat all her life and when she get’s gastric bypass surgery and loses her extra weight, all her dreams start coming true. Her career as a news anchor takes off, she meets a great guy and she’s able to do all the physical activities that she never could before. Five years after the surgery she starts to wonder why she’s not happy with all that success and that perhaps her problem wasn’t the fat after all.
That Fat Feeling is the least developed of these chic lit stories and I have a feeling that it will take a few turns in writing. Against All Odds is mostly finished and The Other Woman just needs some final touches. If I can refrain from playing online games in my extended summer vacation I should be able to finish all these three and send them off. Then I want to write some sci fi short stories and finish my thriller. My little brother has also suggested that we write a screen play together and I'm definately open for that :)
Against All Odds: Elizabeth is in her late thirties when she unexpectedly becomes pregnant after a one-night-stand. She embraces her new role as an expecting mother but when she finds out that her best friend is dying from leukaemia, her life and her ideas about motherhood take a new turn.
The Other Woman: Take a peek into Kelly Cassel’s journal. She’s just broken up with her boyfriend, who’s left her for his wife. She’s lucky enough to be surrounded by a group of great girlfriends but she soon realizes that every heart has a story.
That Fat Feeling: Sara has been fat all her life and when she get’s gastric bypass surgery and loses her extra weight, all her dreams start coming true. Her career as a news anchor takes off, she meets a great guy and she’s able to do all the physical activities that she never could before. Five years after the surgery she starts to wonder why she’s not happy with all that success and that perhaps her problem wasn’t the fat after all.
That Fat Feeling is the least developed of these chic lit stories and I have a feeling that it will take a few turns in writing. Against All Odds is mostly finished and The Other Woman just needs some final touches. If I can refrain from playing online games in my extended summer vacation I should be able to finish all these three and send them off. Then I want to write some sci fi short stories and finish my thriller. My little brother has also suggested that we write a screen play together and I'm definately open for that :)
Monday, May 17, 2010
Selecting Publishers
There are SOOOOOO many publishers in London. How to choose??? We're talking about hundreds! I can easily narrow it down a bit but it looks like I will have to do some heavy research as well. In the end, though, it will also come down to luck and tenacity...
Sunday, May 16, 2010
The Other Woman
Well, I've started to behave just like a writer. Today I picked up a script that I had previously discarded, completely turned it around and created a new story in a very different style. I also gave it an appropriate name: The Other Woman.
Yes, you guessed it. It's chic lit once more. I can't seem to get away from it. Oh well, no use in fighting it. I will include that script in my chic lit pile that should be ready to go out to editors after this summer :-)
Yes, you guessed it. It's chic lit once more. I can't seem to get away from it. Oh well, no use in fighting it. I will include that script in my chic lit pile that should be ready to go out to editors after this summer :-)
Sherlock Holmes (The Movie)
Just watched the new Sherlock Holmes film. It was rather like a long episode of House. This shouldn’t be surprising as the character of House is based on Holmes (as well as Wilsons’ character is based on Watson). It just goes to show the power of English literature.
I did write a small “who-dunnit” a few years back as homage to Agatha Christie. I’d like to do a similar homage to Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. It’s quite fun to take a certain style you’ve loved reading for years and years, and actually create something with it yourself. Being in the driver’s seat instead of the back seat, so to say.
As the last few posts have indicated, I haven’t been doing much real writing lately. Instead I have been exercising like a mad person and trying to focus on my job. Still, the urge to write has manifested itself in long forgotten ways, like poetry. I haven’t written poetry in years but now I’ve started to write it again. I’ll never be a serious poet, though, but it’s an outlet for sure – at least until I get myself sorted with the “real stuff” ;-)
Yesterday I went to see a play written by my little brother (with some of his fellow students of course). It was great to see his work in action. It’s also a joy to work creatively with him and I have an idea for a movie script that I would like us to co-write in the future.
It’s all coming together, piece by piece, one step at a time, slowly but surely. One thing’s for sure: the show must go on...
I did write a small “who-dunnit” a few years back as homage to Agatha Christie. I’d like to do a similar homage to Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes. It’s quite fun to take a certain style you’ve loved reading for years and years, and actually create something with it yourself. Being in the driver’s seat instead of the back seat, so to say.
As the last few posts have indicated, I haven’t been doing much real writing lately. Instead I have been exercising like a mad person and trying to focus on my job. Still, the urge to write has manifested itself in long forgotten ways, like poetry. I haven’t written poetry in years but now I’ve started to write it again. I’ll never be a serious poet, though, but it’s an outlet for sure – at least until I get myself sorted with the “real stuff” ;-)
Yesterday I went to see a play written by my little brother (with some of his fellow students of course). It was great to see his work in action. It’s also a joy to work creatively with him and I have an idea for a movie script that I would like us to co-write in the future.
It’s all coming together, piece by piece, one step at a time, slowly but surely. One thing’s for sure: the show must go on...
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Not Healthy
Abstinence from writing has not been healthy to my soul (my thighs are hard as rocks though). I always brood when I don’t write and I have to find a way to get some creative outlet. I’m thinking of either starting some short stories or cutting the novel into smaller chunks so that I can work on something. I think I’ll even start tonight…
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Ideas
I've been purposely not blogging recently because I'm frustrated with how little time I can spend writing. Instead I have exercised and spent time out in nature. Being so tired physically has helped me cope with the need to write but the ideas keep flowing.
In 5 weeks or so I should start my vacation and it's going to be so much fun :D
In 5 weeks or so I should start my vacation and it's going to be so much fun :D
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Pop Culture in Writing
I'm wondering about how much (and if at all) it's wise to insert references to pop culture in writing. I guess it depends on the intended audience but I want to try to leave it out altogether. However, it's not going so well because my mind likes to connect the dots. Still working on this...
The Time Machine by H.G. Wells
I was 14 years old when I read The Time Machine for the first time and it blew my mind right out of the clear blue sky. Until then I had always seen the future as inevitably linked to man’s continued technical progress. It was a mind-altering experience to see a possible future where man would not only stop evolving but de-evolve.
Of course, once I was over the greatest shock I realized that there was a great flaw in Wells’ plot, i.e. man’s desire to journey into space. The mysteries of the Earth may be finite, but the mysteries of the universe are infinite and out there just waiting for us to come and find them. There would always be new challenges urging us on and I wasn’t worried that Wells’ future would come true.
Growing older (and hopefully wiser) I saw that there was a deeper element to the story. In the book man invents machines that can do anything and he stops thinking for himself. Having everything handed to you on a silver platter could actually kill your curiosity and your exploring spirit. That would mean that the drive itself is gone and thus it matters not the multitude of mysteries out there. Even today some people just don’t have any spirit for adventure. They are happy just being comfortable and cringe at any hint of imagination. What if these people would be all of humanity? (oh the horror!!!)
A literary theorist would probably also pounce on the split of the human race in Wells’ book. Maybe not the fact that the Eloi were content to let the Morlocks do all the work and have none of the comforts; but rather that by splitting the wild and primitive part from the intellectual part the latter loses its drive and passion (both being primitive emotions).
Actually literary theory bores me these days and so I’m not going to dive more into this aspect. I just loved the book when I read it. I read it again about three years ago and it was nearly as good then. The book has almost everything you need to keep a good science fiction story going. I may even dig it up and read it once more this summer.
Of course, once I was over the greatest shock I realized that there was a great flaw in Wells’ plot, i.e. man’s desire to journey into space. The mysteries of the Earth may be finite, but the mysteries of the universe are infinite and out there just waiting for us to come and find them. There would always be new challenges urging us on and I wasn’t worried that Wells’ future would come true.
Growing older (and hopefully wiser) I saw that there was a deeper element to the story. In the book man invents machines that can do anything and he stops thinking for himself. Having everything handed to you on a silver platter could actually kill your curiosity and your exploring spirit. That would mean that the drive itself is gone and thus it matters not the multitude of mysteries out there. Even today some people just don’t have any spirit for adventure. They are happy just being comfortable and cringe at any hint of imagination. What if these people would be all of humanity? (oh the horror!!!)
A literary theorist would probably also pounce on the split of the human race in Wells’ book. Maybe not the fact that the Eloi were content to let the Morlocks do all the work and have none of the comforts; but rather that by splitting the wild and primitive part from the intellectual part the latter loses its drive and passion (both being primitive emotions).
Actually literary theory bores me these days and so I’m not going to dive more into this aspect. I just loved the book when I read it. I read it again about three years ago and it was nearly as good then. The book has almost everything you need to keep a good science fiction story going. I may even dig it up and read it once more this summer.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Problem Solved...
I have decided to take an extra long summer vacation, starting next month. This is the only solution I see for my writing crisis (the crisis of not having enough time to write) and I feel a weight off my shoulders now that I've made a decision.
I'm planning for my vacation to start on June 17th so only 42 days to go until I can jump in the fire (with hell in my eyes and death in my veins)...
I'm planning for my vacation to start on June 17th so only 42 days to go until I can jump in the fire (with hell in my eyes and death in my veins)...
Making Like a Volcano (or not)
Some weeks just have a heavier work load than others, and this is just such a week. I feel how stressed out I become when I don’t have the freedom to write my fiction every day. I work as a technical writer and that kind of writing just doesn’t do it for me - creative wise that is.
This is the status of my projects:
Against All Odds – Novel
Finished but not to my satisfaction. I still have to grow from the subject of the sub-plot so that I can come to a solution that makes the reader feel that he has learned something. I know that this is because I’m just learning this lesson now myself, so a little patience is needed. Every day makes a difference here and I’m very nearly there. (Still, there’s nothing standing in the way of me starting the profile…)
That Fat Feeling – Novel
Only starting but the story is all but finished in my mind. I’m just juggling a few perspectives, not really decided which one I’m going to land on. Am I going to write it in the first person, third person, past tense, present tense, will it be light and witty or serious and pondering? The perspective and style are very important. I have a tendency to become too preachy, so I will have to keep an eye on that :-)
Sci Fi Exercises – Mini stories
This one is purely on hold. It will keep until I have time!
Not So Short Stories – A collection of three novelettes
I have these three outlined but I’m not sure yet if I will push through with them in the near future. There are just so many stories I want to write but I don’t have any time!!!
Epic of Darkness – Stories / Game
For a couple of years now I’ve been thinking of creating a game world. For some reason a post-apocalyptic world always comes to my mind. It shouldn’t have surprised me recently when I realized that I already have a story into that type of world. I see endless possibilities, both in ruined cities where the survivors would have to rely heavily on creativity to continue surviving, as well as in nature where man would be pitted against animals and the natural elements.
I can’t shake this growing need for writing, writing, writing! Getting this stuff from my mind and into a word document. Seeing the narrative from my head come alive on the screen. The only thing that can ease the creative pressure (other than writing of course) is physical exhaustion (as my bike knows by now). So, I’m pretty busy with work this week but I will have to find time to write (or ride my bicycle to work every day). If not, I will make like a volcano and erupt…
This is the status of my projects:
Against All Odds – Novel
Finished but not to my satisfaction. I still have to grow from the subject of the sub-plot so that I can come to a solution that makes the reader feel that he has learned something. I know that this is because I’m just learning this lesson now myself, so a little patience is needed. Every day makes a difference here and I’m very nearly there. (Still, there’s nothing standing in the way of me starting the profile…)
That Fat Feeling – Novel
Only starting but the story is all but finished in my mind. I’m just juggling a few perspectives, not really decided which one I’m going to land on. Am I going to write it in the first person, third person, past tense, present tense, will it be light and witty or serious and pondering? The perspective and style are very important. I have a tendency to become too preachy, so I will have to keep an eye on that :-)
Sci Fi Exercises – Mini stories
This one is purely on hold. It will keep until I have time!
Not So Short Stories – A collection of three novelettes
I have these three outlined but I’m not sure yet if I will push through with them in the near future. There are just so many stories I want to write but I don’t have any time!!!
Epic of Darkness – Stories / Game
For a couple of years now I’ve been thinking of creating a game world. For some reason a post-apocalyptic world always comes to my mind. It shouldn’t have surprised me recently when I realized that I already have a story into that type of world. I see endless possibilities, both in ruined cities where the survivors would have to rely heavily on creativity to continue surviving, as well as in nature where man would be pitted against animals and the natural elements.
I can’t shake this growing need for writing, writing, writing! Getting this stuff from my mind and into a word document. Seeing the narrative from my head come alive on the screen. The only thing that can ease the creative pressure (other than writing of course) is physical exhaustion (as my bike knows by now). So, I’m pretty busy with work this week but I will have to find time to write (or ride my bicycle to work every day). If not, I will make like a volcano and erupt…
Monday, May 3, 2010
Remembering That Fat Feeling
I'm so excited about diving into a new subject. I've been thinking about it alot, dredging up feelings that I filed away long ago. It's like jumping into the ocean, you need a moment to catch your breath and let your body get used to the cold. Now I'll just have to take a deep breath, put my head under and remember what saved me from drowning in the first place :-)
My Untidy Mind
It’s been said that creative minds are rarely tidy, and mine’s definitely a mess (just like my table at work). While creative people have untidy minds, I also think that they “feel” the world a little differently than others. The difference between highs and lows are more extreme.
Sometimes I can almost cry at the pure beauty of little things, such as looking into a shallow pond, stroking the bark of a very old tree, or gazing at the world through a silk veil. I can pretty easily work myself into an emotional state, where my senses are finely tuned into the world, even its smallest and inconsequential things.
It’s an incredible experience to expose oneself so to the external world but it can also be damaging and take you down with a vengeance. If the universe searches for equilibrium, then you need a low for every high. A good writer can use both highs and lows to ignite the creative spark and build a story that readers can relate to. If writers are the mold that create fiction, then the imprint of the world has to be a bit deeper on them than on regular people.
Yesterday I took my bicycle for a long ride and something unexpected occurred. I’m usually very careful on my bike but on the top of one hill, I sort of freaked out. I had ACDC’s Highway To Hell on my mp3 player and as I started rolling down the hill, I held on to the steering wheel with all my might and raised my legs into a V shape. Needless to say, this upset the balance of the bike and sent me into a very fast and wobbly ride down the hill. With I’m going highway to hell blasting in my ears, I laughed like an insane person until I was beginning to slow down a bit (a couple of old people nearly broke their necks turning their heads when I passed them).
With adrenalin rushing through my body, the first thing that came to my mind when I was down was that now I knew how I would describe the sensation people go through when they
I’m not saying that I will make a habit of jumping onto the adrenalin junkie train. What I’m saying is that I don’t have to. I can have a strong emotional reaction to the smallest things, but when life does hit me with the really good/nasty stuff (like that totally reckless bike behavior) it will ripple through me like a bolt of lightning. And if I don’t channel that emotional rush into writing stories, I will burst!
Now that I've gotten that off my shoulders I think I'm getting ready for writing again. Perhaps I will even start tonight...
Sometimes I can almost cry at the pure beauty of little things, such as looking into a shallow pond, stroking the bark of a very old tree, or gazing at the world through a silk veil. I can pretty easily work myself into an emotional state, where my senses are finely tuned into the world, even its smallest and inconsequential things.
It’s an incredible experience to expose oneself so to the external world but it can also be damaging and take you down with a vengeance. If the universe searches for equilibrium, then you need a low for every high. A good writer can use both highs and lows to ignite the creative spark and build a story that readers can relate to. If writers are the mold that create fiction, then the imprint of the world has to be a bit deeper on them than on regular people.
Yesterday I took my bicycle for a long ride and something unexpected occurred. I’m usually very careful on my bike but on the top of one hill, I sort of freaked out. I had ACDC’s Highway To Hell on my mp3 player and as I started rolling down the hill, I held on to the steering wheel with all my might and raised my legs into a V shape. Needless to say, this upset the balance of the bike and sent me into a very fast and wobbly ride down the hill. With I’m going highway to hell blasting in my ears, I laughed like an insane person until I was beginning to slow down a bit (a couple of old people nearly broke their necks turning their heads when I passed them).
With adrenalin rushing through my body, the first thing that came to my mind when I was down was that now I knew how I would describe the sensation people go through when they
- try to regain control of a car on a slippery road
- lose their footing while skiing and slide down a mountain
- get left by their spouse
I’m not saying that I will make a habit of jumping onto the adrenalin junkie train. What I’m saying is that I don’t have to. I can have a strong emotional reaction to the smallest things, but when life does hit me with the really good/nasty stuff (like that totally reckless bike behavior) it will ripple through me like a bolt of lightning. And if I don’t channel that emotional rush into writing stories, I will burst!
Now that I've gotten that off my shoulders I think I'm getting ready for writing again. Perhaps I will even start tonight...
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Resting the Mind
The best way to rest the mind (at least my mind) is to work your body into exhaustion. I rode my bicycle 17 miles today and then did 20 laps in the swimming pool. I’m so tired that I can’t see straight as a result my mind has stopped broadcasting and started receiving.
So, it’s an easy night ahead for me. I’m thinking of taking off to the movies to see Iron Man 2 or something similarly easy to digest. I have a crazy week ahead of me at work so I don’t think I will be able to do any writing yet but next weekend is definitely startup time for That Fat Feeling. I already have a very good idea of what it will be like but, as I’ve seen with my latest project, stories can take on a life of their own. Then you’ll just have to go where they take you :-)
So, it’s an easy night ahead for me. I’m thinking of taking off to the movies to see Iron Man 2 or something similarly easy to digest. I have a crazy week ahead of me at work so I don’t think I will be able to do any writing yet but next weekend is definitely startup time for That Fat Feeling. I already have a very good idea of what it will be like but, as I’ve seen with my latest project, stories can take on a life of their own. Then you’ll just have to go where they take you :-)
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
