Posts by Cyn:
November blue
I always find November to be a difficult time of year. It’s sort of a preparatory month. I’m preparing myself for The Big Meal. (Or, in my case, planning how I’m going to avoid eating too much at the Big Meal). And–for relatives.
I don’t want to say I’m not thankful for my family, you understand. It’s just…well. First of all, there are SO many of them. Three sisters, one brother, spouses, children, and then–the children’s children. And in the midst of ALL these people, I’m viewed as the Unemployed, Lacking Direction, Living in Near Poverty, Clueless, Pathetic and Wasting Her Time and Her Talent (When We All Know She Should Be Writing Children’s Books) Let’s-Tell-Her-How-She-Needs-to-Run-Her-Life one of the family.
Yes. I’m the family loser.
Except, I’m also the only one in the family who’s currently overweight (therefore, I only lose in the wrong parts of my life). Oh. Joy. Those not telling me how to run my life will be watching how I load my plate. That means I won’t be able to eat any of the foods made in the time-honor Thanksgiving tradition of butter, cream, bring on the fat and calories. So I’ll be eating…salad.
Now you’re probably wondering what the heck has this whiney stuff got to do with writing? I don’t know about you, but I always find that mining my personal muck is good for character building. Who doesn’t have angst? Knowing that a character has worries just like you (the reader) makes them more likeable. The trick is–you (the writer) can’t let them whine too much. Let them persevere beyond what they’re whining about. And for a really satisfying ending, let them win out over the angst.
In my case, that would be to make $1,000,000 from one of my romances and invite my family over for a Thanksgiving meal where I only serve salad and tell them what they should do with their lives. Oooooh. Satisfying.
And how does this tie in to the “Thankful Theme”? Easy. And I’m sure anyone reading this will agree. I’m thankful Thanksgiving only happens once a year!
Related Posts:
I’m thankful…
The Queen has decreed that this month’s theme is Being Thankful. So… 1. I’m thankful that we can only afford to keep one car. Because that means we’re polluting the atmosphere less than we did, before. 2. I’m thankful that I need to belong to Weight Watchers, because it means I’m not starving to death. [...]
Top Ten Things a Passionate Critter can learn at a Conference:
10. Always expect the unexpected spouse introduction. 9. Hit the freebies room the first day if you want the good chocolate promo items. 8. Naming a child Shithead is not a good idea, even if you pronounce it She-the-ad. 7. If an editor offers to take you to dinner, always say yes. 6. Sometimes, you [...]
A Sure Sign of Spring
The wind is blowing today, and it’s cold. Cold enough to wear a hat, wear mittens, drink hot chocolate. The problem is–it’s Spring, dammit. I know it’s Spring, because the Red Sox are playing. I think this is a better sign of the season than something like…daffodils. For one thing, my neighbor across the street [...]
Our Books!
