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So…What? No End of the World?
Okay, I confess to clutching just a tiny bit Friday when I woke up, thinking that it was that day—the day the Mayans supposedly predicted the end of the world. However, this week, I’m at Son’s house, so I figured that if the world was going to end, at least we’d all be together for it. But, it was an ordinary day…well, extraordinary because we’re here with Son, DIL, and Grandboy, but no apocalyptic storms or earthquakes or fire falling from the sky. Just a rainy day made sunny by Grandboy’s sweet smile and giggles. I’m a usually not a person who worries about the fate of the world overmuch.…
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Learning Structure
I’m learning about structure, about how to build a story so that characters, events, reactions, and outcomes all come together to create a cohesive plot. I tell a great story, I truly do, but I get bogged down in the details of my characters lives—especially their pasts. It’s a common thing for a writer to do. I sent one of my manuscripts to my favorite book doctor, Lani Diane Rich, who is an incredible writer and co-host of the StoryWonk podcasts. If you aren’t already listening to StoryWonk, you should be. Lani and her husband and partner, Alastair Stephens, know their stuff. Their weekly podcasts are informative and very entertaining.…
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It’s Back . . .
. . . that wicked restlessness. I have to tell you, I’ve always been pretty content—a wife, a mother, an editor, a writer . . . my life’s been stable with very little drama. And that’s been deliberate. Growing up, my family was all drama and chaos, so when I met this lovely man who was rock steady and low-key, I was immediately attracted. Our almost-40 years together have been a peaceful, easy journey with only a few bumps along the way. Perky has always been my job; tending to everyone else’s needs is what I do best. My Nana told me that the woman sets the mood for the…