April 17, 2012

Character Inspiration: Jack


As writers, many personal things inspire us. Dreams. Experiences. People. Stories.

In After The Ending, Dani has a pet German Shepard, Jack. It just so happens that Jack, the oh-so-happy and uber-protective puppy, is the literary incarnation of a very special little kitten I (LF) lost last summer.

WHAT? How did a little baby cat become a hulking German Shepard? Well...

My husband and I adopted Jack and Eva from a local pet shelter. The first night, Jack slept squished between us. Literally, he was smooshed like a pressed flower between book pages.

Eva was by far the more energetic and playful of the two kittens, though both were only a few months old. Jack had taken habit to claiming our laps whenever we sat down and sitting on our feet when we stood. We were his deterrent for the Eva-monster.

Jack, the kitten 


In the first three weeks, Jack went to the vet twice for his congestion and wheezing.

He continued to sleep, every night, squished between us.

A month after adopting the little gray tabby, I took him to the vet for the third time. His appointment was actually later that day, but we went in the morning instead. He'd declined quickly.

Jack died that afternoon. He had FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis), an always fatal condition.

And so, when faced with the opportunity to resurrect him with words, I did. I added a few more pounds, changed some elements of his genetic code, and gave him a ferocity he'd only shown on his good days, but deep down inside he's still my baby Jack.

Which of your characters have the most interesting and/or personal inspiration stories?

April 14, 2012

Food for thought, er...writing.

Hands down, the most scrumptious forms of sustenance when writing are (in no particular order and, in our humble Lindseyish opinion):

1. Tea
2. Breakfast tacos
3. Cheese
4. Bacon
5. Salami ('cause it's a great partner for the cheese)
6. Wine (especially after 8+ hours of writing, blogging, and social networking, eh?)
7. More Tea
8. Little sandwiches (so we can pretend we're in a Jane Austin novel, duh)
9. Apples (to go with the cheese when it gets to cheesy; one must maximize potential cheese consumption)
10. More cheese
11. More bacon
12. More tea (to counter the sleepiness from the wine)
13. Leftovers from last night's dinner ('cause you need something other than eggs and cheese, or so they* say)
14. Deviled eggs
15. Quiche (eggs + cheese = no explanation required)
16. One last cup of tea (for its sheer deliciousness)

Based on the list, you'd think eggs and cheese are a great writing aid...either that or we just like them.

What are your favorite writing foods (and drinks!)?

*Who "they" are is still under investigation. We're sure "they" must be shoddy thinkers to proclaim such ridiculousness. 

April 12, 2012

Our Five Sentence Fiction: Armor


Jake wailed into the shadowy trees around him as the cold steel slid into his warm flesh. Feeling his consciousness implode, he thought, Is this really how I’m gonna die?

The treetops above Jake swayed against the obscenely bright night sky as he opened his eyes. Fingering the absence of the wound along his spine, he was shocked he was still alive.

Rage surged through him as he said, I’m gonna kill that son of a bitch.


Check out the home of Five Sentence Fiction. 

April 8, 2012

Bookshelf Muse, I love you!

The Bookshelf Muse (http://thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.com/)

My new favorite blog! An absolutely amazing resource for the challenges writing often presents.

Fun/important stuff like:

  • Emotion Thesaurus
  • Character Trait Thesaurus
  • Symbolism Thesaurus
  • Setting Thesaurus
  • Weather, color, texture Thesaurus
  • Zombielicious Resources
and other "Tender Morsels" 

Check it out! You will love it!

 

April 4, 2012

If I had a wish....

If I had one wish, in the whole entire world, it would have nothing to do with these words below, but I do like them and it would be fun to write with them.

I double dog dare you to write a short story using them all!

Dashing
Bumfuzzle
Conniption
Raggamuffin
Flimflam
Ass-wipe
Gunky
Cheeky
Wonky
Namby-pamby
Floozy
Fiendish
Filthy
Frolic
Janky
Noggin
Scuttlebutt

April 2, 2012

Creative Process: The Prostrate Prostate

Scene: A 100 year-old farmhouse in the Napa Valley


Characters:
LF: Lindsey Faileigh
LP: Lindsey Pogue


LF: Aggghhhh...I can't think of the right word to to explain what Dani's doing!


LP: Hmmm...laying over? Holding? Clutching? Smothering?...


LF: Well, let's see. (stands up and exits the room so she can re-enter as she acts out the scene.)


LF (as Dani): (She enters the room.) Oh no! Why is the bathroom light on? (she rushes into the bathroom and sees her roomate [LF's cat] lying on the floor) What's wrong Callie [Dani's roommate, not Lindsey's cat]? Wake up! (she slaps her unconscious roommate [but doesn't slap her cat!]. As the roommate [cat] doesn't respond [purrs] she folds herself over the other woman's [cat's] body, weeping)


LF (as LF): Okay so what am I doing now? (she's still hunched over on the floor, but the cat has wiggled out and is staring at her like she's crazy/he wants to play) Am I prostate?


LP: (exploding in laughter) Did you really just say prostate? (more laughter, maybe a few tears)


LF: (grumbling and laughing) I meant prostrate! 


Afterward: The word, "prostrate," did end up in the current draft of chapter 3. The word, "prostate," did not...


Read Chapter 3