The day the lights went out

I was happily working on chapter 9 when the doorbell rang. I went to the door to find out that they were installing an electric meter and our power would be out for about 30 minutes. Okay 30 minutes is not that bad. Unfortunately something went wrong.

One on the breakers that controls the power to the house broke and needed to be replaced. The maintenance staff didn’t have the part in stock. They called around and eventually found the part. By this time I was antsy and wanting to back to my dear plot bunnies. This was not to happen until the power was restored. To make matters worse I had gone grocery shopping this very morning.

My new activity became pacing I wanted to write…..

My dear fur babies took the outage in stride, but then lack of electricity is no reason to stop a cat nap.

Finally 5 hours and 30 minutes after the power went out the part arrived. I watched them install it, having been all but abandoned by my dear plot bunnies. So I went about the job of restarting the numerous devices in the house.

Then dinner time arrived. I hope that after I have filled my tummy the dear plot bunnies will return.

The perfect day to write…. NOT

The day started as a promising day to write, especially when the weather turned bad. Yes it snowed here at my home in NC. This is not a common occurrence. Well unfortunately despite wanting nothing more than to settle in at my keyboard and get some writing done, life called.

We are having some friends over for lunch tomorrow. I still needed to shop for some of the food, but…. it was snowing. To say the least going out was the last thing I wanted to do, but… It had to be done.

I did get some comedic relief when I took our kitten Philip out on his leash. Yes our cats are leash trained, they also use the toilet there is no litter box at our house. I made the decision to take Philip out in the snow when he tried to get out of the door three times. So I grabbed his harness and leash and out we went.

I could not resist posting a picture of our dear Mr. Philip in the snow.

Cats don’t like to get wet, but it was snowing, and he was driving me nuts so out we went.
He kept lifting his paws and shaking them, and kept trying to get away from “that cold wet white stuff.”
Shortly after that it was off to the store, now I was the one not wanting to be out in that cold wet stuff. I sucked it up and we got the shopping done fairly quickly.

I think I need a hot cup of tea now.

He was not impressed

Attention to detail….

Observing many of the people around me I have noticed something. There are many who seem to pay little or no attention to detail. Now none of these people are writers, they are just your average person.

Perfect example: cashier and cigarettes

Customer: I want a pack of x brand 100’s, in a box.

Cashier: Ok, then walks to the display behind her to get them.

Customer: I asked for the 100’s

Cashier: oh sorry, returns to rack, comes back again

Customer: I wanted brand X 100’s in a box, this is a soft pack

I will said on the third try the cashier did get it correct, but the customer and everyone else behind him was totally frustrated at this point. What should have been a two minute transaction took almost six minutes. I was the person right behind this customer as all of this was going on.

When writers and others read a book or manuscript what do they love and pick apart when critiquing it?

The details.

Another great example, I volunteer at the local Airborne Museum. There is a real plane suspended from the ceiling. There are lights and sounds coming from the plane. I watch at least 10 people walk right under it and never notice it every time I am there.

One day after a tour a guest said “I thought there’d be more planes.” I responded: “did you see the one on the ceiling?”

“there’s a plane on the ceiling?”

Yes follow me.

I walk them back in and after a few feet point up.

Oh wow I never noticed that. I proceeded to walk with them through the museum pointing out various other items I find interesting and have taken the time to learn about.

At the end of this the guest thanked me and commented: “wow I never noticed half that stuff, I’ll have to come back again.”

All in all I am amazed at how many people go through life just not paying attention.

If there is one thing I’d like to see is people being more aware of their surroundings.

The plot bunnies

My dear sweet plot bunnies have decided to go on strike. I am not certain why they went on strike. Well they are striking on the manuscript I want to finish, but bouncing on the second one, they seem to want me to write.

I am trying to compromise with them, I will outline the second one and make it my Nanowrimo project for November. Until then I am insisting on polishing the first one.

I would simply use the titles, but just don’t want to give that away yet. They are only working titles anyway.

Does anyone know what plot bunnies like to eat?

If you have a suggestion feel free to leave a comment.

Working hard vs Hardly working

writing, lets make that clear. I spend hours at the keyboard every day. I just sent chapter 7 off to my dear Dad for his wonderful editing assistance. Why my Dad?

It’s simple he is a well respected foreign language professor, and willing to help me. He is also a published author in his own right, albeit in french.

Now back to the main topic is all this time at the keyboard work or am I hardly working?

Well since I love what I am doing, it doesn’t feel like work, despite the hours I am putting in. I think it’s the perfect mix of working hard without feeling the drudgery of work.

Does it ever feel more like work?

Yes if I said no I’d be lying. Those tend to be the days when I feel uninspired and needing motivation. What then? I turn to those around me, the veterans I volunteer with, the soldiers helped through soldier angels and many other sources.

Sometimes i find myself reading to my cats, yes I said cats. While they cannot give feedback, at least not the constructive or grammatical kind, they give support. They provide cuddles, snuggles, purrs and meows. Yes the felines of the house are often the first to hear my freshly minted prose, but I don’t want them to be the last to indulge in the stories I craft as I sit at the keyboard.