CHARACTERS AND THEN SOME

CHARACTERS AND THEN SOME

I am not an authority on writing.  I try my best and want to do something special.  I had never really thought about what I do or how do I do it.  It is just something that I get into so much, that it happens …but when I take the time to analyze it there are some things that are occurring even if we do not realize it as we write until we have to take the time to explain it to another person.

As I was writing the story Journey home, I did not have a title or even know what would happen.  It just began as I had described earlier, writing a short story that became very long.  As I had described for my daughter to create a character I explained that I loved a story where the characters seemed so real you could almost feel as if you knew them.  You may like them or hate them, sympathize or detest them, but there should be such humanity about them that they would be the story.  What were they really like?  Why?  Were there things in their pasts that would make them react or think in a certain way?  What did they look like?  How did they dress?  How old and tall or short or fat or skinny or a dozen other things about them are questions to ask yourself.

“But Mom, what am I supposed to do?  It would be boring if I sat here and made of list of this and that is what that person is.”  At that point I smiled and knew that she was already thinking and working on the project even before she realized it.

As I explained that she does not have to list every attribute of a person or facet of their personality to create the character.  That would be boring.  I hope that as I write I do not tell you what or who a character is.  I try to develop the story and show you as it goes who and what and why things and people are as they go.  I often catch myself sounding so unprofessional as I might speak saying the person instead of the character.  I think that is because as I am writing these are people and not just a technical character to develop and describe.  People do and say and react in certain ways for certain reasons even if they do not realize themselves why they do and say the things that they do or think in a certain way.  Characters are the same way.  I think that by showing through the story… the person, events, circumstances, surroundings in a way that allows the reader to be there, see that, and hear or know that…they can feel and be a part of the story instead of just hearing a tale.

If a person is severely injured in a bad car accident on a rainy night they may overly react if riding in a car on a rainy night at the sight of car lights coming around a curve.  Others may not understand or realize the intensity of the reaction unless they knew enough about the person to understand why they responded as they did.

If a person has lost several people close to them that they loved or was hurt in a very bad romantic relationship they may have trouble bonding, trusting or getting close to others.

If there is something about them that is different others may not accept or may criticize they may keep a distance or hide what makes them special or different.

I would say that these are conditional responses or reactions.  From the time we are infants we learn from life and those around us.  We constantly learn new things and some are unpleasant or even hurtful.  We do not want to repeat those negative feelings and learn to react and avoid or hide or respond or avoid things that threaten us.  We also respond to things that bring pleasant, comforting, or happy feelings.  A character is a complexity of many things, and emotions, and thoughts, personality traits, objectives, hopes and desires.  I do not want them to be simplistic creatures that just do this or that, because of what ever the one thing is you are describing at the moment.  They are a complexity of all that their lives have taught, shown, thrown and bestowed upon them prior to the story.

I think the same is true in describing and showing the surroundings.  When we think about the scene or setting that the action or story takes place I think that we need to allow others to be there, see that, smell that, and hear it.  It needs to be so real that they feel as if they are there too.

The sunset blazed with beautiful colors does tell what it looks like.  If the character named Lara “gazed at the beautiful colors that painted the evening sky ablaze in all it’s beauty and splendor.”  We can feel her as she experiences the sight and know what it is that she sees.  I do not tell you what it was, she does it and you know.

There may be times that the terrain or setting influences the story.  It may present a challenge to survive or a place where things are hidden or threats and dangers await.  It may be a place of beauty and tranquility offering solace and comfort.  It may be many things but it is important to the story for us to be able to be there, see that and make it real.

I know there are better ways to explain these things and more professional ways to phrase the technicalities of writing and developing a story but if you were sitting here chatting with me and we shared a few thoughts these are my words and feelings and thoughts about something that I love and strive to do.

To me there is a difference between writing a story and working a story.  Writing a story is when the words and thoughts and people, places, things and events begin to pour out and take life.  Working the story is a different thing of bringing it together and giving it some order and clarity.

The character in Journey Home named Lara had experienced some difficult times in her life.  She often felt a bit different than others and suffered the loss of several people close to her in her life.  A person can be in a crowd of people and yet be all alone.  He Uncle knew her better than most people could ever know her and her heart, and he loved her.  He realized that if he died she might feel all alone and tried to give her more than things than those of monetary value in his will to help her through the rest of her life.  There were things that even he had no way of knowing that would not aid her or make life easier but actually threaten her and her very existence.  The danger she found herself in may have been unavoidable but seemed to be brought to her with no way to avoid when she agreed to the terms of the will by living in then old home place for a specified period of time.

One by one I tried to not only introduce the characters that would be involved in the story but also allow them to be real and help to make the story complete and let anyone who read it know them each and every one.  I wanted people to be able to know the place, and see the sights, feel the fear and confusion as well as the special moments and bonding that takes place.

What were the answers?  Why and who was behind the problems?  How much was real or did a vivid imagination play a part?  What more was to come?  How would it ever stop, until it was discovered who was behind it and also why they were so intent with what ever their plans were?  These were difficult questions but without answers the situation appeared to become more dangerous and more intense.

 As you read the story of Journey home I have to ask….Do you really know who your friends are?  What about the other people in your life?  Who and what is it that knows you?  Who can you really trust?  If it is getting dark outside….Do you have your doors locked and curtains closed?  Who and what might be outside looking in…and WHY?

NOW IS THE TIME

NOW IS THE TIME

July 20^th I will be doing a radio interview with Fran Lewis along with some talented and wonderful authors.  I feel it is an honor to be included with such writers.  I am going to try to do several blogs and share some of what it took to make Journey Home a reality.  I have no idea what all I may come up with to write, but I hope that you will join me.

Thinking about the radio interview with Fran Lewis on July 20^th and talking about the novel I wrote Journey Home brought back many memories.  I want to do and write so many things but still get tired so easily.  When they talk about being a cancer survivor they forget to mention that there are times it takes a lot just to survive and I want more than that.  I want to live.  Writing and being able to make the things that I write into books I have a chance to share with others is so important to me.  It helps me to not only feel alive but as if I am doing something with my life.  It is more than selling books…it is proof that dreams can come true and we should never give up. 

Thinking again of that reminds me of what all it took to make Journey Home what it is today.  I have to go way back if I want to start at the beginning.  Maybe it is time to tell all of it.  Maybe it is time to find words for emotions, and times and life.  Maybe NOW IS THE TIME to begin the journey through memories of the book called Journey Home.

Since my baby is now 26 years old it has been some time since she came home with a school assignment but that is when all of this started.  I have written all of my life.  Many years ago poetry all rhymed.  I would work to find a way to make the thoughts and feelings rhyme to say in short verses feelings, thoughts, hopes, dreams, and memories.  I never did keep a journal or diary but these verses were the documentation of many things.  I had written several short stories but never presumed I could write a novel.  I was not a writer.  I was and am just me.

My daughter came in from school perplexed and claiming there was no way she could do what she had to do for school.  She was terribly upset.  My brother in-law and his wife had given us a computer to help with what ever we needed especially her school work.  She is very intelligent and many of her classes had advanced studies.  A computer was a God send and he gave it freely gifting not only something of value in monetary worth but in the ability to achieve, succeed, and learn.

My daughter is a person that can achieve what ever she puts her mind to and wants to accomplish.  She has great organizational skills, people skills, working with the public, problem solving, assessing and organization, technical issues,  and normally filled with confidence and enthusiasm…except a few of the things that I am so intense about such as  art, crafts, and writing.  She does what she must in those areas with competency but not enthusiasm.  A short story???

She claimed that she could not do it.  I laughed and said that we had been doing it for years.  We have a large yard with huge trees that drop limbs with every storm.  If I told the kids they had to clean the yard it would not have been a smiling affair.  I would tell them ...if I could only find a few limbs we could have a bonfire and roast hotdogs for supper.  The yard was cleaned in no time and there was a big fire.

They and their friends and the neighbors and friends would often gather and we sat around the fire talking.  I had written a poem about a haunted pumpkin field that is a whole other story but often used it to initiate conversation, discussion, and provoke thoughts and emotions.  Each and every line of the poem is written so it can be used for more than telling a story to entertain…it can teach, open communication, help with childhood fears and even reach adults with adult problems.  It is more than a story in a book.  It is a doorway to so much more.

We would also do a story….. I would say something such as “Once upon a time a long time ago there was a (boy, girl, man or woman)  who walked down a path into the woods right there…right back of where we sit right now.   Do you know what he or she found or saw?  Do you know what happened during that little walk in the woods? 

They all sat with big eyes listening intently.  They shook their little heads no…they did not know the story.  That is because it is a story.  We will make a story ourselves and it is YOUR turn.  I would point to who ever sat next to me and repeat the last line and say it is your turn.  What happened next?

One by one their imaginations fired up and they came up with the story one little person at a time.  In the process they shared their thoughts and feelings and had a good time.  That is a short story even if it is a collaborative effort.

I told my daughter she could do it.  She has done it for years.  What if???? Then what????  We discussed what it takes to make a story a story.  It takes a protagonist or central character and then some kind of difficulty.  What and how they overcome that and who and what they are can start your story.

She went on to write  a story that got not only an A but the teacher’s recommendation that she should publish it.  It was then that she turned to me with such an intensity and said, “Mom, why don’t you write short stories?  Why don’t you write more?  I know that you can.  You should do it.  Write it.”

My husband Albert, was on her side and also encouraged me saying that he believed in me.  Why not?  We had the computer and that made it so easy.

Easy?????  I did not really even know how to type.  She had said, “If I can do it I know that you can….do it.  I really want to see what you can do.  Will you?”  How could I resist?  One little letter at a time, and one little word ….I started my short story….my short story.

I had to develop a central character for the story.  I wanted someone who was real.  I wanted her to have feelings, heart and soul.  She knew what pain was in life, disappointment and also joy and love and family.  She was not simple…she was a complexity of life and all that comes with it and so are we all.  Life is not easy.  We never find everything coming up roses.  We have challenges, trials, hopes, dreams, laughter, love, joy and heartbreak.  We have to be strong enough to withstand these things and go on and try to find a way to live the best that we can.  Her name is Lara.  She was the character for the short story that did not end for 568 pages.

I had told my daughter to think of a central character and then ask yourself what problem does she have and how does she react?  What happens?  How will she solve the problem?  Then think of how you will create her.  What does she look like?  How does she dress or act?  Why does she do and say or react as she does?  Are there things in her past that influence her?  Create the character and create the scene. 

She asked me what do I do then?  I told her to just go with the story.  She already knows who and what they are and why then decide if this or that happens how they would they likely react?  What would they do and say?

That is a beginning and how I began.  One little letter of each little word hunt and pecked out to form thoughts and words.  She turned in her short story and finished the class and graduated with honors.  I kept on writing.  It was the story that did not end.  I wanted to make the characters and circumstances as real as possible.  I wanted it to be special.  It was something from me.  My husband kept saying that he believed in me.  He thought I could do it.  My daughter said the same thing.

I was still not a writer.  I was a mother, wife, homemaker, housekeeper, and what ever was needed by others.  I had to be…who else would be?  I was what others needed but had never been me.  I had never done for me what I wanted to do….but they told me I could….they believed in me…..I kept on trying and doing…..and writing.

The short story that became a novel.  The words on the pages that became a book.  There was a lot in between.  That is what I want to share here.  I want to share it all…no matter how it sounds….this is real.  These are my words, thoughts, feelings and heart.

 This is my voice.  I once said that I did not want to die in silence and alone.  That is how I felt with my life.  I was at that time alone and dieing.  I have numerous health problems.  Even as a child I was always sick.  I have even been in research centers and that is a whole other story.  Life has not been easy but I have had this compulsion or desire to reach out and let others know that it is all right.  We can make it.  We can do it.  We do not need to give up….Not Today.  I wanted to make a difference.  I want to live and be alive.

When they said that the cancer had spread and was growing rapidly in really bad areas…I knew more than the doctors here knew how badly things could go.  I have been on life support more than once and at one time they gave up and said I would be a vegetable.  I am still here but do not underestimate how fragile life can be.  Now is my time and this is my life.  These books are a symbol of what life can be…Never give up…you can do it…what ever your dreams are you have to believe you can if you are willing to work hard, believe, and try.  Have a little faith.

JOURNEY HOME was a dream come true to reach out and have a voice….to never give up…to keep heart and try…..Journey Home is only the start….I am not giving up….I am alive and living.