When Life Throws You Lemons...
When life throws you lemons, write about it! It’s a wonderful way to diffuse unpleasant situations by twisting them around in any way you please. This is one of the many perks of being a writer. I did a little twisting in my novel to let off steam and to have fun. I figured if I was having fun, so would my readers.
One example: Those of you who’ve read my light-hearted mystery may recall a scene where heroine Corrie is stuck in an empty building with one of her bosses. This boss has somewhat amorous intentions, and maybe more (by “more” I mean, homicidal intentions). The boss gets too close for comfort to Corrie when he stands behind her and buries his nose in her hair because “her hair smells good.” She replies, “So does hot chocolate, but you don’t take a nosedive into that, do you?”
The Reality: This too close for comfort scenario sprang from my standing in line in a small grocery store. A man stood so close in line behind me, he practically buried his chin in my hair. I’m a girl who likes my space. A lot. No one should come within a foot or so without an invite. I turned around, leaned back, and gave him a meaningful look. A look that I’ve honed over time for just such situations. A look that comes from living in SoCal for too long around too many who feel the need to get personal for no apparent reason. The fellow behind me smiled and continued his close-up. So what to do?
I put my hands on my hips jutting my elbows outward and staved him off while finishing up my purchase. Then I went home and wrote about it. What kind of writers would we be if we didn’t take something from our everyday experiences to insert into a piece of writing? Our imaginations can go hog wild when confronted with reality. It’s fun, therapeutic, and ensures we maintain our happiness by polishing up our sense of humor. A sense of humor is the antidote to unpleasant situations. I won’t write without it.
Every week I am looking forward to read your new blog.
Thank you.