Holidays as Characters in Your Stories

Yesterday was Family Day in Alberta. Basically, it is a government mental health holiday. Spend some time with your family. Forget it is miserable February. Be happy. Don’t off yourself.

Today is Shrove Tuesday. For those who are a little less religious, it’s Pancake Day. I don’t know the meaning behind the day–I was raised by somewhat agnostic be-as-you-are hippies–but I do know something…

And that is…

Holidays can act as fabulous characters and influencers in our stories and yet, so rarely do we utilize them.

I have Christmas in two of my stories, both to illustrate how the gal the girl is dating is the wrong guy. What’s up with that? (Peeks into own pysche.)

But what about Groundhog’s day? Or St. Patrick’s Day? Remembrance Day? Or a long weekend even? They so rarely make it into stories but they could really be great in terms of affecting events, characters, and in generally, creating so much conflict for them!

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Think of this: Busy working mom of young kids. Easter sneaks up. For Heaven’s sake, it’s NEVER ON THE SAME DAY!!! (How unfair is that?) Crap, crap, crap! Talk about barrier to the character if she’s unprepared.

A long weekend? Oh, look! Your character has an extra day off. What do they do? How can this change the story and get them into more trouble? Or help them resolve a conflict they are already experiencing.

How about a holiday they forgot about (maybe they are nonreligious or a religion of a very different mouse all together), and they go to the stores only to find them closed and they *need* something desperately and now have to go back home empty-handed. How are they going to bury that dead body when the hardware store is closed and they don’t have a shovel!!!!

Anyway, that’s what I’m thinking about today. That and those lovely Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal pancakes I had this morning. (Shrove Tuesday is a GREAT excuse to have pancakes for supper. If you are looking for a nummy, yummy recipe, I’ve shared my pancake recipe here. Enjoy!)

Happy writing my friends!

And if you’ve ever used a holiday in your story to create conflict or to bring characters together, tell me about it. I love hearing what other writers are doing.

Hey, I’m off

No, I don’t mean that I smell bad…I mean I’m going on a little holiday. I had meant to make a bunch of blog posts for while I was away, but I had too much fun in the past few weeks visiting family. Therefore…I only have one coming up in a few days…then silence. Sorry.

I do have a bunch loaded and ready over on my Kid’s Play blog though. So if you get to missing me, check it out. Oh, heck. Even if you don’t miss me, go check it out!

Enjoy and have a happy, safe July!

Internet Land

I’m back in the land of Internet again. I’ve got lots of ideas to blog about but right now I’ve got a canoe to go paddle…

Refilling the Creative Juices

I think it is time to ease up and take a nice deep breath of summer air. I feel like I have this rigid time-line looming before me. I have to be a published, money earning author by X. It isn’t working very well. I mean, having a goal and a career plan is good. Very good.

But I need to ease up on myself a bit. I have time. I am learning. I haven’t stagnated. It’s just the fact that I have learned that I am, once again, further from my long-term goal than I originally thought I was, is killing me. And that is silly. This is supposed to be fun.

Of course there is a ton to learn. How many people actually sit down, write a first novel and have it published within two years? Not that many. They have piles of ‘learning’ manuscripts tucked in the rafters. They had to work at this and so do I. And I can do it.

But right now, I need a break. So, I’m going to pack up the car and my family and leave the in-laws behind and drive. And then I’m going to drive some more. And then some more. And I will learn. This CAN be part of my growth as a writer. It can. And it will. I will ruthlessly eavesdrop on farmers, miners, gas jockeys, campers from all over, executives, rich, poor, Easterners, Westerners and my family. I will come out a better understanding of characters. And then I will come home and I will write.

And We’re Back…

Well, we’re back home again. No vehicular mishaps or otherwise. Well, other than a lightning storm that prevented the ground crew from putting on bags on the plane on time. So, a one hour delay. But we had one of those planes with the cool TV sets in the back of the seat in front of you. So, we had TV and movies and music. It was great! I loved it. I got to watch some episodes of ‘How I Met Your Mother’ and ‘The Class’ that I hadn’t seen before. I really like those two shows.