Since I'm not as popular as another Maine writer, Stephen King, I work a "regular job" in addition to the writing. Sometimes, odd things happen, such as on Monday, when I was asked to work 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. to get the store set up for the Holiday Sales Season. Normally, I don't see many animals on the road on my way back home at around 10, but for some reason, on the way in....
I swear the skunk either was suicidal or had rabies. I saw the eyes as I started down the hill from my house and started to slow down, unsure as to what I'd seen. Cat? Racoon? It soon became clear, from the black body with the white stripe, that I was seeing a skunk, but it at first looked like he was turning back to where he'd started, so I prepared to slip by him.
Without warning, he turned and raced toward my car, running directly in front of me as I hit the brakes and tried to miss him. Nope! My car, even two days after the hit, still reeks. But that little skunk started my gears turning.....
Normally, I've had several such experiences to keep me on my toes. I usually have more bad luck than good, but this year seems to be different. Looking at the "Good Times/Bad Times" lists, I only have three really bad things that have happened:
1) In the spring, when I had a speech about writing arranged, it was bitterly cold and most of my friends had to work, so no one came to hear me talk.
2) At the end of our annual anniversary camping trip, Bill lost the transmission in his truck and had to get a new vehicle to get a guarantee that the new transmission would continue to work for more than a year.
3) A hard drive that I'm told lasted twice as long as the product normally does fried out on me, costing me $50 for a new one.
4) I hit Mr. Skunk.
On the "Good" side, however:
1) Almost as soon as I finished the story about Chase and Aloriah, Kelly started whispering about her story. Instead of a long break in which I'm feeling bereft, I immediately went into writing the next book.
2) With a solid thought about what I was looking for in a character, I started looking for models and made a request on Facebook to have some suggestions to look at while I began writing. Less than 24 hours later, I was inundated with a single name: Daniel Sobieray. Rather than let me talk myself out of it, I sent him a message BEFORE putting any photos onto the fledgling fan page for the budding book - and found myself in contact with someone who is not only a gorgeous model, but a brilliant actor and producer who was able to arrange a cover shoot.
3) Through Daniel, I've met several photographers who have introduced me to creativity that I knew existed, but was never able to harness. They, in turn, have "introduced" me to several models. I've found myself in a marvelous group of wonderfully friendly people unlike the types I knew in high school and college who were cuter than the average person. They've made Kyle and Chase even more honest personalities in my mind, as these men I've been meeting this year are very much like my handsome Benton men - and they've helped me to form Stefan into a more complete character.
Also, because of the positive experience with Daniel, I've spoken with the first model to have graced my fan pages attached to a character. He has also begun to suggest other people whose pages I should like, and a European model/photographer group is beginning to form.
4) Whenever I've run into mischief with the writing process this year, I've had people who are happy to answer questions. Whether I'm having a learning issue with a new program or technical difficulties needing the geek squad, I ask a few questions and I have someone stepping in with the answer I need.
5) As this influx of work-related support has been going on, long lost relatives have been appearing on Facebook, finding me through other relatives I'd already friended. The influx of family members has also provided me an emotional support net for those times when I start to doubt myself.
And all of this doesn't even touch the tip of the iceburg when it comes to the sudden influx of visitors to all the sites I put in place as marketing tools when writing "The Tiger's Cub"....
My Thanksgiving is starting early this year, as I am most thankful for the year so far. I have been blessed by all that I hold holy and am most grateful for all the gifts that have come my way.
I only hope that all of those I've mentioned above, who have proven to be such blessings in my life, are as blessed as I have been......
I swear the skunk either was suicidal or had rabies. I saw the eyes as I started down the hill from my house and started to slow down, unsure as to what I'd seen. Cat? Racoon? It soon became clear, from the black body with the white stripe, that I was seeing a skunk, but it at first looked like he was turning back to where he'd started, so I prepared to slip by him.
Without warning, he turned and raced toward my car, running directly in front of me as I hit the brakes and tried to miss him. Nope! My car, even two days after the hit, still reeks. But that little skunk started my gears turning.....
Normally, I've had several such experiences to keep me on my toes. I usually have more bad luck than good, but this year seems to be different. Looking at the "Good Times/Bad Times" lists, I only have three really bad things that have happened:
1) In the spring, when I had a speech about writing arranged, it was bitterly cold and most of my friends had to work, so no one came to hear me talk.
2) At the end of our annual anniversary camping trip, Bill lost the transmission in his truck and had to get a new vehicle to get a guarantee that the new transmission would continue to work for more than a year.
3) A hard drive that I'm told lasted twice as long as the product normally does fried out on me, costing me $50 for a new one.
4) I hit Mr. Skunk.
On the "Good" side, however:
1) Almost as soon as I finished the story about Chase and Aloriah, Kelly started whispering about her story. Instead of a long break in which I'm feeling bereft, I immediately went into writing the next book.
2) With a solid thought about what I was looking for in a character, I started looking for models and made a request on Facebook to have some suggestions to look at while I began writing. Less than 24 hours later, I was inundated with a single name: Daniel Sobieray. Rather than let me talk myself out of it, I sent him a message BEFORE putting any photos onto the fledgling fan page for the budding book - and found myself in contact with someone who is not only a gorgeous model, but a brilliant actor and producer who was able to arrange a cover shoot.
3) Through Daniel, I've met several photographers who have introduced me to creativity that I knew existed, but was never able to harness. They, in turn, have "introduced" me to several models. I've found myself in a marvelous group of wonderfully friendly people unlike the types I knew in high school and college who were cuter than the average person. They've made Kyle and Chase even more honest personalities in my mind, as these men I've been meeting this year are very much like my handsome Benton men - and they've helped me to form Stefan into a more complete character.
Also, because of the positive experience with Daniel, I've spoken with the first model to have graced my fan pages attached to a character. He has also begun to suggest other people whose pages I should like, and a European model/photographer group is beginning to form.
4) Whenever I've run into mischief with the writing process this year, I've had people who are happy to answer questions. Whether I'm having a learning issue with a new program or technical difficulties needing the geek squad, I ask a few questions and I have someone stepping in with the answer I need.
5) As this influx of work-related support has been going on, long lost relatives have been appearing on Facebook, finding me through other relatives I'd already friended. The influx of family members has also provided me an emotional support net for those times when I start to doubt myself.
And all of this doesn't even touch the tip of the iceburg when it comes to the sudden influx of visitors to all the sites I put in place as marketing tools when writing "The Tiger's Cub"....
My Thanksgiving is starting early this year, as I am most thankful for the year so far. I have been blessed by all that I hold holy and am most grateful for all the gifts that have come my way.
I only hope that all of those I've mentioned above, who have proven to be such blessings in my life, are as blessed as I have been......
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