Everyone thinks that Dust Bunnies don’t like to read. In fact, because they blow all over the floor–a little to the left, then a little to the right–everyone assumes they only excel at dancing. And while they do have a particular fondness for the Cha-Cha and a good country line dance. I’m here to tell you they are also closet reader.
How do I know this? I have proof. They are the ones who’ve had all my old diaries and journals. I’d been looking for those so ling I thought for sure they’d gotten tossed.
Those sly little bunnies. Anyway, I’ve always told my readers that TOUCHING THE SURFACE was the first novel I’ve ever written. And I didn’t lie. Phew! But I’d forgotten that I’d started one in 9th grade. And now that the bunnies are done with it, I’m finding myself rather entertained. Part of me is cracking up and another piece is thinking–parts of this (small parts) are way better than I would’ve expected from my teenage self.
Since it is Throwback Thursday and I always take the advice of Dust Bunnies when it comes to reading recommendations, I thought I’d pull this untitled work back out again. Here’s my first “draft” of eleven, single spaced, handwritten (in cursive) pages.
It goes a little something like this…
(I have left in all typos for your entertainment)
Chapter 1
Here I Come
“Mom!” I wailed as we approached the school. “They left with out me!”
“Heidi, sweetheart, calm down” my mother replied. “There is practically a hurricane going on! “Do you expect everyone to be waiting outside with their luggage in a down pour?”
I gave it a good second thought and realized she must be right. As we drove up to the front doors of Franklin Jr. High I could see all my friends including my best friend, Amber Bates, sitting standing in the hallway and It was getting quite dark out but I could make out everyone quite clearly with every fresh bolt of lightening. I grabbed my suitcase and kissed my mother goodbye in one easymotion. As I dased to the doors which Amber was holding open for me. The one thing that stuck in my mind was “what a way to start our big 9th grade class trip
* * *
The Highlights:
Best 80’s Quote–“I had brown permed hair hair wich I blew out on top and left curly in the back.”
Best Dialogue– “That was quite and entrance Heidi”
“Don’t you know Tony. Its classy to come someplace fashionably late.”
“Sure it is but fashionably doesn’t mean like a seal in the hundred yard dash.”
“Well Tony, at least I don’t look (like) a seal all the time.”
Best Joke– “He was most famously known for his fig newton jokes. My favorite one was ‘What do you call a fig newton that just got out of the hospital? A: All figsed up!!'”
Best Cliffhanger– “Just as everyone was making a mad dash across the room everything went black and the only sound you could hear was clumsy Nancy Emory falling over someone’s suitcase in the dark.”
Are you still with me??? Because after a cliff hanger like that, I decided to skip that whole “write a complete first draft” step and go directly to my favorite part of writing–REVISION! I started all over again. This time with nineteen, single spaced, handwritten pages…
Above me the thunder crashed and with every fresh bolt of lightening my the feeling of anticipation grew inside me. I couldn’t really decide if I liked that feeling or not. As I continued to pack my clothes into the suitcase I finally decided I could sacrifice five minutes of my time to analyze it all again. I mean alot was at stake this weekend but the biggest risk I was going to take was with my feelings. If this last atempt on my part failed I was almost sure I would end up with a full fledge broken heart.
The Highlights:
Best Pep Talk–“If it was your different speaclness (specialness?) that attracted him to you in the first place then the only way you can ever get him back is by being different and special. If he really loved you inside as much as he had said he did then he won’t forget you very easy.”
Best Revised Sentence–DRAFT #1” I gave it a good second thought and realized she must be right.”
DRAFT #2“I gave it a good second thought and started to scold my imagination for being over active.”
Best Random Sentence–“Instead I followed him back to our group and silently watched listened to Craig Morris do tell us about how on his vacation he accidentally walked int a nudist camp while taking a hike.”
And since I can’t top that AND my kids need my attention AND the dust bunnies want their reading material back–I’ll stop torturing you now. LOL! Go look up some of the things your dust bunnies have been reading and don’t forget to share!
Today’s recommendation for writers is to find some of your favorite books and chase down the stories behind them. But I don’t want you to pick the flavor of the month. You need to pick the books that make you want to be a better writer–possibly even a better person. And I’m not saying that they all have to be emotional, literary powerhouses. It just has to be something that you consider well written and it has an impact on you. It’s about the books you think about long after you’re done reading them.
Next I want you to search the blogosphere to find out the back story of that story. What inspired that writer to grow that particularly twisted chain of thoughts in their head and put them on the page? Learn about when the story first started to incubate in their mind. Find out how long it took them to draft and redraft that manuscript. Every good story behind the story seems to have it’s own emotional and plot arcs too. In my experience, in the really good books, what happens in the mind, heart and soul of the writer is often just as interesting as the published story. There is power in the stories behind the stories.
Why do I think we should do this? Because it reminds us of why we write and how we write. It grounds us in reality–some books that look like overnight successes have really been twenty years in the making. (Laurie Halse Anderson’s THE IMPOSSIBLE KNIFE OF MEMORY) It helps us see history as something that needs a voice. Without our words we run the risk of repeating our mistakes. (Ruta Sepetys’ BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY and Khaled Hosseini’s A THOUSAND SPLENDID SUNS) It shows us that embedded within the action there is deep thought and social consideration. (Suzanne Collins’ THE HUNGER GAMES and Veronica Roth’s DIVERGENT) It doesn’t matter how long the book or who is it’s intended audience. (Dr. Suess’ THE LORAX or Anne Frank’s THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK) Someone telling their personal truth resonates.
Our greatest stories have stories and they leave clear and important messages to the tribe of writers that follow behind. Write what speaks to you and tell that story in your own voice. Write without fear or at least without letting the fear rule your choices. Write to serve yourself rather than an audience–if you speak your own truth there will be someone else that will connect with your words. Writers must write to become better writers, but they also must read to become better writers. It is through hard work, personal revelation and honest connection that we grow. It’s time to unleash the power of the stories behind the stories.
Are there stories behind the stories that have had an impact on you? Which ones–you need to share.
I can’t help it. It seems that no matter how hard I try, I have the same rant about volunteerism every year. Mostly it’s the people standing next to me at a soccer field, a dance recital, a free writing event, a PTA endeavor or a community hoopla that have to hear me bitch about it. But today I decided to take it to the blog. Lucky you. I apologize ahead of time for speaking so loudly, but this one makes me yell…
This Rant is Entitled…Don’t be an Ass!
UNLESS THERE IS GROSS NEGLIGENCE INVOLVED OR DELIBERATE CRUELTY OF SOME KIND. YOU DO NOT GET TO SIT ON THE SIDELINES OF LIFE AND BITCH ABOUT THE WAY SOMONE ELSE VOLUNTEERS!!!! IF YOU DON’T LIKE HOW SOMONE ELSE IS DONATING THEIR TIME AND EFFORT FOR FREE YOU HAVE THREE REASONABLE OPTIONS…
1. YOU MAY BECOME A VOLUNTEER AND DO A “BETTER” JOB. (BE PREPARED BECAUSE SOMEONE IS GOING TO BITCH ABOUT WHAT YOU DO, NO MATTER HOW MUCH OF YOUR HEART AND SOUL AND TIME YOU DONATE.)
2. YOU CAN BITCH, MOAN, WHINE AND COMPLAIN ALL YOU WANT TO IN YOUR HEAD WHERE NO ONE ELSE CAN HEAR YOU.
3. YOU CAN STAY HOME AND WATCH REALITY TV.
As we all crawl out of our winter holes of isolation, I’d like to make a preemptive attempt at saying thank you to all the people who volunteer and make my life better. Your volunteerism usually impacts more than just yourself–it effects your family also. That is so kind of you and your loved ones. You get less sleep, have more stress and your charitable efforts cut into your free time. I know I’m not perfect. Sometimes I think before I speak, but I want you to know that it’s wrong. I know I better. I will remind myself to PUT UP OR SHUT UP!
Please use the comments on this blog to right the karmic balance. Give a shout out to some of the most amazing volunteers you know. And please do your part to stop the madness. Not only should our motto be PUT UP OR SHUT UP, but we shouldn’t stand on the sidelines and allow others to trash those who are stepping up. If speaking up isn’t your thing, you can always use the Jedi Mind trick to gently shame the blabber mouths. Defend the volunteers you must.
Some days blog posts are well thought out. Hopefully instructional or inspirational. But some days they are just the most important thing we have to say to the universe and the people in it.
I was very moved by a recent performance by Christina Grimmie on The Voice. Her mother was a three time cancer survivor. And while it’s completely different, in it’s own way, it reminded me of my 11yo old, Ty. He’s been struggling with the sudden move to a new school. He’s been so brave and centered and beautiful even though it has been a brutally hard experience. Some days I know he feels like a shadow of the person he was a few weeks ago. Lucky for him–I’ve always loved his shadow.
And while the toughest part of this journey has been on him, the hard part for me has been being unable to fix it–to prevent it. (A Persons a Person No Matter How Small) All I’ve been able to do is be there to lean on. I tell him over and over that I won’t give up on him. That I’m giving him all my love and hoping that in the end that it’s enough.
I don’t wanna be someone who walks away so easily I’m here to stay and make the difference that I can make Our differences they do a lot to teach us how to use The tools and gifts we got yeah, we got a lot at stake And in the end, you’re still my friend at least we did intend For us to work we didn’t break, we didn’t burn We had to learn how to bend without the world caving in I had to learn what I’ve got, and what I’m not And who I am
I won’t give up on us Even if the skies get rough I’m giving you all my love I’m still looking up Still looking up.
