Writer's block is just procrastination--and this blog is a perfect example. Thanks for procrastinating with me.
Showing posts with label Holiday writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holiday writing. Show all posts
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Mary Martinez guest posting!
For a surprise and a change of pace, I've invited author Mary Martinez to guest blog here on writersblock buster. A change is as good as a vacation, as an old workaholic boss used to say. So here she is, Mary, from Mary's Garden Blog. Her story is great...
Thank you, L. L., for inviting me to visit your blog. Since it’s Valentines month, I’m going to tell you a story about how I met my husband.
It was a long time ago in the ancient time of life after divorce. I was a single mom with three kids, and poor. One weekend the girls at the office wanted to go to Studebakers a local hang out in downtown Salt Lake City. So I scrambled to find enough for a babysitter, which left exactly 2 dollars for the cover. Yes, I drank water all night. And the guys that were asking me to dance were babies!
This was long before ‘cougars’ or I may have been tempted.
All of us were standing around and one of my friends said, ‘last one on the dance floor buys pizza.’ I was broke I couldn’t afford to lose. Literally. So I pointed to a guy, dark hair, mustache and glasses and asked “Does that guy, the one who looks like Sonny Bono, look older than me?” and when the unanimous vote was ‘yes’ I went and asked him to dance.
We got along great, I thought he was cute and I think he thought I was too, then I told him I was getting a divorce and it would be final in August (this was June or July). He seemed disappointed, and then informed me he didn’t date women who weren’t divorced yet. DANG.
So the summer passed and I went to Studebakers with my friend from work and as it so happened, it was August. Guess who was there? I had a bit of money in my pocket and ordered a beer and asked the waitress to take it to him. But while she was gone to get the order he came over and asked me to dance. Unfortunately, the beer never made it to him because we were on the dance floor. We danced all night and as he walked me to my car I told him about how I’d ordered a beer for him. He thought that was ‘sweet’.
The next night I had a date with an old high school crush that I’d met at the reunion a few weeks before. Well, let’s just say it didn’t turn out and when I got home the night was still young. I said to the babysitter “Can you stay longer? I want to go see if the cute guy is at Studebakers again.” AND HE WAS!
With another woman.
I danced a bit with some friends and then I thought I’d better go home so the babysitter could also. Besides I didn’t want to hang out and watch him with this other woman. As I left I caught the waitress and bought a beer—paid for it this time—and pointed out where he was sitting and said to tell him this is the beer that got lost last night. And then I walked out the door and went home.
The following day he called me and we talked for four hours. And we’ve been together ever since, 23 years.
There you have my story. Or did I make it up? What do you think?
You can find out about my new Beckett Series at www.marymartinez.com
You can find me on twitter @marylmartinez
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mary-Martinez/169373246496620
Or visit Mary’s Garden Blog http://marysbooksblogger.blogspot.com/
Labels:
Holiday writing,
Mary Martinez,
no regrets,
perserverance,
vindication
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Your Holiday Excuse
You won't find your holiday excuse here. Shame on you if you thought to use one.
Don't waste these sensory filled days. If your ms lacks "setting", what better time to remind yourself of the poetry of SMELLS, heat and cold, lighting, TASTE, sounds that trip memory...
Set yourself down in the middle of your lackluster scene. You know the one. It's the scene you hate to work on because it doesn't excite you. If it 's relevant, necessary, then enhance the setting with the visceral material around you today. It doesn't need to be a holiday scene for the smell of cinnamon to line the roof of your character's mouth, etc. Your character's goosebumps tickling the backs of her arms can be from the AC and not from returning to an icy house after a long day of holiday shopping. You get the idea.
Don't forget to give yourself the gift of writing time.
The emotionally charged atmosphere of the holidays is ripe for the pillaging.
Go forth. Pillage.
Happy Writing Holidays,
Ainsley
Don't waste these sensory filled days. If your ms lacks "setting", what better time to remind yourself of the poetry of SMELLS, heat and cold, lighting, TASTE, sounds that trip memory...
Set yourself down in the middle of your lackluster scene. You know the one. It's the scene you hate to work on because it doesn't excite you. If it 's relevant, necessary, then enhance the setting with the visceral material around you today. It doesn't need to be a holiday scene for the smell of cinnamon to line the roof of your character's mouth, etc. Your character's goosebumps tickling the backs of her arms can be from the AC and not from returning to an icy house after a long day of holiday shopping. You get the idea.
Don't forget to give yourself the gift of writing time.
The emotionally charged atmosphere of the holidays is ripe for the pillaging.
Go forth. Pillage.
Happy Writing Holidays,
Ainsley
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