Whew! What a month!
I survived NaNoWriMo and am proud to announce that I knocked out 50k words in 29 days, even with family visiting for a week during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Speaking of Thanksgiving, I would be remiss if I didn’t give thanks to the many people who helped speed me through the month-long challenge. Most of you were enthusiastic cheerleaders and partners in crime. Some of you were unwitting accomplices who may recognize your contribution in the final product.
Of particular note are:
- The wonderful staff and volunteers at NaNoWriMo who manage to pull off this event annually. It’s no small task! I’m especially grateful for the opportunity to connect with other writers around the globe to attempt the impossible – which magically becomes possible. Please take a moment to check them out and possibly support their ongoing efforts.
- My fellow RWA – Passionate Ink Chapter members who helped keep the momentum going with word sprints, friendly competition, and unending encouragement. You can learn more about the Passionate Ink Chapter of the Romance Writers of America here. If you are a writer or an aspiring writer, please join us.
- Andrew A., Lizzie W., and Stacey G., for your unfailing moral support, input, feedback and for being my go-to sounding boards. Oh! And, I mustn’t forget Adam W. for providing soundtracks, laughs and a sympathetic ear.
- You who have shared a path with me for a spell, crossed my path for a moment or just plain crossed me. By being your glorious self, you’ve ensured that something heartwarmingly marvelous or unspeakably terrible will befall a character that reminds you of…someone you know. <Insert evil laugh here>
- Readers and followers. Thank you for reminding me that there is an audience for the stories that I tell. You motivate me to keep writing even when my muse takes a ridiculously long coffee break.
Truly, I couldn’t have done it without you.
Beyond NaNoWriMo, since many have asked, the answer is, “Yes. While I do write fiction, it is often *inspired by the people, places, and events that are familiar to me.”
*Pursuant to the insistence of my lawyer, I direct you to the word “inspired” and its definition. I further point out that any resemblance to events, locales, or persons – living or dead, especially the dead (trust me, no one wants to piss off the dead) – are either products of my imagination, used fictitiously or are coincidental.
So, If you recognize a location or a similar experience in any of my stories, it may be loosely based in reality. Likewise, if you think you’ve spotted something of yourself in any of the characters that make their way onto the page, consider it a compliment. If you are certain that it is uniquely you, that means you are very vain or, at the very least, memorable and may have taught me a life lesson or ten. Most likely, there was something about you that I fell in love with – the glint in your eye, the flicker of your impish grin, the color of your hair, a tiny endearing gesture or even a wicked turn of phrase.
You probably tickled me in some way and made me laugh, smile or squeal with delight. You might have filled me with hope or left me in awe. Maybe you made me shiver or curled my toes. Oh, baby! You possibly scared the living daylights out of me. What’s wrong with you? Don’t do that! You could have even broken my heart and left me a tear-stained mess. Again, what’s wrong with you?
In any case, if you did any or all of those, know that I remember you. Of course, I remember. I remember in exquisite detail. Usually, the experience filled me with unexpected joy. On the rare occasion when I was not fully appreciative in the moment or even at this particular moment, I’m confident that in the greater scheme of things, I will be grateful for the experience in the very near future. Or down the road a bit. Or a long, long time from now. Or maybe in the next life.
Conversely, it’s possible – even probable – that I dredged up all of the bits and pieces from the depths of my depraved imagination. Who knows?
I do.
You probably do, too.
