Rambling On

Thanks to Rite-Aid, I’ve received both Moderna shots. The first one was worse than the second: really sore arm. Just a few chills and a slight fever with the second. Hopefully, this pandemic will be over soon, or at least manageable. My writing group hasn’t met in over a year and I miss the motivation. On the positive side, I got a lot of writing done!

Sunset Seduction might just become Sweet Pickles. A PickleFest in Goats Hill, Michigan figures prominently. There are also psychics, pickle contests, the Twerkin’ Gherkins and all manner of summer silliness.

Wow, it’s been almost a year since I’ve posted anything. I’ve finished a young adult novel in that time and am collaborating on a contemporary comedic romance tentatively titled “Sunset Seduction.” Most of it is finished and the editing has begun. If you like Fannie Flagg, then you will like this book, too.

Here is the SPOOC example that I wrote for my novel, The Search for a Sipping House:

Eleanor, a member of a group of homeless Inanimate Vampires (undead who can transform into furniture), tries to locate a Sipping House, a vampire capable of sheltering all her friends.

But Reaper, a traditional Vampire, wants the same House for his own nefarious purposes and challenges Eleanor and her friends to a paranormal race, with the Sipping House as the ultimate prize.

SPOOC Your Fiction!

Jump-start your fiction by crafting the two sentence core of your story. Acclaimed novelist Deborah Chester advocates this method for making sure there’s enough story to your story – by writing down the Situation, Protagonist, Objective, Opponent and Climax in a concise two-sentence format before you begin. It’s a great tool for starting a novel, getting one back on track, or even creating an effective elevator pitch.

So Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone might look  something like this:

Situation: When he finds out that someone is after the Philosopher’s stone hidden in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Protagonist: Harry Potter
Objective: vows to keep it safe.
But can he stop
Opponent: the evil Lord Voldemort
Climax: from stealing it and coming back?

We used SPOOC at the Northwest Ohio Writers Forum meeting on February 17, 2018 at the Heatherdowns branch library. I had a hard time boiling down the plot of my book, The Search for a Sipping House, into just two sentences but I managed. The SPOOC method is great if you need a really short description to pitch your novel. It also makes you think about what is really going on in your plot. If you’re a writer, give it a try and see if your book measures up!

Some synchronicity this week.

While walking through Sidecut Metropark, I found two stones with messages written on them.

Really cool to find.

On Saturday, at the 9:00 Weight Watchers meeting in Sylvania, our leader told us that “You are enough”, and proceeded to explain what that meant. We are not to live in the past or future, but in the now.

I’m not giving up on my dreams, either.

We just had air conditioning put in last October and it went out this past Saturday, a very hot and humid day. I guess it didn’t have enough coolant, but all is well, especially since it was under warranty. I really missed it when it was gone; the fans were just not getting the job done.

How beautiful a thing AC truly is.

It’s been a long time since my last post.

Writing-wise, I’ve published several short stories and entered my e-book, “The Search for a Sipping House” in a few contests. It wound up in the quarter-finals of one and….I’m not certain if it ever registered in the other. Anyway, I’ve put it up for consideration in an e-book self-published contest that Writer’s Digest is running, so who knows.

I’ve also written a book based on my work history in the Church (25 years worth until my job was eliminated in 2016). The book is light-hearted and funny and I hope people will like it. I’ve titled it “O Saint Medardus” and it’s all about a fictional diocese and parish in Avignon, Ohio. Think of a cross between “The Vicar of Dibley” and the “Father Brown Mysteries.” It was a lot of fun to write and the people in my writer’s group have been very encouraging and supportive. Writing can be wonderful therapy.

I was surprised recently to receive a copy of an anthology to which I had sent a story last year. The publisher had changed from Sam’s Dot to White Cat to Alban Publications (I didn’t know about the latter). Very nice cover and stories that range from traditional fantasy (my story “Curses” falls into this category) to science fiction. Interesting interpretations of this theme.

Check it out by clicking here.

The next anthology I appear in is “Strangely Funny”. My story “The Homunculus Caper” is included. I am very excited about this collection of stories because they feature paranormal comedy. I think this sub-genre is sadly under-utilized and would like to see more of it. It offers more of a chance to experience fresh ideas rather than the same old horror tropes.

You can buy “Strangely Funny” by clicking here.