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One need not be a chamber to be haunted;
One need not be a house;
The brain has corridors surpassing
Material place.~~Emily Dickinson
From ghoulies and ghosties and long leggety beasties and things that go bump in the night, Good Lord, deliver us! ~~~Scottish saying
What fearful shapes and shadows beset his path, amidst the dim and ghastly glare of a snowy night! With what wistful look did he eye every trembling ray of light streaming across the waste fields from some distant window! How often was he appalled by some shrub covered with snow, which, like a sheeted specter, beset his very path! How often did he shrink with curdling awe at the sound of his own steps on the frosty crust beneath his feet; and dread to look over his shoulder, lest he should behold some uncouth being tramping close behind him! and how often was he thrown into complete dismay by some rushing blast, howling among the trees, in the idea that it was the Galloping Hessian on one of his nightly scouring!
~~~Washington Irving (a quote from "The Legend of Sleep Hollow")
Bring forth the raisins and the nuts- Tonight All-Hallows' Specter struts Along the moonlit way.~~~John Kendrick Bangs
A grandmother pretends she doesn't know who you are on Halloween~~~Erma Bombeck. |
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I am a firm believer that inspiration for characters and plots often comes from an everyday moment. I try to be extra aware of what goes on around me for I never know just when my muse will thump me on the head, saying, "There's a poem in that!" or "What a great idea for a story." Being as my first published book grew from a conversation with my then six year old, I've learned to treat every moment as one ripe with possibility.
Having learned to pull characters from 'people combinations' and having learned that this allows for far more realistic and true characters, any situation which offers a variety of people situations is always a banquet of characters.
Ten Observations on Halloween
1. Costumes. This year the vast majority in the parade of children were ensconced in home-made costumes. Recycled bits and pieces of outgrown costumes were combined to create new princesses and monsters. Make-up replaced masks and pillowcases really do hold much more candy than plastic orange pumpkins! Parents reached new levels of creativity and obviously took great amounts of time to come up with some of the best costumes I've seen in years.
2. Neighbors who weren't home asked next door friends to hand out their candy as well. Rather than simply have lights turned off, they still participated in absentia. Everyone on our street participated, even the house at the end of the road which hasn't in years. One family left a ginormous bowl of regular sized candy bars on their lighted front porch. No kid upended the bowl, indeed, there was still candy left at the end of the evening.
3. We got only about half the kids we usually do. Thus we are left with a full bowl of Halloween chocolate. Gee, I wonder what we'll do with all that candy? *grin*
4. Kids said "thank you" and if they didn't, parents reminded them. There was no pushing and shoving. There was no sense of "Let's hurry to get to the next house." People chatted and talked. I let at least three kids use the bathroom. People came in and talked and I met a new neighbor from down the street.
5. It is fun 'not recognizing' the neighbor kids or the grandkids. And of course, they are very anxious that you do (after a second or two!) "It's me, Cody, Grandma. Did I really scare you?" And hearing the very little ones fracture the traditional "trick or treat" is hilarious.
6. Never got around to carving the twenty-pound pumpkins I'd lugged from the far end of the pumpkin patch where I'd finally found the two perfect specimens. My daughter says she wants them and she'll bake some pies from scratch. Recycling. Got to love it.
7. Best costumes of the night...a kid dressed as a dapper elderly man, complete with over sized waistcoat, pocket watch, derby and walking stick. Great Mom-make-up job transformed this child into an eighty year old man and he stayed in character as well. Another winner was ' a raggedy princess' with patches sewn on to an old costume, a tilted tiara and a glittering tear affixed beneath her eye. No discount store special costumes this year, but thought and ingenuity combined to create something new and memorable! A lot of parents dressed up as well, many of the pairs dressed to a similar theme. One entire family showed up as Robin Hood and his Merry Band (including Maid Marion).
8. I never heard one cross word or whiny child all night long. !!!
9. In between kids, I sat in the living room leafing through the pile of Christmas catalogs. Pleasant dreaming while wishbook surfing. This entire time of year is so very special to me and it is full of fond memories and excitement. And, mostly, anticipation. Even if this year is way leaner than most. Even if the thought of huge family dinners and presents I can ill afford thwarts my usual over indulgences, I am still vibrating with all the various warm fuzzy feelings that begin anew with the arrival of Halloween. Sure, they exist year round, but it is different and I revel in it.
10. After the last child, and the lights are off, I go around gathering up the scarecrows, the pumpkins, black and orange candles, the witches, the owls and the lighted goblins packing them away for another year. Living room back to some semblance of order, I relax in my chair and munch on a chocolate bar or two or three.
A knock on the door startles me. It is two other of the grand kids. "Are we too late, Grandma? Is it all over?" There is something about ghoulish make-up at the end of Halloween. It looks absolutely more horrible than it did when it was first smeared on giving these children a hollow eyed, haunted look, that no smile can overcome. Perfect ending along with a huge handful each of candy in their half full pillowcases. Note: Ghoulish make up, hugs and a white t-shirt is a bad combination. Ah, but it will wash.
Observations. Looking at the world and my part of it with deep eyes; seeing, listening and filing away moments to resurrect in a story someday. This, to me, is every bit as important and fulfilling as the actual writing. |
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Catherine Hall  writes: Description is something I'm not very good at; my Creative Writing teacher asked us to do it and so did my junior school headteacher. yet I love to look at things close up. In my just-started children's book, I intend to describe my town so well that local people recognize it. So I'll be using your advice. Thanks.
Description is key. Too often a writer has a picture in their mind when writing and although they can see it clearly, they forget to impart that information to the reader. Description is what draws the reader into a scene and allows them to experience it.
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A much loved book is much like an old friend. Good writing takes us out of the here and now and into that other realm where we are someplace else and someone else. I too, go to my old friends and reenter their depths, their familiar embrace.
Do you have that book or books that you return to time and time again? Write and tell me what book and why as I'll be using them in my next newsletter. Thanking Alan Philps for the awesome idea sparked by her entry above!
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For Authors: November 04, 2009 Issue [#3371]
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