Some character is going to get the axe today. And that’s a fact. A gruesome, bloody scene (as much as is allowed in MG books) that reminds people to always be watching their backs.
And I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.
You might be wondering where all this malevolence is coming from.
Well, I’ll tell you.
Last night I went for a bike ride. It was glorious! I spent an hour out on the trail and I came home dusty, buggy, sweaty, and feeling altogether fabulous. Earlier that day, I bought a new cushion for my bike seat because it was beyond painful to ride without one.
Sometime between 8:00 last night and 8:00 this morning, someone stole my seat cushion. And rifled through the little zipper pack that straps to my bike under the seat. It stores my keys and such when I’m out for a ride. It was empty, of course.
I noticed this just as I was getting in my car to go to church. And it put me in a black mood. I was so angry, I wanted to write a letter and post it up where I lock up my bike. It would have said: “To whoever stole my cushion: shame on you. But remember’s that karma’s a you-know-what.” (I don’t like to swear). I didn’t, though, because they probably would return and then key my car. And who needs that aggravation?
So I’m driving to church in a foul, angry mood. And exacting all sorts of vengeance on this person, whoever he is. Then, in the middle of church, they talk about the Nigerian girls who were kidnapped recently.
Right at that moment, my anger dissolved, and disappointment took its place. Disappointment in my fellow man because, seriously, do you really need a $20 bike cushion to hock wherever people hock stuff? Seriously?
It’s not the first time I’ve had something stolen from me, and each time it takes my by surprise. Sometimes I wonder why since I’ve seen and experienced so much hatred, violence, theft, and evil pervading society, especially when I worked in downtown Detroit. It’s sickening.
So, I’m not mad anymore. I’m heartsick.
But that isn’t stopping me from killing off a character. This whole charade has put me in just the right mood to write a death scene. I have a list of characters that will get the axe throughout the anticipated seven books in the series. I might as well get a jump on some of those deaths.
Because you know what they say:
Happy (or sad) writing!
“When writing a novel, that’s pretty much entirely what life turns into: ‘House burned down. Car stolen. Cat exploded. Did 1500 easy words, so all in all it was a pretty good day.”
― Neil Gaiman
“Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.”
― Oscar Wilde
Inkcouragement 