Behind the Scenes: My Writing Ritual

I’ve been reading lots of publishing and writing business books lately and most of them talk about having a writing routine or ritual for getting in the mood to write.  Basically, a set of things you do before you start writing, and that got me thinking - do I have that?  

Currently, I wake up and get my son ready for school, then come back up to our apartment and write my morning pages and mindset, I then exercise, eat breakfast, have coffee, and then I’m ready to start my day and my writing.  If I’m putting down new words I put on music, read through my scene notes or look over my outline cards in Scrivener (my writing program of choice) and start writing. 

If I’m revising or editing, then usually it’s quiet.  I grab any notes I need, look through the scene I’m working on, read through it and get to work.  If I have lots of day job stuff to get to, I’ll put a timer on for my writing sessions, but I like it better when I can just drink my coffee and write until I feel done.  Usually, that’s at the end of a scene or chapter in both instances.  Lately, I’ve been working on revisions for my debut novel and I like to get two chapters done before moving on with my day.  If I’m working on my short stories (which don’t really have chapters) then I like to write at least 750-1000 words for the day.  

That’s it, really.  I’ve been thinking of adding some other things to this ritual or routine such as candles or my new Essential Oil diffuser, a writing warm-up exercise (although I find these distracting if I’m revising, but might be a good idea for when I’m working on novel #2), or somehow using my writing totem.  I have a Figment figurine from Epcot that I bought many moons ago that sits on my desk and reminds me to keep my imagination front and center, to keep asking questions, and most importantly to have fun with my writing.  But I just look at him, I don’t really have any ceremony or ritual with him.

I think the thing that has helped me the most is lately in my mindset practice I’ve been writing: Words flow easily when I sit down to write.  I make every scene I edit better.  I am a master wordsmith.  I am a wizard with revisions.  These things get into my body and when I sit down to write, I just start to write.  I don’t necessarily need a bunch of fanfare to get up and running.   

If you’re a writer, what do you do to get ready to put words on the page? Do you have a writing routine or ritual?  If you do something else creative, like knit or draw, do you have a warm-up that you do before you start?  How do you start your day?  

Writerly Fashion - Fall Edition

It’s fall here in New York City which means pumpkin spice lattes, Thanksgiving, and fuzzy socks!  I love fall fashion in general but I especially LOVE fall fashion as a stay at home writer type person.  Here are just a few of my favorites and a bonus picture of me right now - today!

Leggings and Yoga Pants

Yes, yes and yes! Leggings as pants are a bit controversial and I would have been on the Nay side just a few years ago, but then I discovered LuLaRoe and soft buttery leggings and now I say Yay! (With the caveat, for me, at least, that my shirt needs to cover my butt).  Leggings and Yoga pants are a staple of my everyday wardrobe but especially in the fall.  Yes, I have jeans.  Yes, I wear jeans if I’m going out and about, but if I’m sitting on my couch or in my chair all day writing and working (Virtual Assistant to the rescue!) then I’m going to be comfy.  Step #1 for me is always comfort. Then color, then style.  

Tee Shirts and Tunics

Next on the hit parade is soft, colorful tee shirts and long tunics. Nothing better than throwing on leggings with a tunic - easy breast cover girl! Or a bright red tee shirt with black yoga pants - yes, please!  I feel pulled together and comfortable (remember step #1 from above?).  I don’t have too many shirts with sayings on them, although I do have a Muppets Tee shirt I like to wear, I do have quite a few patterned tunics from LuLaRoe that I like to wear with my solid color leggings.  I feel a bit like Punky Brewster and that’s all good with me.

Hoodies, Flannel, and Cardigans…oh my!

I am usually pretty warm (unlike my Mom who’s always cold) but there are days when the chill in the air is even too much for me and that’s when a 2nd layer comes in handy.  I have a few cardigans, one hoodie that I love, and a big black and white flannel shirt that are my go-to’s when I get cold.  I also have a white snow leopard print blanket that comes in handy if I’m sitting in one place and just need to throw something over my legs and/or feet.

Fuzzy Socks

I saved the best for last, I think.  Fuzzy socks are amazing.  They are soft, comfy, cute, and warm.  I recently bought a bunch more off Amazon because I had a feeling this fall and winter were going to be all about the fuzzy socks for me and so far, I’ve been right.  Right after a shower (I like to do mine at night) I put on some lotion and wrap my toes up in a foot sweater and bam, instant comfort.  It’s like a hug for your feet!  Okay, that was silly, but seriously - fuzzy socks are the best!

So, what is your favorite fashion item for the Fall?  Leather? Velvet? Cashmere?  If you are just chilling or working from home, what do you like to wear?  The one thing missing from my wardrobe right now is a pair of flannel type pjs - you know the old kind with a top and bottom - but I have a hard time finding pants long enough for my 5 foot 10 inch frame but this year I might look again.  Happy Fall everyone!

How I Got Out of My Planner Funk

At the beginning of the year I bought a new planner and was so excited to start using it, but around the middle of the year, it had lost its luster for me.  It wasn’t working….for me.  Now, this has happened in the past, I have tried all sorts of planners and types of planning systems and I’m all gung-ho for a while then it peters out.  Usually, this happens after the newness wears off, but also because I realize that the brand new shiny planner won’t actually do my work for me - it’s just a device to keep track of my things.  My tasks, my goals, my daily to-do lists, etc.  It’s a device, not a robot that’s going to write my blog posts, my novels, my short stories, do my day job work for me.  It’s not going to grow legs and clean my bathroom or do the laundry.  That would be awesome though, but it's not going to do that so I get in planner funks when I realize that I’m still me - just with a new planner.

So, this time I actually realized that and instead of just jumping into a brand new shiny planner without thinking, I stopped and researched and did some reading and came to the conclusion that a new planner wouldn’t necessarily help me, but that I had chosen my current planner without doing some thinking about what I actually needed a planner to do.  I read an article called Being in a Planning Quagmire (which, btw - awesome word!) and this basically gave me some insights into why I was having problems with my current planner and why I had such issues in the past.

The questions at the beginning of that article helped me realize that I wanted a bullet journal type planner but I hated having to write out the monthly calendars vertically like the original bullet journal concept and I didn’t want to draw the calendar grid every month like I had seen on Pinterest.  I  knew a larger planner wouldn't be a big deal because I rarely carry it out of the house. I also knew I wanted good paper and bright colors.  Then this question hit me: Are you in a Planner Quagmire because what you REALLY want is too expensive or otherwise out of your reach, and nothing else will do it for you?

Bam!  

This was the mother lode question because I had been pinning for an Erin Condren Life Planner for years but they were pricey so I kept finding other things, other workarounds. I wanted the bright, colorful, sticker-filled fun that was the Erin Condren life planner, but on the other hand, I really wanted a more simplified Bullet Journal style.  So I started googling and low and behold - Erin Condren had released a new version of their Deluxe Monthly Planner style that was monthly calendars in the front (mine runs August to July because it’s an Academic style - works for me as my son is in school and I like starting a new year in September when school starts) and then a boatload of lined pages in the back.  

Yes!  

In between the monthly spreads are planning pages for each month too.  All of a sudden I had these ideas running through my head of exactly what I could do with each section.  This was the bullet journal I was looking for.  Monthly grids all laid out and colorful, planning sections for monthly tasks lists and goals, and blank pages for my daily to-do’s and lists.  I added a smaller dot grid journal for collections (plans, larger lists, year goal matrix, ideas, etc. And so forth) and my system was complete. Side note:  If you're in the market for a new planner, click HERE for my referral code and save a little bit.

The beauty - once I made the decision and signed up for an account, I got a discount code right away and then because I had linked from a planner girl YouTube friend of mine I got another discount code and then…I discovered the planner was on sale!  It was like the Universe said, okay - you’ve done the work, you made your decision - here’s a gift.  It took awhile to get to me, but it was so worth it.  I’ve been using it for a few months now and I’ll be honest - I still catch myself getting upset that my planner is not doing my work for me, but not as much as I did. HA

Let’s dive in shall we? Get ready, because I'm about to hit you with a ton of pictures!

This is my monthly spread.  

I use color-coded stickers to mark events and birthdays.  I use washi tape to mark vacations. I keep my monthly spread simple.  I realized that the stickers that come with the planner are going to run out, but luckily Erin Condren’s website sells them separately so I’ll be doing that soon.   I like being able to get a large overview of the month before drilling down to weekly and daily tasks. 

This is the page before the monthly spread.

I use this blank dot grid as my Monthly Task List.  I will add to this throughout the month as things come up that I know need to get done that month but aren’t time or day specific.  For example, my son’s Halloween costume.  We needed that by the middle of October but otherwise…it was a pretty open task so it got added to the large monthly task list. I've also checked this off as my son chose a very cute, Jack O' Lantern costume for this year (he's 6!).

After the monthly spread is the planning pages.

The first page has five sections.  I have divided my life up into sections: Writing, Family, Health and Wellness, Apartment, and Misc. and I write a few goals for each section or tasks that I want to complete that month in each part.  I like this fine, but I am also thinking about using these boxes for each week and writing my Top Goals for the week here.  I might try that one month and see which I like better.  

The next blank page has my social media stats so I can see growth (or lack thereof) and I’ve given myself note space to write down goals, things I need to work on, or things I want to touch on during the month.  The little side column is where I write down my tasks for the Rising Heroes health and wellness online game that I am a part of (and talked about HERE). For now - I really like this page and don’t see much changing.

In the back of the notebook is lots and lots of lined blank pages.  

This is where I (currently) write my Weekly Top 5 tasks (Blog posts, Novel, Short Story, Apartment projects, School stuff, etc.) and then start my daily bullet journal style to-do list with boxes, triangles, and arrows to mark various tasks, appointments, and notes.  I like to use stickers to add some extra color and flair but those things change weekly.  I am Team Blue when it comes to pen colors but I can also see myself using color-coding at some point, but that involves always making sure you have the pens with you…and right now, I’m keeping it simple.

This is my collection book.  It’s matchy-matchy, but not exact and has dot grid paper inside. You can see from my Index page what kinds of things I keep in here, but I’m also hoping to add a page for Fiction Books to read, Non-Fiction books to read, online course tracking (I’m currently in one about Self-Publishing but am getting confused as to which modules I’ve watched or ones I need to re-watch), and I’m thinking of adding a Monthly Habit tracker to this as well- but I also have an app on my phone I like so we’ll see.

So…what do you think? Are you in a planner funk (or quagmire?) - are you strictly an app/phone/digital person or do you like paper and pen and stickers and washi? What do you track in your planner? What ideas do you have for me on how I can utilize my system better?   I have another post planned where I’ll be talking about my favorite writing tools and I will be talking about the apps and software programs I use, but my planner will also be listed so if you want to know more about anything I’m using or want an update - let me know.

What Would a Pro Writer Do? Part 1: Mindset

A few months back I joined an online writer’s mastermind called “The Bestselling Author Mastermind Group”.  We communicate mostly through a private Facebook group, but the leader - Jennifer Blanchard also has a very full BAM website for us with so much useful information: video courses, audio courses, and worksheets galore on everything from mindset, writing (both Fiction and Non-Fiction), publishing, selling, and everything in between.  It’s been an amazing group and I can say, without a doubt, that joining has turned my entire writing career around.

Mindset?

If you read that last paragraph and stopped at mindset - you are not alone.  When I was looking into a mastermind or similar type of group earlier this year it was because of a writing book I was reading that talked about leveling up and getting very clear about your goals and your mindset.  And I stopped reading and thought - what? What does mindset have to do with a writing career?  It turns out…everything.  What you think you create.  If you think you can, or you think you can’t, you are correct.  These are phrases and quotes we’ve heard over and over and they sound totally woo-woo and weird, but I’m going to tell you - they are very true.

Back around April I spoke at my son’s elementary school on Career Day and talking to those kids gave me a much needed kick in my butt to resume the revisions on my novel and get it out into the world.  I’ve since finished those personal revisions and sent the manuscript to a professional editor and I am now working on her editorial revisions and notes in preparation for self-publishing in early 2018.  But I really could not have gotten this far without my daily mindset practice and I’m going to give you a little insight into how I do this.  

Step 1: Morning Pages

Most books about mindset or morning practices, in general, will tell you to do them first thing in the morning.  That’s good advice, but when you have a 6 year old that needs to be up, fed, dressed, and out the door to the school bus fairly early (7:15 AM) well - first thing in the morning won’t work (at least for me - I don’t really want to get up at 5:30 AM to do these things) so I do them as soon as we get upstairs from saying Good Bye to cutie as he gets on his bus.  This works for me so don’t feel like you have to “follow the rules or else” - make things work for you and your schedule.

Okay…so that’s out of the way.   My little rebel disclaimer I guess.  Once I’m back upstairs I go straight to our bedroom and work-out - either bodyweight circuits or yoga - then I grab my cheap wide ruled notebook (usually one I’ve bought during Back To School sales) and do morning pages.  If you’ve read any book by Julia Cameron (The Artist’s Way being the most famous) you know about morning pages.  If not, it’s basically 3 pages of long-hand free-form stream-of-consciousness writing.  You put the pen to the paper and don’t stop until you get there.  Here’s my other rebel disclaimer - I usually only do 2, so front and back of one notebook page.  Now that’s not a hard and fast rule for me.  Some mornings I’m short on time and do less and some mornings I need to write more and I do…but usually, it’s 1-page front and back. 

Morning pages are where I vent about the fact my kid isn’t eating or some douche’s car alarm went off at 4am or how I desperately need coffee - literally, anything and everything goes onto the page.  This morning I was working through some limiting beliefs (things that are holding me back, those negative tapes we all say to ourselves about various things) surrounding my daily schedule and my need to Get All The Things Done! I worked through some old feelings of perfection that are not serving me or my writing anymore and I even created a new affirmation (we will talk about those in a minute): I will listen to my mind, body, and soul in relationship to my passion work and make mindful, conscious decisions about breaks, pauses, and much needed rest periods without guilt.

Step 2: Mindset Practice - Daily Intentions and Affirmations

Next, I grab my prettier journal (I bought mine from Staples - it’s this one HERE) and write Daily Intentions.  These are things I intend to do that day, written in present tense. For example: I will write the first draft of my weekly blog post or I will make time to read and journal today.  I usually write 3-5 of these and they can relate to my writing, health, or work goals.  Then I skip a line and start writing my Affirmations.  You’ve heard of Affirmations, most likely you think of Stuart Smalley’s character from Saturday Night Live - I’m smart, I’m pretty, and doggone it - people like me!  They seemed so cheesy to me when I first heard about them and secretly - I thought I would hate them.  And honestly, I did for awhile. For a long while - about a month, but then I started realizing that the things I was writing down were making it into my daily mental tape.  I was actually replacing negative thoughts with positive ones - without much effort.

I’m going to give you a real-life example of some of the things I personally write down.  I usually fill up a page or two with these and sometimes I divide them into sections (writing, health, work, life, etc.) but usually, I just write a long list and everything melds together.  I tend to divide them once a month for clarity and goal setting purposes.

• I am a full-time writer.
• I am a multi-book self-published author.
• I am a trusted member of the writing community.
• I am surrounded by smart, creative, professional women that are helping me become the person and writer I am meant to be.
• I know the Universe has my back!
• I am an idea magnet.
• Words flow easily and first drafts simply fall onto the page.
• I have an abundance of energy.
• I have thousands of loyal fans and readers.
• I create entertaining and informative content that my readers love to receive and share with others. 

Step 3: Visualization

Lastly, I spend 2-5 minutes visualizing everything I write down.  This is new for me, maybe the last two months - and it has really helped me carry over all the good feelings I feel when writing the affirmations into the rest of my day.  I’ve been carrying myself more confidently, talking with more people while out and about, smiling more, engaging more in life and my surroundings, writing more, taking the necessary action steps to complete my goals, and live the dream life I want and deserve to live.  It’s been eye-opening and a game changer.  I just start feeling what it would feel like if each of the affirmations were true, right now in this moment.  I hold on to those feelings while playing a mental movie that moves from writing to my health and fitness goals to my apartment projects and to life in general with my family and friends and I come out of the movie with just so much energy I almost literally jump up and get started!  

Once I’m done with my exercising and my journaling/mindset practice I usually have breakfast, drink my coffee, go over my daily schedule for both personal and work, check emails, and then schedule in my fiction writing time, work time, blogging time, and downtime to read and rest.  


So…what do you think?  Could you incorporate something like this into your life?  Do you think it would help you (I say YES) - would you like to learn more about the writing group I’m apart of?  Would you like to know more about the other items on the What Would a Pro Writer Do index card in my title image? Let me know in the comments!

Behind the Scenes: Where I Write

Today I’d like to talk about my desk.  It’s big and bold and messy.  We moved almost a year ago and we are still not set up (I know, I know…but life happens man) but my desk is sort of settled in to.  I have a new cork board and white board to go with my cool WRITER picture (thanks, Delia!) - they are just not on the actual wall yet but leaning against the wall.  I can still plan, dream, think, smile at, and gets ideas from everything so it’s fine….for now.  

My desk is in our bedroom.  Living in New York comes with many advantages (theatre, museums, restaurants, the public transportation) but space is not one of them when it comes to apartments.  Our place is pretty big, actually, but we only have two bedrooms so unless I want to force my cute 5-year-old to sleep on the floor of the living room (although he might secretly love this) for now my desk is in the bedroom.  This doesn’t actually cause problems since my son is at school and my husband is at work all day and I don’t usually work at night during family times.  The problem comes from my desk being a flat, relatively clean surface, things get dumped here - school paperwork, iPhones, my son’s art, junk mail - the list goes on, so I constantly have to clean it. 

 

What would solve this problem?  Having a dedicated space in the living room for the stuff mentioned above.  I’m actually working on this problem, and I think I’m almost done with the drop zone by the door.  Also, I need to reorganize the two book shelves that are in the bedroom to better utilize that space so less stuff has to live on my desk.  This is my next big apartment project.  We really do take forever to move into a place fully - but we adore our apartment overall, it has huge windows and lots of light and it’s in a great neighborhood close to my son’s elementary school.  And it’s quiet.  Like…eerily quiet.  If I have the windows open I can sometimes hear the Long Island Rail Road go by a few blocks away or trucks rumbling down Queens Boulevard, but otherwise - I don’t hear much during the day.  It’s really nice.

My desk is almost settled in, but once I get the book shelves reorganized then I can concentrate on the peripheral areas of my desk, like my cute little plastic bins that hold my washi tape, journal cards, extra index cards, extra pens, etc.  Right now they are a major hot mess and I can’t find anything without searching through at least three drawers.  Ugh!  This is a total time waster and the 2nd item on my apartment list to fix and work through.  I also want to put more cute stuff on my cork board and once I get everything hung up, I’ll see if I have room for other decorations around my desk.  I have accumulated quite a few inspirational pictures and sayings so I want a space dedicated to those, like a mini vision board or a motivator corner. 

 

The other place I like to write is in the living room sitting on our bright red couch!  This is the joy of owning a laptop - I can take it anywhere, but I usually don’t.  The living room is where I chill when I’m thinking or planning or daydreaming while writing but also have the TV on watching old reruns of Friends. I have tried writing out of the house, but for some odd reason, I felt very uncomfortable.  I think that’s just me because most writers I’ve met go to Starbucks or St. Louis Bread Company (Panera’s) and work sometimes….if I do this, I usually like to read or hand write in a journal because I feel odd whipping out my laptop and typing away.  Not sure why.  I think it’s because at home I can control my music, my beverage situation, my food situation, etc.  I think it’s because I’m a control freak.  There, I said, it. HA

So…where do you write or paint or sing?  Show me your work space and tell me a little about it…is it perfect, does it need some work?  Are you planning on fixing it up or adding things? I’d love to see pictures, so tag me over on Instagram.

Bad Poetry 2: Electric Boogaloo

It’s round two of Bad Poetry! The last time I did this (read that here) I got a few family and friends asking me, “These were great…they weren’t bad, why did you call it that?” Here’s the reason: I don’t know what I’m doing, really. I studied some poetry in High School and College - how to read it, how to act it out, how to think about it as a reader and performer, but never how to write it. I wasn’t an English major in college and then when I did start writing, it was always novels or articles - never poetry. But it’s fun to play around with words and types of poetry (like Haiku!) and imagery in a different way. This is why I label it Bad Poetry…not because they suck (although they might) but because I have no idea if they can even all be called poetry. I’m just having fun, so enjoy!

The System is Down, Yo

Internet is out
No Netflix, Hulu, YouTube
What to do for fun?

An Ode to Staples

Notebooks and pens and highlighters galore.
Colored pencils, markers, crayons and more.
Aisles and aisles of envelopes, binders, paper, and ink.
Music above, rain outside, lights that glow an odd shade of pink.
I make my choices, carefully picking supplies.
And ring them all up and head out with my prize. 



Depression

My mind never stops, the words are swirling and the voices are drowning out my own thoughts. Happiness is always just a bit out of reach. I stretch, I strain, but I can’t seem to grab it for very long. I brush it with my fingertips, linger in the warm sunny delight of it, but then just as quick it’s gone again. Slammed into darkness, surrounded by ugly horrible images. Pictures that I don’t want to see. Things I don’t want to think about. Facts that I don’t even believe anymore. I am better than this. I try again. Stretch further, strain more, try to grab it one last time. Maybe this time it will stay.

I fall on my face. Splat! Straight down in murky water, dirt, and debris. I sit up and look around. I start feeling sorry for myself. I decide to just sit here and live, in this ditch or hole that I’ve somehow created for myself. It feels comfy…until it doesn’t. Until I start to get antsy and angry. Mad at myself, mad at the world. Mad at everyone that looks happy.

I try smiling. I try singing. But nothing works for long. I finally try talking. I talk and talk and talk and cry and scream and somehow the clouds part and the sun appears, and I see it. Happiness floating toward me. I hold out my hands and it lands softly. I throw it around me like a blanket. I feel warm and light. It won’t always be this easy, but for now…right now. It is.


Growing Up

Going to school and riding the bus, you seem so big.
Helping me pack your snack and getting dressed, you seem so big.
Homework and reading, you seem so big.

But then, at night, before bed when you crawl into my lap and put your head in the space between my soft body and warm arms, you look up at me and all I see is my baby. My little 8 lb 3 oz newborn who would look up me while feeding and I smile. 

You might be growing up, but you’re still little to me. 

Coffee Break

Hello, my loyal readers…grab a cup of coffee (iced if it’s as hot and muggy as it is here in NY) and let’s catch up.

So, about 2 months ago I finished the second round of revisions on my debut novel, The Art of Lying, and sent it to a professional editor. I took a little time off - about a week - and then jumped into working on a novella that I’m hoping to give away for free when I start up my newsletter. But my amazing editor (shout out to Sarah Fox over at The Bookish Fox!) sent me her notes already. Amazing! So far, her notes seem fair and balanced - she tells me when she loves a line or section of dialogue and then she also tells me when I should show and not tell, when I should blend some of the info dumps into the scenes more naturally, and that my love interest seems a bit cartoonish (she’s right actually, I just couldn’t see that). If you are writing a novel, seriously - get a professional to look at it, I’m so incredibly happy with the results and I know that by working with Sarah, making the needed changes, and sending it back to her for copyediting my book will be simply the best it can be and me a better writer in the process. Who could ask for more?

Now, of course, that leaves me with a tiny dilemma - do I start working on my baby (the big novel) or finish outlining and drafting the novella? I mean, I could possibly work on both these next two months, but it is summer and my son’s summer Extended School Year program is a tiny bit shorter than the normal school day, and there’s still the day job. I don’t want to burn out, confuse stories in my head, or just start hating both projects. I’m going to take a few days, work on a reverse outline for my Editorial Skype call with Sarah, and see what my next few weeks actually look like in terms of work, shopping, and other activities.

The plan was still to have my novel ready to self-publish this Fall/Winter but I have a feeling to make it the best book possible, give me time to write and edit the novella, set up the newsletter, and have family time (and a Disneyland vacation!!!!) I might need to push the timeline back to January/February 2018, and you know what? That’s okay. I know I’m going to learn and grow so much with this book and this whole self-publishing process that I will be better equipped to write, edit, revise, and publish the next few books.  And, once the novella is ready and in my eNewsletter system that will pretty much be "set it and forget it".

What fun stuff are you doing this summer? Vacation plans? Netflix and chill? Summer school or camp? I want to know what you’re up to and if you’re creative and writing, singing, dancing, etc then let me know that too! Keep cool, read something funny, and catch up on your favorite series. 

Behind the Scenes: Music and My Writing Process

In one of my writing groups over on Facebook, there was a discussion not too long ago about music and writing. I was seriously surprised that so many of the writers (many self-published professionals) don’t listen to music while they work…I have a hard time not listening to music during certain parts of my process. And that got me thinking - what is my actual writing process and how does music play a part in that?

Ideas and Brainstorming

When I’m first thinking up an idea, brainstorming all the What If’s for a character or plot idea, or just general daydreaming I sometimes need music and sometimes not. This morning I was working on a character arc for my current project and I could hear my husband’s radio in the other room (quietly) but I had no music on in the bedroom where I was, but the other day when I was just sitting and staring and thinking, I had music on. This stage of my process can really go either way and depends on my mood that day.

First Draft

I need music. Non-negotiable, no two ways about it - can’t write the first draft in quiet. For first drafts, I need music - all kinds of music, totally different kinds of music. Pop, 1990s Alternative, Broadway soundtracks, 80s new wave, 70s disco, you name it, I have probably listened to it. I don’t have certain playlists for different novels or projects, I choose a style based on how I’m feeling that day, or maybe how the scene needs to play out. Louder metal-type music for the big scenes, love songs for the romantic scenes, etc. I definitely need music though when I’m putting words to paper.

Revision

I need quiet - like seriously, could hear a pin drop, quiet. I need to concentrate, hear my own thoughts, and really narrow in on the problems in front of me. This is usually the stage I need to close the door to the bedroom too, so I don’t hear the TV or radio in another room or get distracted by others in the apartment. Quiet and my brain, that’s it.

Planning or Marketing

Probably music. For example, I’m currently doing some marketing and planning for the launch of my novel (hopefully this fall/winter) and I’m writing the stuff that goes in the front and back of the book (dedication, acknowledgements, copyright, etc) and working on my blurb - the cool story description that accompanies my book to entice people to read it (because it’s awesome!) and I definitely need music for these tasks. But if I’m researching something about marketing and reading articles, I might need quiet.

Most of these only work with longer projects. When I’m writing these posts, for example, I usually listen to music or have the TV on with no issues. When I need to concentrate on one part or brainstorm something I might mute the TV or dim the music, but overall I need background noise.

So, tell me…do you use music when you write or work on projects? What do you listen to? Do you have playlists or just use Amazon Music or another streaming service like I do? And if you’re a singer like me, does having music on help or hinder you? Sometimes I find myself singing along and getting caught up in the song instead of writing, but sometimes I hear the perfect lyric and it fuels my next scene and gives me that little extra push….it all depends.

Creating a 3-Act Structure with Tarot Cards

I’m back for part two of my writing exercises using the Tarot for Writers book and my tarot cards.  Last week I created a new character, named Leo, and this week I’m using an exercise on page 72 about creating a three-act structure with two plot points.  I did not pull a card for the climax (seen in the book example) because I’m not actually writing this whole book.  Have a look-see at what cards I pulled and what I came up with for my beginning, middle, and end.   At the end of this post, I’ll tell you my thoughts going forward and what I’m going to write based off this reading for you guys! 

Act I - King of Swords

Leo, under the thumb of his father - a former MLB player, has played baseball his entire life from little league on through High School.  It is just expected that he will either go pro or play during college.  His father left baseball because of an injury and then became a professional agent.  He is powerful, successful, and charming.  Women love him, men want to be him - he never married Leo’s mother, but they co-parent as a team fairly well.  Leo’s father has high expectations of him and demands perfection above all else.  Leo must be the best! 

Plot Point 1 - The Moon

Leo, unhappy with the choices his Dad has made for him, has a dream one night while camping with his buddies.  He wakes up and walks under the full moon to the nearby lake where a young woman sits on a rock.  They have an amazing conversation about life, love, and the journey one must take for themselves when starting college. 

Act II - Nine of Cups

A college orientation party finds Leo in new surroundings.  Here no one cares about his Dad or sports at all really, but higher pursuits - science, literature, religion.  Leo must stand on his own two feet, as it were.  He wants to enjoy his time away from family and old friends, especially as he pursues this new life, but he’s finding it hard to figure out exactly where he stands and what he stands for.  He can’t seem to make up his mind about a major and starts having panic attacks that cause him to break down, sometimes going through a major depression for days/weeks at a time.

Plot Point 2 - The Sun

Leo is having trouble making new friends and starts to wonder if he somehow screwed up his entire life by walking away from his Dad’s plans.  He decides to take a long walk one beautiful Sunday to a public park that’s close to campus, to get away from his troubles.  He sees a group of guys playing ball for fun - no jerseys, no real official teams, no coaches.  Just a group, playing with a ball and a bat, having fun.  He asks if he can join them, which they immediately welcome and he plays for hours.  Sweating from the hot sun, he grabs a water and starts talking to one of the young men who goes to his school.  During their conversation, he realizes what he wants to study and finds a hobby that he’s good at and can enjoy for life.  He and his new friend walk back to campus together. 

Act III - The Hanged Man

After his day of fun, Leo chooses a major, settles into college life and meets the young woman from camp at a dance.  She’s the daughter of the Dean and just graduated from college the year before. She’s only a few years older, very taken with our Leo and they start dating.  Leo finally feels like himself.  He feels confident and has the courage to call his father, who he hasn’t spoken to in months and they start hashing things out on their way to redemption and a better, more grown-up relationship.   Leo feels like he’s on the right path - he has a handle on his shiny object syndrome, knowing that he can read and study anything without losing focus and he has matured into a bright young adult. 

Here’s what I’m thinking - I love the scene where he’s camping and meets the young lady by the lake so I think I will write that scene (2-3 thousand words) and post on the blog in a few weeks - I will get this one done quicker than my last tarot short story, I promise.  Does that sound like a good deal?  Or…if you guys like another scene more, comment and I’ll decide in a few days (maybe…Mon or Tues next week).  Thanks!

What do you think?  Would you read this book? Does it sound interesting?  What kinds of things do you see in these cards - seriously, give me your ideas, I might incorporate them.  I enjoy these exercises, but I’m not sure if I would use tarot cards to plot out a full book - but who knows.  I’m working on a novella right now that I plan on giving away for free when I get my newsletter ready so maybe I’ll pull a few cards if I have issues or run into plot problems.

Have you ever used the tarot cards for creative inspiration? Show me - I’m always trying to think of fun, new ways to use my cards.  

Character Creation 1-2-3: A Tarot Exploration

I wanted to play around with another couple of exercises from Tarot for Writers by Corinne Kenner. I call this Character Creation 1-2-3 and it’s from the section of the book on simple tarot spreads. I’m using a one card spread to give me an overall view of the character, a two card spread to give me their best and worst qualities, and then a three card spread to give me the past, present, and future for my character. 

This is just part one though, next week I want to do another exercise using tarot cards to help me create a three-act structure using 5-6 cards. Then I’m going to use all of this info (and maybe a few more cards to create the other cast of characters I’ll need) to write another short story, with Leo - my character from below - as my main guy!  If the three act structure exercise gives me a huge story, I might just write part of the story - I’ll keep you posted on that as we go. 

If you have the book, Tarot for Writers, these exercises start on page 23. I love using my tarot cards to help come up with characters, plot ideas, location ideas, and overall story ideas because they are so rich in theme, character, elements, and symbolism that you can get all sorts of ideas from each card. 

One Card Spread 

8 of Cups 

A young man, turning his back on his present. Alone at night, the full moon watching over him as he walks away from everything. He seems to be certain of his past, as he does not look behind him to see what he’s leaving behind. He knows what lies ahead, both good and bad, and he’s certain he is on the right path for him. I see a senior in high school who has decided to leave the sports world behind to pursue an academic career. Going off to college without his old friends, and maybe without his parent’s support, as he leaves behind one life for the beginnings of another. The fact that the cups are arranged so neatly, but one is missing tells me this young man feels a void in his life that he’s hoping his new path will fill.

Two Card Spread 

Best Quality - King of Cups: Thoughtful, kind, intelligent. Interested in science and the arts. Good and honest young man.

Worst Quality - Ace of Pentacles: Lost in the clouds, sort of an absent-minded professor type. Can be easily distracted by shiny things, or the newest tech. Has so many interests, it’s hard to keep track of what the newest “thing” actually is for him at any given time.

Three Card Spread 

Past - 4 of Pentacles

Present - Ace of Wands

Future - The Chariot

Once upon a time, Leo had everything that makes a high school dude popular - good looks, money, material things, sports acumen, and the perfect girlfriend but he was missing something in his life. He wanted a change, something that spoke to his intelligence and multi-interests with science and art. He applied to a prestigious college, where he hoped to study philosophy and world religions, but this idea upset many people in his life. He leaves for school in a few weeks and although he has lost people along the way, he knows that the path he is on is the right one for him. He sees himself a winner, a hero, someone that will change the world for the better - for all people. He will be a champion of human rights and help those less fortunate than him. 

So, I have a basic idea of who this guy is, what he wants for his future and what might keep him from attaining his overall goal - the shiny object syndrome, he might have trouble sticking with something for very long, even college or a higher pursuit. I’m going to flip through the Tarot for Writers book and pick some more fun writing exercises to help me with my antagonist and other characters, and - of course - the main three act structure of my story. I’ll be back with part two in a few weeks. 

If you saw these cards, how would you interpret them?  What kind of character would you have created?  If you have a deck of Tarot cards, do you use them for creativity purposes?  Divination?  Guidance?  I’d love to know. 

Behind The Scenes: Modern Art and The Art of Lying

Today I’d like to share with you another look Behind the Scenes of The Art of Lying and talk about my love for Modern Art and how it influenced my main character, Rachel.

  Rachel is a young artist on the verge of a big break and her own gallery show.  I love visiting museums and art galleries and our apartment will have plenty of art on its walls once we get fully moved in (it’s only been, like, a year - whatever).  My love for the art world, especially modern art, is one of the biggest reasons Rachel spoke to me.  When she appeared in my brain - because, for some odd reason, most of my stories start with the main character first - I knew she was an artist immediately.  It was the thing that identified her so clearly, her whole persona.  It’s what made me so excited to start this novel, and what has kept me working on her and it for years.  (YEARS, people!)

My three favorite modern artists are Piet Mondrian, Wassily Kandinsky, and Alexander Calder. Besides being dubbed Modern Art, they all have one thing in common - bright, bold colors. I’m not a beige person, my favorite color is red followed closely by blue, yellow, and green - bright, bold colors is seriously my thing. Rachel is also not a beige person.  She wears black a lot, sure, but her art is all about color.  She describes her art as being in the Pop Style, like Andy Warhol, but because of my passion for clean lines, bold colors, and movement in art, she definitely has touches of those in her paintings as well.

Rachel meets another artist, a smaller character named Cassandra, who also would consider herself a modern artist but her pieces are very different - she makes modern day quilts. Bright, bold colored fabric is used to make faces and landscapes of the New York City skyline.  She blends the traditional art of quilting with her love of modern day art techniques to pen a love story of the people and city that surround her.  I loved being able to create two very different characters and styles of art to explore in this novel.  

Exploring my passions, like painting and art in general, is one of my favorite things about writing.  I love modern art, I can write about it.  I love the circus and the world of performers, I can write about it (hint hint).  I love families and how they work together (or not), how they solve problems (or not), and how they communicate (or not) within crisis so that’s what I write about.  They say write about what you know, but I say write about what you love.   Just because I myself can’t paint or sculpt or quilt doesn’t mean I can’t read and write about it.  

Who is your favorite artist?  Do you like the old masters? Classics? Sculpture?  And if you are a writer, do you put your passions and hobbies into your stories? Do you write what you know or what you love?

A Journey through "Tarot for Writers" - Part 2 the Story

NOTE:  This is the short story I finally wrote based on the tarot cards I pulled during this post HERE - A Journey through "Tarot for Writers" - Part 1 the Exercises.  I enjoyed this process, sorry it took so long to actually finish it and get it posted.  If you enjoyed these two posts, let me know.  I can do more of these exercises from the book or I can show you how I'm using the cards in my actual writing projects.  Enjoy!

The Hanged Man

By Jennifer Gregson

“So, Mr., uh…” she flipped the folder open, using her long red fingernail to scan down the page, “Fundi.”

“Yes,” he said, coming fully into her office and shutting the door behind him.

“Please, have a seat, we need to chat.”

Eli sat down, adjusting his shirt, noticing that he had buttoned the bottom two buttons wrong and that’s why he was having issues all morning.  

“Mr. Fundi, HR will be here any minute.  Do you know why?”

He looked at his boss and then down at the floor.  Yes, he knew why but, he couldn’t say a word, he had promised.

“Don’t look at the floor, look at me,” she said, standing straight up in front of him.  Her gray wool suit and beige silk camisole, both very expensive, showed very little creasing.  He wondered if she had sat at all that day.   She was known to walk the hallways while thinking and talking to her assistant, Carol, who tried to keep up with her.  

“Elijah, I’m very disappointed in you.  You were well liked, well respected around here.  I never suspected you would steal from us.”

“What? No, I never. I didn’t,” he stammered.  He flexed his fingers.  Now what? He couldn’t turn on his friend.  Not now, not after what he told him last night. But they think he did this? Was he going to be fired?  Is that why HR was on its way?  To escort him out of the building with a box of his belongings in his hands?

“Well, you had access to the Harris Toy Company’s file.  You had access to all of the information.  Information that their competitors now have, and are using against them.  Using to create their own campaign.  Harris is ruined and they’re blaming us.”

Eli looked down again, this time at his fingers.  He started ticking off the reasons he’s keeping this secret.  AJ’s girlfriend just told him she was pregnant.  AJ’s mom is still very sick and needs to be moved to a better nursing home.  AJ has a record.  This will be three strikes.  AJ will go to jail.  That’s a definite.  Did he want his friend to suffer? His friend’s family?

“Mr. Fundi what are you doing? Are you mumbling to yourself?  Are you trying to confess?”

“No, ma’am.  Ms. Fields, I’m not.  I am very sorry.”

“You’re sorry?”

“Yes.  I made a huge mistake.  I let my mouth talk when it shouldn’t have.  I talked while drinking with my buddies and someone heard me.”  It seemed like a plausible enough lie, but that’s not what happened at all.  AJ sold that information, on purpose, for a boatload of cash.  

“I know you’re lying to me,” she said, sitting on the edge of the desk, her skirt hiking just slightly above her knee.

“No, I made a mistake.”

“Well, that’s definitely true. But that’s not what happened.  We know money exchanged hands.  We know it was a calculated issue.  We know ‘someone’ did this on purpose.”

Eli looked right up into her eyes.  He was always so nervous around her.  Patricia Fields - so polished, poised, and powerful.  And beautiful.  Her eyes were the prettiest blue he had ever seen, but they were sad.  Cloudy.  Too much coffee, not enough sleep.

Patricia looked back at him.  A lost puppy, that’s what she always thought about him.  But, not in this moment, he looked strong.  He looked like a grown up.  Ready to take on the day and the world.  He was definitely covering up for someone.  They would figure it out, with or without his help.  HR was coming and he would be escorted from the building.  She couldn’t help him from that without him talking.

As he walked back to his desk with HR and security, he hung his head, so as not to make eye contact with anyone.  He didn’t want his coworkers looking at him with shame in their eyes.   He boxed up the few things he kept at his desk, and followed the security guard and HR manager out the door, another security guard directly behind them.  At the front door, they collected his badge and handed him a letter.  Sealed.  He tossed it on the top of the box and walked toward his car in the parking lot.

After placing the box carefully in his car, he sat in the front seat and wondered aloud.   “What now, idiot?” 

A knock on the window made him jump.  AJ, looking nervous and damp, was looking in.   Eli didn’t want to talk to him. Not now, and especially not here.  I mean, was he the biggest moron ever?  He had to know they were watching him, didn’t he?

After a few, very long, seconds, Eli rolled down his window and just said, “Not now.  Meet me at the bar tonight, 6 pm, and you better….I lied for you, man.  Now go back to work.”

Eli nursed the beer he was drinking and checked his watch for the fifteenth time.  5:59 pm He glanced at the door, but still no AJ.  He better show up.  Alone.

6:03 pm, AJ stumbled into the bar, looking like he already had a few, but where?  He only got off work a little while ago.   AJ flopped down across from Eli.

“You are my hero!” he said, motioning to the bartender.

“For what?  Getting my ass fired?  Saving your ass from jail?”

“Well, yeah…that is a true friend.  Who got you that job anyways?  Me.  I saved you, you saved me.”

“But you cost me that job.  A job I was good at.  A job I was starting to really like. Now what?  I can’t get another paralegal job because of this so I’m back at square one.  Worse.  Because I have bills too and I need another job fast.”

“I can help with that.  I have more information. Good information and I need a go-between.”

“Are you insane?  Or just stupid?  You went to college right?  We were there together, right?”

“Yes, and I finished.”

“My father….” Eli trailed off.  He grabbed his beer and finished it, “If you really cared about me, AJ, if we were really friends you’d do the right thing.  You’d come forward, on your own and clear my name.”

“I can’t do that. The baby, my Mom. She’s not herself, and you know that.”

“Yes, and I have a mother too.”

“Not one with Alzheimer’s. I go visit her, she thinks I’m Dad or her older brother.”

“I get that.  You have problems.  Dude, I understand, but you know what?  I did my duty, I protected my friend.  You thanked me.  Great.”  Eli stood up, grabbed a ten from his wallet and threw it on the table.  “Beers on me, see you around. Maybe.”

AJ didn’t try to stop him.  Eli walked out into the early evening cool air and headed to his car.

The next day Eli realized he had nowhere to go and piles of laundry so he took them over to his Mom’s house to talk.

“Okay, so why are you here on a weekday?  What happened?”

Eli took a deep breath, “I got fired.”

“What?”  his Mom sat down next to him on the couch.

Without meaning to, Eli opened his mouth and the entire truth poured out of him.

“I did it to save my friend and now I feel like the biggest idiot in the world.  I thought I was doing the right thing, in the moment, but now I’m not so sure. I think I just ruined my life.”

Eli’s mom looked at him with a mixture of pride and sadness.

“What?” he asked her.

“I’m proud of you, but I have never liked that AJ boy, he got you into so much trouble in college and it just keeps happening.  Is there anything you can do?  Can you go back to your boss and confess?”

“I could, sure.  AJ is an idiot, but he’s my idiot.  I wish I could talk to him, make him understand, make him see the right thing, you know?  But he’s so caught up in his own, um, stuff to see that he’s throwing away 10 years of friendship.  I’m out.  I’m done.”

“Honey, you are old enough to say shit in this house.”

Eli smiled.

“Eli, you need to start thinking about you.  You and your happiness.  When was the last time you stopped and asked yourself if your life was making you happy?  That job was good, it was good money, but did it make you happy?  Has anything since the accident made you happy?”

Ugh, she had to go there.  He was a mechanic, a damn good one, until…the accident.  A small leak, gas most likely, caused his garage to blow up.  He was in the office doing paperwork when it happened, which saved his life, but after that, he couldn’t walk into another garage. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is what the doctor’s called it.  Scared was what he called it.  He couldn’t work for months.  AJ got him out of his funk and got him the job at the law firm. 

“No.”  The only thing Eli could say.  Nothing had made him happy in a long time.  But, seeing his boss every day made him smile.  She was so confident and sure of herself.  She was amazing.  Watching her think and work, watching her win at all costs was such a, well, turn on, I guess.  He didn’t want to think about her in that way, but she was stunning.

“Son, you need to stop worrying about everyone else.  You worry about me too much and you worry about your friends too much. Who worries about you?”

“You do.”

“Besides me,” she said with a smile, “Your friend is only thinking of himself.  You like working with your hands, right? So, maybe there’s something there - I mean, there are other jobs besides a mechanic that allows you to work with your hands.”

“So, what are you telling me to do Mom?”

“I’m not. That’s the thing.  You have to figure this out all by yourself.  The only thing I’m telling you, stop worrying about me.  Stop worrying about AJ.  Just think about you, for once.”

His mom got up to put his laundry in the dryer.  Eli stared out the window. He knew he needed to do the right thing, even if it got AJ fired, even if he got him in trouble because AJ was acting like an idiot.  He thought he was being a good friend, but AJ was just going to make more deals, more mistakes and get himself fired….or worse.  He was going to throw away his life, then what would happen to his child and his mother? 

Once he got home, he pulled out a piece of paper and hand wrote a note to his ex-boss asking if it would be improper or illegal to meet out of the office for coffee, that he had some information, something that would help her figure things out.  He put her address on it and a stamp and put it in the mailbox.  That was it.  It was going out and there was nothing else to do now but wait.  

His leg wouldn’t stay still.  It had been three days since the letter went out before she called.  He had started wondering if she was going to just ignore the letter, ignore him.  He had sent the letter and then started creating a file of sorts, with information, but no outright names.  He wanted her to have the clues, but not the answer.  

“I don’t have time for games, Mr. Fundi,” she said as she chugged the hot coffee, steam rising up to meet her face.

“I know, but, I need to make things right.  I  just can’t tell you what’s going on, though I do have a folder with enough information that you should be able to know exactly who it is without me having to name names.  And there’s more than one name involved.  The fallout won’t be pretty.”

“Selling information goes up higher than just a paralegal?”

“Yes, the said paralegal in question had help. A lawyer dropped the file by accident, on purpose and they’re splitting the money.”

“What?  Are you positive?”  She looked up at him, he nodded.  “Why tell me now? Why didn’t you confess this the other day in my office?”

“Because I am an idiot.  I thought I was being a good friend, but I was wrong.”

He handed the folder to her and motioned for the waitress.  After ordering a slice of pie he sat back and watched her read the file.  She was wearing a dark red skirt and black sweater, it was casual Friday in the office.

“You can’t be serious?  He’s on his way to making partner…are you sure?” She looked up from the file,  “Why are you smiling?”

“You’re so smart.  I’m probably too stupid for thinking that information was going to be harder to gleam.”

“No, it’s just that I started looking into things myself.  You knew two other paralegals so we started there.  I just didn’t think to look any higher.   You’re sure?  100% sure?”

“Yes, ma’am. I didn’t want to believe it either, but apparently your ‘on his way to make partner’ lawyer has a gambling problem.”

“Shit.”

They sat for a few minutes in silence while the waitress set Eli’s pie down and refilled the coffee mugs.  Eli took a bite and looked over at this smart woman trying to figure things out.

“You want to walk?”

“What?” she asked, clearly lost in her mind.

“In the office, I’ve never seen you sit this long.”

“I sit in court all day so when I get a chance to stand and move around, I do.”

“I’ve seen you come up with brilliant things while walking around the office.”

“How long did you work for us?”

“8 months.”

“That’s it?”

“Yes. I liked working there, but to be honest, I wasn’t happy there.”

She looked down at her coffee and stirred the cream in with a spoon.

“You were a hard worker though.”

“I always work hard, ma’am”

“Ugh, enough with the ma’am shit, okay.  Call me Patricia.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Why?  You don’t work for me anymore. I’ll call you….”

“Elijah or Eli.”

“Eli, I like that.”

They sat in silence again for a while.  Eli finished his pie and drank his coffee.

“What are you going to do with that information?” he asked her.

“I don’t know.  I know we need to take care of this, of both of them…but I’m wondering, have others done this?  Is it the first time?  And how do I get more proof?”

“I can’t help you with how many others, but…you have a big case coming up, correct?”

“Yes.”

“And some of the information you have is critical and confidential to a certain large pharmaceutical company, correct?”

“Yes, and that lawyer is helping me.  He asked to help me.  I just thought it was because of him making partner, he wanted to look good for the higher ups, but….you’re saying….no, I still have a hard time believing this.”

“I know, and I’m sorry.  But it’s not just my paralegal friend.  Yes, he is in it and he might have started it, I’m not sure.  All I know is my friend and your lawyer both have money issues and need cash fast.  This is a way to do that.”

“But they have to know we’re looking into things, right?  I mean, after firing you, we’ll be on high alert.”

“Do they?  Or do they think they got away with it?  People get cocky. They slip up, make mistakes.”

She closed the folder and put the notes in her bag.  She finished her coffee and sat back.  She looked at me for a really long time, before a smile crept across her lips.

“What?” Eli asked.

“You are smart.  Too smart for your own good I think.”

“That’s what my Mother says.”  Eli smiled too.

“What can I do to help you?  You didn’t deserve to be fired.  I can help you find another job, talk to someone, let them know the inside scoop, as it were.”

“No, I’m done with the legal field.  I miss working with my hands.  I used to be a mechanic.”

She smiled even wider. 

“What?” he asked. 

“I can’t picture you in dirty coveralls, covered in oil.”  

He laughed and looked down at his khakis and a button up shirt, “Well, that was me and I liked it and I was really good at it, but…well, it’s difficult right now to do that work.  My past…it’s just….well, I’m actually going tomorrow to talk to a construction firm about a job opportunity.”

“Construction.  I think you’ll be good at that.  I have a feeling you’ll be the boss soon.”

“I don’t aspire to anything that big, but…maybe I should huh?”

She threw down $50 and got ready to leave.

“Don’t you want to wait for your change?”

“No, give her everything.  I come in here a lot and I know she just lost her husband, and they have two kids.”

He smiled at her.

“What?” she asked.

“You are very different out of the office…” he wanted to go on but stopped himself. He knew she’d never say yes.

“Can I contact you again, for more, information if need be?” she asked.

“Of course, you have my phone number.”

She smiled.  He smiled.  She walked out and he watched her.  Maybe he didn’t do the right thing right away, but he felt good.  He was going to lose his friend, that was a guarantee.  But growing up sometimes meant leaving people behind. 

x