With my recent return to 'Laurel Falls' I've been re-introduced to some characters who had, somehow, grown up with me...in a way.
One night, I was settling down to do some work on the final story of my collection. The inspiration wasn't biting. I went out back for a smoke, thinking of the blog entry I'd made about 'Laurel Falls.' I thought of the characters and their relationships; the character's backgrounds and decisions. I wondered how many years had passed when I did not think of them; did not have a remote return to stories past?
Recently, I have thought about these characters almost every day. I thought about moments in their lives, such as after Palmer married Helene, how Lenorse & Christopher first expressed their love, how Kayla ended up marrying so young. I thought about how the Wiley and Templeton kids grew up together and Helene's funeral.
I went back inside and started to draft a story about Lenorse & Christopher, as teenagers, experiencing first love. I worked on this story for the better part of a week: editing, writing scenes, putting so much thought into one scene or another. And I finally finished it.
I went back through my notes on 'Laurel Falls' from both the original and the revised versions. I tried to write a personal essay to get my mind off of the short story. However, for the past 14 hours, I can't get it out of my mind - the Wileys and Templetons are occupying my brain.
I had a dream about the two families last night. The dream was more of the setting and plot of another short story. This time, Christopher & Lenorse would be secondary characters. Nathaniel and Kayla would be the main focus. The time would probably be a year after my story about Lenorse & Christopher. Again, the scene is the Wiley mansion and Nathaniel, Kayla and two other friends would be playing board games with Spider. I thought maybe it would be a story about Nathaniel's reaction when he discovers that he has more feelings toward Kayla that he never paid much attention to.
I got out of bed, checked my e-mail, looked on Huffington Post and washed last night's dishes. I was going to go check out a movie, but with my mind full of the Wiley and Templeton families, I went back to my computer to do some kind of editing on the short story. Going back through the story, I had begun to worry if I had written a story about two teenage boys discovering love or child pornography.
I took a shower, the story of Nathaniel and Kayla brewing in my head. I thought about doing work on the final story in my collection. But it was not hitting me very hard. Another story had come to me as I dressed. It would be a year after Nathaniel and Kayla's story. Nathaniel would be home from college for his mother's funeral.
Arg!!!
While thinking of these stories - and more - I've begun to embrace this invasion of creative perception. I have known these characters for so long that I can detect their very personalities. Also, I know where the story is going. I guess with all of this knowledge one would probably attempt to write a novel. However, short stories detailing the grown of both families feel, well, secure. Not easy.
Now, I think it's time to put some work back into my final short story for my collection. It was supposed to have been done by now, but, with computer problems, I set aside the five pages already done.
The characters from 'Laurel Falls' are not going anywhere anytime soon. If anything, I think I can start on the next 'Laurel Falls' story very soon. I just want to finish up something that I already started work on first.
One night, I was settling down to do some work on the final story of my collection. The inspiration wasn't biting. I went out back for a smoke, thinking of the blog entry I'd made about 'Laurel Falls.' I thought of the characters and their relationships; the character's backgrounds and decisions. I wondered how many years had passed when I did not think of them; did not have a remote return to stories past?
Recently, I have thought about these characters almost every day. I thought about moments in their lives, such as after Palmer married Helene, how Lenorse & Christopher first expressed their love, how Kayla ended up marrying so young. I thought about how the Wiley and Templeton kids grew up together and Helene's funeral.
I went back inside and started to draft a story about Lenorse & Christopher, as teenagers, experiencing first love. I worked on this story for the better part of a week: editing, writing scenes, putting so much thought into one scene or another. And I finally finished it.
I went back through my notes on 'Laurel Falls' from both the original and the revised versions. I tried to write a personal essay to get my mind off of the short story. However, for the past 14 hours, I can't get it out of my mind - the Wileys and Templetons are occupying my brain.
I had a dream about the two families last night. The dream was more of the setting and plot of another short story. This time, Christopher & Lenorse would be secondary characters. Nathaniel and Kayla would be the main focus. The time would probably be a year after my story about Lenorse & Christopher. Again, the scene is the Wiley mansion and Nathaniel, Kayla and two other friends would be playing board games with Spider. I thought maybe it would be a story about Nathaniel's reaction when he discovers that he has more feelings toward Kayla that he never paid much attention to.
I got out of bed, checked my e-mail, looked on Huffington Post and washed last night's dishes. I was going to go check out a movie, but with my mind full of the Wiley and Templeton families, I went back to my computer to do some kind of editing on the short story. Going back through the story, I had begun to worry if I had written a story about two teenage boys discovering love or child pornography.
I took a shower, the story of Nathaniel and Kayla brewing in my head. I thought about doing work on the final story in my collection. But it was not hitting me very hard. Another story had come to me as I dressed. It would be a year after Nathaniel and Kayla's story. Nathaniel would be home from college for his mother's funeral.
Arg!!!
While thinking of these stories - and more - I've begun to embrace this invasion of creative perception. I have known these characters for so long that I can detect their very personalities. Also, I know where the story is going. I guess with all of this knowledge one would probably attempt to write a novel. However, short stories detailing the grown of both families feel, well, secure. Not easy.
Now, I think it's time to put some work back into my final short story for my collection. It was supposed to have been done by now, but, with computer problems, I set aside the five pages already done.
The characters from 'Laurel Falls' are not going anywhere anytime soon. If anything, I think I can start on the next 'Laurel Falls' story very soon. I just want to finish up something that I already started work on first.
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