Predator or Prey

Earlier this week I went to my friend's book launch. As in any relatively small community, I know most of the readers who turn out to support local writers. When I walked into the meeting room, one friend pointed to my sweatshirt and laughed. I wore my favorite book shirt: Careful, or you'll end up in my novel. My friend asked if she could be in my novel. I told her I was writing a tongue-in-cheek novel about a female serial killer. I then asked if she wanted to be predator or prey. She said, "Let me think about it."

After the book talk, Q&A and book signing, my friend walked up and said, "Both. I want to be both predator and prey."

Now that was a new answer. Both, huh? I told her I'd think about it. And think about it I have. I can make my friend a killer who the main character eventually realizes has to die. Maybe the main character has a god complex. Maybe she's a vigilante. Maybe she's just evil. Time will tell.

I can tell you it was a challenge to find a plot twist where my friend can kill someone and then be killed herself. I woke up at four yesterday morning and realized just how to do it. Now, I have to write that chapter. I won't give anything away but it involves one little old lady, one bigger less-old lady and the main character. Maybe my friend will recognize her idea. Maybe not. I'll have fun writing the scene no matter what.

And Kay, you don't have to worry about me being dangerous. I'm not, but my main character is very, very dangerous. Thank you for a wonderful suggestion.

Incorrigible Thieves

Writers are incorrigible thieves. We steal every chance we get.

Let me explain what I don't mean. I don't mean that we plagiarize. Some do, but reputable writers don't do that. It's a writer's deadly sin. And it's illegal. And it's lazy.

One way writers become incorrigible thieves is that we gather what we call "material" wherever we are. What's material? It's something that sparks a creative thought we capture to use sometime in the future. It can be the way a man walks through a crowd. It can be a child puzzling over that keeps air in a balloon. It can be  half a sentence overheard in line at Starbucks or at the grocery. Material for a writer is everywhere. Sometimes we are receptive. Sometimes we are incredibly dense, but when we are in our receptive mode, watch out. Anything we see or hear is fair game.

Last week I nipped out to a local shop that sells decent coffee. I needed to get away from my desk for an hour. I needed to turn off my brain and let it rest. I needed to leave my keyboard behind.

Luckily for me, I had a small notebook in my purse, along with a pen. Conversations bubbling around the cafe were too interesting to ignore. So I shamelessly eavesdropped. I heard great phrases I will use with a minor character in Max 2 to give him more flesh. I saw a colorful combination on a tyke who had obviously dressed herself that day. I gave the mother credit for letting the little girl create her own look and wear it proudly in public.

I overheard half an argument. From the half I heard, the person on the other end of the cell phone wasn't in a kind mood. Many bad words used in creative ways. Hmm, I can use these. Into the notebook they went.

If you see me sitting quietly, real book in hand, notebook and pen at the ready, beware. I could easily be stealing your words, your look or just the way you smell. You'll never recognize yourself in a final work, but I will be forever grateful for your inspiration. Thank you.

Writing Inspiration

People ask me all the time where I find my inspiration, the ideas for my stories. Sometimes it's from my memories. Sometimes it's what my friends have done. Sometimes it's from the newspapers.

I've been following a local story for many months. A teenage boy shot and killed his best friend. Shot him in the back and twice in the back of the head. Tried to lie to the cops about not seeing his best friend the day he went missing. Long and short of the story, the police arrested the boy and charged him with capital murder. In Virginia, that's the death penalty.

This week, the case was resolved in court. The shooter pleaded guilty to murder and several other felonies. He was immediately sentenced to life in prison without parole plus 53 years.

Why did this particular story touch me? Maybe it was because I've worked with the father of the victim and understand his pain. Maybe it's because one act of violence ruined two families. The family of the victim can recover and heal. The family of the murderer can't. Both have lost a son forever.

This happens too often. We teach our children right from wrong, but still some get it wrong. They don't think. It ruins families, divides communities and leaves a child dead.

No, this is material I can't use. It's too close to my community. My heart goes out to both families. They've lost so much.