Writing Prompts for Fiction and Inspiration for Journaling!

WritingInspiration

It’s been a long time since we’ve put out some writing prompts. Here are a few tidbits of inspiration for those who love to write stories, and those who love to journal. Cole did an outstanding job on these, and I’ve been remiss in getting them out there.

Eventually, I’ll get some writing prompts of my own out there, but in the meantime, here are the last ones that NC Saul did for me. For anybody who’s new, some previous writing prompts can be found here and here. Some memes I had fun making, and that could also serve as inspiration for journaling or fiction can be found here.

Enjoy!

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Sounds like a nugget for an exciting fantasy adventure!

Sounds like a nugget for an exciting fantasy adventure!

This is a nice prompt for either journaling or a literary novel.

This is a nice prompt for either journaling or a literary novel.

And another fantasy adventure!

And another fantasy adventure!

Breathtaking, isn’t it? The beauty and mystery of the world is an eternal supply from the Muses.

Breathtaking, isn’t it? The beauty and mystery of the world is an eternal supply from the Muses.

Can you weave a tapestry of words about your life?

Can you weave a tapestry of words about your life?

I love me a good travel adventure, and always come up with some amazing stories when I’m following some happy trails!

I love me a good travel adventure, and always come up with some amazing stories when I’m following some happy trails!


Give Yourself Something to Write About - More Prompts!

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Well, those writing prompts…they just keep on coming! I’m fairly pleased with these, kind of nice to use photographs as inspiration. I hope you get much inspiration from these. Something for everybody, really.

There’s an erotic novel in here somewhere. What do you think? Should Narcissus and Vanity have a go at it?

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“Tell me I’m pretty.”

Tired of Vanity’s never-ending demands, the mirror remained silent.

“Tell me I’m pretty!”

Vanity slapped her reflective surface.

The mirror cracked.

Vanity stopped and leaned in to embrace her reflection.

She was beautiful.

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The Bridge of Serenity is always there for us.

Cross the Bridge into the realm, find a comfortable seat, take a few deep breaths, and ask yourself these questions:

“What does peace look like to me?”

“What brings me peace?”

When you’re ready, write down what you found inside yourself.

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“I was not one of those personable peasant girls…No possibility of a fairy tale twist of fate for me.”

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Claire surrenders to the water. She is filled up with air, but already the pressure squeezes her lungs. From the depths, she hears people screaming from the pier.

They think she jumped in for tragic reasons.

Nothing could further from the truth.

Claire waits for her lover to claim her.

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What’s the best way to make friends with your shadow?

Go hang where your shadow is invisible.

In the darkness.

Follow the path into the deepest recesses of the tunnel of your mind.

Invite your shadow to join you and just listen.

Your shadow has a lot to say.

Memes and More Memes!

This one is fun. I used Canva for this one.

This one is fun. I used Canva for this one.

Hey y’all,

As I said in an earlier post, I got to making lots of memes to promote my existence here in this world and in cyber space. I think Cole and I came up with some pretty awesome images, and thought it would be cool to share some of our collection in the blog. 

These memes are original in the pairings of images with words. Many of the quotes are from those who are wiser and more experienced than I - not to mention famous. Unless the author is unknown, I always credit brilliance where it is due. And of course, I didn't take the pictures. But many are quotes from my work, and in one meme, my perspective.

These are some favorites of mine as well as those pinned often on Pinterest. I don’t know how all of this will shake out, but for the sake of passing on some good advice, I recommend Canva as a great place to design memes for free. My second choice is Quotes Cover, which is where I got started. I was pretty limited with how I could design the image and where I could put words on Quotes Cover. I think Canva makes a cleaner, more pristine image, so I use it all the time now. But I had to figure it out and have somebody show me a little of how to work that site. Both sites are free to work with, which is always a bonus. That said, I hope y’all enjoy the images and feel free to share them on your own social media – especially those that have Free Flying Press on them. ;)

Canva. Personally, I would contact improv with my shadow, with moments of tango. And you?

Canva. Personally, I would contact improv with my shadow, with moments of tango. And you?

This meme is one of my favorites, but it wasn't pinned as much as I would have liked. Made it on Quotes Cover.

This meme is one of my favorites, but it wasn't pinned as much as I would have liked. Made it on Quotes Cover.

This meme is one of Cole's. I think they worked with Adobe on this one, but I'm not sure. I was also surprised it didn't get the Pinterest love because I think it's lovely.

This meme is one of Cole's. I think they worked with Adobe on this one, but I'm not sure. I was also surprised it didn't get the Pinterest love because I think it's lovely.

This meme I used to promote my work, Ella Bandita and the Wanderer. Made on Canva. I hope the model doesn't take offense I used her face, because she's beautiful.Just in case you are intrigued, this quote is also in a free download because Part 1 is…

This meme I used to promote my work, Ella Bandita and the Wanderer. Made on Canva. I hope the model doesn't take offense I used her face, because she's beautiful.

Just in case you are intrigued, this quote is also in a free download because Part 1 is a freebie.

Made on Canva. This meme may get some Pinterest love yet.

Made on Canva. This meme may get some Pinterest love yet.

This bit of awesomeness was made by Cole.

This bit of awesomeness was made by Cole.

I made this on Quotes Cover.

I made this on Quotes Cover.

And I made this meme on Canva. I also altered the color from my computer to make the blue deeper.

And I made this meme on Canva. I also altered the color from my computer to make the blue deeper.

This meme is by Cole, and the quote is out of Ella Bandita and the Wanderer. It makes me wonder if people are scared of sex, bondage, or both because I'm surprised this didn't get a lot of attention. And no, this doesn't imply a bondage scene. You'l…

This meme is by Cole, and the quote is out of Ella Bandita and the Wanderer. It makes me wonder if people are scared of sex, bondage, or both because I'm surprised this didn't get a lot of attention. And no, this doesn't imply a bondage scene. You'll have to wait for the second novel to get something like that. ;)

This meme was much loved. And I'm proud of this one!

This meme was much loved. And I'm proud of this one!

I reused this picture to make a different meme. I'm fairly proud of it too.

I reused this picture to make a different meme. I'm fairly proud of it too.

It shouldn't surprise anybody that this was a big hit. I couldn't have made this meme so graceful without the tools on Canva.

It shouldn't surprise anybody that this was a big hit. I couldn't have made this meme so graceful without the tools on Canva.

Meme made on Quotes Cover. This was pretty fun!

Meme made on Quotes Cover. This was pretty fun!

Quotes cover meme. This one surprised me. It was pinned a lot.

Quotes cover meme. This one surprised me. It was pinned a lot.

I'm proud of this meme, and I'm proud of the attention it received because it was personal, and especially because the quote is not out of a novel I wrote. This is advice I've given many friends and family when a relationship falls apart. I came to …

I'm proud of this meme, and I'm proud of the attention it received because it was personal, and especially because the quote is not out of a novel I wrote. This is advice I've given many friends and family when a relationship falls apart. I came to this conclusion over the years after experiencing my relationship disasters and observing others. The kind of catastrophe that happens after somebody has given everything except their blood to make someone happy - and more loving - only to have that blow up in their face when their beloved leaves.

Cole. This meme got some Pinterest love - which was well deserved, I believe.

Cole. This meme got some Pinterest love - which was well deserved, I believe.

I was pretty disappointed this didn't get much attention on Pinterest. Maybe the word "Loneliness" put people off. Made on Quotes Cover.

I was pretty disappointed this didn't get much attention on Pinterest. Maybe the word "Loneliness" put people off. Made on Quotes Cover.

This meme is one of my first attempts at making a writing prompt. Made on Quotes Cover.

This meme is one of my first attempts at making a writing prompt. Made on Quotes Cover.

This meme is one of Cole's first and it's one of my favorites. I love the ferocity of it, but those on Pinterest did not. I guess a woman with a bloody sword may be off-putting.

This meme is one of Cole's first and it's one of my favorites. I love the ferocity of it, but those on Pinterest did not. I guess a woman with a bloody sword may be off-putting.

This meme is one of my recent writing prompts, and I'm proud of it too. It's gotten some respectable attention on Pinterest. But again, I was surprised it didn't take off in a spectacular way.It's also part of collection of writing prompts if you ca…

This meme is one of my recent writing prompts, and I'm proud of it too. It's gotten some respectable attention on Pinterest. But again, I was surprised it didn't take off in a spectacular way.

It's also part of collection of writing prompts if you care to check that out here.

Cole. Isn't it fabulous!

Cole. Isn't it fabulous!

One of my early ones, and I still think it's one of the funniest. Making myself laugh is a real joy. Made on Quotes Cover.

One of my early ones, and I still think it's one of the funniest. Making myself laugh is a real joy. Made on Quotes Cover.

So there y'all have it. There are many more. I hope y'all enjoyed viewing these as much as we did making them! It's a lovely creative pursuit to make some memes!

Peace,

Montgomery

 

 

6 Conversational Writing Prompts - Inspiration Through Dialogue!

Writing prompt original by Montgomery mahaffey from Free Flying Press

Writing prompt original by Montgomery mahaffey from Free Flying Press

“I take it Rosco talked you into this?”

“That’s one way to look at it, Adele.”

“I’m very pleased you’re staying, Martinez. I didn’t think you would.”

“Yes.”

“Did Rosco blackmail you?”

“I wouldn’t go quite that far.”

“But you are not here willingly.”

“No. I’m not.”

Writing prompts are back. Sweet chunks of dialogue to get your imagination revving! What’s the story behind these intriguing pieces of conversation? One way to find out is to take the deep dive and see what you come up with. Enjoy!

WRITING PROMPT ORIGINAL BY MONTGOMERY MAHAFFEY FROM FREE FLYING PRESS

WRITING PROMPT ORIGINAL BY MONTGOMERY MAHAFFEY FROM FREE FLYING PRESS

“What a foolish vanity you have. Lady Fortune is fickle. Luck always changes.”

“Not for me, it doesn’t. You saw what happened here tonight.”

“Tell me, Gambler. Are you looking for the game you can’t win?”

“No. I’m looking to see that I always will.”

“Perhaps you only play the games that are easy to win.”

WRITING PROMPT ORIGINAL BY MONTGOMERY MAHAFFEY FROM FREE FLYING PRESS

WRITING PROMPT ORIGINAL BY MONTGOMERY MAHAFFEY FROM FREE FLYING PRESS

“You’ve really gotten yourself into a mess now, darling. Wasn’t I enough trouble for you?”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about your fancy courtesan.”

“She wants you dead, woman.”

“Of course, she does. Beautiful courtesan has lusted for my blood for a long, long time.”

WRITING PROMPT ORIGINAL BY MONTGOMERY MAHAFFEY FROM FREE FLYING PRESS

WRITING PROMPT ORIGINAL BY MONTGOMERY MAHAFFEY FROM FREE FLYING PRESS

“Congratulations.”

“Why feign your good wishes? You weren’t cheering for me.”

“Why do you love it? What do you love about gambling? Is it the money you don’t need?”

“No. It’s the games.”

“So you like to play games? Why the games of chance?”

“Because I love to win them.”

“Why not games of skill? The victory would be sweeter.”

“Luck has no play in games of skill.”

WRITING PROMPT ORIGINAL BY MONTGOMERY MAHAFFEY FROM FREE FLYING PRESS

WRITING PROMPT ORIGINAL BY MONTGOMERY MAHAFFEY FROM FREE FLYING PRESS

“What about Anthony?”

“What about him?”

“Doesn’t he deserve vengeance?”

“Hell no! That vicious little brute got what he deserved!”

“So what if he was horrid? Two wrongs don’t make a right.”

“He’s despicable.”

“Well now, he’s a drooling mess of an imbecile, and your lady love is to blame.”

WRITING PROMPT ORIGINAL BY MONTGOMERY MAHAFFEY FROM FREE FLYING PRESS

WRITING PROMPT ORIGINAL BY MONTGOMERY MAHAFFEY FROM FREE FLYING PRESS

“You aren’t the kind to take the coward’s way out.”

I turned around to see the Sorcerer behind me. I was never afraid of the Sorcerer. Not then and not later, not even once I knew what he was capable of.

“I’ve been watching you,” he continued.

“Oh yeah? And what do you see?”

“I see a girl who wants what she can’t have.”

9 Fresh Writing Prompts! Versatile for Any Genre!

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“Just breathe.”

“Damn you! I can’t breathe! Why won’t you listen?”

Isabella put her hand on Juan’s belly button.

Juan was relieved at the breath that filled his lungs as he watched her hand rise.

Isabella had the magic touch.

Juan had to keep her for himself, even if Isabella was desperately needed all over the world.

Hey there,

It’s been a long time since I put out some original prompts. What I like about these is that they could be used for just about any genre - fantasy, science fiction, romance, erotica, New Age, suspense, even mystery.

So here they are. Enjoy!

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“Behold the White Goddess.”

“She looks nice, but I’ not sure it was worth the climb up a mountain to look at a statue.”

The Guide’s nostrils quivered and I felt foolish.

Really, it wouldn’t do to offend.

“I suggest you show some respect. The White Goddess or the Dark Daemon are your only choices for protection around here.”

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“Is there any way out of here?”

“Would you rather be in a white padded cell? I thought you liked pink.”

“I like pink in doses. But this makes me crazy!”

“Well, I hope you come to love it because you’re going to be here for a while.”



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“At least you have a choice of which hell you want to go to, Isabelle.”

“How appealing.”

“So do you want to the cold hell or the hot hell you grew up believing in.”

“I hate being hot. I’ll take the cold.”

The demon smiled.

“You’ll crave heat in no time.”



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“Drinking the Kool-Aid much?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Everything that has come out of your mouth for the last 20 minutes sounds pretty cultish.”

“Shannon, you’re missing out!”

“I’m happy to miss out. I like being my own person.”

“The Cob offers real deliverance and true freedom.”

“What a load of bull. Marcus, you know better.”

“Come to one meeting with me and you’ll see.”

“No.”

”I dare you to come. What are you afraid of?”



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“You must go deep inside yourself to find your pleasure center.”

“I’m deep inside myself all the time. Pleasure requires at least two people.”

The Guru chuckled.

“You came because you want to enjoy sex, remember?”

“Yeah, but-”

“You may be your biggest problem, not your lovers.”



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Julian entered the cave, his flashlight the only light in the darkness. His heart stopped when he saw the crumpled figure lying facedown.

Carefully, he turned the body over.

Before he could check for a pulse, he met the steeliest gaze he’d ever seen.

That was before Julian saw the gun pointed right at his heart.



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“It’s the job of a lifetime.”

“That’s too sweet for me.”

“Since when do you have a problem with money?”

“Since I spent 5 years in prison because I loved it too much.”

“$10 million should help you recover. In or out?”



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“These pins are too dull.”

“So you like pricking your fingers?”

“Not really. But I like my pins to work.”

“But you’ve never pressed witch’s pins. Press with your mind, not your thumb. Like this.”

Sure enough, the pin weaved through the pieces of quilt with ease even though nobody touched it.

“How’d you do that?”

“Try it. You don’t need me to tell you how.”

4 Things You Can Do Every Day to Get What You Want!

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Calling in the year 2014 was the most powerful New Year’s of my life. The Inspire Truth New Year’s was a two-day event, dedicated to healing, magic, the arts, all things creative, and meeting our potential as human beings.  

The New Year’s Eve spectacle took place at the Portland Art Museum, with various dj’s bands, dancers, performers, and all around magic happening on various rooms on 3 floors, and this party went on until 4:30 in the morning.

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On the main stage on the top floor, Alex and Allyson Gray, and Eric Nez were the artists who made fresh paintings on either side of a stage as the dancers, performers, djs, and bands changed every hour. There were also at least 1000 people in that room hooting and hollering and dancing, along with loud music. The party was on fire. Their concentration was formidable, and damn, if they didn’t have a fresh work of art done at the end of the night!

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At the side edges of the stage, crowds of people watched, enraptured at the artists at work, especially in front of Alex Gray. He was the psychedelic superstar who maps intricate details of the body along with energy centers, and sacred geometry. He is a psychedelic superstar, and it was an honor to watch him work.

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The splendor of that night is impossible to describe, just like it was impossible to experience everything offered that night. I had a magical time from beginning to end. Even the Max train ride back to my part of town in the early hours of morning was incredible.

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Yet, as spectacular as it was to call in the New Year, what made that event powerful were the offerings on New Year’s Day. These events were low-key.

Of course, I was exhausted. I didn’t make it to the Yoga Sun Salutation of doing 108 Sun Salutations to start 2014. After a few hours of sleep, I came for the Ecstatic Dance, and made it to the talk that Alex and Allyson Gray gave on New Year’s Day.

They talked about all kinds of things. But the part of their talk that I have never forgotten was the best, the simplest, and the most elegant advice on resolutions – New Year’s or otherwise – I had ever heard.

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“You can have anything you want,” said Alex Gray. “But there are 4 things you must do to make what you want happen.”

So here are their simple, elegant, and effective 4 steps to manifesting anything you desire.

1)    Define your goal/want and write it down. Keep it simple. By doing this, you do this, you take your goal/want out of the ethers of your coulda-shoulda-woulda and make it real. Again, keep it simple. No more than 1 sentence. You only have to do this once per goal/want.

2)   Do something towards that goal/want EVERY SINGLE DAY. You can’t make your goals and manifest your wants if you don’t actively work on them. But some days can be light. For instance, researching something or reading a book that gleans knowledge and helps you gain information about your goal/desire counts.

3)   Before you fall asleep at night, reflect on 3 challenges you met or overcame. 3 things that went well, difficulties overcome, etc. EVERY SINGLE DAY. This doesn’t have to be centered on your goal/desire. This can be about anything. What I like about this step is that it builds empowerment, a belief in yourself, and confidence.

4)   First thing when you wake up in the morning, as soon as you remember to do it, is to think about 3 things you’re grateful for EVERY SINGLE DAY. The gratitude that ends this list and starts the day kicks the brain into a positive thinking mode immediately, and cuts out negativity. It works. Even if I woke up mad or moody, I remembered 3 gratitudes and immediately felt so much better. By the way, this step is the most difficult to remember and the easiest to neglect.

So there you have it. This can be applied to anything. Do these four steps EVERY SINGLE DAY, and achieve all your goals and manifest all your wants. Alex and Allyson Gray swear by it and they have enjoyed a mad level of success.

Engaging Characters or Juicy Plot?

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“Fiction writers are strong in either plot or character - never both and each envies the other their talent.”

So said Margaret Grossman, my favorite writing teacher of all time.

Her natural inclination was to write awesome, well-developed characters, the kind of people you’d want to sit down to coffee with and have long, intriguing conversations.

But she struggled with finding things for these lovely characters to do.

My natural inclination is plot.

I have absolutely no problem making stories up, with lots of plot points, twists, and turns.

But it’s connection to the characters that keeps readers engaged with the plot, and I’m sad to say that my characters are often misunderstood and their development criticized.

I struggle to flesh out fully actualized people in a fictional world - especially at that time when I worked with Margaret.

I also think it’s peculiar, because I am always trying to figure out the psychology of people in the real world, and what makes us all tick.

Perhaps all that amateur psychoanalysis has helped. Maybe I’ve improved since then, but criticism around character development is the most consistent when it comes to my writing.

Perhaps that’s why I use archetypal types for my characters?

Either way, I do the best I can, and sometimes that falls short. In my current novel, both the protagonists are telling their stories from 1st person “I.”

I hope that will make a stronger connection between the readers and my characters.

Truth be told, I believe this weakness around character development is a pretty common problem with most indie authors.

I haven’t made a formal study of it, but most indie authors whose work I’ve read have 1 dimensional characters as well.  

I wish I could give some sage advice and how-to’s on how to write plot if you naturally write characters, but I’m one of those who doesn’t know how to teach something that comes very easily to me.

When it comes to writing character, I say practice.

But another tool that may come in handy is to write up a character sheet describing each of your characters, and then add some of those details in your plot pages.

Name:

Age:

Hair/Eye Color:

Height:

Unusual feature:

Beautiful/Homely:

Biggest Fear:

Greatest Hope:

Primary Motivation:

Likable Quality:

Fatal Flaw:

Quirks:

Best Friend:

Primary Partner/Spouse/Lover:

Secondary Partner/Lover:

What does this character want?

What role does this character play?

Is this character sympathetic and trustworthy?

What is the primary struggle for this character in this story? 

Feel free to add any more details that may help flesh out your characters into a person you’d want to hang out with or the kind of person you’d avoid at a party.

It actually helps to list details of each and every character, no matter how minor they are. I don’t always do this exercise, but when I do, I find this tool helps bring characters to life.

And yes, as Margaret claimed, I do envy natural character writers their talent.

But at least I have an exciting, juicy plot line to carry the day, and I’m sure some writer somewhere envies my ability to do that.

The Rush of the Crush

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

I hadn’t felt like that in so long.

Do you know the magic? I hope you do.

The thrill of elation lit up every part of me, as the warm radiance flushed from the depths, rising to the surface to emerge and be seen. The luscious softness refused the resistance of armor. There was no place for my feelings to hide.

Then our eyes met.

The agony of vulnerability grew sweet. I saw the luminosity of the smitten reflected back to me from the woman who had just inspired my delirium. Her face glowed and her smile opened.

That kind of radiance can never be faked — the gorgeous, pure rawness of “I like you, Like You, LIKE YOU! OH HELL YEAH!”

So my crush liked me too.

It has been forever since the last time those floodgates had opened.

I couldn’t believe it.

I had ended my engagement only 4 months before. The last thing I expected was an experience of that kind of butterfly twitterpation. It caught me off guard.

Not that I’m complaining because, you know…how can anybody complain about something so delicious?

“I can’t believe you feel that way over somebody else already!” One friend declared.

“Didn’t you ever feel that way about your ex?” Another asked.

Well yes and no.

In the beginning, there was chemistry. Of course there was because new relationship energy has always been euphoric.

But my ex-partner never swooned me through the virtue of being herself. Her touch was felt where it landed. But a stroke of my arm didn’t make me giddy and trill anywhere else, much less everywhere.

Maybe that’s one of the reasons we didn’t work out?

But the rush of this recent crush took my breath away on that unexpected day. It juiced me up. I was riding high - turned on and on fire. The sensation was exquisite.

Yet they call these things “crushes” for a reason.

Mainly because the stars are not aligned for something to actually happen with that scrumptious flood of feelings and possibilities.

Things are “complicated,” as they say. New romance and passion are not likely at this time, because there are obstacles in the way.

It already kind of hurts.

I’m painfully aware that although I don’t miss my ex-partner, I do miss relationship. I miss contact. I miss closeness. I miss waking up next to somebody.

I miss touch. I miss it a lot. Physical touch is my dominant love language, after all.

So the temptation of an old, destructive habit is ever present. It’d be so easy to fall into a fantasy of what-might-have-been-if-only, or the-hot-pursuit-of-trying-to-make-something-happen.

I hear the siren call of yearning. I can feel it in my gut, in my sinews, and even in my bones.

I’m so tempted to obsess, to want, and to long for this would-be beloved who is beyond my reach. The urge is almost irresistible. I want to stretch and bridge the chasm between us with my passion.

But I know where that path goes.

I know because I’ve done this before. I have chased the unavailable, only to fall into the abyss of misery, unbearable loneliness, abandoned dignity, and the regret of lost time.

Not to mention the regret of wasting something beautiful for what it actually was.

The rush of the crush intoxicated and invigorated me. With my blood flooded with heat, I came back to life.

I’m grateful this happened.

What a gorgeous reminder of all that is possible in the Realm of Love. That excitement and vibrant life force are exactly how I want to feel at the start of my next relationship.

Then the thought occurred to me that perhaps I’ve been a little touch-starved.

I had been sleeping and waking up alone for a few months, after all. I probably needed some tender, loving self-care.

So I went for a massage.

When the LMT asked me what areas to work on, I shook my head.

“I don’t need you to work on my tight spots. I’m here because I need to be touched.”

He nodded in understanding.

His touch was solid and dependable. Although did not give me a rush of twitterpation butterflies, it soothed and relaxed me.

After a half hour or so, the art of massage worked its magic. I melted into the sensation of parasympathetic ease, of oxytocin and other yummy endorphins.

The marvelous I left with was not the same as a hot new lover.

But the massage helped. It helped a lot.

Feminine Archetype Riff

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Maiden-Mother-Crone-Virgin-Vixen-Virago. Maiden-Mother-Crone-Virgin-Vixen-Virago. The litany of the feminine archetypes almost sounds like a nursery rhyme, doesn’t it?

We’re obsessed with the Maiden in American culture.

Maiden

Maiden

 Virgins are the belles of the balls, and the Vixens are the she-devils who devour the balls. The Mother plays a secondary role, there to support or to suppress. The Crone plays a minor role, and the Virago gets scarcely a mention.

 

This last is the greatest shame.

 

Of course, I’m speaking in generalities, and there are plenty of exceptions to this rule.

 

For instance, “Ocean’s 8: definitely had some pretty strong Virago power, which Sandra Bullock and Cate Blanchett rocked beautifully. There was even a Crone in the failing dress designer, who had some classic moments. But there were plenty of vampy Vixens going around. I’m sure there had to be or perhaps the film wouldn’t have been made.

 

That said, there is so much power and mystery in our feminine archetypes, with so many layers. Yet we only scratch the surface without going deeper, and thus cheat ourselves in literature and film.

 

Maiden, Mother, and Crone are the archetypes that represent the various phases women go through, given a full life span. These phases are pretty self-explanatory.

 

A woman doesn’t need to actually have kids to be in the Mother phase. We go through it one way or another – as aunties, mentors, and teachers.

Mother

Mother

 

But how many women do we know personally and in the media who desperately try to hold on to the phase of the Maiden and avoid the Crone phase like the plague?

 

How tragic is that? And why?

 

When the woman wears the Crone with pride, she’s often respected for it – like Frances McDormand, who gave a beautiful interview where she explained why she never got plastic surgery because it would erase her life from her face.

 

Also, Olympia Dukakis, whose career hit her peak in her Crone years, and is STILL getting work because of it (Tales of the City).

 

“Grace and Frankie” is one of the funniest comedy series on Netflix. What’s it about? Two Crones whose husbands leave them to marry each other.

Crone

Crone

 

“The Golden Girls” ran for 8 full seasons. One of my college roommates, a frat boy, really loved that show. But he had to justify it to his frat boy friends by complaining that he hated liking that show because “it was about women.”

 

That statement alone is fodder for another blog post. Most people get more interesting with the passage of time due to EXPERIENCE, and the ones who don’t lack the qualities to develop wisdom. So it’s absurd that anybody would have to apologize or feel defensive about liking quality writing and great characters.

 

So why do we obsess over the Maiden, whose feminine power has yet to be fully grown?

VirginMaybe about to be devoured by lion?

Virgin

Maybe about to be devoured by lion?

This post may come across as rather peculiar of me, given that as a writer, my central character in the Ella Bandita stories is an eternal Maiden, a Vixen destroyer who stopped aging at the age of 20. This, of course, also makes her a Virago in the most unflattering light.

 

But!

 

Yes, but…

 

As much as that may seem enviable, Ella Bandita is tragic. She is frozen in time while everybody around her grows older and eventually dies. She is trapped in her destroyer phase because she is also very ALONE, and she knows it.

 

This brings me to the next triad of archetypes, those that imply character, personality, identity.

 

Virgin, Vixen, Virago. We’re all familiar with Virgins and Vixens because they get plenty of airtime in books, shows, theater, and movies. But what I dislike about this is that the dichotomy sets it up to pit women against each other.

 

For instance, “Something Borrowed” is a romcom that I didn’t particularly care for, yet illustrates this dichotomy between the Virgin and Vixen beautifully. Kate Hudson is the Vixen best friend who snags Ginnifer Goodwin’s crush from right under her nose - and with her permission - because the Virgin didn’t have the backbone to speak up for what she wanted until the Vixen and her love interest were engaged. Of course, the Virgin ultimately gets the guy and their friendship is destroyed.

 

There was even a competitive Virgin-Vixen subplot in the teenage boy’s coming out tale, “Love, Simon.”

Vixen

Vixen

 Last, but not least, is the Virago. She has been the most underrepresented of the 3 V’s. When she is, the image is usually unflattering.

 

“Virago: A domineering, violent, or bad-tempered woman.” See what I mean. Violent Ella Bandita is very bad-tempered in the first novel.

 

“A woman of masculine strength or spirit; a female warrior.” An improvement. If Katniss from the Hunger Games starts a trend, perhaps the Virago is getting some of her due.

 

“A woman of stature, great strength, and courage who is not feminine in the conventional ways.” Now that’s more like it. Xena, Warrior Princess comes to mind.

Virago

Virago

 The Virago often presents as a female warrior, but what I like about this last definition is that the interpretation of it can be broad and flexible, can go far beyond the female warrior archetype to include women who simply want to live on their own terms. 

 

One of my favorite fictional characters, Sissy Hankshaw, the hitchhiking maestra from “Even Cowgirls Get the Blues” is definitely a Virago. At the beginning of the story, she’s even a Virgin Virago until she’s pathetically seduced by Julian, a fussy psychiatrist. Her main interest in him is only because he’s born a Mohawk native, but everything about his character is from the White Society he conformed to. He threatens her freedom with these stifling conventions as he pressures her to be ‘normal’ and she loses one of her oversize thumbs as a result.

 

“As do many strong people, she had fallen victim to the tyranny of the weak.” Tom Robbins, Even Cowgirls Get the Blues.

 

Another Virago is the one who saves Sissy’s butt, Jellybean Bonanza. As cute as she is, she’s fighting her own battles of trying to create a space where girls can find freedom and become Cowgirls.

 

The references come from the novel, NOT the movie, which I’ve never seen. I did not hear good things about it, and the novel is magnificent.

 

Feminine characters are intriguing, mysterious, powerful, and fascinating; yet only if they are given room to expand into the full breadth of their potential. As writers, we owe it to ourselves and to the world to explore that.

Rant over. That’s all for now.

Why Do We Write?

writingadvice.jpg

Why do we write?

I ask myself this question all the time for all kinds of reasons. I ask myself why did I want to be a writer when I procrastinate for far longer than I actually spend typing, when I’m frozen on a scene, or when I’m overwhelmed by the magnitude of the story nuggets that have yet to be the rough drafts, rewrites, revisions, and edits of gold mines. Writing is so much work with very few tangible, immediate rewards. It is not a “fun job.” It keeps me in my head. It keeps me solitary, sometimes even isolated. There is no way to be a writer without being a watcher. That role of observation keeps me out of the active participation of life far more often than I would like.

A perfect example of this watcher/player dynamic can be found amongst the Beat Generation of writers and poets. “On the Road” was not about Jack Kerouac so much as it was about Neal Cassady, a friend Kerouac found fascinating. Apparently, Neal Cassady also had a talent for writing. A “Joan Anderson letter” written to Kerouac from Cassady featured the stream-of-consciousness writing which inspired Kerouac, and he write “On The Road” in that style, this book that made him famous. What Cassady did not have was the discipline or the drive to become a great writer himself. He was too busy playing on the stage of life, being a muse, an inspiration, the Holy Fool who lived on the edge until he self destructed right before his 42nd birthday. He died alone on a railroad track in Mexico from exposure, after mixing powerful drugs and alcohol.

Kerouac wrote his story down. Allen Ginsburg probably enjoyed a lot of inspiration from Cassady as well. Ken Kesey further immortalized him in the Merry Pranksters as the manic bus driver of “Further.” In the lives of these writers, they were both players and watchers; but ultimately, they had to be watchers to sit down, reflect, and write it all down. It’s hard work. It’s painstaking. Writing needs a lot of patience. And in my case, writing comes slowly.

I had so many dreams. Why did this one stick? It would have been so much more exciting to have a dream of dancing or skydiving or mountaineering or snowboarding. I’ve done a bit of all of these, some more than others. But these were passionate hobbies, not callings. Even being a geologist or biologist would have left some room.

Writing is an exacting taskmaster. So why do we do it?

In my case, I suppose I write because I’m called to. When I don’t, I can’t shake the feeling that something is missing. When I do, I feel at peace.

Writing does help me sort out my thoughts and ideas. Writing can upset me, but it can also bring me clarity. When I write a piece I can feel in my bones is special and just right, sweet gratification follows.

As far as the stage of Life is concerned, I’ve sought out unusual and extreme experiences, knowing that there would be a story in there somewhere. So oddly enough, writing goaded me into being a player on plenty of occasions – even if I watched the entire time.

I must admit I like playing God. Writing stories and novels makes that role inevitable. So when I finally arrive to that sense of finish – knowing I’ve done all I can do for this novel and this world I created without an editor – and write “THE END” on the last line, it feels f*cking great!

The anticipation of that satisfaction keeps me going. What works for you?