Storytime

Last week I had the chance to catch up with my friend Tiggy . We do the usual email, facebook and phone calls (although they are the rarity) but haven't actually had any face to face contact since her move years ago to sunny Brisbane. In reality I was a bit worried, what if we had nothing to talk about? Those of you who know Tiggy will know I had nothing to worry about. I think her opening sentence was 'This is summer, where the hell is the sun?'....and we didn't stop talking till I dropped her back off at the corner (sounds much worse than it actually was). Catching up with a friend who you haven't seen in a long time- usually goes the same way. You talk about your life- your children,  your partners, about your home...and since Tiggy and I both work in libraries, we talked about work as well. Although she doesn't tend to dress up in santa hats, reindeer antlers or pirate costumes as much as I do...perhaps that is just me? No, it's simply Youth Serv...

Stories that is. Everywhere. Some come from snippets of overheard conversation * 'I don't date anyone over twenty two.' I HAD to turn around to see which guy was talking.- can I mention he was no longer in his 20's- perhaps not even his 30's. From observations * A couple are dancing on the footpath- not waltzing but he's holding her close and swinging her round and round - no music plays I wound down the window on the car to see if I could hear music - nothing- but the image made me smile- and wondering.... From personal anecdotes. *Celebrating a friend's 70th with coffee and cake and he says he would love to write down his story (he has had the most INTERESTING  life) but doesn't know where to start- how to put it down on paper - he left school at 13 so thinks that he can't. When he began the story 'Did I tell you we owned a boarding house in Wellington during the war?' you know you're onto something. I've offered to help ...

Mostly it's fingers to keyboard, but yes I am actually writing. YEAH! That was meant to be the idea for this week or so, a major push in the right (or should that be write) direction. :) After the YA Masterclass with Libby Hathorn on the weekend I felt inspired enough to go back to my YA novel - work on a chapter - and even think back to the verse novel I never quite finished. Surprisingly enough I'm still interested in my characters, still want to know the journey they take. I also am writing a poem a day for my nod to those doing the Nanowrimo - so here we are on day ten and I have ten poems down. Or put it more correctly ten ideas for poems. Some will never see the light of day, some I've already worked on and there was a bit of a theme for awhile. My daughter has left home, my baby, so there were a few poems based on the emotional roller coaster that entails. (including visits to hospital emergency departments, blood and stitches) For added inspiration I went to...