I awoke to a bright light coming in from my living room that was whiter than the snow falling outside my window. I sat up and saw the silhouette of a man standing in my door way, his skin and clothes were so white that they faded into the background and the only thing visible was a black tuft of hair. "Tim?" I questioned, hoping it was just my husband who had woke up in the middle of the night. "What?" He murmured beside me.
And that's when I woke up and realized that I was just in a dream-like state and that silhouette of a man was just the light reflecting off of a lamp in my living room.
The fear,though, was very real. It was so real that it felt like the air had risen for my lungs but was caught in my throat and couldn't escape. This was one of the biggest inspirations I've ever had to my writing, when you actually have a feeling that you are trying to write and then you know exactly how that feels and how to write it.
Okay, confession time: I'm deathly afraid of aliens. When I was a little girl, my mom had to hide the tape of ET because I was so scared of him. (Gimme a break, that little brown guy is still scary!) So writing an alien story, doing the research by watching alien movies and reading books--well it's taken it's toll on my nightmares.
What do you fear? What do you love? Does it motivate or help your writing in any way?
I kind of agree with this. I wrote something a while ago now based on a real incident that was scary and I thought it turned out really well.
ReplyDeleteAnd LOL at you for writing about aliens and you're scared stiff of them. Why so scared? If they wanted us dead, believe me we already would be. I love this subject :)
I can't believe you were afraid of ET? ET? I really hate clowns. And mimes. And puppets. THEY FREAK ME OUT. Unfortunately in France there is an abundance of all three of these things-- traveling circuses and puppet shows...and mimes. GRRRR.
ReplyDeleteWord: Kedify: I should put my Keds on start a fashion revolution. Kedify!
Ooh that's creepy! I once got lost in a garden maze at a palace in France during a storm and it totally freaked me out. I was all alone and didn't have a phone. I thought some ax murderer was going to pop out from a bush. This totally inspired a scene for my writing. I always use little moments from my life when writing. Life inspires writing and writing inspire life, I guess.
ReplyDeleteI understand where you’re coming from. I'm truly scared of spiders! Somehow, the mix of their eight legs, eight eyes, and the possibility of death flowing in their venom makes me want to run whenever I see one. Even on the screen, knowing it's just a movie, I want to run from the room (I think my face was just a white as Ron's when I tried to sit through HP2 in the theater).
ReplyDeleteThen came time to write a part of Death's Island where Meriden has to face the same fear. I hated to say it, I had to do research. That freaked me out! Then, I saw a spider crawling along the side of my house. At first, I want to run back inside and lock the door. But, I thought of Meriden and my book. I stepped closer, each step harder to take than the last, until I was able to see six of its eyes and the fang piercing the air. My mind raced, but my legs were frozen. Though it was small, the fear was great. I couldn't even think of squishing it. No, I was too scared. And even with fear freezing me to the spot, I was not just able to understand my fears, but I was able to study the creature that caused them. To see how it moved and how it reacted to my presents. Was it deadly? I'm not sure and I don't even want to think on it.
I'm still bloody scared of spiders. Oh yes, the fear never goes away completely. But, now I understand them a little better. And thus, a new scene in Death's Island was born.
I’m sorry for your nightmare. Though, how you described it was beautiful. I could feel your fear and your writing really drew me into the scene. I hope things are better now and that you are well.
I'm also an arachnophobe. I scream like a little girl when I see them. It's so embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteLynsey- They're creepy! I watched Signs with my roommate in college and I screamed really loudly in her ear when the alien's hand slinked under the door! I can deal with the human looking aliens, but the ones that are slimy and just...ugh can't do it.
ReplyDeleteSamantha- I really want you to write a MG novel about Kedify! lol. Gosh I don't know if I can live in France with clowns all over! Thus a reason I don't live in Roswell...
Nicole- I remember reading that for Beth Revis' contest. That does sound creepy as all get out! I would have cried.
Kelsey- That was really great imagery for the spider! Now I'm afraid of seeing one at my desk and I'll shriek like a little girl! I'm doing better now...my husband told me to stop watching so much Sci-fi for awhile and now we close the door at bed time...
Hi Magan! You are so funny ;) Now I've got the willies! Actually, I'm into reading your story on my nook and I can say, I'm feeling good and scared at times. But, it's a good scared. The kind that in the wee hours of the night after falling asleep reading your story on my nook, I wake up to hear the ice machine in the kitchen and momentarily believe it's Ody rummaging around in the bin for ice. Keep Writing the world is awaiting your work.
ReplyDeleteKienna
Lydia- I'm hoping we don't both have spider nightmares now!
ReplyDeleteKienna- You stopped by my blog yeah! Ody would TOTALLY be in your fridge rumaging for ice, but he's not the one you should be worried about...wait till you read Marsilo. He still gives me the willies!