Writing in Florida...
Dear Readers,
You've all heard of 'writing holidays' and how these retreats allow you to focus the mind and concentrate on actually recording your thoughts and creative impulses on paper - or computer of course, depending on how you prefer to write. (I'm versatile in that regard and believe all writers should be. Helps to avoid procrastination and excuses as to why you 'couldn't write').
Anyway...
Writing is something that I enjoy very much and have done since an early age (I wrote my first story when I was six, but that's for another post!) The whole experience is cathartic, in such that I can write anywhere and that it's a contraption that allows me to escape reality and its insufferable work emails and questions about what I'll be doing this weekend... I find any 'forced' writing to only provide shoddy work that I waste an inordinate amount of time on at a later date, editing. This is is me though, so it may work differently for you. Who knows? It's the beauty of us all being unique and individual, I suppose.
Close your eyes, I'm about to the set the scene. That's it, no peeking!
It was a beautiful day in Central Florida; the sun was high, the cicadas were chirping and my vest top was enjoying some use after the baltic conditions of Guernsey had rendered it almost useless. After spending some time admiring the picturesque, gated community we were staying in and completing some much needed laps of the swimming pool, my Partner and I decided to head to a Mall and indulge in some retail therapy. After we had enjoyed cruising along the highway (I feel I must note that I was driving a brand new Mustang GT - so you can imagine the thrill!) we arrived at the Mall and had a nose around several stores before I found a particular piece of jewellery that I instantly had an attraction to. No, not an attraction. A connection!
I would just like to make one thing clear Dear Readers, and that is that Magpie Syndrome is not normal for me, I can assure you. I can only assume that this was the work of Lady Fate, spinning her threads.
As you can see from the image (above), the bangle is of Celtic/Norse design with subtle detailing. Due to my Welsh and Scandinavian heritage, I was drawn to it, perhaps through the spirit of some long gone ancestor (or perhaps because I do succumb to Magpie Syndrome after all...)
From the moment I put the bangle on my wrist (I actually tried forcing it over my hand initially, rather than directly onto my wrist. Boy was I chastised by the Sales Assistant for my lunacy. Was quite funny actually...) I felt an overwhelming wave of inspiration and ideas started to flow through me how I could make this small piece of jewellery the focal point for an entire story, even Universe. After spending a few hours in silence (and accidentally ignoring my Partner for the rest of the day) I had the skeleton of an idea mapped in my head.
My Partner is very much into crystals and their healing properties, so his personal interests were of particular use to the story's development, much to his joy and my subsequent forgiveness...
I immediately threw down the Papa John's pizza I was destroying (not quite, I did finish it. I'm not that dramatic!) and rushed to the local Walgreens, where I spent far too much money on multi coloured pens, writing pads, dividers, folders and other writing paraphernalia I'm looking at right now, amazed that I'm actually still using all of it. When I got back to the villa, I started to write and the rest flowed easily. Those were the first baby steps to writing my series about a currently little know character called Pembroke Jones.
Watch this space (annoying cliche - apologies!)
Oh and I couldn't help but throw in a picture of the Mustang...