One of the characters in The Devil’s Playground is a psychic. Part of the character development research is understanding astrology. While searching the internet, I found a site that delves into the meaning of horoscope signs. Below are snippets of my sign that I thought were the most accurate.
Geminis are expressive folk, and this may manifest beyond mere speech. Often gifted with their hands, it seems whatever they touch does turn to gold. Their love of communication may also express itself as an affinity for languages, which they tend to pick up quite easily. Known for being great story tellers, Geminis have a knack of making life a little more interesting for the rest of us.Morality is not an issue, and values are situational.
Gemini’s are usually affectionate, courteous, kind, generous, thoughtful, and superficial. They are attractive (hey it’s me, yeah I’ll admit it…I’m attractive <smile>) and interesting people who instinctively know how to meet their own needs and will do whatever it takes to do so. Although self interest is always the primary motivator in a Gemini person, they are also known to be honest, straightforward and without guile. They are what they are, and usually have no problem admitting their failings. Whatever they choose as a course of action is done out in the open without a measure of deviousness.
Yippie! Following the method I used when participating in NaNoWriMo, where I allowed the characters to take over, I reached my goal of 5,000 words. It’s amazing what happens when one doesn’t over think and simply trusts the writing process. It’s also amazing that you can always count on friends to burst your bubble.
Me: I wrote 5,000 words this week.
Friend: How many are good words?
Me: What?
Friend: Out of the 5,000 words how many are good?
Me: I don’t know. That’s not the point.
Friend: Well, if you wrote 5,000 crap words then you haven’t made progress with your novel.
Me: It doesn’t work like that. This is a first draft. Many things will change during the rewrite process. I may have to delete a well-written scene because it won’t work. On the other end of the spectrum, a scene may need polishing, but it will make the cut.
Friend: hmmm…so everything you have written so far may be crap.
Me: What?
Friend: You’re writing crap.
Me: I guess I am.
Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of a career as a true crime writer. There is something about murder that fascinates me. Not the murder scene per se, but the motive. Love. Money. Jealousy. Revenge.
In Cold Blood was the first nonfiction piece that delved into the lives of the murderers and victims in profound detail. I received emails (okay, one email) asking for information on In Cold Blood so I posted a clip on the subject. Enjoy.
As a writing exercise, I reread To Kill a Mockingbird and In Cold Blood twice. The first round was for pure enjoyment. The second was to dissect each book - jot down scene by scene what worked. I also rented each movie to compare how the authors’ descriptions of events were represented on screen. In To Kill a Mockingbird’s DVD special features there was a tidbit of information that captured my interest. Harper Lee (author of Mockingbird) and Truman Capote (author of In Cold Blood) were friends as children. In fact, one of the characters in Mockingbird, Dill, was written with Capote in mind.
The average person would sock away this newfound knowledge in their mind’s trivia file, never repeating it. However, this widely known fact (I checked. It’s all over the Internet) has left me tongue-tied. You see, with The Devil’s Playground I’m combining the spirit of Mockingbird and In Cold Blood.
It’s a tricky proposition, one that has proven to be a challenge. But knowing that Lee and Capote had a real life bond impresses upon me the reason I’m drawn to writing The Devil’s Playground. Click here to watch To Kill a Mockingbird on your computer.
It’s 6:14 in the morning and I haven’t slept all night. I wrote a bit. Read a bit. Painted a bit. My mind is dancing with ideas. The writer’s fright is gone. Now I am at the other end of the spectrum…bipolar creative disorder (I just made that term up).
Times like these is when I think about my little sister Tata. Years ago, when she was six, I found her sitting on the arm of the couch with her eyes fixed at the heavens. After a while, my presence knocked her out of her spell. I smiled at her.
Me: What were you thinking about?
Tata: I was wondering what the world would be like if elephants were pink.
Me: That’s the only thing you were thinking about?
Tata: That’s how I think. One thing at a time.
Fast forward almost twenty years later. I’m in my early thirties. She’s in her mid twenties. I share the pink elephant story with her.
Me: “Do you still think like that?”
Tata: “Like what?”
Me: One thought at a time.
Tata: Of course.
Me: I have multiple thoughts at once. Competing thoughts even.
Tata: Well, that’s how you drive yourself crazy.
Okay, so today I am supposed to post my new word count for my novel The Devil’s Playground. I am supposed to be 5,000 words richer. I am supposed to report that even though it was tough, I reached my word count.Well, that’s enough supposing for today.My word count has increased by only 170 words. I have writer’s fright. I know. I know. I’m supposed to just write. Not care about the words, for now, because it’s just a first draft. But I can’t help but think too much because I care too much about this project. So all week I stared at my computer screen hour after hour and nothing. Linda would never have this problem.
She wrote her book in a flash. Her agent loved it. Her editor loved it. And from the rankings on Amazon.com, readers love it.I have to stop comparing myself to her. Okay, I gotta go. I’m going to write.
One of the characters in The Devil’s Playground is a psychic. Part of the character development research is understanding astrology. While searching the internet, I found a site that delves into the meaning of horoscope signs. Below are snippets of my sign that I thought were the most accurate. 
