Why My Novel Remains a Draft, and Other Insights

March 7, 2019March 5, 2019 ~ JodiLea

Dear readers of “Through the Door”,

I’m not trying to tease you. Believe me when I say that I am wanting to get back to Mollie* and Travis even worse than you do. Life (good and bad) keeps getting in my way, but I am organizing my Draft-5 editing plan (i.e. to-do-list), so when I do have time to dedicate to the novel, I will be ready to go.

* Oh, yea – I changed Chloe’s name to Mollie, due to privacy issues. Same girl, different name.

I’m thinking seriously about changing the title as well. Titles are one of the more difficult challenges I have with my writing. I over-think it. I try too hard to think of the perfect title and it does not enter my head. “Through the Door” was originally a great title, but it has lost something over time.

When “Accidental Tourist” popped into my head, I knew it had been a movie in the past, so I dropped it. Only 2 days later, because it was so perfect, for Mollie’s story, I did some research to find out just how many things were titled the same.

I was encouraged to find that 16 out of the 19 titles for film and TV I found were episodes titled “Accidental Tourist”, but they were part of various TV series. There were 3 films. 2 short films, in 2010 & 2015, and one feature film, 1988, with Kathleen Turner and William Hurt.

So, not being over used in the film industry, I hoped against hope that there were just as few Books in circulation.

Anne Tyler wrote a Novel titled “The Accidental Tourist” published in 2007. It has been published in several Anne Tyler Collections of stories, as well as being an Intro title (i.e., The Accidental Tourist: more title words go on…) I read a review, by The Washington Post. It was long and wordy, but this phrase struck me “A fresh and timeless tale of unexpected bliss” What a relief! Totally does not describe Mollie’s travel at all.

“Accidental Tourist” is now the (nearly final) Title. It’s not that I can’t commit, it just leaves room for an Editor to make title suggestions, right?

Well, what a relief about the title issue. Now I can concentrate on being an Editor on this story. The most difficult part of writing (aside from perfect titles) that one can encounter. A prayer, if you are so inclined, would be appreciated!

♥ TTFN ♥

Why Men Are Happier People

March 5, 2019 ~ JodiLea

I found this list in an old folder titled “Inspiration”. I do not know who I thought it would inspire, but there is a ring of truth about it…

WHY MEN ARE HAPPIER PEOPLE

Your last name stays put.

The garage is all yours.

Wedding plans take care of themselves.

Chocolate is just another snack…

You can never be pregnant.

You can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.

You can wear NO shirt to a water park.

Car mechanics tell you the truth.

The world is your urinal.

You never have to drive to another gas station restroom because this one is just too icky.

You don’t have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.

Same work, more pay.

Wrinkles add character.

Wedding dress $5000. Tux rental-$100.

People never stare at your chest when you’re talking to them.

New shoes don’t cut, blister, or mangle your feet.

One mood, all the time.

Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.

You know stuff about tanks.

A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.

You can open all your own jars.

You get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.

If someone forgets to invite you, He or she can still be your friend.

Your underwear is $8.95 for a three-pack.

Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.

You almost never have strap problems in public.

You are unable to see wrinkles in your clothes.

Everything on your face stays its original color.

The same hairstyle lasts for years, even decades.

You only have to shave your face and neck.

You can play with toys all your life.

One wallet and one pair of shoes — one color for all seasons.

You can wear shorts no matter how your legs look.

You can ‘do’ your nails with a pocket knife.

You have freedom of choice about growing a mustache.

You can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives on December 24 in 25 minutes.

If Laura, Kate and Sarah go out for lunch, they will call each other Laura, Kate and Sarah.

If Mike, Dave and John go out, they will affectionately refer to each other as Fat Boy, Bubba and Wildman.

A man has six items in his bathroom: toothbrush and toothpaste, shaving cream, razor, a bar of soap, and a towel. The average number of items in the typical woman’s bathroom is 337. A man would not be able to name more than 20 of these items.

A woman will dress up to go shopping, water the plants, empty the trash, answer the phone, read a book, and get the mail.

A man will dress up for weddings and funerals.

Men wake up as good-looking as they went to bed.

Women somehow deteriorate during the night.

Ah, children. A woman knows all about her children. She knows about dentist appointments and romances, best friends, favorite foods, secret fears and hopes and dreams.

A man is vaguely aware of some short people living in the house.

~~~~~~~~~ *** ~~~~~~~~~

I honestly laughed out loud after reading that last one!

♥ TTFN ♥

Photo credit: (license)

Toto, We Aren’t in OZ Anymore

February 17, 2019 ~ JodiLea

As I write this, I look out my office window at a world that is black and white. Snow has piled up for 3 days now, and any green on the pine and cedar trees is hidden by clumps of snow and the trees themselves are dark brown to black. A photo reveals a white background, broken up by a forest of tall patio umbrellas

There is no sign of this changing anytime soon.

I did not realize how much color mattered to me – until I found myself in a colorless world. Remember in the movie? Dorothy left black & white Kansas and landed in a wildly, intimidatingly, glaring splashes of color world. I certainly do not want OZ to be my world, but a little yellow and lavender would be nice.

Every weekend this month has been snowy. We- (I say “we” but really it is my hubby Bruce doing the work, because of my health), has gotten a path to the road dug out during the week, only to watch it fill back up on Friday.
This week the storm is throwing snow harder and 24/7. You can no longer see where hubby dug out yesterday so our son’s family could get into the driveway. I think they could be stuck here awhile because the town snowplow only makes it up here every other day. So, even if hubby cranks up the snow-blower – we are stuck in this winter wonderland for the time being.

Church was cancelled this morning. I guess that is common up here in the mountains, but it’s new to me. I got an email from one of the Elders letting me know. God must be OK with it though, since it is His doing. I imagine that even Jehovah likes a snow day – every now and again. I’m glad I don’t have his job! But I digress…

The kids are so excited about playing in the snow. I don’t play with them because I am recovering from a sinus infection and not too quickly. My cough worries my 2-year-old granddaughter, Mary. Every time I cough, sneeze or blow my nose, she asks, “Are you OK, Grandma?” Truth be told, the concern on her sweet little face cheers me up a lot.

I sure wanted to be outside with her yesterday when she was struggling to make snow angels. The younger, healthier me would have flung myself backwards into the snow bank and flapped my arms and legs until I sunk a few inches. I felt sad that I did not dare to do it. She had a blast trying though – which was the point.

You can’t tell by the photos, but she has a big smile on her face.

After breakfast, this morning, the troops bundled up and attempted to overcome the snow, however the opposite is happening. Mary’s older brother, Aiden, shovels snow to make a path down the slope of the driveway, only to turn around and see the snowflakes piling up behind him. Ten more minutes of that and the snow wins. Time to warm up in Grandpa’s shop (that is equipped with a wood burning stove and a fridge with drinks and snacks. Oh yea, and a DVD friendly TV.) I have not seen the flash of Mary’s bright neon-pink gloves or yellow hat for a while, so I figured that was where they all were.

And the snowflakes keep on coming.

Pennsylvania needs a new groundhog. Punxsutawney Phil is a liar!

♥ TTFN ♥