Friday, August 16, 2019

WHOO!

Wow, that took awhile, but that's okay. I'm back in the writing saddle, and for me, that's a good thing. For some time, I thought the 'people in my head' had left me--you know, like I kid who comes home from school one afternoon only to find a house void of people and  furniture!

Thankfully, they hadn't. Like a family spat lasting some two years, hugs and kisses were delivered when 'family' reunited putting pettiness behind them. Now, they're really talking  - to the point, I have to get on my 'writing horse' and ride!

'Known & Wanted,' which has been brewing for two years, is finished--WHOO--and off to the fine folks at Decadent Publishing, along with a companion, yet stand alone, piece from my writing-partner-in-crime, Deanna Wadsworth's, 'Braving the Deep End.' You see, the sheriff in 'Known & Wanted' is the father of the main character in DW's 'Braving the Deep End.' This 'cross' or 'overlapping' thing has been going on for some time and won't end anytime soon. Right now, between the two of us, there are another six or eight stories where my characters show up in her stories, and hers in mine--along with 'cameos' from other 1Night Stand series folks.

So, a pile of thanks to butt-kicker extraordinaire, Deanna! More thanks to the Wood County, Ohio Sheriff's Office, particularly Capt. Rebecca McMonigal, who spend an entire Monday afternoon showing DW and me around, explaining the ins and outs of lock ups and other law enforcement 'inside baseball.'  And big thanks goes to another upper management person in that office for uttering the line that gave me this whole story to begin with! (M.W. - you don't know your influence on us female media types!) A tip of the cap to my coworkers in TV who gave me more fodder than I could use.  

Also, thanks to Bruce Willis, who's an excellent 'sheriff' model. And, last but not least (as of late really not least) Jon Secada, who keeps me company in my earbuds for nearly eight hours in a loud, busy TV newsroom, then another two-or-so at the gym. Spending all that time with 'him' has of course spawned another story--character models?  Jon and a young Grace Kelly.

Now with a rare Friday off, before I start a long, written conversation with the couple above (Jess & Holly), I have to do adult things, like take Wolfie the cat to the vet, go grocery shopping, get vaccinated against Shingles--after which, I'll hit the gym and see what 'Jess' has to say while I'm pedaling away two hours on the bike.

Really, I'm not crazy - just a writer!


When not playing with the people in her head, Wendy has a full time job behind the scenes in television.  She lives with her cute chef husband and two fuzzy felines in the Great Lakes region of the Mid-West. 



Sunday, June 2, 2019

A Week's Worth of Travel, But Only in My Head

But, I have to go back to work!
   My week off from my 'regular' job has come to an end. Do I want to got back to work, yes and no. During this time off, I never left the county in which I live, but I did travel a whole lot with the people in my head.
Hocking Hills State Park - Logan, OH
   I went to Hocking Hills State Park in southern, Ohio, where some interaction of great emotional magnitude takes place between Eli and Zoe - the main characters in my now-finished 1Night Stand "Known & Wanted."
'Spiegel 1 & 2' - Toledo Museum of Art
    I drive past the sculpture below at the Toledo Museum of Art every morning on my way to work. It's called 'Spiegel 1 & 2' - 'mirror' in German. And in the dark, it's all lit up, just two bright figures. They're made of letters, with so much to say, yet, they have no faces, no way of communicating. The way Zoe feels much of the time.
    I visited the imaginary 'Birch County Justice Center,' the real Toledo Hospital (only in my head), The Heights at the Renaissance in downtown Toledo - for an 'in head' quick dinner.
My ass-kicker, Deanna Wadsworth
     Not only did the time off allow me to dig up and plant my garden - which has been fallow for two years due to on going roof work on my home - but it allowed me to spend more time than ever before with this lovely lady. My partner-in-writing crime and ass kicker, Deanna Wadsworth. Now when say 'more time than ever before,' seeing her for more than an hour on three separate occasions over fourteen days-- a major big deal.

   We spent a late Monday afternoon with Captain Rebecca McMonigal of the Wood County, Ohio Justice Center - read that, 'the jail.' There aren't enough words to thank Capt. McMonigal for the time, information, conversation, explanation and 'experience,' Deanna and I both took away from the visit.
    We spent another afternoon plotting more stories, clarifying plots, drinking and post-drinking shopping. Then, a few days later, she colored my hair.
     When I wasn't gardening, house cleaning, errand running and dodging the recent Monsoons, I spent some 90 minutes daily on my elliptical visiting far off lands with my pals Mitch Rapp and Scot Harvath.
     So, what did I get out of this vacation? Hopefully, piles of fresh garden veggies, another published book, ideas for at least four more, and a recharged mind to tackle the work that actually puts beans and rice on the table.
     Is it October yet?
 

When not playing with the people in her head, Wendy has a full time job behind the scenes in television, a part time job in radio and an even 'parter' time job trying to keep her house clean. She lives with her cute chef husband and two fuzzy felines in the Great Lakes region of the Mid-West. 

Saturday, May 18, 2019

It's Been Nearly a Year, So I Guess I Need to Blog

   Okay, so it hasn't been quite a year, so I guess I'm ahead of the game when it comes to actually posting a blog. 
      Where've I been, what've I been doing--working, banging my head against an empty page, working, fighting with the people in my head, working, yelling at the people in my head, working, and finally ousting one male lead model for another, which smashed the years-long drought and anti-writing mode I've been in.
      I have Bruce Willis to thank for that.
     I know, sounds strange, but once I cut loose Jake Gyllenhaal as the model for 'Sheriff Eli Martin' and replaced him with Bruce Willis - all was again right with the world. And, all it took was one little Google search with Jake showing up in a political t-shirt that didn't quite sit well with me. Which prompted the question, is it wrong to dump your character model based on his/her political leanings. In my case, a resounding 'yes'!
     I also found the 'soundtrack' to my story (well at least in my head -- SO MUCH takes place just in my head) was all wrong. While Don Henley's 'Last Worthless Evening' and 'Heart of the Matter' seemed perfect, alas -- they weren't. Which is now why Jon Secada is pretty much all I listen to. Henley, despite his wanted optimism in songs of that nature, just seem too somber. 'Never Too Far Away,' and 'Heaven', plus Secada's looks have been extremely inspiring - to the point at my 'real' job, when I need to drown out the newsroom noise and really crank out the work, I plug in my earbuds and turn up the Spanish versions of his tunes. Only problem...with only two years of high school Spanish, I'm kind of lost (sorry, Miss DellaValle!) No matter, I still understand the songs' sentiments.
     So, after ousting Jake and replacing Don, Bruce and Jon moved in and 15,000+ words the outcome.
     Of course, NONE of this would be happening without the steadfast support (read that lovable ass-kicking) I get from my writing-partner-in-crime, Deanna Wadsworth. The day she IMed me to say 'YOU'RE BACK' after beta-reading some the the 15K I'd cranked out...well...definitely I highlight of my writing 'career.'
     So, what's to come? Finishing up the story 'starring' Bruce, ('Known & Wanted') which was inspired by an actual phone conversation with a local sheriff. Not so much the conversation, more like one little comment in that conversation! Oh, if he only knew. After that a May/December thing which stemmed from a side character in the aforementioned story.
     When? Soon, I hope.
     Oh, people in my head, I've missed you, and I'm so happy we're 'talking' again - or should I say 'you're' talking to me.