Today was off to Santa Cruz day for errands and research. We got a late start so we only had about an hour and a half to wander around and scout out places for me. I knew a few landmarks I would have in the book and I wanted some pictures of them but I can get them any time. I was really looking for where Frankie’s mom might work and most importantly, where he lived. I took some pictures but nothing felt just “right” so I was fairly resigned to another trip and more thinking to figure it out. We took care of our errands and had dinner. After dinner there was still a little bit of light left, the sun was setting but it wasn’t down yet. I asked my husband to drive down to the boardwalk though I knew that was more of a background than an actual setting for me. We dodged the few remaining tourists and suicidal bicyclists, but still, nothing felt right.
“There’s always Beach Flats,” said my husband.
I uttered a very firm “No.” There was no way I wanted to set my story in that run-down scary part of town that was forever being fought over and/or trashed in the local newspaper. No. I knew Frankie had troubles but there was no way he lived in Beach Flats. Nope. Not on my watch.
We headed down Riverside and I’m basically looking straight ahead, not really absorbing anything except the fact that the sun was going down and it really wasn’t an area we wanted to be in after dark. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the sign for The Peter Pan Motel and I got one of those wonderful little shivers. That’s it! That’s where Frankie’s mom works. I did a 180 in my seat to snap a quick picture and didn’t pay attention to the fact that we were driving deeper into Beach Flats.
We turned the corner at the little psychic shop (picture taken, of course) and my idea machine shifted into overdrive wondering if there was a psychic in the book and what that might mean to the plot (that plot that still eludes me)
And then I saw it. Frankie’s house. I KNEW it was his house. It was perfect. Not what I expected but I knew it was the right one. I could see one of Frankie’s hiding places and the porch where Max liked to sleep. I snapped a few pictures but the one-way street was so narrow that I couldn’t get the roof, or a nice full picture. My husband wouldn’t let me get out of the car and said we’d have to go back in the middle of the day when it was 100% daylight. I knew he was right (he’s got all the common-sense in the house) but boy it was hard not to jump out of the car and pace up and down the street. I doubt he’ll ever let me do that.
We zig zagged up and down a few more streets and actually found a tiny park called, appropriately, Beach Flats Park, and some other interesting areas. All in all I shot 63 pictures which wasn’t bad.
My husband indulged me on the ride home with my ramblings and brainstorming about the elusive plot. I do wonder about the phsyic. She? He? could be very interesting, especially if I add in the Tarot card idea. But that set off another whole discussion – if I use Tarot cards in the book some people will be against the book (not that that is a bad thing) and of course, those same people will be against the psychic idea too. Ditto the crystals. Yet all of that is very much a part of the Santa Cruz scene. I know we shouldn’t let society dictate what does and doesn’t belong in our stories, that power belongs to the story and what is the right way to tell that story. But I’ll admit to thinking once or twice that maybe I should just play it safe.
Sigh. I don’t know yet. I have this problem with playing it safe. I’ll end on a high – I finally figured out what kind of dog Max is (after many hours of searching through Petfinder.com) He’s a Rottweiler/German Shepherd mix and he looks scary but he’s not.
Bedtime for me. Tomorrow it is ALL about Rachel the revisions for her book. Okay, and mailing out some of the publicity stuff for Oliver.
Please don’t play it safe
Playing it safe is boring.
Plus, think of all the great art in the world–I’d be willing to say none of it came into existence through playing it safe.
Re: Please don’t play it safe
I know you’re right but dang, it doesn’t make it easy. I’ve played it safe and know that my work suffers but pushing the boundaries takes so much strength that I have to talk myself into it each step of the way.
I’ve been quiet but I’m thoroughly enjoying your posts! You are an inspiration! Go go go! 🙂
Thanks, Debbi. Coming from you, the queen of dedication and working through EVERYTHING, I take it as a high compliment.
whoops…that was me
forgot to log in.
What an excellent day of research! Your story sounds very interesting to me. Don’t play it safe–shoot for the banned books list 🙂 What a sweet husband you have. All writers should have such supportive spouses!
Thanks, Kim. I AM lucky to have my supportive husband. Ooh…love how you think, shoot for the banned book list. I like it! Now if only I could find that damn plot. Interesting people do not a story make. Sigh.
Congrats. And may I add, don’t play it safe. Write the whole, true story, and worry about the other stuff later. Your muse will be quite unhappy if you keep second-guessing him/her.
Boy and there is nothing worse than an unhappy muse, right? 😉 I will do my best to push outside my comfort zone but expect to hear the occasional “omigosh I don’t know what I am doing” sort of thing. It’s the way I work. I dream. I panic. I balk. Then I write.
Hello I’m new here 🙂
A number of days back I added you to my friends as you sound really really interesting and like someone else said you are an inspiration.
Don’t play it safe btw, when I was a kid i read lots of books that my mom didn’t like because they had withches in them and witches in her mind (she’s deeply religious) were evil, I found them really interesting and in their own way they enriched my life. Also if J.K. Rowling had played it safe we’d have never got Harry Potter would we?
It is a real inspiration to read about the daily life of a published writer.
washer_woman
Re: Hello I’m new here 🙂
Thank you so much for adding me and for posting. I’m glad I can be an inspiration. And you are right, of course, that if all writers (and artists) played it safe, the world would be a much poorer place.
Re: Please don’t play it safe
I know you’re right but dang, it doesn’t make it easy. I’ve played it safe and know that my work suffers but pushing the boundaries takes so much strength that I have to talk myself into it each step of the way.
Thanks, Kim. I AM lucky to have my supportive husband. Ooh…love how you think, shoot for the banned book list. I like it! Now if only I could find that damn plot. Interesting people do not a story make. Sigh.
Re: Hello I’m new here 🙂
Thank you so much for adding me and for posting. I’m glad I can be an inspiration. And you are right, of course, that if all writers (and artists) played it safe, the world would be a much poorer place.
In honor of Chris Crutcher and all that is brave … write the book you are MEANT to write. It will speak to someone. If you need crystals and Tarot cards to bring Santa Cruz to life, put them in! If Frankie lives in a scary part of town, write the hell out of it!
Don’t worry about the plot. I keep chanting Debbi’s “It’s okay to write crap,” because then at least I’m writing. I KNOW I can fix things later … even plot.
Plot
I love the way your plots just kind of happen. I mean, you sort of sit back and observe and let the story happen, instead of forcing it. Very cool. Does your husband write? Does he think all that is wierd? My wife’d think I was crazy if I shared my writing process with her.
Don
http://devast.blogspot.com
Re: Plot
Don, All I can say is that is the way THIS book is writing itself. It’s a first for me and it’s a lot of fun.
My husband doesn’t write but he plays D&D so he has been creating scenes and scenarios for his group for a long time. He thinks I’m weird, but he loves my weirdness. 😉 Thank goodness. He lets me brainstorm or ramble and even though he doesn’t usually have ideas that work with my stuff, he helps prime my thinking pump.
Plot
I love the way your plots just kind of happen. I mean, you sort of sit back and observe and let the story happen, instead of forcing it. Very cool. Does your husband write? Does he think all that is wierd? My wife’d think I was crazy if I shared my writing process with her.
Don
http://devast.blogspot.com
Re: Great details!
You’re right, Tracie! There is nothing like it when all those connections start happening. It was the oddest thing because I use the word “moon” in the title of this book and when we found the psychic shop and started talking about Tarot cards my husband asked me if I knew what the moon card meant. I didn’t. He said it is a scary card and that it
warns about secrets and hidden enemies, tricks and lies.
It gave me the shivers.
Re: Great details!
You’re right, Tracie! There is nothing like it when all those connections start happening. It was the oddest thing because I use the word “moon” in the title of this book and when we found the psychic shop and started talking about Tarot cards my husband asked me if I knew what the moon card meant. I didn’t. He said it is a scary card and that it
warns about secrets and hidden enemies, tricks and lies.
It gave me the shivers.