Here it is, 'late' Saturday evening (almost 8:30) and I haven't been able to finish the blog post I've been working on for over a week. I was just looking at it, and realized sadly that I wouldn't be able to do my subject justice if I tried rushing it for publication tonight.
So here I am, trying to put something halfway decent together at the same time as helping one of Mr. Janney's Xbox friends with technical issues with his account...or email. I'm not really sure what, but since I am the more computer literate partner, I'm the one trying to help. Unfortunately, I think it's a case of a stolen/hacked account and beyond anything I can help with. I ended up having to put the headphones on myself and talking to the other gamer, because Mr. Janney as messenger was just confusing me.
And that started me on a quest to check all me email accounts to make sure they were still good and in my control. Which happily they are. I don't check my older yahoo emails very often, and in fact quake at the thought of how many emails I really need to delete. I'll get to it someday.
Of course, going to Yahoo led me to look at some of their headlines. The "Laser Cat" high school senior has died, apparently of suicide. Kyle Busch will not be participating in the Daytona 500 because he was injured in a crash during another race. And J. Lo was photobombed. Yahoo news articles are like doing raids in Clash of Clans...once I start, I don't want to stop.
The suicide story bothers me, as they always do. It's heartbreaking when someone sees no other option than to take their own life. I have a character in my third book battling depression, and ever since a classmate of mine took her life, I've been struggling with this character...as to whether she commits suicide or whether she survives an attempt. The thought of either hurts. I know that may sound odd, because she's a fictional character...she's not 'real'. I'm not sure whether my struggle is because it's the wrong plot move, or whether I'm just afraid to commit to that kind of death. Murder is one thing - a life taken because of another's will. such as Harry Flynn in my first novel. I don't feel sorry for his death though, he was a bit of a creep. I felt a little bad for having one of the antagonists in my second novel shot, but she was threatening the heroine's life and her fathers do not tolerate that sort of thing.
I don't know. I'm missing a piece of the puzzle still. I have no doubt I'll figure it out eventually. It's just a matter of asking myself the right question to unlock the answer.
Is anybody reading anything good? I'm reading one of my 'free' Kindle purchases I made who knows how long ago, The Bridge. I'm not very far into it, just enough to know it's about an old Chinese woman who lives at a spot where children are often abandoned. She rescues them and takes them to the orphanage. Until she rescues one who is blind and the orphanage can't help him the way he needs, so she takes him home to foster him. I didn't read the synopsis to refresh my memory before I started reading, so I really have no idea what to expect. I'm liking it so far.
I'm going to keep it short, not just because I'm so late this week but also because I'm beat. My husband and I were sick this week and I'm still not feeling my usual weekender self. Enjoy what's left to it friends :)
To kill or not to kill, that is the question. I find it always tough to do in my books, but ultimately give in if I know it's going to drive the plot (and my protagonist) to a better place--so to speak. Suicide is a hard one. As you know, my current work-in-progress revolves around the suicide of a college sophomore. I know you will understand the "dark place" I have to go to when I work on it at times. I lost my Uncle Herb to suicide three years ago and I pull from that life event. You'll know what to do when the time is right. (CPS)
ReplyDeleteI hope so! Thanks CP :)
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