This short story is intended as an anthem for women of a certain age.
photo by ldyckIs She Me?
Tonight was such a blast. My head is still buzzing from the music, from the beer. I kick off my high heels, hang up my mini skirt, and crawl into bed. I'm so tired that I could sleep for years.
I wake to sunlight pouring through the window. My bladder is going to burst. Stiff cardboard legs down the hall to the bathroom.
I look in the mirror. Wrinkles. Who's she? Grey hair. Wait! Wait, is she me?
Back in my bedroom red numbers on my alarm clock--3:33 AM. Too early! But I flick on the light. No kicked off high heels. All I can find is 'comfortable' shoes. I search through my closet. The mini skirt is only a memory. My heart hurts. I grieve the loss of time, of youth. But I refuse to crumble.
I look in the mirror again. Those are my mom's laugh lines. I remember seeing those wrinkles on my aunt's neck. Wise compassionate women who I modeled myself after. Why should I stop now?
Virtual (author) Reading...
Tonight was such a blast. My head is still buzzing from the music, from the beer. I kick off my high heels, hang up my mini skirt, and crawl into bed. I'm so tired that I could sleep for years.
I wake to sunlight pouring through the window. My bladder is going to burst. Stiff cardboard legs down the hall to the bathroom.
I look in the mirror. Wrinkles. Who's she? Grey hair. Wait! Wait, is she me?
Back in my bedroom red numbers on my alarm clock--3:33 AM. Too early! But I flick on the light. No kicked off high heels. All I can find is 'comfortable' shoes. I search through my closet. The mini skirt is only a memory. My heart hurts. I grieve the loss of time, of youth. But I refuse to crumble.
I look in the mirror again. Those are my mom's laugh lines. I remember seeing those wrinkles on my aunt's neck. Wise compassionate women who I modeled myself after. Why should I stop now?
Virtual (author) Reading...
Wednesday, November 18
Mother, May I (poem)Leanne Dyck
Before facing a particular number of candles on my birthday cake, I considered mourning but instead gathered a group of wise women. Women who I knew I could rely on to help me celebrate the passage of time. We meet at the Mayne Island labyrinth. As we walked the labyrinth we recited Mother, May I. Before, during, and after the informal ceremony, I felt supported and uplifted. It was an amazing way to celebrate.
And alsoA Star (short story)Leanne Dyck
This is one of the first stories I recorded. Unfortunately, a glitch forced me to remove that recording. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it allowed me to rewrite the story. Revisions are done, it's time to re-record the story.
Next Sunday...
Sunday, November 22
Book Review: All We Left BehindDanielle R. Graham
A war-time romance between Chidori and Hayden. Set on Mayne Island--a remote island off Canada's west coast (my island home).
photo by ldyck
Wednesday, November 18
Mother, May I (poem)
Leanne Dyck
Before facing a particular number of candles on my birthday cake, I considered mourning but instead gathered a group of wise women. Women who I knew I could rely on to help me celebrate the passage of time. We meet at the Mayne Island labyrinth. As we walked the labyrinth we recited Mother, May I. Before, during, and after the informal ceremony, I felt supported and uplifted. It was an amazing way to celebrate.
And also
A Star (short story)
Leanne Dyck
This is one of the first stories I recorded. Unfortunately, a glitch forced me to remove that recording. That turned out to be a blessing in disguise because it allowed me to rewrite the story. Revisions are done, it's time to re-record the story.
Next Sunday...
Sunday, November 22
Book Review:
All We Left Behind
Danielle R. Graham
A war-time romance between Chidori and Hayden. Set on Mayne Island--a remote island off Canada's west coast (my island home).
Sharing my author journey...
This week I...
Watched an informative YouTube video...
Thanks to author Pam Withers who shared this link with me.
Read an interesting interview with Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers and Tundra Art Director John Martz
Watched a fun YouTube video with
and learned about his new book Clan--a novel set in the ice age
WIP
word count: 10,611 words
goal: 40,000+
A rough draft of the introduction to my manuscript is complete. Hooray!
As I work on this manuscript, I've been fighting my natural inclination to write short (short stories, novellas) by discovering ways to write long.
For example...
Flesh out the protagonist. Who is she? What are her motives--internal and external? Who are her friends? What does her family think of her? What brings her joy? What does she fear?
Some authors choose to write lengthy descriptions, but I prefer to allow room for my reader's imagination.
