The idea of “St. Joan’s Architect on Mont Saint Michel” paranormal novel possessed both the setting and the haunting element, but the characters at first refused to appear on the page. As the mother of two sons, my relationship with my own mother felt less resolved than perhaps authors’ with daughters. My two older sisters and younger brother left Mother little time to nurture a third daughter, who drained the family’s limited finances with doctoring for her crossed eye, broken ear drum and dropped foot. Mother’s death in 1994 annihilated any chance of reconciliation.
So the empty page beckoned to create my daughter, an architect about to start college. As a psychic and multiple married mother, I could immediately layout the conflict between the daughter’s hopes of happy ever after and the stymied ghost-buster mother.
Feeling welcomed by Joan of Arc, once my heroine arrived on Mont Saint Michel; she imagines never leaving by marrying a citizen rather than going off to college. Her widowed mother is about to marry her fourth husband, which means abandoning the heroine’s home town. The first candidate for marriage is an artist who sketches the heroine in a nude pose. However, he’s been engaged for four years to a young woman about to return to the island from college. His cousin, the hero, however is visiting the Mont for the last time before he begins a predestined life as a shipping magnate in his father’s business. He’s loathe to leave Mont Saint Michel for this his last summer vacation. After his first sight of the heroine as she steps aboard the Mont, he’s determined she’s his soul mate.
And this author’s beat goes on.
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog. Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss your struggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who are struggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer – aim for a dozen new people each time.
Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!
Twitter hashtag is #IWSG
Sometimes death invades a broken relationship and the chance for reconciliation doesn’t happen in the form that we would like it to happen. That face to face meeting is denied us, but I believe there is reconciliation and forgives me when we forgive ourselves and let go of what happened in the past.
Shalom,
Patricia @ http://www.patgarciaandeverythingmustchange.com/2016/05/the-second-milestone-iwsg-article-may-4.html
Thank you, Patricia. Writing down the words of love between a fictional daughter and mother did relieve the largest part of the angst forme. Forgiveness does require letting go.
Interesting how we often find motivation from our own lives and reflect it in our writing.
Inspiration is waiting for someone to grab it for us.