Book Storms and Other Conflicts

 

Greetings, everyone! 

I'm a resident of southwest Florida, and as you probably know, we're in hurricane season. We just experience tropical storm/hurricane Elsa, who is heading up to torment the Carolinas. I'm fervently hoping everyone will be safe and sound. 

Okay,  I hate destruction, but I love rain. Those of you who live up north will think I'm nuts when I say there is such a thing as too much sunshine.  Those of us of a certain age will remember the 1973 movie/musical Lost Horizons.  There's a song called, "The Things I Will Not Miss," by the great Burt Bacharach. 

 A group of people end up in Shangri La, a perfect place like heaven where there is no conflict and only sunshine, etc. One of the women who arrived there is talking to one of the women who lives there, and they want to change places. Here are a few lines:

Shangri La woman: "On the list of the things that I will not miss is too much sunshine."

Visiting woman: "Can there be too much sunshine?"

Yes, in my opinion, there definitely can be. 

My wonderful imaginative childhood friend, Diane Lee, and I used to play the soundtrack from this awesome musical and play the parts in Every. Single. Song. Hours and hours and hours. It probably kept us out of a lot of trouble. That song was one of our favorites. A special thank you to Diane, a friend who helped make me the writer I am today. 

Floridians are no strangers to storms.  Neither are fiction writers. Here's the thing: All good stories need a storm or two. What do I mean? Conflict. Personalities clash. Bad things (dark moments) happen, and the characters have to figure out how to solve the problem. As my mother was fond of saying, "Life isn't all Guns and Roses." Rainbows and lollipops are great and all, but a steady diet would be a bit boring, wouldn't it? They-and happy endings-are the rewards that we get to receive after accompanying the hero and heroine through their trials.  

I have some good news. I'm currently reviewing the audio files of my 2nd book, Heartbeat of the Moon. It's one of my favorite parts of being an author. It's a combination romance/horror story/historical experience of a book. The narrator is male this time, and his voice is suited for this twist on a popular horror theme.  I'm excited to let this audiobook loose on the world.

My main character, Ian, carries within him a considerable amount of angst. But as he battles his condition, he uses humor and music to buoy himself up and resolve conflict around the town as well. Our characters may carry with them angst that is always there, but they find ways to soften the edges of their trials.

As we battle the storms of life, may we find comfort and distraction in romance and fiction. And please don't forget to leave a review. 

I have a request: Please share in the comment section your favorite movie, musical, or book. I love to hear what inspires others.