Garbage

I was asked tonight by a college professor, “What do you write about?” and I said it was mostly garbage. I then back-pedaled and told him about the ten chapters of a novel I have written that has been in a drawer for the last five years because I am just “stuck” on one of my characters.  (It’s too early to kill him off yet. Trust me. I tried.)  The professor asked me about the story line and we got into a ten-minute discussion about it. He actually seemed interested in it and encouraged me to finish the book.

Why would I say that I write mostly garbage? I mean, it’s true that a lot of garbage does end up on the  pages of this blog but those usually sit in the draft file and after a week or two I re-read and say, “What the hell was I thinking?” and then I delete them. The stuff I actually publish is usually pretty good. (Uhm, YEAH! I do think I’m good at this.) I think I may have said it because I’ve slacked off in the writing department. I haven’t published anything since June and that’s unlike me. In fact, I haven’t really written anything since June. And that’s REALLY not like me.

I suppose I could blame the heat. My computer is set up in the living room where there is no ceiling fan to help circulate the air conditioning. With the average temperature this past month being well above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, I haven’t been able to do much but sweat and shower. But it’s also been a lack of creativity, so there’s not a lot going on in my head but planning Summer meals, and teaching Sam how to drive. (She’s not bad.)

I have been reading a lot. I’ve completed four books in the last 45 days or so. Some were recommended and some I became interested in following interviews with the authors on “Think!” with Krys Boyd on NPR. (She’s got great guests on her show and I love how prepared she is and how she has thoroughly read the books and researched the authors. You certainly don’t get that level of preparedness on television interviews!

I’d love to get my head out of the garbage place that it seems to be right now. I will. Perhaps when the kids go back to school I’ll be able to  re-focus and complete my story. Who knows? Maybe Krys Boyd will read my novel once it’s published and I’ll be a guest on her show.

In the mean time, I’m going to get my character’s story together in my head so that I can make him the antagonist that I want him to be. And trust me. This story won’t be garbage.