There's Always That One Thing...

 ...in the case of writers its that one story. The one that won't let you go - and, yeah, you have one, whether you wrote it or not. For me, the story that won't let me go is still partially in my head - because the idea gelled one way but once it was written...not much of a resemblance. The character's names were the same, the setting was the same - the Outer Banks of North Carolina, one of my favorite places in the world - and the theme was the same. That's a pic of the Banks on the left...couldn't you forget your worries there? Yeah, me, too.

Back to the story. In my head, amazing. On paper? Ehhh...not so much.

And yet the story won't let me go. In my head it was this sweeping saga that took place in post-WWII and the present day. The stories of the two main characters - a grandmother and granddaughter - mirrored each other a bit...there was all this angst and emotional upheaval and promises broken (mostly) and vows made...Oh, in my head it rivaled a LaVyrle Spencer saga - all 300 pages of it.

In reality, the book was mostly about the modern couple with a few quips from the older generation. Because, yanna, old people are sage and crack wise all the flippin' time. Oh, and a madman on the loose for no apparent reason and a runaway brother who talked in cryptic tones about nothing in particular. Yeah, the moody part of the saga was there...and the rest was...well, it was a hot mess.

But I still love those characters and I still think I may dust those pages off - someday - and do those characters justice. Because, really, someone needs to rescue them from the madman-stalker in those pages. Assuming any of them have survived thus far.

Comments

  1. I love your idea and think if you can wrangle it (pun intended) it will be awesome.

    My story is the first one I ever wrote. Needless to say it needs a lot of work. What I need to do is scrap the original and rewrite from scratch. These characters simply will not let me go. They haunt me. However, its a contemporary and right now I'm knee deep in writing two historicals so that story will have to wait.

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  2. Hope you decide to dust it off and save your characters.

    And your picture is gorgeous. Today we are covered in ice and the wind is howling...so if I close my eyes maybe I can pretend I'm on the beach :)

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  3. I had a family saga in my past as well. I never got past the first few chapters. It revolved around a gazebo. LOL. Amazing it never took off.

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  4. Stories that won't let go need to be told!!!
    At least that's MHO.
    Great post,
    Neecy

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  5. Sounds good to me, and I LOVE the Outer Banks. Have you read Anne Rivers Siddons? She introduced me to the area and its mystique.

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  6. Kristi, Get the dust rag out. Sounds like a great story and definitely worth pursuing. While I'm not going to the Outer Banks, I will be in South Carolina in 96 hours and some change. Just thought I'd tease.

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  8. Kristi~
    I remember that book! It's a great story! Dust if off cause I loved it.

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  9. Dust it off, Kristina!! It's the story of your heart and when the time is right to write it your characters will let you know! Wonderful post!

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  10. Liz, LOVE ARS's books. They're fab...and they are spot-on about the Banks. In my opinion!

    Jenna, you need to take me with you...because I could hop,skip,and jump and be *right there* with my characters! lol

    D'Ann, Neecy and Jennifer, that dustrag may come out soon!

    Sharon, that's exactly how I feel - the characters still talk to me...so far without the crazes SOS's. So far.

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  11. Margie, between your gazebo and my madman, it's a wonder. Oh, did I mention there was a huge Victorian home that rivalled a castle in size? Yeah, the problems just compound!

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  12. Any time I need a mind-vacation, I pull out my OB pics, Christine, it's amazing how they can take me back!! Today, they'll be used a lot because we're gray and rainy and I'm supposed to be writing light and fluffy not maudlin and angsty. :)

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  13. ohhh, I have one of those...but never really thought of like that. Like you, I've written certain things about it, and yet still haven' captured the essence of what keeps it with me. Thanks for sharing!

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    1. thanks for coming by, Valle! Hope you break your story out, too.

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  14. Ha! I have one of these collecting dust myself. I can't let it go and, lately, it's been calling me. Maybe we won't feel complete until that story is finished. Or maybe it's a need for closure. Whichever way the muse pushes us, I hope you'll do your characters justice.

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    1. thanks, Sheri! I think it's closure...but if I can salvage it in a good way, well...

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  15. It sounds like a great story. Maybe you should take it out and go through it again.

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    1. I may, Brenda...have a couple things to get thru first...

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  16. Sounds intriguing to me, Kristi. I do have one of those. A story that isn't finished but I think about rewriting all the time.

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    1. thanks, Jerri. It really is the 'story of my heart' that D'Ann was talking about yesterday. Or at least, the vision of it is...

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  17. Go ahead and finish it. I love a good mad man! What can I say, I find villains exciting.

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    1. lol, Shawn! I love a good mad man, too...except this one just showed up one day for no real reason. I'm gonna have to finish to find out why, I guess. :)

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