Wacked Out Character Development

An excerpt from Guns, God & SomeDudeAverageJoeRegularGuy...

“Feltus?“
“Sh…” He placed his finger over his mouth. Took her hand and closed his eyes. “Let’s pray.”
Until then did she realize what a gorgeous face he had. Long, baby doll eyelashes didn’t seem out of place on such a strong man.
He popped his eye open.
She dropped her head.
“Dear Lord-“ he began.


I am writing a short story this week as an exercise to strengthen my ability to build a cohesive story with an interesting plot, strong characters, and godly message. I hope this exercise will help me formulate a strong crisis for a novel that I wish to create in the near future. Since last year, most of my short stories and novel ideas were about these strong women characters dealing with extreme intuition. Be it my character, Arson investigator-Ariel Arrington, my investigative reporter-Tess Cooper, a teeangage exorcist-Stacy, to my first novel heroine, Laurel Baytree, a christian overseas missions crisis negotiator. These characters had to deal with knowing to much about the world that we cannot see, feel or touch, but witness with another sense be it a sixth sense/intuition/the holy spirit. And now I'm dealing with a physic PI. Lord, why? Why? do I keep coming up with these woman? I want a simple, funny, non scary character, but I keep drawing myself to these mystics...

Any answers?

Writing to see what the end gon' be,
Dee

The Last Word ... And the Word After That

An excerpt from Guns, God & SomeDudeAverageJoeRegularGuy...

"I assume you're here because what I told you last week happened yesterday." Jessie held the cracked front door open with her shoulder. Her Kahr T9 still in hand.

She watched Feltus Morgan observe the Kahr's direction. The way he looked at things-- especially her--kept her on guard.

"If you can really see the future-" He stepped toward her and leaned down to meet her eyes. "Then you would see that I'm not a bad guy. And I would never hurt you."

"Nowadays average Joes like you are the bad guy or..." She put the gun in her waist holster. "Maybe you'll hurt me in the near future and you just don't know it, yet."

While writing to see what the end gon' be, I ran across an interesting article at Christianity Today titled the Passion of Hotel Rwanda, a discussion about why Christian churches didn't flock to the cinema to see this very christian themed movie.

Since I was already a fan of the movie and mentioned how I thought Cheadle was apples to apples with Jamie Foxx in this past Oscars race, it tickled me to read an article that shared my sentiment about the movie and other things. Brian McLaren, the author of that article and of The Last Word and the Word after That : A Tale of Faith, Doubt, and a New Kind of Christianity presents a few great guestions about our mission and how to let brotherly love continue. This past Sunday, I assumed my Sunday school class would discuss this week's past events and also the Recut Passion movie. However, they didn't want to rock the boat with me after last week's discussion.

I'm not the kind of girl who jumps on band wagons(i.e, I belong to a left wing, all white, sunday school class,) but I am going to read this book once it is released[mar 26] and get back with you(from what I've gathered McLaren is a leftie.) You can check out McLaren's website by clicking on the title of this blog.

Writing to see what the end gon' be,
Dee

Guns, God & SomeDudeAverageJoeRegularGuy

An excerpt from Guns, God & SomeDudeAverageJoeRegularGuy

"What the..." Jessie Toliver slid her hand behind her bedpost, pulled her gun out its holster and observed the three phones ringing on the nightstand by her bed.

Her doorbell rang.

She fumbled with the lamp light. Kicked her bed sheets and The Dog off her legs and grabbed the red phone. "I'm on my way."

Oh, boy! This weekend has been a doozy down here in the Bible Belt.

...America had another crazy shootout
go down this weekend,and no less at a red state church.

Brian Nichols had white America and some blacks on lock down and the rest of us wishing a fool would try to carjack our rides.

I will not tell a lie. I wanted that $60k reward. The fact that he was captured five minutes from my abode made me hotter than a jack rabbit hopping on hot asphalt. Maybe he saw me and knew that I'd beat him down. OK. Let's laugh about that for a second. Maybe God knew that I'd piss in my pants, if the man stumbled on my doorstep.

So when I wake up on Monday prepared to write to see what the end gon' be I can't help, but to watch CNN's "American Morning" and to my suprise see that America had another crazy shootout go do down this weekend. And no less at a red state church by a member of said church. Like my great grandma Mudge used to say--"Great Day in the Morning."

Last week I was struggling with a compelling and timely theme and here one drops in my lap--Guns, God & Some Guy/Regular Joe. These men who appear normal, knows God, but snaps, loses faith, loses their identity. Forgets who they belong to(let's not forget the BTK Killer.)

Now I'm throwing this theme out as a writing exercise for anyone who needs something to jolt their writing juices this week. If you do decide to do this, please email me what you come up with 7500 word maximum and if I like it I'll upload it. I think I will do this writing exercise thing every Monday. What do you think?

Writing to see what the end gon' be,
Dee

Aha! Moment #1 Selah's 5th Birthday Plan Fiasco

My daughter, Selah, will be turning five on the 22nd and I will host her party on the 26th. My intentions were to give her a small, girl only dress up party at a local boutique, then call it a day. However, now I have twice the girls, more than a handful of adults. The store cannot accomodate all these people.
My wallet can't accomodate all these people.
My home can't accomododate all these people.
My chest is tight. An imaginary stress line is strangling me or at least trying to sever my head from body. Time is running out. And pretty soon the party goers parents will get tired of my changing plans.
This is not what I planned.

All I want to do is have some fun.

Aha!

All I wanted my book to do was have fun. Create a wacky character, who gets herself in some serious trouble and watch her scramble out of it. And learn a few things about my self and my relationship with God along the way. Nothing too fancy. Nothing too contrived.

But just like this party I have overplanned this book.
At this point I don't give a flying flip about what's supposed to be christian fiction.
I've read enough of everyone's expert opinion and written enough muddle of my own.
I've read enough books that poorly represent what I want in a book and have written enough muddle of my own.
I want to have fun. That's all.
So I pulled out the letter Chucky P wrote me. I reread the part where he wanted me to have more fun with my writing.

Aha!

And that's what I'm gon' do.

Selah's party will be great no matter what I decide.
And this book...Chris, this book must have Reverend Pugh in it.
And so it will. Aha!

Writing to see what the end gon' be,
Dee

Miracle, Plotting & Diary of a Glad Black Woman

I won a free movie ticket at my christian author friend Tia McCollor's Heart of Devotion Book Release Party. I used it this week to see Diary of a Mad Black Woman(click title to direct you to the movie site.)

While I watched the movie, I thought about my book. No--To tell the truth, I've been replotting my book for the past week. Old and new author friends have helped me along with this. I thank you. Anyway...

I'm watching this movie and trying to parallel my novel to this screenplay. Does anyone else do that besides me? While I do this, I realize there are some things that my novel needs like: a big opening scene, an event for my climax and a universal conflict to pull my black moment together and raise the stakes of this story. By the time I left the movie I was more energized about my story, than how gorgeous Shemar Moore is--even with the beard, dried up cornrows, and the work clothes. I want creep you out by putting his pic on this site. You all know my weakness or rather my aesthetic love for beautiful formed men. Yes. there is a thin holy line between lust and art gazing. And yes. I know the difference. Just don't tell my boyfriend about Jason Momoa. You know what I'm saying. (By the way everyone pray for my sweety pie. He is in the hospital for a respiratory infection and flu. He's in Ohio and I'm in Atlanta, so imagine my frustration.)

Back to the point of this post...

I go home tweek some things and yes, realize that my premise needs to change a bit to make this story coherent. Refusing to throw my novel notebook in the trash I prayed for Miracle. No. Not a Miracle. Miracle, the movie with Kurt Russel speaking very Wisconsinee. (Yes. I love Kurt, too.) This movie exemplified unifying theme and using big events to drive the plot. It was on HBO yesterday.

Hallelujah!!

Now I'm a Glad Black Woman. At least for now until I send my changes to my writing cronies for them to tell me to stop this nonsense and write some something, anything, soon.

Pray for me, my G-man, and all the men I cited here today. Tyler Perry, you rock!!

Writing to see what the end gon' be,
Dee

Relevant Writing & Minimum Wage

According to the Associate Press(click the title above to read more) Congress did not approve an increase in the minimum wage. "The GOP-controlled Senate defeated a labor-backed increase in the $5.15 wage floor on Monday, saying it would only hurt the entry-level workers it was designed to help."

Whatever that means...

At Sunday school this past Sunday one of my classmates asked me a question he's been wanting to ask, since this year's presidential election: how can I--a christian--be a Democrat?

My answer was providential and sweet. I didn't want to rock the boat at the church. And I didn't want to say that because as a black woman I am offended by Republican politics. That's a discussion for my personal blog-deestewart.blogspot.com.

Anyway...I say to this friend of mind. "That as a christian I can't judge people based on a sin that society wants to spotlight. We all fall short, so we all are gay/lesbian/abortion having sinners. Whether we participate in this activity or not. No sin is greater. No sin is more deplorable. I don't believe as a christian that you can unite government and religion in that way. It's pharisee-like."

The discussion was closed. Everyone smiled. And I didn't care what they said about me at their homes. As I am the only black, single, disabled mother amongst the crew. I am separate, but equal regardless of the statement I made.

So how does this affect my writing?

I read an article about stakes and conflict on faith in fiction blog last week and it changed my whole view about what I want to do as a fiction writer. As a journalist for christian press I discuss the world through my eyes and how it relates to my struggle as a christian woman. Yet, until then did I realize that I should also write about the same discussion in fiction.

See. I wanted to write something fluffy and cute that any women would want to buy and hopefully, through the jokes and catch phrases they would learn a little bit about God.

After reading Dave's article, watching another East Coast/West Coast rap "Game" rivalry shatter my hopes of a black-on-black crimeless future, and now reading this minimum wage issue in the Washington Post I am convicted and glad that I changed my premise. I changed my story from a sweet romance between a black preacher and a gospel diva into a story about faith and race. The haves and the have nots in this christian counter culture.

If we say we are christian, then why is the most segregated and prejudiced day of the week on Sunday? If we say we are christian, then why didn't we vote in November for Senators would have vote to increase the minimum wage as gas prices continue to soar? If we really care about America's freedom, then why don't we free the poor and the sick in this country? If we say we care about American's future, then why do we want to cut Head Start and Medicaid? If we say we are a God-fearing country, then why is the Ten Commandments and issue in the courthouse?

We say one thing and mean another. We are wolves in sheep clothing.

We write fluff instead of the truth.

We become the tax collector and the money changers.

Christ died for us, but didn't rise for weak minded writing. What say you?


Writing to see what the end gon' be,

Dee

Good Morning, Davidae

Jason Momoa 

An excerpt...

To the body, the day begins and ends the same, but the soul exists to know and praise the difference.

Around 6:00 am in my dreams the Lord met me. One minute he was Ben Affleck(not the superstar, but my nightdream boyfriend) and then he changed to Jason Momoa(not the incredibly gorgeous Hawaiian actor, but my daydream boyfriend)--neither of these men are my fiance mind you. But for a minute I don't think that my dream boy switches are absurd. It feels like the most casual occurence in the world. And then it strikes me.

I was late!

God knew my brain would trigger the moment I saw Momoa. If you're a girly girl like me I think your brain will trigger too, if this man popped up in your dreams all Willy Nilly. But it hit me again, while brushing my teeth and tiptoeing through the house, hoping not to disturb my daughter, Selah.

I laugh. The Lord has a sense of humor.

But what's rich about this illumination is the fact that for the first time I understood that the Lord knows what to do to get my juices flowing. He knows who I am.

Usually he sends the Holy Spirit to whisper to me, while I'm joking with Ben,"Good Morning, Davidae."

But not today. And I am too happy to wonder why.

I read a few pages of Mariette in Ectsasy and laughed--again, not at the book, but at myself.

I love beautiful things: people, planets, words...
I love the way they place on the page and how they sound when read aloud.
I love pleasant surprises like Jason Momoa and Mariette in Ecstasy.
I love my Lord's morning love notes that he only sends to me.
I love feeling a part of a great big, beautiful, Momoa-inspiring world.

May you find The Lord flirting with you this day.

Writing to see what the end gon' be,
Dee