the power of the force

The rest of the world sees Super Bowl commercials at the first of the year.  Since DH and I don't really celebrate that holiday, it takes me a while to catch up.


I love this commercial for the power of imagination, determination, ambition, and familial love.  So I'm a sucker for happy endings.... duh.

I'm also a sucker for the blooper reel.

What if?

What if things weren't quite as we perceived them?

What if the old woman who lived in a shoe really wanted a pair of stiletto heels and had an aversion to children?

What if when Rapunzel let down her hair, the prince realized it was a weave and he didn't want a woman who wasn't authentic?

What if Rip Van Winkle could have gone on a speaking tour of Europe about how much better things were 'way back then' and why he was a better parent than his wife?

What if the hero in a romance was short, pudgy, had acne scars, and didn't have a mint socked away for a rainy day?

What if Dr. Doolittle were able to teach others to listen to, understand and accept the animals?

Why all of the what-iffing?

The better question is, why not?

I watched a video interview Sherrilyn Kenyon gave a few years ago about her writing technique.  Turns out she is a panster and a very successful one at that.  I see myself as one of those and when I have overly outlined something or put too many details out without linking the story together, the whole thing dies a painful (to me) death.

I think that What If and Why are kind of like Mount Everest ... answer them, twist them, love them, or leave them Because They Are There!

the prefect storm

Have you ever noticed cars in parking lots where someone has written in the dust, "Wash me."

The storm last night qualified any car not parked in a garage to have that written on the windshields.

Almost one dozen hours have passed and I can still taste the dust in my mouth, feel it in my throat, and see it on my car.  Yes, dearest hubby did rinse the cars off last night after the storm so the windows were clear, but the underlying layer was still there.

When I cannot see the lights of the city park from my kitchen window, I know the storm is going to be bad.  When I can't see my back patio at all, it is a doozy.

Wonder if there'll be a repeat tonight?

Final Outcome: Four of Cups

 I love this card as the final outcome.  It represents having a variety of options.  The page beneath the tree has cups delivered to him from the fates.  So long as the page believes in limitless possibilities, they will be presented to him. (So I'm a traditionalist - to me the page and the travelers in the deck are all male ... it is easier to have a gender when I think of them - when I try to turn them into Boy George or his equivalent all it does is mess with my brain.)

The day is bright. The sky appears to be calm and the weather good. The traveler seems to be waiting for the future to come or to choose which of the possible futures to accept.

Romance, of course they will have a Happily Ever After - or at least Happily for Now.  I've often wondered how well Cinderella or Snow White fared after their first real day at the palace.

But I digress, and don't I always.

Now to choose a voice.

His.  Men are more fun to write.  At least some are ...

Hopes and Fears: Death

The most powerful of the cards in Tarot as it is the card of transformation also known as Death.  

The big D, as I like to think of it, isn't necessarily a card representing physical death.  It is much more about change.  Change happens whether or not we want it to, let go of that which no longer serves you.


So what are the hopes and fears?


Easy:  He/she will repeat mistakes from past relationships.  That habits cannot be overcome (open mouth, insert foot, financial decisions, emotional blackmail) will begin again in this new phase of life.


I have a friend who has met the love of her life about 12 times. Each time, she repeats all of the patterns from the past loves who have left her.  She wonders why nothing has ever improved or changed.  It does change, just not the way she wants it to.  


Her fear is that they will not live up to her dreams.  The hope of the men is that she won't be neurotic.  


Sadly, they both lose.

Exernal Influence: Justice

Justice:  Cause and Effect.  Punishment and Reward.  Also known as the law of Karma – you don’t necessarily get what you want, you get what you deserve.

Personally, I think this is one of the scariest cards in the deck.  The concept of Justice, the balance of the scales and the sword, making a final judgement, is frightening.


There are a great many things for which I know I have been subject to Cause and Effect.  I also believe it is a Universal Law - just like Gravity.  I don't have to believe in Karma (Cause and Effect) for it to work just like I don't have to believe in Gravity to know that it works.  


The difference is that we are not always privy to the results of Karma.  Gravity, well, the results are pretty obvious.  If you don't believe me, look at all of the plastic surgeons in the telephone book (or online) who do breast lifts and/or augmentations.  

Case closed.


I'd like to see the villain of the piece (Snidely Whiplash anyone?) get his comeuppance in a public place.  I don't know that it will happen.  I do know that Justice has a way of getting her own, no matter how long it seems to take for the rest of us to see.

Factors Affecting the Situation - Three of Swords

How can you not look at this card and see pain and suffering?

Basically in the life of either the hero or heroine there is something that has made a major impact on him/her (and/or the dog - is there a dog?)

What are some of the things that might make an impact on the heart or psyche?  Rejection, heartbreak, betrayal, deception and loss.

The real reality is that in each day, we all encounter one form or another of the Three of Swords - it is just a matter of h ow much we let the storm impact our lives.  Or is it because of the ultimate pain and suffering we are able to move to a place we might not have wanted to go and now we feel we have no choice but to burn our bridges and move forward?

In any good romantic fiction - drama is the key.  In life, not so much.


What I mean is that a good conflict, a major loss will get the reader into the piece (or it should if done correctly).  


I might like happy go lucky stories about the cat who drinks by the leaky faucet in my front yard, but I highly doubt anyone else really cares.


Time to pull another card to get the incident defined - but that is for me to know and the plot bunny to sit on - for the time being.

Immediate Future – King of Wands:

Traditionally, the King of Wands  is seen as someone with fire and energy enough to change the world to fit his vision of it.  He doesn’t always look for or ask for help when it is needed.  In my world, he can be the bull in the china closet or the maverick in business who sees the bottom line for the next quarter but not the overall health of the business.


For the immediate future, this strong (traditionally) male energy will be the person who helps the hero and/or heroine get in touch with their inner strength.  See beyond what has been in the recent past and create a new future for him or herself.

Looking at the card, the leader is looking into the future and has no question that things will come to pass just as he thinks they should.  It also looks like he will take anyone to task who has an issue with him.

Several female friends of mine actually have this strong, fierce, warrior like determination and vision.

It serves them well.  Crossing fingers it will serve the story well, too.