A lesson in building tension and stakes

I couldn't write today.

I couldn't write because my son has been diagnosed with pneumonia.

My son has pneumonia, which means we may not be allowed to fly to Scotland on Thursday.

We are flying to Scotland on Thursday to celebrate my husband's 40th birthday with his family.

We are traveling 4000 miles to celebrate with the family because one family member is quite ill and we don't know how much more time well will have together.


Sometimes life gives you a harsh example of how upping the stakes can effect the impact of a story. Lesson learned, but frankly I would have rather learned it from a book.

What I learned this weekend

I learned a few valuable things this weekend and I thought I would share them with you.

1. Do not mail chocolate bunnies to south Texas in April, because they will go into the mail looking like bunnies and come out of the mail looking like this:

2. Easter egg hunting in the Hill Country takes on a whole new dimension. You have to watch out for cactus. And scorpions.

3. Texas has some real pretty weeds. The bluebonnet is the prettiest. There must have been twenty people who pulled their car over to take pictures in this field.

4. Sometimes, you meet a character from one of your stories. I'm working on a serial short story and have been struggling a little with developing the main character. I knew what I wanted her to be but couldn't quite get her backstory to fit. At a party this weekend, I met someone and it just went off like fireworks in my head -- this woman was my character. Suddenly, my backstory was clear and Serina came alive. She won't be based on this person (who is so fabulous and kind that I know she wouldn't mind) but she will be the person I picture as I write the story.

Anyone else learn anything new this weekend?