Reading the Hapless Character

Few things bother me more than reading a story only to find that little time has passed before I think the character is a moron. While I enjoy amusing stories and even really weird ones that might make almost no sense, I am not amused by a character who is unable to make good decisions - the 'bumbling idiot' character, I suppose. I know a lot of people like this sort of thing, and no offense intended towards those who do, but it's just not my thing.

But I did grow up a little bit recently while contemplating the mistakes characters make -those mistakes that make me want to toss the book and write the character off as an idiot who can only be saved by some kind of divine intervention. While I might be able to see the right decision, that doesn't mean I should expect the character to. If my life was a book and I was the main character (a book no one would read, but work with me here) and I made one of my awesome mistakes, someone reading my story would think I was a complete moron.

So, my two cents is this: keep reading, even when a character might appear to be rather thick or maybe even hopeless. We're on the journey with them, and hopefully they'll learn from their mistakes. After all, the journey is the story, and it's up to us writers to make sure that our characters make mistakes worth learning from.

A Stroll Down Memory Lane

I was reading through some old blog posts from when I first started out on this little journey of mine two years ago and also reading the comments posted by those of you who have been with me the longest. It might seem crazy to say this, but I miss that part of my journey. I miss posting about query letters sent or what I read at some agent's blog or having meltdowns that you guys talk me down from. Weird, huh?

I also found this little story I shared, and I giggled all over again. I thought I'd post it again for those who never saw it or those who might enjoy reading it again.

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Have you ever felt like you were not explaining yourself well enough, so took that extra, over-the-top bit of oomph to really get your point across --only to then wish you had kept your big mouth shut? I learned at a very young age to stop myself from doing this. Let me explain:

My father had a best friend since childhood who had two daughters appx the same age as my sister and me. They traveled from Kansas to Colorado (where I lived at the time) one summer to visit when I was nine. My sister was ten, the other two girls were nine and eleven.

My sister and the eldest of the two usually picked on me and the other nine year old. They would taunt us and say things that weren't very nice --or just beat us up. One night, while in my room, the four of us got into a VERY heated discussion that attracted the attention of the adults who then called us into the living room.

The four of us dutifully answered the call, and I was the one volunteered to explain what all the commotion was about.

"Chelle and Julie are saying that Kris and I are girlfriends."

**Crickets**

**Step-mother arches brow inquiringly**

"They said that we sleep together."

**Again the parents say nothing, but look sort of amused**

At that point, I was sure that all four adults were complete idiots. How could they not understand how totally violated I was to have my sexuality questioned at the tender age of nine?

So, in effort to make them fully understand the depth of my horror, I puffed out my chest and said, "They said that we... you know... F**K."

I did not see the other three girls behind me back away, but my dad often likens it to the parting of the Red Sea. My step-mother looked furious. My father and his best friend burst out laughing. His best friend's wife told us all to go back to our bedrooms and leave each other alone.

So, in short, I did not get my ass whooped, but I can tell you that is the memory that always pops into my head whenever I think someone is not getting my point. Now, instead of continuing on, I just assume they are an idiot and keep my mouth shut so I don't sound like one.

Also, no offense intended to those of alternative lifestyle in the telling of this story. I was nine and had no idea what homosexuality really was. Now I have many friends of the persuasion who make sure I understand fully. :-)

Guilty Pleasures

We all have them, right? I have the kind of personality that compels me to completely immerse myself into something I find that catches my imagination. I can become so focused on something that I hardly turn my mind to anything else. It can be that way with writing or reading, and it usually is, but lately I've rediscovered my love of cartoons.

Okay, okay, to be honest, I've always loved cartoons. I'm really just a big kid. But my daughter loves anime, a thing which I have always avoided and disliked since the early Pokemon years (gods, that show drove me nuts). BUT, I will now admit, I have found a FEW anime series that I really enjoy, so I have spent far too much free-time catching up with series on Netflix.

Much like what I choose to read or write, I am very specific in what I want in this form of entertainment, and I am only interested in Victorian Era style anime that has no ninjas or tiny-outfitted girls who have been 'blessed' shall we say in the chest department. There is murder and conspiracies and complicated plots, all of which are right up my alley. The few anime I enjoy are based on the manga series of their namesakes, so I have had to learn how to read manga. It... takes some getting used to, reading backwards.

How about you guys? What are your guilty pleasures?